Sihanoukville, Cambodia's Port City on the Gulf of Thailand

What Sihanoukville is today

Sihanoukville lies on the Gulf of Thailand in southwest Cambodia. The official name is Kampong Saom. For a long time the city was known for relaxed beaches and a backpacker scene, and plenty of travellers still remember it that way.

That picture is out of date. The city is now among the fastest-changing urban centres in the country. Tourism, construction and foreign investment are all pushing it in a new direction, and the deep-water port keeps it central to Cambodia's economy.

Where it sits from Kampot

The city is roughly 100 kilometres west of Kampot. Its position on the coast has long suited shipping, fishing and tourism, which is why it works as a gateway for both international trade and travel. For many people living in or visiting Kampot, Sihanoukville is the nearest big port and the nearest place to reach the islands.

Kampot and Sihanoukville compared

The two towns are close on the map and very different on the ground.

Kampot

• Relaxed riverside town
• French colonial architecture
• Known for Kampot pepper and rural landscapes
• Popular with long-stay travellers and expats
• Tourism that is small in scale and centred on culture and nature

Sihanoukville

• Busy coastal port city
• Rapid urban growth and high-rise building
• An economy driven by casinos
• Strong foreign and commercial presence
• A faster pace of life than Kampot

Kampot keeps its slower rhythm and older character. Sihanoukville is the most visible example in Cambodia of fast modernisation and links to the global economy.

Chinese investment and the Macau comparison

Over the past decade, Chinese investment has reshaped the city. Casinos, hotels, apartment towers and entertainment complexes built by Chinese developers dominate large areas. Mandarin signs, Chinese restaurants and Chinese-owned businesses are common, and whole neighbourhoods were built mainly for Chinese tourists and investors. The result has changed both the local economy and the look and feel of the city.

Because of the concentration of casinos, Sihanoukville is often called the second Macau, or Macau 2.0. The comparison points to the fast casino expansion, the inflow of foreign capital and the changed skyline. The difference is speed: Macau developed over decades, while Sihanoukville changed in a short time. That brought economic growth, but also higher living costs, environmental strain and shifts in local community life.

Visiting Sihanoukville now

Sihanoukville is still an important transport hub and the main gateway to the islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem. Expect a working city under construction rather than the quiet beach town of the past. If you are based in Kampot, treat it as a contrast to the riverside pace rather than an extension of it.