Sihanoukville, Cambodia

RCCL has no shore excursions listed for Sihanoukville, Cambodia. Anyone have suggestions on what to do there?

Options on the quayside and outside port gate

- tuk-tuk into town & local sights

- van for sights further out. We went to a superb waterfall, Ream Nat Park with lots of (modern) statues beautifully crafted, long-tail boat ride to an offshore island, visited an old fishing village - very grubby but interesting, a real eye-opener.

Non-English-speaking driver plus guide with passable English, decent van takes about 10.

Bartering is the norm though prices are silly-cheap, under $100 total for the van (4yrs ago).

On these prices the bartering is fun, but we gave a big tip at the end- their need is greater than ours.

Negotiate at the start, pay at the end.

Pnohm Penh is theoretically possible in a long day but its a very very long way.

JB :)

We took a tour organised by Don Bosco Hotel School which was amazing! Tour and buffet lunch for about USD$70. Highly recommend them!

We did a tour and lunch at the Don Bosco hotel school as well about 3 years ago. There were 10 of us off Nautica. All agreed it was very good. Cambodia is impoverished. Sihanoukville has little to offer. The Don Bosco Hotel school is exactly what it sounds like- a school for Cambodian young people to enter the hospitality industry.

Google Don bosco Hotel School and e mail them

Another vote for the Don Bosco hotel school. I organised a tour in January and it was a highlight of our Far East cruise.

Our itinerary was:

DON BOSCO HOTEL SCHOOL and Sihanoukville

Includes guide and driver:

8.00am Pick up at the port gate

8.00am- 8.50am Visit Fishing Villages

8:50am - 9:40am Visit Wat Leu pagoda

9:40am - 10:20am Coffee Break at our own home made Italian Ice Cream Shop

10:20am - 12:00am Visit Kabal Chhay water fall

12:00am - 14:00pm Tour of the Don Bosco Hotel School and lunch at the Poolside Restaurant. http://www.donboscohotelschool.com

14:00pm - 14:50pm Psa leu Market (Central Market) for shopping and souvenirs

14:50pm- 15:50pm Beach Drive

15:50pm - 16:00pm Return to the ship

Price 49.00 USD per person including Coffee break and Lunch More than 5 people

Price 60.00 USD per person including Coffee break and lunch - under 5 people.

You may want to just stay on the ship. We returned a month ago and can't figure out why we even stopped in Sihanoukville. If you take the shuttle into town, hawkers smother you. We took one of the tuk tuk drivers tour and it was nothing to speak of. It was definitely third world. Can't recommend tour.

You may want to just stay on the ship. We returned a month ago and can't figure out why we even stopped in Sihanoukville. If you take the shuttle into town, hawkers smother you. We took one of the tuk tuk drivers tour and it was nothing to speak of. It was definitely third world. Can't recommend tour.

It's an awfully long way to go & then stay on the ship.

Third world yes, though I think of it more as stepping back in time - as the tiger economies of S E Asia westernise & modernise, Cambodia is still 200 years behind the times and we found it fascinating. It's a shame you didn't venture beyond the local tourist haunts.

Not a chance I'd want to live in Cambodia, or even spend a vacation in Sihanoukville, but very glad we had the opportunity to see and meet.

Part of life's tapestry.

JB :)

We went to Phnom Penh on an included shore excursion.

Yes, it was a long drive there and back (about 3 hours each way) but even with the short amount of time we had in Phnom Penh, I got a sense of the city -- and in fact, really enjoyed it. We were able to visit the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, and the terrific National Museum. Some groups went to the Killing Fields. (I chose not to do that tour.)

The ride there and back has some interest also as you get to see a few small villages, rice fields, etc. On the way back to the ship, it was dark but we saw several large weddings being held in these small villages. Our guide was outstanding in using some of the down time to give us info including his own family's story during the Khmer Rouge days.

I think Sihanoukville is also used as a jump-off point for some doing the cruise line excursions to Angkor Wat.

We went to Phnom Penh on an included shore excursion.

 

I think Sihanoukville is also used as a jump-off point for some doing the cruise line excursions to Angkor Wat.

Ankor Wat is at least an 8 hour drive one way from Phnom Penh so unless you have a couple of days stop over it is just not possible to visit from Sihanoukville

Ankor Wat is at least an 8 hour drive one way from Phnom Penh so unless you have a couple of days stop over it is just not possible to visit from Sihanoukville

Some cruise ships offload passengers for an overnight or even two night Angkor Wat excursion and then pick them up at a different port later (e.g., in Bangkok). Or vice versa.

It's an awfully long way to go & then stay on the ship.

Third world yes, though I think of it more as stepping back in time - as the tiger economies of S E Asia westernise & modernise, Cambodia is still 200 years behind the times and we found it fascinating. It's a shame you didn't venture beyond the local tourist haunts.

 

Not a chance I'd want to live in Cambodia, or even spend a vacation in Sihanoukville, but very glad we had the opportunity to see and meet.

 

Part of life's tapestry.

 

JB :)

So agree! It also made us feel very blessed for all we have, and as such were able to donate and put a young person through the Don Bosco School for two years!