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fantastic view of all the
beaches, the port, the islands,
and the surrounding countryside.
It’s a great spot for sunset,
although photography can be a
little hazy. It’s also close to
Wat Chotynieng (see below) which
makes it an interesting little
trip late in the afternoon.
Wat Chotynieng
Also known as Wat Leu (Upper Wat),
this pagoda overlooks
Sihanoukville from the top of
Sihanoukville Mountain. This is
a peaceful place, and the monks
are more than happy to chat to
you in English. If you are
polite and respectful, you may
find that the elders show you
around.
In the back in the vihear
(sanctuary) you can find
portraits of the life of the
Buddha, in vibrant colors. In
front are portraits of the
founder Prince Junot and Lok Om,
leader of the Buddhist community
in the area until his death in
1999.
Set around the area are many
statues, in and among trees and
poking their heads out cheekily
at you.
Wat Utynieng
Also known as Wat Krom (Lower
Wat), this pagoda sits at the
end of Santipheap Street, in a
very peaceful location. There is
not much to see here, apart from
a building dedicated to Ya-Mao,
the local deity; you will notice
if you come by road from Phnom
Penh that many people stop on
the road to offer bananas and
incense. The legend of Ya-Mao is
that she was the wife of a chief
who drowned on the way to meet
her husband in Koh Kong; she
later appeared in visions and
dreams and became the deity
protecting local fishermen and
villagers of the south coast.
This extends to drivers on
National Route 4: when you see
the speeds that some cars get up
to, you can understand why so
many offerings are made.
Getting there and around
To Sihanoukville Mountain, a
motorbike taxi should cost
around US$2 for the round trip.
Coming on your own, take
National Route 4 around 2.5km
north of the town, turn right at
the brewery and follow the road
up the hill. The summit is
around 200m past Wat Chotynieng.
Wat Utynieng is at the end of
Santipheap Street off Ekareach
Street (the main road). The
price is around the same for a
motorbike taxi.
Take this opportunity to drive
around if you have your own
transport: the landscape is
varied and it’s interesting to
see that the tourism of
Sihanoukville is set in still
rural and untouched countryside,
where cows charge across the
national roads and villagers are
astonished by your presence.
PORTS
ISLANDS
There are more than a
dozen islands around
Sihanoukville, many of them
begging to be explored. All
of the islands are
undeveloped and have
beautiful and quiet
environments. This is a
great chance to...
More...
WATS AND VIEWS
Sihanoukville
Mountain is
a commanding
132 meters
above the
town, and
gives a
fantastic...
More...
