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Lost in their own little world

August 31, 2019 | Michael Turtle | 31 Comments

BACKPACKER LIFE

Sihanoukville, Cambodia

I knew it wouldn’t be long until I found the backpacker commune in Cambodia. In all these Southeast Asian countries, where life is cheap and foreigners can live in drunken carefree abandon, the young itinerary-less travellers tend to naturally gather somewhere.

In Cambodia, this somewhere is the beachside resort of Sihanoukville.

sihanoukville, cambodia, serendipity beach, bars, parties, backpackers in sihanoukville

They’re not looking for culture or a connection with the country. It’s more about where they’re not than where they are.

They’re not at home, where the kind of lifestyle comes with a financial cost. They’re not at home, where a level is acceptable behaviour is expected. They’re not at home, where the stresses of life can be like shackles on bohemia.

The commune of backpackers here at Sihanoukville are not the hippy type, though. They won’t be content just relaxing and letting the world go on around them.

They need to create an environment with social interactivity, events and purpose. Finances, behaviour and employment are just as present here as at home… but it’s on their terms.

sihanoukville, cambodia, serendipity beach, bars, parties, backpackers in sihanoukville

It’s called Serendipity Beach but there’s nothing serendipitous about ending up here. It’s the centre of action and this is where most young travellers naturally gravitate to.

Along the sand is a long line of bars and restaurants, each one almost indistinguishable from the next. During the day the establishments put out deckchairs and sunbeds for people to use (while they buy food and drink, of course). Cambodian vendors wander amongst the tourists, trying to sell them snacks, sunglasses and manicures.

It seems reasonable that local people would come here and try to make some money from the foreigners. What I don’t understand are the young foreigners who join the locals peddling their own wares.

sihanoukville, cambodia, serendipity beach, bars, parties, backpackers in sihanoukville

sihanoukville, cambodia, serendipity beach, bars, parties, backpackers in sihanoukville

Young men and women, usually uncovered on the torso except for a bikini or tattoos, trudge along the sand handing out flyers promoting restaurants, hotels and bars.

They’re not rude or forceful and often they’ll stop for a chat with someone who catches their eye. But in some ways they are just as annoying as the Cambodian woman who keeps telling me I have too much hair on my shoulders to be attractive (probably a true statement – but an unwelcome one nonetheless).

But this is what gives meaning to the months they choose to spend in Sihanoukville. It gives them employment, in a sense, because they get free accommodation and drinks in exchange for the spruiking.

It gives them interactivity, because they can invite the new arrivals to the parties that are happening that evening. And it gives them events, because the nights at the bar will now have the regular long term crowd and the novel addition of some sunburnt fresh arrivals.

sihanoukville, cambodia, serendipity beach, bars, parties, backpackers in sihanoukville

When you go to the bars along the beach in the evening – which is inevitable if you want to experience tourist Sihanoukville properly – you can see the cliques which have formed with the long stay backpackers. They exchange tales from the night before, claim their free drinks, and try to create tales to share the next day.

But even then many of them are still working. They’re trying to talk the new arrivals into a booze cruise (from which they presumably earn some kind of commission) or explain why one bar is better than the other.

Like with the jobs they have or will have back home, it’s hard to sometimes switch off.

sihanoukville, cambodia, serendipity beach, bars, parties, backpackers in sihanoukville

Now, I’m sure these people have a good time and it’s not for me to judge. I am concerned about their livers and the mental health, considering what they do to their bodies night after night, but that’s not the point I wish to make.

What I find odd is the attraction in coming to a foreign country just to work – and work for a bed worth a few dollars a night and some drinks worth about the same at that! Added up, it’s probably less than they would earn in an hour waiting a table back home.

sihanoukville, cambodia, serendipity beach, bars, parties, backpackers in sihanoukville

So it must be something more. True, there’s the beach and the sun, which would be very attractive this time of year for the northern hemisphere travellers (which most seem to be). But I think the core of it must be able the issue I referred to earlier – being in control of the society.

They’re not working because they have to pay the rent, they’re working because it makes them part of a community where the biggest stress of the day is whether they should hand out the next flyer to the cute blonde or the cute brunette.

I knew it wouldn’t be long until I found the backpacker commune in Cambodia. They have existed for decades and they always will. Some people travel to see the world – some travel to create their own.

Cambodia Travel Guide

WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT CAMBODIA?

See my Cambodia Travel Guide

To help you plan your Cambodia travel:

  • Is Cambodia safe for travellers?
  • The perfect one day itinerary for Angkor from Siem Reap
  • How to have the ultimate jungle temple experience
  • The World Heritage Site that two countries are fighting over!
  • The best things to see around Battambang
  • What to expect at Phnom Penh’s Killing Fields
  • The gruesome side of ‘Genocide Tourism’ in Cambodia
  • Escape from it all on Rabbit Island
  • Staying in a local village with a community ecotourism project
  • Where you can eat tarantula (urgh!)

Let someone else do the work for you:

You may also want to consider taking a tour of Cambodia, rather than organising everything on your own. It’s also a nice way to have company if you are travelling solo.

I am a ‘Wanderer’ with G Adventures and they have great tours of Cambodia.

You could consider:

  • Cambodia Experience (9 days)
  • Essential Vietnam & Cambodia (17 days
  • National Geographic Journey: Discover Southeast Asia (18 days)

When I travel internationally, I always get insurance. It’s not worth the risk, in case there’s a medical emergency or another serious incident. I recommend you should use World Nomads for your trip.

Reader Interactions

    Comments Cancel reply

  1. Forrest |

    March 22, 2013 at 5:03 pm

    Reply

    The first time I saw this was in Copacabana on Lake Titicaca in Bolivia. Two completely burnt out hippie backpackers stringing plastic beads into necklaces that had NOTHING to do with ANYTHING local and peddling them to tourists. I found myself pitying them as I would a feral cat.
    Also, I rarely learn a new word anymore, but SPRUIKING made me dive for my on line dictionary. Thanks, I will be sure to use it without giving you credit 😉

    • Cristina |

      March 23, 2013 at 1:24 pm

      Reply

      How long this you last in here? I can’t handle these party places anymore. It seems like people have no purpose but to drink and get skin cancer.
      Spruiking! that is also my new word of the day!

      • Michael Turtle |

        March 26, 2013 at 6:17 pm

        Reply

        I only lasted two nights. It was fun but not really my kind of place. I like drinking without the skin cancer…

    • Cristina |

      March 23, 2013 at 1:25 pm

      Reply

      gosh, I didn’t mean to reply to you Forrest. oops

    • Michael Turtle |

      March 26, 2013 at 6:10 pm

      Reply

      I’ve learnt something new too, Forrest – I never realised that ‘spruiking’ was an Australian word. I always just assumed it was commonly used. Glad I could introduce you to a bit of my local language 🙂

  2. Turner |

    March 22, 2013 at 7:30 pm

    Reply

    “lazy” backpackers? You are such a sweet heart Turtle. I would have used an entirely different adjective. You forgot to mention about the hair removal saleswomen of the beach. Priceless.

    http://aroundtheworldin80jobs.com/sihanoukville-cambodia-beaches/

    Until next time. Bangkok buddy.

    • Michael Turtle |

      March 26, 2013 at 6:11 pm

      Reply

      Ha ha… ‘lazy’ seems like a rather nice way to describe them, true. And how could I forget about the hair removal… but you tell that story the best! 🙂

  3. Jennifer |

    March 23, 2013 at 2:15 am

    Reply

    We’ve not encountered a backpacking community yet, but then again we don’t travel long term. With limited amounts of time to travel, we’re too busy exploring.

    • Michael Turtle |

      March 26, 2013 at 6:12 pm

      Reply

      Oh, you’ll come across them soon enough – especially in the cheaper regions of the world like SE Asia and South America. You don’t get quite the same kind of thing in Europe.

  4. Erica |

    March 23, 2013 at 3:09 am

    Reply

    Yeah… I’ll play in a place like this for a few days but then get tired of it REAL quick.

    • Michael Turtle |

      March 26, 2013 at 6:13 pm

      Reply

      A few days is fine. It can be nice to have a break from culture-heavy travel. But it does get pretty tiring in itself if you’re not that kind of person. And, if you’re anything like me, you feel like a bit of an outsider the whole time.

  5. Barbara Weibel |

    March 23, 2013 at 3:15 am

    Reply

    Sounds a lot like Goa, India, except for the age. Biggest bunch of 60’s burnouts I ever saw.

    • Michael Turtle |

      March 26, 2013 at 6:14 pm

      Reply

      I haven’t been to Goa myself but I’ve heard that’s what it’s like a bit. I hope it’s still worth visiting, though. It is on my list for when I finally make it to India.

  6. Samuel Jeffery |

    March 23, 2013 at 11:36 am

    Reply

    You’re definitely spot on calling out this spot as a place more or less devoid of culture. One can’t help but notice a sea of bulbous bellies in which sporting thongs is apparently de rigueur.

    • Michael Turtle |

      March 26, 2013 at 6:15 pm

      Reply

      Ha ha… I love that description. You know you’ve stumbled upon a tourist beach area when the stomachs are much bigger than the swimwear!

  7. Nat |

    March 23, 2013 at 5:16 pm

    Reply

    I could do it for a week and would then need to move on. I suppose these people are just at a place where it seems cool to hang out, get drunk, and then do it all again.

    • Michael Turtle |

      March 26, 2013 at 6:18 pm

      Reply

      I guess they could be anywhere in the world if just hanging out and getting drunk is what they want. It’s just cheaper and sunnier to do it here than at home.

  8. Laura @Travelocafe |

    March 25, 2013 at 11:29 am

    Reply

    At some point all travelers get to a similar place… and then move on…

    • Michael Turtle |

      March 26, 2013 at 6:19 pm

      Reply

      Some just take longer to move on than others…

  9. Jade Johnston - OurOyster.com |

    March 28, 2013 at 1:36 pm

    Reply

    I so know what you are talking about!! I think many of the beach resort areas of thailnd are like that as well, which is why I avoided the South when I was there

    • Michael Turtle |

      April 16, 2013 at 9:05 pm

      Reply

      There are some nice ones down south but you have to get away from the usual tourist haunts. The good thing about the backpackers sticking together is that they tend to avoid a lot of the other ones (at least the big groups of annoying ones do).

  10. Stephanie - The Travel Chica |

    April 1, 2013 at 8:25 am

    Reply

    Interesting perspective.

    This kind of place makes me cringe, but you’ve at least taken the time to try to understand it better.

    • Michael Turtle |

      April 16, 2013 at 9:09 pm

      Reply

      Oh, cringe I did. Don’t you worry about that! It’s not the first place I’ve come across that’s like this and I’m sue it won’t be the last. They are all over the world, really…

  11. flipnomad |

    April 4, 2013 at 10:11 pm

    Reply

    to each his own I guess… I stayed in Sihanoukville for a month because I wanted to be near the beach but seldom went out for the party… the BBQ buffet at one of the restaurant is awesome and the fresh seafood… the grilled baby squid and the fried fish with free mango salad 🙂

    the locals became more friendly too when we stayed longer and they stopped offering anything that they’re selling to us, sometimes they give it for free but we refuse to accept knowing how little the earn in a day…

    • Michael Turtle |

      April 16, 2013 at 9:23 pm

      Reply

      The beach itself was lovely so I can understand why people would want to stay there for a long time. I guess if you avoid all the debauchery, like you seem to have been able to do, then you can make of it what you want. And I did get the feeling the locals are pretty good at picking the newbies from the longtimers!

  12. Laura |

    January 5, 2014 at 9:03 pm

    Reply

    This post makes me happy that I followed my intuition and avoided this place.

  13. Steven duguid |

    July 9, 2014 at 3:36 am

    Reply

    I would love to live and work in sihanouksville .I am a very fit 44 year old Scottish male please send me any correspondence regarding jobs as I have friends in snook ie and can get a flight within a fortnight love to hear back stebe

    • Michael Turtle |

      July 12, 2014 at 6:58 am

      Reply

      Hi Steve. You should try to connect with some local expat groups in Sihanouksville. They might be able to help you. Good luck!

  14. Resaul |

    August 16, 2015 at 8:27 pm

    Reply

    So after all these negative comments I think it would be best to put the backbackers to the Gas Chambers.
    Just drinking and having no money. What a evil crime!

    • Michael Turtle |

      August 26, 2015 at 8:25 pm

      Reply

      I’m not quite sure if there’s supposed to be sarcasm in your comment. While it’s not the way I would like to travel, I don’t know if I would call it a ‘crime’. It’s certainly not appropriate to make references to genocide either.

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This is the website of travel writer, Michael Turtle. After working in broadcast journalism for a decade in Australia, Michael left Sydney to travel the world indefinitely and write about the places, people and experiences he discovers. This isn't a diary - these are real stories from the world.

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