SIHANOUKVILLE 30TH DECEMBER - 4TH JANUARY 2007

After our Mekong Delta trip we only stopped in Phnom Penh for the night as we wanted to get to Sihanoukville for new years eve to be on a beach.

We left early on the 30th december by bus, four hours in all. The big attraction of Sihanoukville are the four palm-fringed, white-sand beaches ringing the headland. The most popular strip being the northern end of Occheuteal Beach, nicknamed Serendipity Beach, to the south of the city centre. The accomidation is set back a row and the beautiful sand is edged with bar apon bar. The weather is boiling and the sea is gorgeous here.

We reserved a room at Serendipity beach called 'New Christmas Bungalows' as we knew it would be busy for new years and didnt want any problems. It was lucky we did as everywhere was fully booked, the town was packed when we arrived and people were desperately trying to find accomidation anywhere. We've met quite a few people on our travels making their way to Sihanoukville for new years eve.

The only bad thing about Serendipity Beach was the amount of sellers walking up and down the beach and bars. You wern't left alone for even five minutes! Adults and children selling everything from leg waxing, paintings, fruit, lobster, etc etc. But the worst, and the biggest eye opener, were the cripples begging.... people with missing limbs crawing alone and tapping you, saying "landmine landmine" whilst holding out a hand or pointing to their pocket, or blind people singing at you for money. It was serreal! two completely different worlds put on one beach, we've never seen anything quite like it.

We had a great time in Sihanoukville, relaxing by the sea, mo-pedding it about town and partying on the beach for new years!