25. Ochheuteal Beach

Ochheuteal Beach, known as UNTAC beach in the early 1990s, is now the most popular beach in Sihanouk Ville, offering the full spectrum of beach venues from upscale hotels and dining to laid-back budget beach bars and bungalows. Ochheuteal is long, sandy and narrow, with ‘Serendipity Beach’ at the northern end, a golf-course development at the southern end, and a cluster of mid-range hotels and restaurants near the MP base in the middle. Grass umbrellas, rentable beach chairs and little drink huts line the beach from one end to the other. It offers several nice hotels including the seaside and Crystal, the mid-range Holiday, as well as some of Sihanouk Ville’s better seafood restaurants, (Sea Dragon, Susaday, Sunshine and Les Feuilles), within walking distance of the hotels. Further south along the beach in front of the golf course development, a number of budget traveler/backpacker oriented bar/restaurant/beach hangouts have sprung up, offering chairs, umbrellas, drinks and a chill-out atmosphere.

At Ochheuteal’s extreme northern end, Serendipity Beach is the only beach in Sihanouk Ville to offer bungalows and guesthouse rooms right on the sand. Over the past town year Serendipity’s popularity has grown exponentially, as have the number of bungalows, hotels, and restaurants. The beach now offers several mid-range and budget places including Coaster’s well-known bungalows, Uncle Bob’s 20-hour restaurant and budget rooms, and The Beach’s mid-range rooms. There are also places popping up on the hill just above the Serendipity such as the Diamond Guesthouse and closer to the traffic circle, the Sanctuary Bar and Guesthouse. To get to Serendipity Beach follow Ekareach Street straight through the Golden Lion Traffic Circle and UP and over the hill.