Break away
Written by Jemma Galvin for ‘7D’ part of the Phnom Penh Post. 1st of October 2010.
Ahh the beach. Although the murky waters and litter dotted-sands of Sihanoukville can’t even compare to the eastern shores of Australia (biased? Me?), there’s a certainly something very therapeutic about the sight and smell of gentle rolling waves.
A coastal escape was on the cards a few weeks ago for myself and a bunch of Penhed out mates and out accommodation of choice was The Cove Beach Bungalows. Located at the far end of Serendipity Beach, its close enough to all the action that you needn’t worry about the treacherous dirt road leading up to town after you’ve had that fifth bucket, but far enough away that you won’t have boozed backpackers jiggling your door knob at 4am when they can’t find their own room.
And the hillside location, only a stones throw from the waters edge, ensures that gazing out over the ocean will be the simplest of tasks on your trip away.
Each of the 13 wooden bungalows has a balcony opening up to a lovely sea view, while the interiors are simple, but very clean and comfortable.
The Standard Bungalow ($17 per night for single occupancy / 19$ for double) was my place of residence for four days and it housed a double bed with mosquito net, a fan, a lockable bedside table and large bathroom with hot water. There was also a 2 person table and chairs on the balcony perfect for whiling away a warm afternoon with a few drinks before heading out for a night of debauchery – what Sihanoukville is undoubtedly most famous for.
At the bottom of the mountain of stairs that lead up to each of the rooms (definitely the worst thing about the place – scaling 35 stairs the morning after without having eaten for the past 24 hours is not the most graceful of activities), lies a wooden deck from which you could almost double pike into the ocean.
Fitted out with big, comfy sofa’s and tables, it’s a lovely place to enjoy breakfast.
Although the food at The Cove is far from fancy, it does the job at a reasonable price. The scrambled eggs were a little dry, but given that no breakfast option will set you back more than $4.75 (they begin at just $2), I didn’t complain to much.
A vegetable noodle soup costs $2.50, chicken lok – lak with steamed rice goes for $3.75 and toasted baguettes begin at $2.75.
When it comes to the all - important liquid form of nourishment, a glass of house wine is $2.50, spirits and mixers $2.50 and cocktails from $2.50 as well. The best of which is the tequila sunrise which is made of orange juice, a generous shot of Mexican spirit and grenadine.
If come Sunday evening your body isn’t capable of walking 20 meters to Coasters just down the beach for a bite to eat (the chicken tenders and club sandwich are served in monstrous portions for a super -reasonable price – not to mention happy hour which seas lethal cocktails slashed to half price) it’s best to keep in mind The Cove’s kitchen is closed for dinner as the Chef has a day off. We guess he’s taking a much – deserved Sabbath after dealing with drunken, food – demolishing guests for the previous 6 days of the week.
All in all, The Cove Beach Bungalows is a lovely place to stay on a Sihanoukville getaway. The staff are really friendly, there are weekly special dinners and the rooms are cozy, breezy and in the perfect location to appreciate those cool, rolling waves.
