Honestly its been more then 10 years ago since i visited Sihanoukeville but already i liked the relaxed atmosphere back then.

Good beaches, night life, beach clubs, umbrellas, sun beds, foods.

people were able speak ok English but all together the place was really behind with Pattaya.

Now 10 years later lots has changed with Sihanoukeville plenty of foreign investments , improved infrastructure, many new condominiums coming up, shopping  malls, lots of casinos etc.

Visa procedures i assume less complicated as presented in Thailand.

Here some things i found on google about Sihanoukeville :

 

 

Can foreigners buy condos in Sihanoukville?

 

Foreigners can buy units from condominiums via strata titles. It’s a type of ownership designed for multi-level apartment blocks with shared areas. A foreigner can buy up to 70% of the units, provided that the units aren’t located on the ground floor. This provision on not owning property on the ground floor might change soon though as there have been talks of giving Sihanoukville a special status that would allow foreigners to buy land. Whether this only applies to land or includes grounded units or properties remains to be seen.

 

 https://buildangkor.com/

Have a look at this link its all about  new Condominiums coming up in Sihanoukeville.

 

Has anyone recently moved to Sihanoukeville? What is the experience?

How is that town nowadays?

I understand that it has a controversial image but so has Pattaya. All input welcome.

You will not recognise Sihanoukville today. It's being torn apart by Chinese developers and replaced by anything that will make them money principally hotels and casinos.

 

Savour the memories.

36 minutes ago, Mahseer said:

You will not recognise Sihanoukville today. It's being torn apart by Chinese developers and replaced by anything that will make them money principally hotels and casinos.

 

Savour the memories.

Personally I don’t mind hotels, condos, shopping malls , and casinos.

If those nice beaches with its beach clubs joints are still there then i think for me Sihanoukeville been really improved.

Only you can say if the 'new town' is to your liking I'm just saying the Cambodian soul has been replaced by the Chinese juggernaut.

 

Take a look and let us know.

Ten years ago it was obvious the place was needing a face lift.

Yeah I planning to make a visit soon again to see it for myself.

 

Destiny, I went there last year.  The place has totally changed for the worse.  It is a filthy hole with prices double or more of what they were even a few years ago.  New casino's going up everywhere and 90 percent of the visitors non caring Chinese.

 

I personally think Pattaya is much better.

Sihanv. Is sadly totally ruined now just a disgusting shame of a place.

I will never ever go again.

Destiny1990, your views are about 10 years out of date. S'ville, which I had pinpointed as a retirement destination,  has been destroyed. No exaggeration. Check a couple of expat forums, such as Cambodian Expats Online and read the long-running thread. It would make you cry. Expats have abandoned the place and moved to Phnom Penh and Kampot, and many have fled to Vietnam. 

Friend of mine that owned a guesthouse there got two bullets in the back of the head. 

Suicide according to the police. 

2 minutes ago, PoorSucker said:

Friend of mine that owned a guesthouse there got two bullets in the back of the head. 

Suicide according to the police. 

oh dear ....  that sounds nasty.  Was he in financial trouble ?

3 minutes ago, steven100 said:

oh dear ....  that sounds nasty.  Was he in financial trouble ?

PM sent, it's still sensitive. 

3 hours ago, Kaoboi Bebobp said:

Destiny1990, your views are about 10 years out of date. S'ville, which I had pinpointed as a retirement destination,  has been destroyed. No exaggeration. Check a couple of expat forums, such as Cambodian Expats Online and read the long-running thread. It would make you cry. Expats have abandoned the place and moved to Phnom Penh and Kampot, and many have fled to Vietnam. 

Yes Kampot does get mentioned a lot as a good place to  stay.

On my next trip i will visit both towns.

It is easy to talk negative about a place however if all these investments re made there has to be potential.

Ten years ago in Snouky i noticed friendly locals and stunning beaches full with hip young foreigners. 

1 hour ago, PoorSucker said:

Friend of mine that owned a guesthouse there got two bullets in the back of the head. 

Suicide according to the police. 

Yeah in Pattaya foreigners regulary fall of balconies or get raped murdered does it stop people to go there?

go to Nha Trang it may be to your liking...

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Destiny, I went there last year.  The place has totally changed for the worse.  It is a filthy hole with prices double or more of what they were even a few years ago.  New casino's going up everywhere and 90 percent of the visitors non caring Chinese.

 

I personally think Pattaya is much better.

Sihanv. Is sadly totally ruined now just a disgusting shame of a place.

I will never ever go again.

For folks with visa extension troubles who don't want living too far away from Thailand personally i don't think its a bad alternative.

I can easily talk trash about Pattaya too in 3 minutes and leave all the positive out ..

Well, you do seem bent on visiting S'ville. So go. But I will tell you about a friend of mine who loved the place, learned Khmer to a level he can speak and write it. Has many Khmer friends. He left last year. In fact, he has moved to Pattaya. Very sad about it but S'ville has been sacked by the Chinese. 

A friend of mine went there last year after many years away, said he'll never go back, the Chinese have taken over and there's little of what we barangs remember about the good old days in Snooky left now. All the mongering bars and areas have been closed or built over, nothing but Chinese hotels and Chinese restaurants and Chinese casinos. He and a mate went to eat in one but they were turned away, Chinese customers only. Forget it, it may be the future of the whole of SEA in the end, but for the moment at least there's far better places to spend your time.

19 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Ten years ago in Snouky i noticed friendly locals and stunning beaches full with hip young foreigners. 

Ten years ago. That is the key. You have not have one positive report yet you keep referring to what you experienced 10 years ago.  Head out with all your belongings and see what you find. You obviously are not going to listen..

You are the same bunch saying Pattaya is a shithole runned by Russian and local mafia with its polluted ocean with no grain of sand  left on the beach.

Anyway in Cambodia  they seem already more progressive towards foreigners on Real estate laws and visa procedures and at sone point Snouky can become a serious competitor for Pattaya.

I have not much against Chinese in general either.

29 minutes ago, tlandtday said:

go to Nha Trang it may be to your liking...

Nha Trang is full on Russian and Chinese package tourist territory, just left there. That said It's a big town so maybe there is enough there to appeal. 

I suggest you have a look at

 

 

This was from someone who had visited just 18 months before, not 10 years!

I shall certainly never return. ???? 

9 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Personally I don’t mind hotels, condos, shopping malls , and casinos.

If those nice beaches with its beach clubs joints are still there then i think for me Sihanoukeville been really improved.

Sorry, but you will be dissappointed.

 

Gone are the beach bars, etc, lots of concrete, expensive restaurants etc.

 

As worst of all, they are not interested in you, they only want Russian and Chinese money from dubious sources etc!

 

Prices have soared, especially guest houses and Hotels.

46 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

You are the same bunch saying Pattaya is a shithole runned by Russian and local mafia with its polluted ocean with no grain of sand  left on the beach.

Anyway in Cambodia  they seem already more progressive towards foreigners on Real estate laws and visa procedures and at sone point Snouky can become a serious competitor for Pattaya.

I have not much against Chinese in general either.

No, sorry but its is different, previously it was a laid back place...now the Chinese and Russians and Koreans have bought large pieces of open ground on the beach, built properties and closed acess to the beaches...Prices of property are at least double what Pattaya costs.  What was nice is now private.

20 minutes ago, Pdavies99 said:

No, sorry but its is different, previously it was a laid back place...now the Chinese and Russians and Koreans have bought large pieces of open ground on the beach, built properties and closed acess to the beaches...Prices of property are at least double what Pattaya costs.  What was nice is now private.

Yes it seems to be the case.

i looking forward seeing all changes for my self.

Sadly not only Sihanoukeville has changed over the last decade but myself too! and not for the better either.

Really interesting that after all these investments the place went into the gutter as several posters are saying.

But on topics such as this one there will be always more negative comments then positive that is how it works.

Looking at Pattaya in last decade not much has changed at all and overall it did not improved much either. the momentum changes investments clearly was in Sihanoukeville but yeah it could be a change for the worse.

9 hours ago, Destiny1990 said:

Ten years ago it was obvious the place was needing a face lift.

Yeah I planning to make a visit soon again to see it for myself.

 

The Cambodia Daily

Chinese Influx Brings Trash, High Prices to Cambodia's Sihanoukville

7 minutes ago, Tony125 said:

The Cambodia Daily

Chinese Influx Brings Trash, High Prices to Cambodia's Sihanoukville

Yeah but look at this picture doesn’t look great either.400 Million Bht washing away back into the sea.

2 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

Yeah but look at this picture doesn’t look great either.

So go and visit and tell us your feelings compared to the place 10 years ago. Most replies say you won't like it but hey to each their own.

20 minutes ago, Destiny1990 said:

400 Million Bht washing away back into the sea.

It didn't get washed away, most of the 400MB ended up in someones pocket. A fraction of it went on sand.

I would choose almost ANYWHERE over Pattaya.

 

Pattaya gets worse every year.

39 minutes ago, Captain 776 said:

I would choose almost ANYWHERE over Pattaya.

 

Pattaya gets worse every year.

Well what is weird is all these comments from posters  only contain negative remarks.(No balance) good points bad points.

While already their Visa and real estate purchase laws are better in Snouky as in Thailand  also people can better English over-there. Also having casinos i see it as a advantage but no they only come up with rubbish on a beach and too many chinese in Snouky.. 

So Pattaya has no rubbish on a beach and no chinese and or Indians?

much better get comments from someone living there for 5 years then these weekends tourists who think they seen it all.

I would choose almost ANYWHERE over Pattaya.
 
Pattaya gets worse every year.

Pattaya has so many options, you don't have to be a bar fly, venture out