Let me start by saying that Sihanoukville is not the lawless Wild West Cambodian danger zone so many Westerners like to imagine it to be. I’ve been here 5 years. It was safe enough for me then and it’s even safer now.
Cambodia is still a poor country and there are a lot of poor people in Sihanoukville. When you consider the poverty and the relative lack of an effective police presence, I reckon Cambodians are more decent and honest than we spoiled Westerners would be if we found ourselves in their position.
Okay, I’ve gotten that off my chest. Now for the safety tips. Based on personal experience and observation, these are the things to be most careful about:
- Pickpockets: I was pickpocketed twice in Phnom Penh and once in Sihanoukville before I figured out not to carry my wallet with me. For the past few years I’ve just carried the money I need in my shirt pocket and there have been no further incidents.
- Don’t take your jewellery with you to the beach, especially if it’s gold. My wife wrapped her wedding ring, necklace and bracelet in a towel and left it with her mother for safe keeping. When Mama got distracted, it was stolen. No matter where you stash it, it is likely that your actions will be observed.
- Don’t carry handbags, shoulder bags or backpacks over your shoulder when riding a motorbike or bicycle. I know of two incidents where they were snatched. In the first case, a purse containing money, a camera and an expensive mobile phone were stolen. She was the lucky one. In the second case, a family was riding home on their motorbike. A pair of thieves drove up next to their moto. The one on the back attempted to snatch the woman’s bag, but she resisted. This caused her husband to crash the moto. He suffered a broken arm, but fortunately his wife and son were only scraped up.
- Don’t ride a motorbike or otherwise travel alone at night. This is when you might get killed. The later it is, the more dangerous it becomes. Recently a barang was beaten and robbed on Ekareach Street at about 1am. If you do stay out late, I recommend riding in a caravan of motorbikes instead of doubling up on one. Even then, stay on well travelled roads with street lights.
- Don’t leave valuables in your hotel room. Even honest staff will be tempted, especially if there is a medical problem in their family. While wages are enough to pay day to day expenses, they are not sufficient to pay doctor bills. I would steal from you, too, if it was a matter of life or death for a member of my family.
Personally, I’ve never had any trouble at all during the day. I love riding my mountain bike around on quiet streets on the outskirts of town. However, one day when we went out “looking” on our motorbike, Sopheak wanted to show me a little out of the way village on a hill. On the way, we passed a shop where some young men were drinking the local whiskey. I didn’t even notice, but just before we got to the tree line, she exclaimed, “Change around! Change around!” I didn’t understand why, but I complied. Sure enough, three of them were riding up the hill. She had been watching behind us all the way.
When they say “demon whiskey,” it applies in spades here. I’ve outlawed it at our house and to their credit, the male members of the household have quit drinking it. It makes otherwise decent men (and a few women) completely crazy and violent. If you do happen to be on a quiet beach or anywhere else and see men sitting in a circle drinking anything except beer, it’s probably wise to get out of the area.
If you do have a problem, the police will try to help, but just as 99% of petty thieves in Western countries never get caught, they rarely get caught here. If you do want to report an incident, it’s best if you take a sympathetic Cambodian witness with you, because few police speak enough English to really communicate with you.
[...] the only traffic that has shown up here is mine, but this morning I made a new post on my journal, A Few Sihanoukville Safety Tips for Travellers and when I came back a couple of hours later, I discovered I’d already had visitors from all [...]
Rob,
I have just returned home to Philippines from a very enjoyable trip to Cambodia.
I had concerns for my safety here 11 years ago when I moved but have never experienced a single problem.The TV news is full of stories of inner city crime,shootings,theft,bank robberies but your article really concerns me..on one hand you state that you feel safer now than five years ago but then warn that it is not safe to travel by motorcycle unless in a convoy at 1am and indeed you highlight the three times you have been a victim of pickpockets and your wife was robbed on the beach.Should I be more concerned at my safety in Cambodia and indeed in Sihanoukville where tourists may be fair game for criminal elements than here in lawless Philippines.I was hoping to have an extended stay in Cambodia next year but I have second thoughts now.
Is Cambodia a dangerous place where lawless elements act with impunity and the police are powerless or in cahoots with the criminality?
Thanks for your questions. What I didn’t go into but probably should have is that pickpockets can be found in any heavily congested city. I’ve read in travel blogs that they are rampant in Rome, for instance. Thieves in general can also be found anywhere. When I lived in Australia, the window of my car was smashed and a prized leather jacket stolen and I had two surfboards stolen over the years. Come to think of it, I also had money stolen from me when I was at the beach. Petty thievery is found everywhere and the thieves are rarely caught. I don’t consider it to be a safety issue.
As for riding motorbikes late at night, yes, I consider that to be dangerous. I don’t know of one act of physical violence that has occurred during daylight hours or before around midnight, when traffic thins out. In five years, I have only heard of a handful of violent assaults. When you consider the numbers of foreigners who travel from the Hill to the beach every night during the tourist season, that’s not much, but I thought a cautionary note was in order.
In my opinion, it is a complete myth that the police are in cahoots with the criminals. Not long ago, my wife found a driver’s license in some bushes and took it to the local police. They were thrilled because it was the clue they needed to raid a house where suspected thieves lived. Sure enough, some of the victim’s belongings were found in the house and the thieves were jailed.
As for my pickpocket experiences – I think that’s a record. It was one wallet and two mobile phones. Once was at a fire, once at a concert and once at a fair. I should have known better after the first incident. Chalk it up to stupidity.
I hope my article doesn’t scare you or anyone else away. It certainly wasn’t my intention. Like I said, I feel perfectly safe here.
Tips For Inner City Driving…
Conducting a town can get stressful. In addition to people living in the city are the passengers and public transport, taxis and trucks are many fought for space on roads. Not surprisingly, many travelers and city residents are driving a chore! Here ar…
Nice balanced post; thanks for the tips. I had my mobile and sunglasses pick-pocketed in PP, otherwise no problems in numerous trips to Cambodia.
Look forward to my next trip to Snooky…..
Me my wife and 2 years old child went to Bayon restaurant for a dinner..The place is after golden lions at serendipity road up of the hill which cross road of occehataul beach..Owner is 47 years old fat coiffeur which have barber shop near restaurant..Every restaurant was full because of chinesee year but this place was totaly empty..We ordered one dish with beef and said well done cooked..The waiter didnt understand anything what we ordered because he doesnt speak english he said in the dirty smallkitchen the cook which is 17 years old one girl also she doesnt speak english too no one understand us..I said with acts that I want english speaking people for order food and they called from near shop owner woman..I said to her we will give this food to our child and we want good cooked no any blood..We were alone but waited 25 minutes after food came..It was terrible plate of dish we cut piece of meat it was full blood ..Because I explained 10 times before I was shocked..I said to waiter to cook more didnt do anything I took plate entered kitchen for cook more kitchen was small dirty mess .Cook girl swear to my face in khmer language and refused to cook again..I said I never saw this kind of place before and we went out in this moment I heard scream of my wife..This monster fat strong owner woman was holding and turning the hands of my wife and shouting you will pay tou will pay..I entered inside and hardly I could stop this monster for not hurt my wife ..Owner woman hold my hands strongly and was shouting you will pay you will pay..
I said to my wife take the child and run to hotel..She could escape with our baby..Owner woman was hitting me and shouting that I will pay 3 dolar..I tried to explain we didnt eat this bloody meat and refused to pay..The waiters were making telephone calls nonstop and suddenly 7 or 8 khmer man came to hit me..I realized that I am in big trouble I was shouting call police call police to tuk tuk drivers and they called..These men total 7 or 8 people were around of me and started hit suddenly I found myself fight with many men for nothing.In this moment two strong looking tourist were at there and I asked help to me..I am appreciating this two man a lot that helped me for backup and police came..I was happy that police would protect me but I was totaly mistaken..These many khmer man and this owner witch came to police point.It was writing TOURISM POLICE…Only 2 police were..They asked my passport and learned which hotel which room I stay..I explained everything and I said I am lawyer I know the law that I am right..One police was speaking with this woman and her group and the police wrote the one paper 100 usd..I didnt understand anything..Police said if I pay to this woman one hundred dolar problem will finish.. I said to police I didnt do anything wrong why will I pay this Money?.Police said that because I am tourist and here CAMBODIA…I have problem with cambodian thats why I must pay..I couldnt believe this outlaw polices how exist..I refused to pay ..Police gave my hotel and room number to these bandit mafia group to bring my wife and child to bring police point..This group hurrily went to my hotel..I was shocked and said to polices how can do this they are my enemies they will kidnap my wife and child..Police turned looked at me and said then I have to pay OR…???It was blackmail and I realized my situation that moment..
I said if they will not do anything to my wife and child and if he call this bandit mafia group back I will pay..Police said o.k and telephoned to them to not touch my wife and child..
I paid this Money to owner of Bayon restaurant but I dont know how she shared with the polices..
After immediatily we moved from outlaw sihanoukville to safe Thailand
This comment was copied and pasted from here: http://www.travelfish.org/board/post/cambodia/5590_how-safe-is-cambodia-
I was thinking of deleting it here, but decided to leave it. The gist of my reply on Travelfish was that the person clearly precipitated the events that transpired. Thousands of people dine out in Sihanoukville without incident. I personally eat at least one meal out per day. Over 5 years, that’s at least 2000 meals out at dozens of different restaurants. I’ve never had an experience even approaching the one described above.
Sorry, I have little sympathy for arrogant barang who think they can do as they please in Cambodia. You ordered a meal; you got the meal; you should have paid for the meal.
Thanks for the balanced report, feel a bit more relaxed about my forthcoming visit to the town….we are thinking of going to Serendipity or Ochheuteal beaches, are there plenty of bungalows down there? any recommendations of budget options?