Otres Beach: Cambodia's Capital of Laid Back

Andy Hill

Tourists who travel to Cambodia often have two primary destinations in mind: Angkor Wat and the Killing Fields. The former, one of the world’s wonders, is the largest human settlement before the industrial revolution and draws the largest crowds.

The latter is a sobering and haunting memorial to the insanity of power hungry fanaticism combined with the macabre consequences that arise when a country is pointlessly bombed to smithereens.

Compared to its more backpacker-ish neighbor Thailand, I would guess that the far fewer tourists who visit this graceful and pleasant land expect to see stunning sunsets and bucolic beaches lit up at night with grills covered in fresh seafood.

However, these are precisely what those who venture to Sihanoukville in Cambodia’s south can prepare themselves for.

There are three main beaches in Sihanoukville: Serendipity, Ochheuteal and Otres. Each is fairly distinct; Serendipity is more for the honeymoon crowd, Ochheuteal is slightly more laid back and Otres is the destination for those wanting a more down-to-earth, chakra-aligning, organic food-grazing, ‘far out’ experience.

There are a handful of unique and funky places to stay on Otres, the most interesting being Mushroom Point, a fungi-themed guesthouse-cum-restaurant that offers the most memorable rooms along this already memorable stretch of coast.

There are usually beach parties at Otres which feel more like a Rainbow Gathering than a Full Moon Party, and alternative forms of entertainment and recreation are more available at Otres than at the other two beaches.

Otres’s actual beaches are paradisiacal and the sunsets that I saw while ensconced in its sandy environs were the most brilliant I’ve ever seen (outside of Taos, New Mexico). As for frolicking in the sea goes, soft sand caresses the foot and sharp beds of rock and coral are not to be found. The snorkeling is wonderful, as are windsurfing and diving.

The ‘vibe’ is probably what makes the beach so great. It is not trying to be Koh Phangan or Nha Trang, and it feels comfortable with its own size. Spirit-killing resorts have yet to impose themselves on Otres, and hopefully this will always be the case.

Cambodia’s tourism industry is still at least a decade behind that of Thailand, a trait that seasoned travelers will most likely find to be one of its strongest.

If I were to jet back to mainland Southeast Asia for a holiday by the sea, I would definitely choose Otres over anywhere else I have been. I can just taste the freshly-grilled king prawns and red snapper now....