Sihanoukville beach at sunset. About 185km southwest of the capital Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville is rapidly growing as a popular to
Sihanoukville beach at sunset. About 185km southwest of the capital Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville is rapidly growing as a popular tourist attraction and is one of the newest destinations to be added to the cruise line's southeast Asia route. Its white-sand beaches remain less developed and less crowded than the resorts in nearby Thailand. But it's unlikely to stay this way for long, with the number of tourists visiting Cambodia surging from under 500,000 in 2000 to almost three million last year, according to the country's Ministry of Tourism. The low-lying coastal town also serves as a launch pad for visiting the many scenic undeveloped islands of Cambodia, with locals offering affordable day trips with boating, snorkelling and scuba-diving. Add in the town's unbelievably cheap food and accommodation - as little as $10 a night for a standard double room with a bathroom, TV and fan - and it is little wonder the tourism industry is burgeoning. In a poor nation, enterprising Sihanoukville locals are doing all they can to capitalise on it. As our cruise ship, Holland America Line's MS Zaandam, pulls into port, we file into shuttle buses to take us into the town centre to explore the Central Market and later make our way to the stunning beaches.
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