Independence Beach

• Sihanoukville

Overview

Independence Beach, Sihanoukville gets its name from the 7 story Independence Hotel at the north end. Locals call this beach 'otel bram-pil chann (hotel 7 stories). It is labeled '7-Chann Beach' on the in-town street sign. Independence is more than a kilometer long, but the sandy area is much narrower making the beach best when the tide is low. The beach is wider and more tourists toward the northwest end, near a small fresh water lake (which is the source of the town's fresh water and is rumored to contain crocodiles). At the other end is the beach's only hotel, Sea Breeze. Grass umbrellas, small restaurants, and drink vendors now line the beach, but it is still much less frequented than other beaches. The road up to the old Independence Hotel is often frequented by a small troop of Rhesus monkeys, local people like to stop and feed them.