Sihanookville, Cambodia

[ofage]

Have any of you visited this place? A large percentage of the things I've read about it are negative. If you have been and know anything about the place, please tell us. Anyone know the islands off the coast of Cambodia and are they worth visiting?

[Janus]

I have visited Sihanoukville. I think it is a lovely place to stay for a beach holiday and the islands are worth a visit. Still the genuine thing - but for how long?
Search for SIHANOUKVILLE and se my oploaded pictures.

[Manforallseasons]

I read somewhere there was a gay guesthouse/hotel there other than that is there any scene there?

[lonelywombat]

I would contact the owner of the gay restaurant there and ask for help.

http://www.cheers-cambodia.com/index.php

They go on leave for all June for staff holiday. Best to contact him straight away.

Ideally it could be the start point for you for local info

There is a gay bar on premises

[Manforallseasons]

I would contact the owner of the gay restaurant there and ask for help.

http://www.cheers-cambodia.com/index.php

I prefer to hear from someone who's actually been there as the owner has a vested interest.

[lonelywombat]

Typical lazy and negative reply as you usually did on gaybutton.

If you have a contact publish it . If not,why knock a contact to a gay hotel.What else is there. Put some effort into your replies and stop acting negative as you did on gaybuttons board




I read somewhere there was a gay guesthouse/hotel there other than that is there any scene there?

Ive heard it is where all the Cambodian gangsters hang out on weekends.

[Manforallseasons]

Lonley if you called a restaurant and asked how is your food what would you expect them to say?
If you called a massage place and said how is your staff what would you expect them to say?
If you called a hotel and asked are your rooms ok what would you expect them to say?
If you asked a bar boy if he provides quality sex what would you expect him to say?

[Sooty]

Ive heard it is where all the Cambodian gangsters hang out on weekends.It seems you are right BrisbaneGuy
Imagine this: Luscious green tropical trees surround you and the Bahama blue coastline of Sihanoukville at your footsteps. You are sitting under the shady breeze of a bungalow, sipping on some ridiculously fresh coconut juice. Now, picture you and 41 other perky university students enjoying a good time playing cards, eating fresh seafood and exotic fruits and swimming in the super chill Gulf of Thailand. With no worries in the world, you relax and let time fly by. At this moment, you are at absolute peace.
This was no dream.
But just then and there, your concept of peace and your sense of tranquility become tainted to the reality that plagues Cambodia.
Two vehicles loom in the distance comes to a screeching halt. As they step foot out of their plush Land Cruisers, a mushroom of mafia-style smoke hovers over them. (Feels like a scene out of some Tarantino flick)
Their clique had no more than 15 people. All but two were males aged 21 to 25 at most. They had nice, clean, casual clothes. However, the two girls had on some of the skimpiest outfit I have ever seen. (Yeah, even skimpier than the Asian girls at the University of Washington during spring quarter!). Anyways, my instincts rubbed off negative vibes. I had a gut feeling that they were тАЬbad news.тАЭ
An hour after their arrival, my instincts began to take form. The first signтАУlarge consumption of alcohol. Contrary to the TV commercial, Red Bull does not give you wings, especially when mixed with Angkor BeerтАУit just makes you rowdy. Second, excessive smoking. I swear I could barely see their faces in the cloud of smoke they were puffing. And then their irrational behavior. Who in their sane mind would run around the beach yelling like wild baboons? Sure you can argue that these activities and behaviors are common among young adults, and rightfully, that is true. But let me drop in the final variableтАУguns.
Not one, not two, but I counted them allтАУ13! Everyone had a small pistol stashed at their back, tucked underneath their nicely pressed shirts.From http://gayswithpassports.wordpress.com/ ... noukville/ (http://gayswithpassports.wordpress.com/tag/sihanoukville/)

However our friends from Pattaya should feel right at home, according to this Kindle book on Amazon - http://www.amazon.com/Visa-Run-Pattaya- ... B00452VA4Y (http://www.amazon.com/Visa-Run-Pattaya-Sihanoukville-ebook/dp/B00452VA4Y)

[lonelywombat]

manofallseasons that is still typically negative. So quick to knock but little effort to find any person to ring.

Have a look at these and make a recommendation of whom to ring.

http://www.travelgayasia.com/gay-sihano ... attambang/ (http://www.travelgayasia.com/gay-sihanoukville-and-gay-battambang/)
http://www.utopia-asia.com/tipscam.htm
http://www.cambodia-gay.com/sihanoukvil ... eting.html (http://www.cambodia-gay.com/sihanoukville_disco_hotels_meeting.html)

Surely you can find more This was page one of my google search. I stand by my remarks that the gay owner of Cheers is about the only person I can recommend.

Lets see the results of your more experienced advice.

[Sooty]

Somewhat amused to read the URL for the Utopia page for Cambodia as Tip - Scam

[lonelywombat]

Have any of you visited this place? A large percentage of the things I've read about it are negative. If you have been and know anything about the place, please tell us. Anyone know the islands off the coast of Cambodia and are they worth visiting?

Just had a email from a friend who is staying at Kep Cambodia. He holidays there several times a year. At the moment it is hot and rainy

There is no gay scene It is close to the border of Vietnam Has a strong French influence and tons of seafood.

Worth doing your own research.

Moving to Cambodia? This is a grate article http://www.khmer440.com/k/2013/07/7-rea ... -cambodia/ (http://www.khmer440.com/k/2013/07/7-reasons-why-you-really-shouldnt-move-to-cambodia/)

[goji]

Sihanoukville is a very nice town, with several quiet beaches and some very nice islands.

I stayed at Cheers and had a good time.
Had some "available" freelancers in the bar, plus some hotel staff who appeared to be encouraged to flirt with customers and no more.

[Manforallseasons]

Apparently no great reason to go, thanks.

[witchhunt]

manforallseasons, 4 negative posts this thread. You are getting worse. Tell me do you ever leave Pattaya any more?

[Manforallseasons]

Things must be tougher than I thought.

My friend was at the airport to see off a friend and he noticed a bar owner entering the same flight. Only difference is his friend travelled in business ,the bar owner down the back. This was discussed today and it has been stated the same man travels to the airport by bus.

Getting rugged these days in the bar business.(guote)witchhunt.

You certainly know what is negative :bootyshake:

[paulg]

mfas is this the guy that lmtu used to say keeps falling off his motor bike, pissed

[Smiles]

Taking my life in my hands by having this quote from the Cheers website considered 'negative' - or even subversion - by our very own lonely wombat ... but what the hell, let's live dangerously (and that's leaving aside the normal parroting by the witch hunter) and suggest this news, not good news mind you as 'gay stuff' goes, but news none the less:


Due to the lack of support from the international gay community this last high season, we are thinking of turning Cheers Cambodia into a straight resort, if only 10% of the gay tourists visiting Sihanoukville stayed here instead of staying in other places, but just coming to our great bar to see the shows, enjoy great music, food & drinks, we would be expanding, making sauna, massage etc.

The next season 2013/2014 will be the test, if nothing changes, there will be no 100% Gay Bar, Hotel or Restaurant in Sihanoukville in the year 2015..http://www.cheers-cambodia.com/index.php

[goji]

Perhaps Cheers could benefit from a slightly higher profile on various gay websites.
Guess they might gain some custom if air links their ever improve too.

[fedssocr]

Due to the lack of support from the international gay community this last high season, we are thinking of turning Cheers Cambodia into a straight resort, if only 10% of the gay tourists visiting Sihanoukville stayed here instead of staying in other places, but just coming to our great bar to see the shows, enjoy great music, food & drinks, we would be expanding, making sauna, massage etc.

The next season 2013/2014 will be the test, if nothing changes, there will be no 100% Gay Bar, Hotel or Restaurant in Sihanoukville in the year 2015.
http://www.cheers-cambodia.com/index.php.


Thanks for the link. Sounds like the kind of owner I would avoid at all costs. Maybe he should indeed trying switching to a different concept. But I would guess it won't make a whole lot of difference. His responses to negative reviews on Trip Advisor are quite illuminating.

[ashoka_]

Here's the low-down on Sihanoukville, and why it sucks as a gay destination (for now).

I'm a local, 41, my guy is 19 (what can I say... I enjoy the finer things!).

There are zero gay bars in town, except for the hotel bar at Cheers, which is fairly dead all the time. The problem with Cheers is, it's far away from everything. People here are very localized, and anything further than a two-minute moto ride from Serendipity/Ochheuteal is generally too far. Cheers would be a lot more busy if it were closer to where most people go. The B-Zone was open for a while, but it was poorly run, and did not have a reputation befitting to a place where gay men would go to hook up... the staff would smile and flirt (it's their job), but the place did not attract any "money boys", which I know would have drawn in a lot more customers.

Khmer guys are amazing - the problem is they are far shier than Thais.. keeping this in mind, Pattaya, where general human complacence leads most to go to the numerous bars and go-gos to hook up does not happen here. Basically, what most people do is hang out at beach bars during the day (most have boys working in them), until you see someone you like. Most respond well to winks and smiles, and eventually you'll elicit a positive response, and take it from there.... then there's the ID issue.

Most beach boys don't have ID cards because they are from the villages - which presents a problem for those who like young (18-20). Getting ID cards are not easy - they have to go to their home village, get the "family book", if one exists, and take it to the provincial capital, where it will take up to 6 months unless a bribe of $20-50 is given to "speed things along". Quite a change from Thailand where 99% of guys have ID. It took me three months, a trip to the village and $40 to get my fella's ID.

Besides the obvious reasons for needing ID are the NGO's that plague Cambodia. Believe me, they will spy on foreign men in the company of *anyone* that may be underage (since they DO look much younger than they are). They're ruthless and have nothing else to do - so make sure any companions have ID on them.

Another issue are two types of people who visit - both equally hostile: 1) Gap-year backpacking girls, who judge anyone who is not a gap-year backpacker, and 2) The ex-Pattaya Soi Buakao crowd - the grupy, fat old straight men who hate anyone who doesn't have a Man-U tattoo on their head and spend all day drinking Chang at beer bars.

If anyone is wondering why I live here under such conditions - it's a long story, but I'm quite happy, have a good fella, and a group of good friends. It's an interesting place to be sure... just not the easiest place for fun unless you're willing to invest some time and money. Phnom Penh is a much better bet if you're looking to hook up - then take them to Sihanoukville.

[Brad the Impala]

Great update ashoka, thank you.

[adman5000]

Ashoka- Thank you for the great insight into local customs and challenges. I visited Sihanookville by bus from Phnom Penh back several years ago. I absolutely loved the people-friendly and very handsome. I was able to entertain myself but I found the guys very very shy until they got to know you. I do not ride motorcycles so it was a challenge for me to get around town. I stayed at the Golden Sand Hotel which at pickup by van from bus station, was a short walk to the beach, good price, clean, and ok in all respects. I would like to go back in the future.

[joe552]

One of my brother's has lived in Sihanoukville for a few years now and loves it. I visited once and wasn't impressed - I won't be returning.

[Caleb Wickham]

There may not be a thoroughly gay establishment but there is a stretch of beach where locals and farang cruise. It is named Outres Beach, about 1.5 km south (?) of The Snook. In fact, there is a club on Planet Romeo with a small but devoted membership called Sihanoukcruisin. Herewith its blurb:

Club for guys from Sihanoukville who like to have sex on the beach. On Otres-Beach are 1.5 km free beach space in the nature.
Join this club to exchange tips on where to have sex, and to find guys who are open to meet at such places :)

So what is Cruising?
Cruising is the act of walking or driving about a locality in search of a sex partner, usually of the anonymous, casual, one-time variety.

Men looking for other men on the Otres-Beach in Sihanoukville and having sex together. So some spot near the beach are very public, so take care, to do it discret.

[goji]

I didn't see much cruising on that beach, but I suppose it is as good a place as any to look in that town.

When the cruising fails, which websites are most common for dating in Cambodia?