Fun things to do in Krong Preah Seihanu

It is nice to get up early and walk from Victory Hill along the beaches while it is not too hot. From Victory Beach you will pass by Hawaii Beach before reaching Independence Beach, then you can scramble over a headland to reach Sokha Beach before arriving at Serendipity Beach which is rather built up. Allow 2/3 hours for a leisurely stroll before having a snack at one of the many restaurants at Serendipity. From Serendipity you can walk towards town then back to Victory Hill or catch the local transport.

If I had to list what constituted my favourite tourist bar anywhere, it would probably go something as follows. Actually, I prefer locals bars as other tips will attest, but bear with me. Safe (i.e. no trouble), friendly staff, cheap drink, good music, good food, interesting people and, above all, a guitar I can play now the ridiculously expensive baggage restrictions of international carriers have precluded me bringing my own. For Retox Bar, answer yes to all the above. To his great credit, I was put onto this place by Gary from the Sakal down the hill, a move which must have cost him a few $$$ in lost revenue, and I thank him for his honesty. He's a good bloke.

Retox is apparently something of an institution amongst the expats in Snooky, and I fitted in quickly with an assortment of slightly odd but very likeable characters. They have draught Anchor beer, and draught here always works out cheaper than botles or cans. Food is available from "Mama's kitchen" as long as the bar is open and is very good. I won't bother with a seperate restaurant tip but I recommend the sweet and sour pork.

The selection of music is remarkable and Richie, who runs the place with his Khmer wife, is very proud of it. I was amazed when he started playing me an Irish folk band from the early 70's I had never even heard of. That's my genre, my time and my place - incredible.

The absolute selling point was the live music. I mentioned in my ideal tourist bar a guitar I could play. Take your pick. I swear I have seen music shops with less stock in them. A fully functioning, if somewhat old, PA system, electric guitars, acoustic guitars, some in between, basses, a full drumkit, congas, assorted persussion intruments, even some Khmer traditonal instruments and a banjo should you be able to play them. I was right in my element, and cue some wonderful nights jamming with some excellent musicians, it was pure magic for me. Whether it was pure magic for others listening is open to debate, but hopefully the real musicians present carried me. It is interesting that even on quiet nights during what was a quiet "high" season, this place was generally doing business when all around were deserted.

The lovely thing about Retox is that you never know what will happen. Richie has a great recording of some Russian musicians who visited a few months previously. Apparently they are quite famous in their home country and just got up and jammed. Similarly, a Khmer band called Dengue Fever "cut their teeth" here before going on to play in various European festivals including, I believe, Glastonbury. If you are a musician, get here, if you aren't, get here anyway to see what might happen.

I am still trying to work out what Saphire (sic) Connections is trying to be. The name would suggest it has set up as an internet cafe, although the layout is rather more of a bar that sidelines in online connection. If it is the former, it is not a great option and there are much better around, if the latter, again there are better options within yards. I wanted to connect my laptop and was duly given a long connecting lead to use. To say that this lead had seen better days would be akin to saying that Dean Martin liked the odd beer. It was a mess and the connection kept dropping out, not helped by the fact that the pool players were continually tripping over it. There are far better internet places locally.

As a bar, at least it avoids the "hostess bar" trap, and you aren't going to be hassled all the time. It's nothing special and the pool table is a bit beaten up. The best thing about this place is the soundtrack, and obviously that is purely subjective. On the evening I visited I reckon that of all the tracks I heard in perhaps an hour and a half, I had all but one of them in my collection. Supertramp, Heart, Stones etc. etc., very much an early 70's feel. If you just wanted a drink and to listen to that type of music (yes, please) this might be the place for you.

I shall mention in a general tip, when I get a chance, about the problems concerning money in Cambodia. To summarise here, there are two currencies in the country, the riel and the $US. Just about everything is priced in $US and if you are a foreigner that is what you will be expected to tender. Additionally, the ATM machines all issue $US, which I find distinctly odd. Imagine, for example, going to your ATM in London and being issued Japanese yen, with no option for £ sterling. Herein lies the problem. You are charged heavily, and per transaction not per cent of the value, for using ATM's so you will want to take the maximum out at a time that you can. This means you will get $100 notes. Because this represents such a huge amount in a country where, for example, a packet of cigarettes is about 80 cents US and a good meal perhaps $1:50, most places either can't or won't change that note. Additionally, I believe the $100US is the most forged note in the world so people are naturally suspicious of them.

The only way round this is to go to a bank and ask them nicely to change them into smaller denominations. Some are more helpful in this respect than others. I went into the branch of CAB pictured on Ekareach Road, and the very helpful young lady willingly changed my large bills for something more useful at no charge. I hadn't even got them from her ATM. I realise this is a small point but it may help you in a country where currency can be a bit of a problem.

As I mentioned in the introduction page, Sihanoukville gained a reputation as a resort based on it's beaches, and most of them are now all but destroyed by uncontrolled development and the attendant rubbish and sewage (sorry to have to mention this). The extremely persistent hawkers / vendors / masseuses etc. on most of them are also a big turn off for many visitors. My tip is to head for Victory Beach, the one nearest the port, which seems to be relatively unspoilt and free of the attentions of those seeking $$$. You can find yourself a quiet spot at either end of it, although, should you want the luxury of a sun-lounger and a cold drink brought, that is catered for by the beachfront establishments.

The photo gives some idea of how relatively ucrowded it is, and this was taken mid-afternon during what is meant to be the high season. I was reliably informed by a number of residents that the high season 2009 - 2010 was not nearly as high as they had hoped, and the number of "For Sale" signs in town seems to bear that out.

The ranger leaves everyday either in the morning or afternoon. We departure from ranger station at 8.30am. The ranger boat meanders along Preak Toek Sap river and through the mangroves channel until it reaches the mouth of the beautiful river before continuing to the white sandy beaches.