Sihanoukville

[littledee85]

Thanks. I just received an email reply from Mr. Doe and he will meet us at the port. He wants to negotiate the price when we meet him. I am sure it will be a lot less than the ship's excursion and a lot more fun.

 

Thanks for the information Encantado on Mr. Doe. We are also going to this port in March, we are on the 2/28 sailing of the Legend of the Seas.

 

I sent Mr. Doe an e-mail to set up a tour with him too!

 

Shelly and Jack would love to hear your review on the tour he is giving you and how much it cost and how long it was or any recommendations you may have Mr. Doe e-mailed us back this morning and also said he would give us a price that day. We e-mailed him last evening and he got right back to us. Looking forward to our trip, all this planning is getting very exciting! Shelly and Jack have a great time on your trip. Deb and Ken

[suekay]

I'd like to go with Mr Doe but feel uncomfortable negotiating a price on the day. Didn't he give any clue to the possible cost?

[Shelly&Jack]

I'd like to go with Mr Doe but feel uncomfortable negotiating a price on the day. Didn't he give any clue to the possible cost?

I visited the Web site www.sihanoukville-cambodia.com and it described the taxis as two to four passenger carriages pulled by motorcycles. There is a photo of one on the Web site. Also some taxis are motorcycles that can take two passengers in addition to the driver. Uhm! I am not sure about doing the two passenger motorcycle, but we will see what Mr. Doe has to offer.

 

As far as price, the Web site states that a trip to a local beach from the center of town could be up to a dollar, so I doubt that we are talking about a high price for the day.

[littledee85]

I visited the Web site www.sihanoukville-cambodia.com and it described the taxis as two to four passenger carriages pulled by motorcycles. There is a photo of one on the Web site. Also some taxis are motorcycles that can take two passengers in addition to the driver. Uhm! I am not sure about doing the two passenger motorcycle, but we will see what Mr. Doe has to offer.

 

As far as price, the Web site states that a trip to a local beach from the center of town could be up to a dollar, so I doubt that we are talking about a high price for the day.

 

 

Hi Jack:

 

I received an e-mail back from Mr. Doe today, he says his forms of transportation are a car and boat so I guess it depends on what exactly it is we want to see when we get there. Thanks for the info on the website. I look forward to hearing about your tour when you return. Thanks again. Debbie

[Jambalaya07]

I was just wondering how much you paid for your tour wiht Mr.Doe? I'm going to Sihanoukville (Angkor Wat), Cambodia on March 13 with the Princess Diamond (Sydney to Bangkok Feb 22 to March 14) and I emailed Mr.Doe and he quoted me $80USD for a tour for 3 people, does that seem reasonable?

[Jade13]

I was just wondering how much you paid for your tour wiht Mr.Doe? I'm going to Sihanoukville (Angkor Wat), Cambodia on March 13 with the Princess Diamond (Sydney to Bangkok Feb 22 to March 14) and I emailed Mr.Doe and he quoted me $80USD for a tour for 3 people, does that seem reasonable?

 

You need to fly to Angkor Wat.

[uktog]

I have just come back from a cruise that included Sihanoukville as a port of call. On our trip some people were shocked by this place and refused to even get off the shuttle bus (provided free) but I would encourage you to do so. Firstly as the shuttle guide said, this is our town and our market, we are still not as developed as you are but we can get what we need here - yes, it was third world but you saw people happily engaging in dialogue with each other as they went about their daily business.

We took a tuc tuc - again good advice from the guide, do not take one from the guys that approach the bus as you get off, wait a few minutes and cross the street, they will want a fare so will be keen to negotiate. For $5 for 4 people we were taken to Sokhu Beach hotel a lovely resort (yes western, clean, maybe too sterile for the surrounding area but excellent and frequented that day by our ships senior officers, a fairly good sign I would say) pay $8 for unlimited use of the facilities and loungers and have a really lovely quiet hassle/vendor free day by an unspoilt beach.

I am glad we saw both sides of Cambodia on that day and have good memories

A

[jonnoa]

I have just come back from a cruise that included Sihanoukville as a port of call. On our trip some people were shocked by this place and refused to even get off the shuttle bus (provided free) but I would encourage you to do so. Firstly as the shuttle guide said, this is our town and our market, we are still not as developed as you are but we can get what we need here - yes, it was third world but you saw people happily engaging in dialogue with each other as they went about their daily business.

We took a tuc tuc - again good advice from the guide, do not take one from the guys that approach the bus as you get off, wait a few minutes and cross the street, they will want a fare so will be keen to negotiate. For $5 for 4 people we were taken to Sokhu Beach hotel a lovely resort (yes western, clean, maybe too sterile for the surrounding area but excellent and frequented that day by our ships senior officers, a fairly good sign I would say) pay $8 for unlimited use of the facilities and loungers and have a really lovely quiet hassle/vendor free day by an unspoilt beach.

I am glad we saw both sides of Cambodia on that day and have good memories

A

Thanks for the info. We are there mid March and certainly intend to go to the Central Market, then a tuc tuc to a beach. We were going to go to Victory Beach, but may try the Sokha Resort now.

[celle]

Well, thank you.

 

I leave Friday for 6-8 weeks over there (plus probably a couple places in the MidEast-hope they quit shooting pretty quick). With any luck, my hotel in PP will be open by Valentine's Day. One more glitch and I am going to sell the d*** thing to the first Cambodian walking by with CASH. The hotel has been the hardest thing I have done in a long time.

 

Hi Greatam,

We're going to be in Cambodia towards the end of April and have one day in PP before our tour begins. What is the name of your hotel? Hope it opens on time. Will you be living there, or do you have trustworthy staff?

 

Celle

[Shelly&Jack]

I was just wondering how much you paid for your tour wiht Mr.Doe? I'm going to Sihanoukville (Angkor Wat), Cambodia on March 13 with the Princess Diamond (Sydney to Bangkok Feb 22 to March 14) and I emailed Mr.Doe and he quoted me $80USD for a tour for 3 people, does that seem reasonable?

I paid Mr. Van Doe $40 (US) for a half day tour. He is a very nice young man and has a old Toyota for his taxi. It had A/C. He will take you anywhere you want to go or see in Sihanoukville. We had lunch at the Holy Cow restaurant and invited him to eat with us. Total cost was less than $15 for three of us.

 

By the way, Angkor Wat isn't anywhere near Sihanoukville. My guess is that it is at least an 8 hour drive in each direction on substandard roads.

[Faboo]

I don't like so much Sihanoukville but I love Cambodia, Angkor Wat and the Tonle Sap. We spent 2 wonderful weeks there for less than 2000$ each, in a luxury hotel.

Recommended by a friend who works in Siem Reap, we met Bunna who had arranged all our travel in Cambodia. He is famous for the quality of tour guide and others services that he provides all around Cambodia. You can contact him by email to ask for a quote and compare: bunna@travels-cambodia.com. Tell him hello from Fab !

[Jofannie and Mark]

I was just wondering how much you paid for your tour wiht Mr.Doe? I'm going to Sihanoukville (Angkor Wat), Cambodia on March 13 with the Princess Diamond (Sydney to Bangkok Feb 22 to March 14) and I emailed Mr.Doe and he quoted me $80USD for a tour for 3 people, does that seem reasonable?

We will be on your cruise as the second leg having started out in Auckland on the first leg. I'm just now getting to this port to try to arrange a private tour.

Have you set something up with lyvandoe@yahoo .com? Would you like company if you have?

Jofannie and Mark

[Jade13]

Deleted since I realized post was a year old.

[Jade13]

We will be on your cruise as the second leg having started out in Auckland on the first leg. I'm just now getting to this port to try to arrange a private tour.

Have you set something up with lyvandoe@yahoo .com? Would you like company if you have?

Jofannie and Mark

 

I think that post was from 2009, a year ago.

[jayhawk38]

It appears to me that the last post about the Subject above was in January 2010. We just returned from an Oceania Nautica visit to Sihanoukville and little has changed. How could it? I really think that the only reason the stop is on the itinerary is to accommodate the return of those passengers who take the two-night excursion to Angkor Wat. (38 people left Nautica in Saigon and returned to Sihanoukville.) We booked a private tour for 4 in a spotless van, had a competent guide and driver but frankly there is simply little to do and less to see. The tour guide would have stayed with us for 7 hours but we opted to return to the ship in 3. It would be easy to be biting and satirical about the Sihanoukville visit but I shall refrain. From an unscientific survey of several passengers, highlights for some included: a visit to one of a couple of beaches (water was warm and inviting), a massage at one of the upscale hotels (there are a couple) or a city-wide visit aboard a motorized tuk-tuk. Stay away from town and any of the markets. Cambodia requires a visa for US visitors so I'd recommend you get off the ship to confirm what others say about Sihanoukville. Later, make a post for others to see. Your expectations should be low.

[John Bull]

It appears to me that the last post about the Subject above was in January 2010. We just returned from an Oceania Nautica visit to Sihanoukville and little has changed. How could it? I really think that the only reason the stop is on the itinerary is to accommodate the return of those passengers who take the two-night excursion to Angkor Wat. (38 people left Nautica in Saigon and returned to Sihanoukville.) We booked a private tour for 4 in a spotless van, had a competent guide and driver but frankly there is simply little to do and less to see. The tour guide would have stayed with us for 7 hours but we opted to return to the ship in 3. It would be easy to be biting and satirical about the Sihanoukville visit but I shall refrain. From an unscientific survey of several passengers, highlights for some included: a visit to one of a couple of beaches (water was warm and inviting), a massage at one of the upscale hotels (there are a couple) or a city-wide visit aboard a motorized tuk-tuk. Stay away from town and any of the markets. Cambodia requires a visa for US visitors so I'd recommend you get off the ship to confirm what others say about Sihanoukville. Later, make a post for others to see. Your expectations should be low.

 

Wow, amazing how two folk can have different experiences of the same place ;)

We thought it a brilliant stop. Hired a van on-spec at the port & drove out via a scenic series of waterfalls to Ream Nat Park, then a long-tailed boat ride to an offshore beach-bum's island, & an eye-opening visit to the grubbiest & most-impoverished fishing village I've ever seen. A real mix of experiences.

The van cost about $10 each, & the boat about $4 each.

 

This is south-east Asia as it was, other countries - even Vietnam - are fast becoming westernised.

 

As always, just MHO

 

BTW Jayhawk, did you berth or was it a tender port.?

I ask because we could not dock due to a broken-down ferry blocking the pier. We then learned it had been sat there for over a year !!!!

 

JB :)

[rugbypopsie]

Wow, amazing how two folk can have different experiences of the same place ;)

We thought it a brilliant stop. Hired a van at the port & drove out to Ream Nat Park, then a long-tailed boat ride to an offshore beach-bum's island, & an eye-opening visit to the grubbiest & most-impoverished fishing village I've ever seen. A real mix of experiences.

The van cost about $10 each, & the boat about $4 each.

 

This is south-east Asia as it was, other countries - even Vietnam - are fast becoming westernised.

 

As always, just MHO

 

BTW Jayhawk, did you berth or was it a tender port.?

I ask because we could not dock due to a broken-down ferry blocking the pier. We then learned it had been sat there for over a year !!!!

 

JB :)

 

 

JB Ssunds like you had some fun..but I have to disagree about this port...a sadder place I have yet to visit and I have lived in third world countries. The hotels and the beach service the pedophile market...hang on to your kiddies folks...the temple is grotty not ancient and interesting, the begging children filthy, the roads are goat tracks. There is a school there that assists kids in learning skills in trades and hospitality. It is a well run place the Don Bosco Hotel School I think it is called...our roll call organised a tour through them and it was well done as well as supporting a worthy cause..but if I ever have the misfortune to visit this port again I wont get off the ship...I was so sick for the following 24 hours I thought I was dying..not from the hospitality school food I might add.:eek:

[John Bull]

JB Ssunds like you had some fun..but I have to disagree about this port...a sadder place I have yet to visit and I have lived in third world countries. The hotels and the beach service the pedophile market...hang on to your kiddies folks...the temple is grotty not ancient and interesting, the begging children filthy, the roads are goat tracks. There is a school there that assists kids in learning skills in trades and hospitality. It is a well run place the Don Bosco Hotel School I think it is called...our roll call organised a tour through them and it was well done as well as supporting a worthy cause..but if I ever have the misfortune to visit this port again I wont get off the ship...I was so sick for the following 24 hours I thought I was dying..not from the hospitality school food I might add.:eek:

 

I know where you're coming from. Popsie.

A pretty wretched place for many, esp that fishing village. Though I've seen its equal elsewhere. You'll notice I didn't say it was a fun place (though the boat trip was fun), but its a part of the world we live in.

 

I've seen posts similar to Jayhawk's & others on this thread, about other places such as in Morocco or Aden. No, not fun places at all, but the occasional foray into such places is all part of life's education & those who avoid them are shielding themselves from reality.

Whatever our own problems, it makes us realise how lucky we are.

Again, just MHO.

 

I've read about the good work of the Don Bosco School on CC, but we didn't go into town at all.

Regards,

 

JB :)

[littledee85]

We were here back in 2009 and had an amazing day with our tour guide Mr. Doe. Yes his car was not a brand new shinny car, but the places he brought us to(yes the fishing village was sad) but we drove around Cambodia for a full day went to a beautiful beach, (not near the commercial ones near the ship) and had a soda and relaxed for a bit, two different caves one was Phnom Chhn which was an amazing sight, a delicious lunch at a local restaurant along the river, a couple of temples that were beautiful and a monastery that was an orphanage with some beautiful children, my husband brought along some tokens and pins and they were ecstatic to recieve them. We saw some amazing monkeys at the monastery and Mr. Doe even brought us to another spot as he knew I liked monkeys on the return to the ship. He went out of his way to give us a fantastic day and we really did appreciate it. We were so happy to have experienced this port and would definitely return and tour with him again if we ever get back to this area of the world.

[Earl Rosebery]

I know where you're coming from. Popsie.

A pretty wretched place for many, esp that fishing village. Though I've seen its equal elsewhere. You'll notice I didn't say it was a fun place (though the boat trip was fun), but its a part of the world we live in.

 

I've seen posts similar to Jayhawk's & others on this thread, about other places such as in Morocco or Aden. No, not fun places at all, but the occasional foray into such places is all part of life's education & those who avoid them are shielding themselves from reality.

Whatever our own problems, it makes us realise how lucky we are.

Again, just MHO.

 

I've read about the good work of the Don Bosco School on CC, but we didn't go into town at all.

Regards,

 

JB :)

 

Cambodia was particularly damaged by the VietNam war and the horrors of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. After that the country was still a political football.

 

We had an interesting day hosted by the gracious folks at the Don Bosco school. Lunch at the school was a highlight. All 12 in our van said the day was enjoyable and educational.

[wristband]

Our ship docked in Sihounoukville last week. I had a very different reaction and thought the stop was well worthwhile. The key is to know what you want to see and make the necessary arrangements beforehand. Today's NY Times Sunday Travel (March 4) has the lead story on this area: http://travel.nytimes.com/2012/03/04/travel/cambodia-in-and-around-kep-open-but-undeveloped.html?hpw

 

The area is developming so fast - changes seen today will be outstripped by profound changes in just a few years. I do understand "old" Asia sights, smells and sensibilities can be upsetting to Westerners on cruise ships but I really enjoyed our time in Cambodia seeing a different way of life and a society undergoing major transition.

 

Remember, this area was under Khmer Rouge dictat and their reign of genocide just 15 years ago. It is amazing to see the resilience and spirit on display in this area.

 

BTW, this port is far more prosperous than most other areas of Cambodia -fishing industry is booming, factories opening up and the major brewery is there. If development can also preserve the pristine nearby islands and beautiful beaches that would be great. Sadly, that is not likely. Almost all development is being controlled by Chinese and Russians - the US is nowhere to be seen.

 

I say see it now before its gone forever.

[wristband]

I should add that we were also on the Nautica as was Jayhawk so two very different reactions.

 

Also, you can obtain Cambodian visas on line through the US Embassy - called "E Visas" and are valid for entry & exit in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihounkville. Easy to obtain on line, cost is far less than the cruise ship charge ($25 vs. $98 per person), and local immigration authorities are well versed about the Cambodian e-visa.

[John Bull]

I say see it now before its gone forever.

 

My sentiments exactly :)

 

JB :)

[RetiredFL]

I should add that we were also on the Nautica as was Jayhawk so two very different reactions.

 

Also, you can obtain Cambodian visas on line through the US Embassy - called "E Visas" and are valid for entry & exit in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihounkville. Easy to obtain on line, cost is far less than the cruise ship charge ($25 vs. $98 per person), and local immigration authorities are well versed about the Cambodian e-visa.

 

I think you meant the Cambodian Embassy in the US not the US Embassy.

If you go to their web page it states an e-visa is not valid for entry into Sihounoukville, only for exit so I presume you cannot use one on a cruise.

[wristband]

Yes, you are right - fingers typed too fast. E-visas are available through the Cambodian Embassy web site in the US. You also correct as to no entry in Sville (but exiting Cambodia there is perfectly fine w/ an E-visa).