Best cities to live in Cambodia

JoeKhmer wrote:

People that don't know anything about a place have the weirdest and most generalizing comments. In the whole of SE Asia you will find bars, karaoke joints (brothels for locals), bar girls, freelancers and prostitution. The difference is if you will be/are annoyed by it or not. In a place like Pattaya in Thailand it is annoying, as you cannot avoid to be harassed by prostitutes, ladyboys or pimps.

Sihanoukville has its bars, karaokes, bar girls, freelancers. But it is restricted as the town is not overloaded with sex tourists. So it is there, mainly at the beach areas, and easily to avoid. If you stay downtown for an excellent meal, a good chat with expats or locals, nice music, then you won't be bothered by anyone. If you visit a bar you can choose to sit alone with a drink, or have company, no girl is expecting anything, they are grateful if you offer them a drink, play pool or just chat, it's all up to you, it's the choice you make, nobody forces you.

I beg to differ. You haven't noticed, I suppose. But, SHV is trying to be a "Little Pattaya".

To say, "... you won't be bothered by anyone," is not entirely accurate. You can't be seated at a bar in SHV, without some taxi girl walking up to you, "Massa, Sir? Massa?" (Massage, Sir, Massage?) They constantly tap on your shoulder. Even after I had lived there for almost a year, too much.

That was one of the reasons I left that trashy little city.  That and petty crimes (watch your motorbike like a hawk, if there) were reasons enough for me to leave.

I beg to differ. You haven't noticed, I suppose. But, SHV is trying to be a "Little Pattaya".

To say, "... you won't be bothered by anyone," is not entirely accurate. You can't be seated at a bar in SHV, without some taxi girl walking up to you, "Massa, Sir? Massa?" (Massage, Sir, Massage?) They constantly tap on your shoulder. Even after I had lived there for almost a year, too much.

That was one of the reasons I left that trashy little city.  That and petty crimes (watch your motorbike like a hawk, if there) were reasons enough for me to leave.

A very flaw and superficial post. As I said there are bars, bar girls, hostesses. If you choose to visit those bars, the girls that work there are supposed to talk to you and maybe get you to spend them a drink. That is their job. But, if you are not interested you just say you only want to drink and sit alone, they leave you alone. That is the difference with Pattaya.

If you mean the massage ladies (not taxi girls) at the beach, yes they ask you if you are interested in massage, many people like a massage at the beach and those women live from that. What is wrong with it? You don't want? Just used that very short but clear word: No....

Let me put it this way: in SHV everything is available, if you wish to use it, do it, if you wish to refrain from it, refrain from it. It is your own choice and nobody is upset by whatever you choose.

Motorbike theft. Sure, everywhere in SE Asia you have to be careful with your belongings. If you leave your motorbike with the key in it in front of the bar you are drinking you more or less give opportunity to those that look for such silly motorbike owners. If you lock your motorbike nothing happens. If you have an expensive big bike you can install a gps system that tracks the motorbike in case it is stolen. Some systems even prevent to start the engine if not the right pin is used.

frank peter david wrote:

The comments you make are spot on. The other guy is promoting Sihanoukville because he does not have the same life style as a tourist.  Maybe he has a business there?

You are right in one aspect: I have a different life-style as a sex tourist or even a normal tourist.
I live here in Sihanoukville, retired, have no business or financial investments, I just enjoy my life here.
Now, Mr. David, if you would have looked at the title of this topic, you would feel silly. The title is "Best cities to LIVE in Cambodia. Live means something totally different than visit for 2 weeks as a tourist. So your (and any other) tourist experience is irrelevant.

So again: Sihanoukville is a great place to live, but as I stated in my first post, if people are looking for a job, or excellent health care, PP is a better place. If you're healthy and retired SHV is a great place to be. Of course my personal opinion, I respect any other opinion, each to his own, as they say.

JoeKhmer wrote:

A very flaw and superficial post. As I said there are bars, bar girls, hostesses. If you choose to visit those bars, the girls that work there are supposed to talk to you and maybe get you to spend them a drink. That is their job. But, if you are not interested you just say you only want to drink and sit alone, they leave you alone. That is the difference with Pattaya.

If you mean the massage ladies (not taxi girls) at the beach, yes they ask you if you are interested in massage, many people like a massage at the beach and those women live from that. What is wrong with it? You don't want? Just used that very short but clear word: No....

Let me put it this way: in SHV everything is available, if you wish to use it, do it, if you wish to refrain from it, refrain from it. It is your own choice and nobody is upset by whatever you choose.

Motorbike theft. Sure, everywhere in SE Asia you have to be careful with your belongings. If you leave your motorbike with the key in it in front of the bar you are drinking you more or less give opportunity to those that look for such silly motorbike owners. If you lock your motorbike nothing happens. If you have an expensive big bike you can install a gps system that tracks the motorbike in case it is stolen. Some systems even prevent to start the engine if not the right pin is used.

You can say what you wish about my post. However, I am well aware of the differences between the girls. I am talking about freelancers who walk into bars, like Charlie Harper's for example, or elsewhere in town. They walk up to bar customers, irritating the hell out of them. I lived there long enough to know how they work. I am not talking about girls at the beach. BIG difference.

You should get out more, if you think theft is the same all over. There is a huge difference in motorbike theft here in BTB, than in SHV, for example. I don't have to lock the rear wheel of my motorbike when I park it outside a bar here. I don't have to concern myself with someone walking off with it while I am trying to have a meal, or a beer just trying to relax. Petty theft here is almost non-existent, unlike SHV.

There is another superficial and flawED post.

livingincebu wrote:

JoeKhmer wrote:

A very flaw and superficial post. As I said there are bars, bar girls, hostesses. If you choose to visit those bars, the girls that work there are supposed to talk to you and maybe get you to spend them a drink. That is their job. But, if you are not interested you just say you only want to drink and sit alone, they leave you alone. That is the difference with Pattaya.

If you mean the massage ladies (not taxi girls) at the beach, yes they ask you if you are interested in massage, many people like a massage at the beach and those women live from that. What is wrong with it? You don't want? Just used that very short but clear word: No....

Let me put it this way: in SHV everything is available, if you wish to use it, do it, if you wish to refrain from it, refrain from it. It is your own choice and nobody is upset by whatever you choose.

Motorbike theft. Sure, everywhere in SE Asia you have to be careful with your belongings. If you leave your motorbike with the key in it in front of the bar you are drinking you more or less give opportunity to those that look for such silly motorbike owners. If you lock your motorbike nothing happens. If you have an expensive big bike you can install a gps system that tracks the motorbike in case it is stolen. Some systems even prevent to start the engine if not the right pin is used.

You can say what you wish about my post. However, I am well aware of the differences between the girls. I am talking about freelancers who walk into bars, like Charlie Harper's for example, or elsewhere in town. They walk up to bar customers, irritating the hell out of them. I lived there long enough to know how they work. I am not talking about girls at the beach. BIG difference.

You should get out more, if you think theft is the same all over. There is a huge difference in motorbike theft here in BTB, than in SHV, for example. I don't have to lock the rear wheel of my motorbike when I park it outside a bar here. I don't have to concern myself with someone walking off with it while I am trying to have a meal, or a beer just trying to relax. Petty theft here is almost non-existent, unlike SHV.

There is another superficial and flawED post.

I guess you can give a link with stats re theft in the different cities? Would be interesting.
I have many contacts here, both expats and locals, and I'm not aware of a higher than average theft of motorbikes. Btw I always lock my rear wheels, whether motorbike or mountain bike, just a matter of being careful.

The freelancers you are talking about can be a nuisance after midnight, but they mainly stay at the beach clubs, the backpacker joints (pun intended). Their number is very limited though.

The reason that SHV is by far not comparable to Pattaya is that there are not enough sex tourists arriving. Tourism is growing, but the main groups are Vietnamese, Chinese, Laotians, and obviously beaten by the large number of domestic tourists. So during next week (Chinese NY) SHV will be loaded with tourists, but the expat-owned bars will still be half empty, as too many bars for too little tourists.

Btw drinking and driving is not a very safe combination!

JoeKhmer wrote:

I guess you can give a link with stats re theft in the different cities? Would be interesting.

I have many contacts here, both expats and locals, and I'm not aware of a higher than average theft of motorbikes. Btw I always lock my rear wheels, whether motorbike or mountain bike, just a matter of being careful.

The freelancers you are talking about can be a nuisance after midnight, but they mainly stay at the beach clubs, the backpacker joints (pun intended). Their number is very limited though.

The reason that SHV is by far not comparable to Pattaya is that there are not enough sex tourists arriving. Tourism is growing, but the main groups are Vietnamese, Chinese, Laotians, and obviously beaten by the large number of domestic tourists. So during next week (Chinese NY) SHV will be loaded with tourists, but the expat-owned bars will still be half empty, as too many bars for too little tourists.

Btw drinking and driving is not a very safe combination!

Are you serious? Actual statistics - anywhere near accurate statistics for Cambodia? Surely you jest?

Dude, get out more. Talk with people. The numbers of thefts are astonishing, and have been for years.

Try doing an internet search. Use search terms to compare the numbers of results for Sihanoukville, in comparison to Battambang. I assure you, without doing one myself, the results will be quite noticeable.

Glad to see you lock your rear wheel on your bike. If you lived here in BTB, it wouldn't be necessary to be THAT careful. Please stop helping me prove my point.

I don't think any of us have to worry about SHV being quite the sh*thole that Pattaya is. However, I give them an "A" for effort. Oh, don't forget the Russians and Koreans in SHV.

I agree, regarding drinking and driving. My dearest friend was murdered by a drunk driver many years ago. Drinking and driving is not safe - it's pretty stupid. However, people do it, even in SHV, all the time. Tony (owner of charlie Harper's) died not long ago in a motorbike accident - driving drunk.

Now, for those who think this little debate isn't on topic, it most definitely is. Would any of YOU wish to live in a city where petty crime is rampant? To live in a bar infested city, where hookers - whatever you choose to call them, are all over the place? Or, would you prefer to reside in a city / town that is more focused on family living?

Each of us does have choice. I choose the latter. If I wanted a prostitute, which I don't, I would have to actively go looking for one. They are only in the more seedy areas of BTB, not all over. That is all I was trying to say here.

I have made my point, clearly.

Feel free to post what you wish. I am done with this topic.

Good evening / day to all.

Christine wrote:

Hello everyone,

Can we please calm down? We are not here to argue on each others posts, who is right or not. Everyone one can share his or her opinions.

Can we please get back on the topic? The subject here is :

"Best cities to live in Cambodia"

Thank you.
Christine

Thank you Christine. Indeed the topic has been hijacked by some people that cannot respect someone else's opinion.
I repeat my first post that there are several good cities to live, in view of the needs of different groups of people....