Sihanoukville is the Next Goa III: Beyond Thunderdome

Glowstick-wielding candy ravers rejoice:

THE “largest and wildest” full-moon party, promised the yellow flier taped to a phone booth on Khaosan Road in Bangkok. Another installment of Thailand’s girls-gone-wild bacchanal on the island of Ko Phangan? Or its bigger brother, Ko Samui? Or maybe it was the newcomer Ko Phi Phi, a remote island that is luring younger partygoers in the post-tsunami boom.

Not quite. This particular moonlight spectacle, in fact, wouldn’t even be in Thailand, but across the border, in Cambodia’s budding seaside town, Sihanoukville. It is “just nine-and-a-half hours from Bangkok,” according to the flier, the work of Cambodian entrepreneurs hoping to turn Sihanoukville into the latest party hot spot.

Those Google Ads that the New York Times has been running about “The Cambodia Craze” must be paying off, because Sihanoukville is back again with the words “In Cambodia, the ‘Next Phuket’?”. Jeff Koyen actually mentions that ” it won’t be long before the stretches of sandy seclusion are overrun with package tourists” which is an excellent assessment if the cruise ships start rolling in. Mark my words, Sihanoukville is the next Ensenada.

4 thoughts on “Sihanoukville is the Next Goa III: Beyond Thunderdome”

  1. Luckily the average of 280 raining days a year, the behavior of the majority of expats from Phnom Penh and capacity of the police to push heroin should save Sihanoukville from being the next Phuket.

    2 things my good Phil:
    You can go and buy fresh seafood at the market and bring it to Sina on Independence beach. She cooks it for you for quite cheap and it’s really really good. I usually take all my meals there and go back to Siem Reap completely degusted and ashamed (Sina, 012 281 277 restaurant no99 on Independence beach and that’s the kind of info you don’t get in the NYT)

    I did some promotions for your blog in the “Cambodge Soir” Check on Thursday for the culinary column.

  2. Firstly, that tip is almost so good that I was tempted to delete your post and keep it for myself. I’ll definitely give Sina a call next time I’m in town.

    Secondly, cheers for the promo. I’ll have to try and remember my high school French.

  3. we will be in snooky over new year and my hip young workmate claims that the biggest party is at bokor-pity it is such a drag to get there.
    Is there really a full moon party at snooky?

  4. Pingback: Phnomenon: food in Cambodia » Phnom Penh is the “Next Prague”

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