Siem Reap - a city in Cambodia, the country's main seaport and a developing beach resort. It is located 200 km southwest of Phnom Penh on the shores of the Kampongsaom Bay. The urban population is 89 846 people (2008).
The city was founded in the 1950s as a deep-water port. The construction project was sponsored by the French, and an expressway to the capital was built by the Americans. After the overthrow of King Sihanouk, under whom the city was built and after whom it was named, Sihanoukville was renamed Kampongsaom, and then back to Sihanoukville. In the 1990s, the city flourished again. Foreigners settled here, opening cafés, restaurants, bookshops, and diving centers.
Today, Sihanoukville is Cambodia's main seaside resort, attracting tourists with the cleanest beaches with white sand, azure water, untouched exotic nature, and low prices. The city's infrastructure is actively developing: new hotels, guesthouses, bars, and restaurants are appearing. But even today, any guest of Sihanoukville will feel comfortable-everything you need for a great vacation and fun is already here. Restaurants here are famous for fresh seafood cooked on coals. The tourists' favorite drink is the local beer “Angkor,” which you can try in any bar.
ClimateSihanoukville is located in a tropical climate zone. Hot and sunny weather prevails all year round, and only on some nights can temperatures drop to +20 °C. Throughout the year, the air temperature ranges from +25 °C to +38 °C. The temperature of the coastal waters of the Gulf of Thailand does not fall below +25 °C.
During the year, Sihanoukville has two seasons-dry and rainy. The best time to visit is the dry season. It runs from late November to April. During this time, the city enjoys comfortable weather with no precipitation. The rainy season begins in Sihanoukville in May and ends in October. More than 80% of the annual rainfall falls during this period. During the same time, there is also a significant increase in air temperature. Sometimes the air warms above +40 °C.
