Is Sihanoukville the most dangerous place in SE Asia?

[worgeordie]

Traveled S.America,USA,Caribbean,Africa,Asia,PNG,Oz, never once

have i had any trouble,maybe because i look like a mugger,some

people are just magnets for misfortune.have not been to Cambodia

yet though.

regards worgeordie

[davidst01]

Just back from SHV and no problems what-so-ever at any time day or night. The people who end up in trouble are usually backpackers who drink way too much and do drugs. Those guys tend to be aggressive and bully people - not difficult if you're 6 feet tall or more given that most local guys are rather short. What these idiots do not understand that once they have publicly embarassed a local guy in front of his friends or the ladies, he is likely to return to the matter once they walk home in the dark.

This problem is contained in a very small area at Serendipity Beach and limited to a very small group of people. Plus the drinking takes places well past midnite. You might not even notice them. No problems with violence otherwise. All people were most friendly and polite. Much friendlier than in any Thai tourist spot.

Hi mike2011 do you own a bar or do you have a vested interested in snookeyville? It sounds like you do.

I was sober and got whacked by 3 guys on a beach at 5pm trying to rob me. I ended up having a 7 hour operation on my face.

It is a dodgy place. All you have to do is to google it and look for evidence...

[fey]

I was there a month and did not see any outright violence.

That said I from a bad area in the US (in the top 5) and did not feel safe walking around the beaches at night or along the connecting roads between them

The mixture of unintelligent locals, isolation of the area and constant touts and police as not an option was a strange mixture. This was in the off season when sll the businesses were jonesing for money and the city was basically empty.

[fey]

I can confirm that Sihanoukville is indeed a very dangerous place,I have on many occasions been attacked by very beautiful and nubile Khmer cuties,generally while minding my own business in The Dolphin Bar.

These girls have forced me back to my hotel and had their way with me all night long,a very harrowing experience that has left me shocked and exhausted,their stamina is quite staggering.

Be careful out there,it's a jungle!

Terrible Terrible news.....i hope you have seeked professional counseling over your "harrowing experience" how much was you "robbed" for such an experience???

Typically $20 each time. Amazing how consistent the robbers are.

Spidermike

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sounds like he came away with more then he expected. My party hat's off to him.

[Jip99]

I can confirm that Sihanoukville is indeed a very dangerous place,I have on many occasions been attacked by very beautiful and nubile Khmer cuties,generally while minding my own business in The Dolphin Bar.

These girls have forced me back to my hotel and had their way with me all night long,a very harrowing experience that has left me shocked and exhausted,their stamina is quite staggering.

Be careful out there,it's a jungle!

Terrible Terrible news.....i hope you have seeked professional counseling over your "harrowing experience" how much was you "robbed" for such an experience???

Typically $20 each time. Amazing how consistent the robbers are.

Spidermike

Chaiyaphum, Thailand

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Sounds like he came away with more then he expected. My party hat's off to him.

Sounds like he came away as another satisfied customer.

[fey]

Met some guy with a wife and kids in tow of all things. Up on Victory Hill. Eating at a family run place with the granddad and his new khmer "daughter".

The kids caught dengue and the dad had a bout with something i cant remember for the life of me. Where are they moving, Chiang Mai.

Check please!

[Jip99]

Just back from SHV and no problems what-so-ever at any time day or night. The people who end up in trouble are usually backpackers who drink way too much and do drugs. Those guys tend to be aggressive and bully people - not difficult if you're 6 feet tall or more given that most local guys are rather short. What these idiots do not understand that once they have publicly embarassed a local guy in front of his friends or the ladies, he is likely to return to the matter once they walk home in the dark.

This problem is contained in a very small area at Serendipity Beach and limited to a very small group of people. Plus the drinking takes places well past midnite. You might not even notice them. No problems with violence otherwise. All people were most friendly and polite. Much friendlier than in any Thai tourist spot.

Hi mike2011 do you own a bar or do you have a vested interested in snookeyville? It sounds like you do.

I was sober and got whacked by 3 guys on a beach at 5pm trying to rob me. I ended up having a 7 hour operation on my face.

It is a dodgy place. All you have to do is to google it and look for evidence...

Sounds like you were very unlucky.

My experiences are more in line with mike2011.

Which beach were you on ?

[fey]

pp

[Mousehound]

If you were in your own town would you go wondering around dark street late at night? Well ? Tell the truth would you ?

My answer to that is no...

For some stupid reason a lot of tourist seem to think is fine and safe to wonder around the streets and beaches of Sihanoukville until all stupid hours of the nights and mornings they do this with some crazy mindset that's it's safer here than home and without any thought about there own safety or there own property..

Well if you won't do it in your own town or city DONT DO IT HERE....

Fair enough, Gazza, but you DID say you felt S'ville was safer than Perth at night !

Mate, I know where you're coming from, but I really think Thailand lulls many of us into a false sense of security. I've gotten away with early AM strolls in BKK/Patts/Hua Hin that I would *never* contemplate in Sydney and I've done much the same in KL, but I exercised a lot more caution in Jakarta. I refuse to visit Manila - even AC is low on my list of priorities - but I know that if I did I wouldn't be wandering around town at 2am without a care in the world. I sure as hell wouldn't be happy to drink in a bar full of locals, as I have done in Thailand on many occasions.

Don't know about Snooky but I would certainly feel safer in BKK or CM, which I know well, than Perth or even Fremantle at night. I have simply given up going out at night in Perth (city) with family, as every time we have had to avoid some quite serious trouble and been attacked twice (fortunately my son was with us and sorted the situation out - he works as a body guard). But he also does not want to go there anymore as he doesn't want to have to deal with this sort of thing. The big plus in Australia is that the police are pretty good. In contrast, although we keep to the main areas and are cautious we have never had a problem in Thailand. Worldwide, the only places I have really felt threatened with a potential loss of life situation was Djibouti and Papua NG. So my vote for the most dangerous city in SE Asia area would go to Port Moresby.

[Kolsie]

Yes...don't go to Perth for a night out in Northbridge hahahahaha... Don't know about Port Moresby, I haven't been there, but I believe you could well be right...

I've been to Snooky a few times, twice this year in fact, once alone and once with a girlfriend, didn't seem a bad place really, not a place to get drunk and let you're guard down...

So, in summary, I don't think Cambodia is the most dangerous country in South East Asia and therefore Sihanoukville is unlikely to be the most dangerous place either...

Now, what about the Philippines, the capital city Manila has regularly (almost weekly) hold up murders and it's not much better throughout the country, guns are everywhere... Hotel doormen and shop guards carry shotguns and they need them...

Go to the Mindanoe island in the Philippines... It's a f#ckin war zone were Islamic terrorism is rife along with kidnapping and beheading...check online on any of the government agency travel warnings... DO NOT TRAVEL to this destination...

and then there's natural disasters, super typhoons, earthquakes and volcanos... That kill and injure every year in the Philippines... 8,000 dead in Tacloban city last year alone...

Another way to die in the Philippines is to take one of the many ferries that connect the many Islands, last year there where a couple of these ferries sink, one of them claiming 200 souls. The worst ferry disaster in the world happened in the Philippines, Don Paz claimed approximately 4,386 lives, nearly twice as many people that died on the Titanic...

So Snooky sure there's petty crime as you find when poverty stricken people find rich pickings... Or drugs and alcohol are freely available and law enforcement isn't... But really, the most dangerous place in South East Asia...No... Not even close...

[General Mackevili]

Sihanoukville is perfectly safe.

Here's the owner of an Italian restaurant stabbing at another business owner just this week.

Olive & Olive Restaurant Owner Stabbing Someone:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dIswF8bx5Jc

[emoji15]

[Edit: Couldn't get the video to embed for the life of me.]

Edited November 24, 2014 by General Mackevili

[A1Str8]

No.

[hanno]

Sihanoukville is perfectly safe.

Here's the owner of an Italian restaurant stabbing at another business owner just this week.

Olive & Olive Restaurant Owner Stabbing Someone:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dIswF8bx5Jc

[emoji15]

[Edit: Couldn't get the video to embed for the life of me.]

Man, Sihanoukville is heading down fast. Note to self: must avoid Olive & olive.

[General Mackevili]

Man, Sihanoukville is heading down fast. Note to self: must avoid Olive & olive.

I thought the video showed signs that things were improving down there. 2 business owners with shirts on? [emoji44]

[bikkalad]

Nice food there..... Ah well u will have to be cladded in a Kevlar Vest next visit

[phuketrichard]

Sihanoukville is perfectly safe.

Here's the owner of an Italian restaurant stabbing at another business owner just this week.

Olive & Olive Restaurant Owner Stabbing Someone:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dIswF8bx5Jc

[emoji15]

[Edit: Couldn't get the video to embed for the life of me.]

<deleted>??

bored with your forum???

LOL

[General Mackevili]

Sihanoukville is perfectly safe.

Here's the owner of an Italian restaurant stabbing at another business owner just this week.

Olive & Olive Restaurant Owner Stabbing Someone:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dIswF8bx5Jc

[emoji15]

[Edit: Couldn't get the video to embed for the life of me.]

??

bored with your forum???

LOL

Haha, hell no, CEO is just fine. I just thought that would be an interesting video to share on this this thread, given the topic of the safety in SinVille, LoL. You're on more boards than I can keep track of, RichPhuk.

[Tomtomtom69]

Sihanoukville is perfectly safe.

Here's the owner of an Italian restaurant stabbing at another business owner just this week.

Olive & Olive Restaurant Owner Stabbing Someone:

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dIswF8bx5Jc

[emoji15]

[Edit: Couldn't get the video to embed for the life of me.]

??

bored with your forum???

LOL

Haha, hell no, CEO is just fine. I just thought that would be an interesting video to share on this this thread, given the topic of the safety in SinVille, LoL. You're on more boards than I can keep track of, RichPhuk.

Olive & Olive, isn't that the Italian restaurant located up near the roundabout on a hill just as you arrive from Phnom Penh more or less on the outskirts of the centre of action and next to a moneychanger?

I seem to remember that place from 2011, when I rented a car from Phnom Penh and drove down to Sihanoukville for the day. I had lunch there at 3pm and while I was the only customer at the time, the owner had quite an outburst with someone, I think one of his staff members? and it didn't look pretty. He made a pretty mean pasta (absolutely excellent!) but I was glad to leave, change my money from THB to USD at the nearby moneychanger and head for the beach!

[General Mackevili]

Damn, I'm not sure. Hopefully someone that lives in Sihanoukville can confirm either way.

[siam2007]

Well I must say some of this is a little narrow minded and labeling Sihanoukville as the worst crime town is just a utter load of rubbish and a joke.

I have been living working and traveling here in cambodia for a little over 9 years now and 6 of theses years in Sihanoukville.

I am not a bar owner I am a resort owner with my resorts on the islands but I live in Sihanoukville in a house close to the beach.

I have seen no more crime here anymore than any other town in any other country in the world In fact I would be incline to think it's more safe here than in my home city of perth..

One thing I must say after watching many tourist here for many years is ....

If you were in your own town would you go wondering around dark street late at night? Well ? Tell the truth would you ?

My answer to that is no...

For some stupid reason a lot of tourist seem to think is fine and safe to wonder around the streets and beaches of Sihanoukville until all stupid hours of the nights and mornings they do this with some crazy mindset that's it's safer here than home and without any thought about there own safety or there own property..

Well if you won't do it in your own town or city DONT DO IT HERE....

Yes crime happens here but no more than any other town or city..

And please have a little respect for the people here trying to make a living and supplying job to Khmer people to help improve there lives...

yes here in Bangkok I actually CAN walk around almost all dark streets at night, with a few exceptions, and in my home town, a City and state Capital of 600.000 in Europe, I can, again with a few exceptions, do the same. so maybe Snooky is not the most dangerous place in SEA (Pattaya or Tondo in Manila is not a good area to walk at night too), but obviously at least more dangerous than several Metropolises in Asia such as BKK, KL or Jakarta..... if you wanna walk around in safety at night at a tourist destination, I recommend LANGKAWI, where booth is cheap too, despite being a Muslim place ^^

[mike2011]

I walk at night in SHV - often alone. Also at the supposedly dangerous places. The trick is that I am sober and polite. There are mototaxis everywhere 24/7. And, yes, they ask you every 100 meters if you need a ride. Even in the dark I smile at them, thank them for their friendly offer and tell them it is just a short distance to my place. After a while the faces become more familiar.

I doubt that much of the violence against foreigners is random. I have seen enough bad behavior by some backpackers who insulted Khmers in a way that would land them in the next hospital if this would be Thailand. Khmers are very tolerant in comparison. Others were visible doing drugs and the motodrivers were selling. I guess sometimes the busines deal went south or the customer flashed around too many bills. Another source of trouble can be the rental date who could inform her protector on the things she learned about the customer.

Personally, I am much more alert in PP than in SHV, BKK, PTY etc. Walking to my guesthouse at night I see more people that attract my undevided attention than in any of the other places.

It might be a good idea to patronize the resident moto/tuktuk drivers at the restaurant/bar etc. They are known and will welcome your return business. Much safer this way.

Edited December 5, 2014 by mike2011

[bikkalad]

Anybody would think it was a 3rd world country ???

[Water Buffalo]

In my youth, I was sold something which wasn't coke there and i'm probably lucky I didn't die.

Nothing to see there, in my opinion.

[finy]

I've been in SHK for about 5 months and Thailand feels a thousand times safer.

I said 'feels' because I've not ran into any problems apart from wanting to rip the heads of moto drivers who annoy me non-stop.

It's definitely dark and dingy at night apart from in a few select tourist spots.

It's far too 3rd world for me and I can't wait to return to Thailand, but as long as you're not an idiot there will only be a small chance of you running into any problems as one of those unlucky ones.

[mitsubishi]

Snooky is where the failed expats from LoS ended up. Some real pieces of work there trust me, I knew a few unfortunately. Last visited the place and will not return.

[ghworker2010]

Some comments on this thead make me laugh. Mike above saying that he is sober and polite which he thinks Will exclude him from violent crime. Mr worldwide speaks from the bar stool itself. Clueless members of tv.com at their best

[mcfish]

Sihanoukville was very dirty especially the beaches, tons of plastic bags and rubbish everywhere and its a bitch to get to. I never felt threatened but I found it annoying that the local guys aggressively pursued my Thai GF as if I wasn't even there and Im 6ft 3 '

Was someone bragging about Cambodian cuties a few posts back? BEER GOGGLES LOL Most i saw were a 3 out of 10 at best

Been there got the T shirt but Thai islands and beaches/lifestyle are a million times more attractive

Edited January 11, 2015 by mcfish

[mike2011]

Guesthouse worker, why dont read a second time and this time a bit more closely. Yes, I am contending that being sober is very helpful in avoiding trouble. I have seen too many backpackers drunk beyond limits and starting to argue with locals along the beach. In Thailand they would have a painful surprise given the language they use. In Cambodia people are far more relaxed and less xenophobic. However, that does not mean that those guys get away without trouble all the time. Being drunk gets you easily into trouble, self-made, and also attracts predators looking for easy game. I do not see anything wrong with pointing this out, especially as it is based on my own observations.

Being polite is of course a major crime. But then being nice and replying with a 'thank you but I am ok' to all those motorbike taxi guys along the way at night is not a bad idea. Some of those guys are drug dealers and perhaps even worse. On the other hand, not all are and some are helpful. After a while the regulars know you and greet when you walk by.

What I am saying is simply that showing respect to the people who work there and try to make a living is appropriate. Some visitors behave in a way that makes me wonder about their attitudes and it leads to trouble. I am not aware that foreigners have gone on record in apologizing for their often unacceptable conduct.

Naturally, this does not mean that being nice repels hardened criminals it also does not, of course, address the murders of expats like the recent hanging of a French man who allegedly committed suicide with his hand tied on the back.

GH since you know all about bars and SHV, why dont you post something meaningful? This time, please, without insulting remarks about someone you do not know.

[somchai2010]

Wow. I'm glad I read this post. I'm planning on moving to Cambodia and was considering living in Sihanoukville. I've walked all over Bangkok at all times of night and never had any problems.

[ghworker2010]

more evidence of danger in Sihanoukville.

http://www.smh.com.au/national/australian-woman-raped-in-cambodian-beach-party-town-20150502-1myicd.html