ALSO KNOWN AS KAMPONG SOM, IS THE CAPITAL CITY OF SIHANOUKVILLE PROVINCE.
Stretching around one kilometer in length, Independence Beach, the strip of coastline where Holiday Palace is located, is one of the best preserved beaches in Cambodia. Waters are crystal clear and shallow near the shore. At low tide, you can walk a long way out into the bay to admire the beautiful sunset. Rhesus monkeys can occasionally be spotted in the trees behind the beach where there is a small freshwater lake, a source of water for local villagers for centuries.
Stretching around three kilometers in length, this is Sihanoukville’s most popular strip of sand. Restaurants, bars, cafés and shop line the back of the beach. Sun loungers and umbrellas are available for rental on the beach. This area has a buzzing beach life. Vendors stroll the sands selling freshly made tropical fruit drinks; local lobster and fish can be grilled to order. Beachwear and souvenir shops vie for attention alongside jet-ski, boat trip and snorkeling operators. Half or full-day tours can be arranged around the small islands that lie off the coast.
At Otres Beach, a kilometer or so further south of Ochheuteal, visitors can find an isolated and peaceful haven away from all the activity of Ocheuteal. The three kilometer road that follows the beach leads to a small river where there are a few places to eat and drink, plus a handful of beach and souvenir shops.
The Golden Lions Monument is a prominent landmark in the city of Sihanoukville in Cambodia. Known as Vimean Tao Meas in the Khmer language, the monument consists of two golden lions, which symbolises Sihanoukville as a powerful province in Cambodia.
It is located on a hill in the heart of the city in the roundabout between Sokh a and Ochheuteal Beach and is hard to miss while exploring the city. In the evenings, the promenade around the monument attracts many locals and tourists who hang out in the restaurants nearby or shop from the street vendors selling small souvenirs to local street food.