Sihanoukville

• A familiar destination with Vietnamese

Sihanoukville or Cambodia is too close, and Vietnamese people are so accustomed to this, they have even written much, much more detailed than this one.  But, I write in my own feeling, sharing alone, because my trip is a vacation resort, there is no need for a very cheap trip and save money. For myself, I went to enjoy the trip, and to enjoy the full money for the trip

• Unsatisfied with Sorya Bus

When reading on google for the trip, I chose to buy tickets to Sihanoukville transit Sihanoukville transit of Sorya bus in Pham Ngu Lao. The main reason for this choice is because ... Cambodia is not really really safe, especially in this stage, so it's time to go straight, not change the bus change is the safest. But, people do not count the weather, division of labor is finished, I also have to run to buy tickets after a few weeks delay, and the result is ... tickets are gone straight, vehicles. Although no trouble occurred, the trip is still safe, I still do not feel very satisfied (perhaps I was accustomed to planning details for each trip and when things happen unexpectedly, I feel the trip is not complete. So for most of my trips, this is a "safe but not sound" trip. One of the things I did not like about Sorya's bus was ... day by day, 10 hours in the car for me was never a problem (1st was because the day before was a student, 10-12h On the pile to return to Pleiku to celebrate Tet is normal, 2 is because I am not a sub-letter, but also very creepy buffalo), but in the daytime, hot sun, sleeping object is not happy. Going from SG at 7am, going to Phnom Penh about 1pm (including more than 1 hour at the entry bordẻ gate), waiting to change car at the bus station (bus station looks like Pleiku time has just opened the door) and.

• From Phnom Penh go to Sihanoukville about 4-5h and arrive at 7pm. So, this way would probably be better

• Phuong Trang Night Bus is better

As far as I know, I advise you to choose the night bus of Phuong Trang online route - Rach Gia, to the gate of immigration procedures, then go to Sihanoukville only 3 hours. One sister said she had a Vietnamese phone number, ready to pick up the bus to pick up and pick up straight to Sihanoukville. So it is very convenient, you only do the procedures for entry and exit (when the car Sorya, the staff on the car will collect passport and do all the procedures, stamped yourself, I do not have to do anything, but will It took a lot of time to wait for them to complete the procedures for the bus was so crowded as the result as waiting tired and boring). In addition, Ho Chi Minh City - Rach Gia can fly Vietnam Airlines, fares are quite cheap (this line should always have promo), from the airport to taxi to the border. Of course, this is just for those who have a lot of money for the trip

To Sihanoukville, the bus will always be on the bus station near Victory Beach. (If you go the way you passed the car pick up at the border gate in Kien Giang, they take you directly to the hotel), from the bus station easy to pick up tuktuk. hotel. Tuktuk here is slow and careful but not as bad as Thailand. We arrived at 7pm, get back to the hotel about 5km away, cost 24,000 riel (about 6usd) and I did not pay the price because it is also dark. Luckily, the group encountered a gentleman too cute, driving tuktuk but spoke very good English, became a private driver for the group the next day on the limousine of the picture.

•  Arrival in Sihanoukville

About the hotel,I did the check in, then took a shower, 9pm to walk and eat dinner and walking out to see beautiful star sky of the sea. In Sihanoukville every night there are flares and fireworks, especially at Occheuteal beach, which made me very happy. Firecrackers are sold full of beach, 1usd / tree, that spoiled. But who wants to fire artillery, remember to sea, do not stand on the sand because the gun fired on sand rolls are very strong, the people sitting coffee, restaurant bar along the beach will be sandy shot in very pain, not to mention the ashes of firecrackers on people (like burned on the neck and chest, red pain and burning). Along the beach there are many nice bars, comfortable seats, plenty of drinks for tourists, food is mostly Western, generally easy to eat, and prices are not cheaper than Vietnam. Where, for the tourist that I also do not have the need to find the real cheap, because here the price is very expensive but the view is extremely perfect, especially watching the sunset, the red sun like flaming fire slowly sinking into the sea).

• 1 cup of mojito for 3usd and 1 cup of coffee for 1.5usd.

And pay special attention, here to change the retail dollars that spend, do not change what riel to usd, the whole price in USD and when riel the conversion is extremely expensive (heavy losses always)

• The day of wandering around

The next day, I decided to spend all day strolling Sihanoukville to enjoy so I was not hurry to islands. The tuktuk driver said, will take a group around SHV, visit all the beaches and then downtown, to the market, lunch. Both programs are 20usd (~ 80,000 riel). Occheuteal beach is ... unlike our home Vung Tau, crowded dirty garbage, too

• My disappointment with the sea rubbish

By the sea, the smell of food rises which is terrible disappointed. Going through the Otres beach just see the local people, while Sokha and Independence beach are side by side, it is so indescribably beautiful, because they are two private beaches of two 5 star hotels, outside guests are not Going to that private beach, but playing alongside, the clear sea, beautiful, rocky cliffs to climb pictures, white sand, clear water. The driver took the group to lunch at a local restaurant, here he did not see a picture of a tourist, the menu is riel not usd, the staff speaks Orange not speak Brother. Few tourists are likely to experience this type as their group. Lunch is delicious, and cheap (total for 4 dishes and 60,000 riel drinks ~ 360,000 VND)

Before going about 10 days, I tried to book a party boat from SHV to Koh Rong Sanloem island but completely out of the ticket days (it turned out that Vietnam has few tour companies have booked all over the place) , tried to beg (in the next evening, tuktuk to go to the ticket sales are always) is sold for 4 tickets to the train ride. It is regrettable with this decision, not because of the wrong decision, for what I will say later.

•  Sihanoukillve with its beautiful islands,

Sihanoukillve has two island tours - Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem. Koh Rong is closer, more crowded and bustling, and Koh Rong Sanloem is farther and quieter. I choose the quiet. From SHV to Koh Rong Sanloem, there are two ways - one is a 45-minute speedboat, 25-round trip, two-hour party boat, two 30-minute boat trips to Koh Thas. . Party boat has food and drink, dancing on the boat, sun deck for sun exposure, quite fun. Buy tickets to buy round-trip, can overnight on the island and take the return ticket to the next train. The trip from SHV is 9:30 and the return trip is 3:30. I mean this

If not seasick, and not afraid of black, and swim, then party boat very ok. Because the train is slow, there is a camera that is spoiled for taking pictures (huhu camera taken for the island, the lens die a day before making me almost crazy), to Koh Thas diving view coral and the fish liked it, foreigners all climbed upstairs to jump into the sea. Boats and lifeboats are available for diving

If you want to spend time enjoying the island then you should go speed boat, 45p to about 6-7h on the island, because party boat is only 3-4h in the island.

Koh Rong Sanloem is indeed heaven. I can see fine white sand, clear sea water, far away from the water just across the hips, fish swimming, sun rising, so the sea is very warm.. I do not want to write too much about this island, because it's only sea and sea, it has to be in the new place (it's a lot of beaches but it's really a paradise, still deserted. , and ... cheap)

•  Review of White Beach 3star Hotel

 I chose the White Beach 3 star hotel on Occheuteal Beach, priced at 70usd / night double room, quite ok in this area (whatever, I travel very important accommodation). But next time I will not choose here because the beach is too boring, if travel will choose Independence hotel or Sokha resort, these two 4-5sao, more than $ 100 / night but ... it worths. And if possible, overnight off the island for one night, note that Koh Rong Sanloem has only a few resorts, very quiet, nothing at night, so if you want to stay overnight on the island remember couple, new job to do hehe. Otherwise, choose Koh Rong for overnight, bar lightning flash more fun, worth to spend overnight.

• Issues with Buffet

Say something very bad I did not mention above, it was a party boat going to the island (next time I will choose speedboat, lost time and not get seasick). Because of the reason that I was told to take the reinforced train due to two full-fledged party boats, the ship was quite small and did not seem safe, the whole guest on board was ... Ships and Russia,  And the "utterly ridiculous country of Russia" when the Russians were really a people that everyone must stay away (that Russian children working in the place they bought tickets to say - I'm in Vietnam here. I do not like  Nha Trang beach, Phan Thiet is too crowded with Russians). Also, more Chinese passengers are enough to understand how four children tortured in two hours. When the boat stopped at Koh Thas for scuba diving, the waiter set up a meal for the guests, just one or two raisins, then they drowned in their hands to eat fearlessly, the plate was brought out, they loaded Take the plate to separate plates. I told the waiter to take the fork out of his hands, too embarrassing, a gentle staff member only laugh "I have not finished food" that I can not eat anything.

Well, one more time when I entered Cambodia at Bavet gate, Cam guy stamped his claim 20,000 VND. I give money, suddenly startled "of why to give money, no one said I have to spend money to seal the entry". He threw his passport back to me to tell me, wearing a tunnel. Oh, earth Buddha, some of his children began to be corrupted by money lost (fortunately a lot of other Cam still cute gentle, excluding the kids on the beach selling guns Nearly stealing his sister's purse)

• The total cost for the group's trip is

Round-trip airport bus ticket - Sihanoukville 38 usd (departure 20usd to 18usd)

Hotel 3 nights 102usd / person (KS 3sao have breakfast, view to the sea at night in the balcony watching the fireworks, morning to eat breakfast in the morning)

Foot massage 10usd / person

Party boat ticket to island 25 USD / person

Tuktuk (bus-hotel roundtrip, city day tour), dining (full board, western food and joke, for 3 dinner, 1 lunch on island + 2 lunch on the way and return) 50usd

Miscellaneous 15usd

Total one person is 240usd ~ 4,800,000 VND.
( I am very sorry for no photos in this articles, I have lost all of my photos in my old laptop).