CAMBODIA SEA FESTIVAL 2013

Cambodia Sea Festival 2011-2012

Cambodia will celebrate the sea festival 2013 in coastal Kep province in December to promote tourism industry in the country.

Having approval from the Royal Government of the Kingdom of Cambodia, the Ministry of Tourism in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, National Olympic Committee of Cambodia, Provincial Authorities of Kep and Kampot, Concerned Ministries, Institutions, and Private Sectors will organize the Sea Festival under the theme “Blue Sea, Green City” to be held from 7th- 8th December 2013 in Kep province.

This important event is also celebrated together with the 9th world congress of the most beautiful bays in the world club, the 2nd SOM CLMV tourism meeting

The sea festival will be segmented into four main activities: live concert, artistic performance, musical entertainment, and fire work, and international food and beverage festivals, and presentation of tourism development project as coastal zones and beach and water sport activities and aero show.

There are 50,000 attended Sea Festival in SihanoukVille. The two-day event, which started in 2011 as a tourism booster for the country’s coasts and beaches, was cancelled last year due to the death of the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk in October 2012.

The rooms will be at a premium at Kep province. Even the prices will be at a premium, there are 1,300 rooms will all be filled, and some people will be staying in Kampot or at the top of Bokor Mountain and going to the festival in the day.

Even after the festival, all of December and January 2014, rooms will be pretty much filled.

Kep is in southeast part of the country and has been considered as the main economic pole of the country beside world tourism destination Angkor Wat temple in Siem Reap province, commercial and cultural, administrative center in Phnom Penh city, and eco-tourism northeastern part.

LIVE MUSIC IN SIHANOUKVILLE

In the rainy season, live music nights often depend on the weather. Some places to try are:

Retox on Victory Hill has regular jam sessions. Ask at the bar for more details.

The Look hosts the local ex-pat band Route 66 every week for a night of classic rock.

Luna d’Autunno has live music on the weekends.

Coasters and On the Rocks have live music a few days a week.

Sessions Bar has regular open mic nights on the beach – ask at the bar for details.

Pim’s Restaurant also hosts Route 66 regularly.

ENTERTAINMENT IN SIHANOUKVILLE

Rainy Day Activities in Sihanoukville

Have lunch at the Snake House on near Victory Hill. Over 20 different varieties of snakes are on display, some in glass under dining tables. There is also a collection of tropical birds and a crocodile farm to see.

Try your luck at one of the many casinos. Most are open 24-hours and offer free food and drink while you play.

Re-stock you iPod. The Boom Boom Room on Serendipity Beach road has thousands of albums to choose from for upload to an iPod or MP3 player. TV shows and movies are also available.

Learn to cook Khmer foods at Sihanoukville’s Traditional Khmer Cookery School. The class includes a cooking instruction, fruit tasting and delicious lunch.

Check out Top Cat Cinema with comfortable couches and chairs, air conditioning and really good snacks. A private movie lounge is also available with hundreds of film titles to choose from.

Karaoke is a favorite of the locals. There are hundreds of places in town and most have a few English songs on the menu. Nokor Samrath, near the Golden Sands Hotel, offers private karaoke rooms with a few hundred English songs and cold beer ($6-8 per hour).

SHOPPING IN SIHANOUKVILLE

Zoco Clothing has funky clothing and an extensive range of swimwear for men and women. The boutique at Independence Hotel has a wider range of unique pieces.

L’Ange Boutique is run by two women who love clothes. They carry linen clothing, bikinis, jewellery and handmade silk clothes.

Holy Cow has a small clothing and souvenir boutique selling handicrafts, scarves and t-shirts. Paintings and prints by artist Chris Reid of Arom Kampuchea are also on display.

Starfish and Rajana have a broad range of made-in-Cambodia products that make excellent gifts to bring home.

The M’Lop Tapang Shop sells products that are handmade by young women in their vocational training program.

Boom Boom Room has casual clothing for men and women including graphic t-shirts and board shorts. Thousands of albums are available for upload to an iPod or MP3 player. The original Boom Boom Room has only one location in Sihanoukville on Serendipity Beach Road.

Ana Travel has 3 locations in Sihanoukville that sell locally produced handicrafts like silk handbags, scarves and Kampot pepper.

The Dive Shop has a selection of bikinis and board shorts available.

Funky Sun Silver has handmade silver and beaded jewellery. All pieces are made in Cambodia.

Aquamanu Watersports in the Utopia Plaza and on the road to Independence beach has an excellent selection of high quality sailing and water sports equipment.

Luna d’Autunno and elliers d’Asie have an extensive selection of fine wines available for purchase.

The local market Psa Leu has a wide selection of clothing and souvenirs. Be prepared to bargain.

MESSAGE AND BEAUTY TREATMENTS IN SIHANOUKVILLE

Massage

Tropical Massage – has two locations in Sihanoukville, professionally trained staff and offers a range of massages with or without oil. The Fitness and Boxing Center recently opened in new location with a massage school and treatment center run by a trained masseuse. Five-twenty day courses are available. Starfish has a variety of massages, including an Indian head massage, with healthy juices and fresh baked goods available after your massage. Healthy Time Club 98 is a favorite of the ex-pat community. The owner, Mr. Saravuth, is trained in Thai massage. Lotus offers a cool, comfortable setting for a full body or foot massage. Relax has recently opened across from Monkey Republic and is getting excellent reviews.

Hair & Beauty Salons

Most local Khmer-run salons offer a hair wash and straighten for $1-4. Negotiate a price before you begin.

Waxing is not recommended at Khmer salons as staff is not trained on how to do it properly. Many clients cite a painful and unpleasant experience. Ladies on the beach will offer to “threat” your legs for $7-10. The process takes a long time (around 2 hours) but it works.

Manicures and pedicures range from $0.75 to $4 and are available at any salon in town, the main market or from ladies on the beach.

The spa at Sokha Beach Resort is a Western style spa with services including waxing, hair styling, body scrubs, pedicures and massage.

Tips to help relieve sunburn

Soak a cloth in strong, tepid tea. The tannic acid in the tea will draw out the heat and help to heal the burn.

Apply aloe vera or vinegar to the burn. It will help stop itching and inflammation.

Apply freshly cut cucumber, potato or papaya on the burned area. This will cool the skin.

SPORTS AND ADVENTURE IN SIHANOUKVILLE

Sailing and Water Sports - Take a hobie-cat or kayak out on your own and explore some of the surrounding islands. Boats are available for rent at Otres Nautica on Otres Beach. A larger sail boat can be chartered from Sail Cambodia that includes a small crew and lunch. The Sailing Club in Kep also has water sports available and beautiful surroundings to explore.

Fishing – A small boat with driver can be hired at a travel agency for a day of fishing off the islands of Sihanoukville. Some places, including La Casa on Otres Beach, do regular fishing excursions aboard larger boats. Most of the bungalow developments on the islands also offer fishing trips. Otres Nautica rents small outboard catamarans for fishing as well.

Boxing – Khmer Boxing is very popular in Cambodia. Sihanoukville has a training center with a qualified instructor. Fitness classes, cardio equipment and weights are also available at the center.

Trekking – Ream and Bokor National Parks have options for a day of trekking, although it is not a very popular activity for visitors to Sihanoukville. Ream has some scenic trails of low elevation and several tour companies in Sihanoukville sell packaged tours that usually include a boat trip and some trekking in the park. Bokor Mountain has a challenging 30km uphill trek to an abandoned hill station. A jeep to bring you back down can be arranged through a travel agent in Kaput. From Koh Kong, the Cardamon Mountains offer adventure trekking through dense, virgin forest to beautiful, secluded waterfalls. Some of the larger islands like Koh Tonsay and Koh Rong Samloem also have nice areas to trek.

Dirt Bike Riding – With unlimited tracks to explore, Cambodia is a haven for dirt bike riders. Day-trips to Ream or Bokor National Park are possible on your own or with a guide. The Cardamon Mountains between Sihanoukville and Koh Kong offer a challenging ride over scenic terrain. Proper gear including a helmet, strong boots and knee/elbow pads are essential.

Windsurfing – A windsurfing club is now open in Sihanoukville at Hurricane Windsurfing on Otres Beach. Rentals and lessons available.

 Mini Golf – Mini Golf Sihanoukville is available on Tola St. Ochheuteal behind Pim’s Restaurant.

Skim Boarding – Many expats skim board on Otres Beach. Boards are available for rent at Utopia Travel. Hurricane Windsurfing has started “bungee skim boarding” on Otres Beach.

Trips through the Prey Nup mangrove are an opportunity to see the complex eco-system of the mangrove both by boat and on foot.

The iBall Adventure Park has two 3M wide Zorb balls that roll downhill with up to 2 people inside. Beach volleyball and a zip line are also available. The park is under renovations ane will re-open in Oct-Nov 2009.

Volleyball – Many Khmers gather in the evenings and play volleyball in empty lots around town. Anyone is welcome to play. Entry fee is 1000 Riel per person with the winning team splitting the money.

Ping Pong and Snooker is popular in Sihanoukville. The table Tennis Club on CT Street has many tables where people play for a wager. The Snooker Club near Apsara Photoshop, downtown, is popular with locals.

DIVING IN SIHANOUKVILLE

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The coast of Cambodia has some great dive spots, many of which are seldom visited by tourists due to the distance to get there. Sihanoukville offers some excellent macro-life and muk diving, or exploring, that is not found in more crowded areas of South East Asia.

Groups are small making Cambodia an excellent place o learn to dive. PADI, SSI and National Geographic courses are offered by a handful of dive operators in town. Trips and courses are often cheaper in Cambodia than the Thai islands making Sihanoukville a popular destination for dive students.

All of the dive centers offer excursions with an overnight on one of the outlaying islands and multiple dives. There aren’t any dive centers in Kaput or Kep but Koh Kong has two schools.

Some of the marine life to be seen include: seahorses, octopus, cobia, batfish, cat sharks, porcupine fish, spotted rays, harlequin sweet lips and giant puffers. As well, artillery from the Vietnam is often spotted. Visibility ranges from 5m to 25m depending on the weather and location.