About 12,000 people filled the beaches and islands of SihanoukVille for an all night party.
From the top of SihanoukVille Mountain, you could see literally hundreds of thousands of fireworks, bursting in the air. (although most were very small). The temperature was a chilling 28 degrees (that's somewhere in the 80's for Americans)
Every hotel room in town was filled up (many at triple price for those without reservations), and beds right on the beach were going for $15.
Many new places opened in SihanoukVille, in time for the new year.
* The Wall, restaurant and night club opened on Ocheteaul Beach. With and upstairs rock 'n roll bar open all day, and a downstairs nightclub open only at night.
* Angelo's Restaurant re-re-re-opened on Ocheteaul Beach, and is better than ever.
* Chez Fred on Victory Hill, also know as Fred's House, opened with fine French Cuisine.
* Wok Bar opened downtown, and with Tom and Bopha as your hosts, serves fine French and other cuisine.
* Aqua Resort, a 20 room hotel with a swimming pool opened near Ocheteaul Beach.
* Brown Sugar Thai Restaurant also opened right on Ocheteaul Beach
* CamboDive - Chez Claude's new creation opened an International Diving School
* Golden Spa opened up on Serendipity Beach Road
* Happy Dayz - a Bob Marley tribute bar, opened up on Victory Hill
* Juicy Ru's Juicery - another venture by Ru opened up in Utopia Plaza
* La Reserve - a resort with a swimming pool, and fine French Cuisine, opened on Victory Hill
* Le Papillon d'Or - a boutique hotel, opened up on Victory Hill
* Les Rougets - a French, Thai, Lao restaurant opened up downtown
* Snooky Beach Guesthouse opened up on Ocheteaul Beach
* Martini Pub opened up near the Golden Lion Circle
* Master Suki Soup opened up it's latest branch in Cambodia around the Golden Lion Circle
* Mo Mo's - a chill out, absynthe, hookhah smoking lounge opened at Utopia Plaza
* Moon Shack opened it's 4th B.B.Q. restaurant on Ocheteaul Beach
* Motel 7 opened up on Ocheteaul Beach
* Paradise Sport Bar opened up near Ocheteaul Beach
* Pizzana - our first fast food in SihanoukVille opened up downtown
* T'zot Genot restaurant opened on Ocheteaul Beach
What's going to happen in SihanoukVille in 2010 is anyone's guess. There's a number of new hotels under construction, including a 1,000 room beach resort. The airport may (or may not) open on a permanent basis. The marina is nearing completion, and the bridge to the island formerly known as Snake Island is a least halfway done.
Several new residential housing developments are going up in and around town. And a city within a city is sprining up behind Sokha Beach.
SihanoukVille's neighbor towns are also booming. Koh Kong was apparently voted as one of the top 10 travel destinations by the Lonely Planet guidebook. Kampot's riverside is brimming with new bungalows and restaurants. Bokor Mountain is getting a 3 year facelift, starting with a new road to the peak of the mountain. And sleepy Kep is still sleepy, but growning at about 40% a year bungalow/restaurant-wise.
Where it will stop, nobody knows.....
See You Soon!
