Volunteer Cambodia | Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville is a coastal port town southwest of Phnom Penh which sits on a small peninsula within the Gulf of Thailand. It has become one of the most popular destinations in Cambodia with tourists and the Khmer people alike. Sihanoukville is a spread out tourist town where one can catch glimpses of traditional Khmer life while enjoying some of the comforts of home in a tropical setting. Even with the influx of many tourists and new businesses there are still many people whom remain in abject poverty, most noticeably the children.
While reclining in your chair on the sand there is often a parade of children and adults streaming by hawking goods. The 'beach kids' often sell handmade jewellery and fruit, using the money to help out their family and put food in their stomachs. And it is with these 'beach kids' that you will be working with one of our partner organizations to teach and create artwork with the children, giving them more opportunities than they would have living on the beach.
There are many things to do in Sihanoukville in your spare time aside from relaxing on one of the beautiful beaches. There are the nearby islands to explore, water sports and other activities to engage in or you could wander downtown to explore the shops and restaurants. Trips can also be arranged to nearby Kampot, Kep or you could travel to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap for the weekend.
Our partner organization is a lovely grassroots project just off the beach specifically for disadvantaged young Cambodian children who live in this area. The project was initially started by a painter from Spain who was on the beach painting while visiting and was soon surrounded by many children asking if they could also paint. Thus the project was started in 2004 and just a few years later the project became a full-fledged Cambodian NGO with the aim to help these children and provide a safe environment for them. Recently the project has moved into a brand new campus where our volunteers can help with art classes, painting and projects, English and computer classes, sports and field trips. We're also starting bicycle repair classes and cooking classes soon!
| 2 Weeks | 4 Weeks | 8 Weeks | 12 Weeks | 24 Weeks | Extra Weeks |
| €450 | €550 | €750 | €950 | €1430 | €40 |
Read how your fees are spent or compare our
prices with other volunteer organisations.
View our prices in other volunteer locations's or
combine your stay in Cambodia with stays in other locations as part of a
combination
stay.
What you receive
- Orientation upon arrival
- 24 hour support
- Accommodation
- Regular follow-up meetings
- Khmer language lessons
- Khmer cooking class (Phnom Penh Only)
Apart from our fees, you must pay for:
- Your ticket to Phnom Penh / Sihanoukville
- Vaccinations
- Travel and health insurance
- Food and other personal expenses
Our application process typically takes two or three weeks, but can
be speeded up if there is a need for that. When we receive the initial
application from you, we will send you our full application form.
(1) Complete the Initial Application Form:
The first stage of the application process is to fill out the brief initial application form. Upon
receiving this we will send you the full application form.
(2) Complete the Full Application Form:
Fill out the application form. After receiving this we will assess your
suitability and place you on one of our programs.
(3) Placement info:
We will return detailed placement information and an invoice. If you
accept the placement you should pay the invoice and send us receipt of
payment by email or fax.
(4) Program Fee:
The program fee should be paid to us at least 2 months before you are
due to start your placement. However please be aware that we have a limited
amount of placements, so placements will only be secured when we
have received your payment.
(5) Communication:
Once you have made your traveling arrangements you should mail your time
of arrival and the means of transportation and we will confirm pickup.
For the majority of our programs, you can join us for any amount of time from 4 weeks to six months.
We recommend a trip of three to six months since it offers the best value. Regardless of the length of your stay, you will be able to learn some Khmer and you will have time to get to know a new culture, come to know its people, and form relationships that will outlast the duration of your stay.
Dates for the Year 2010:
|
September: Sat 4, Sat 18 October: Sat 2, Sat 16, Sat 30 November: Sat 13, Sat 27 December: Sat 11, Sat 25 |
| January: Sat 8, Sat 22 February: Sat 5, Sat 19 March: Sat 5, Sat 19 April: Sat 2, Sat 16, Sat 30 |
May: Sat 14, Sat 28 June: Sat 11, Sat 25 July: Sat 9, Sat 23 August: Sat 6, Sat 20 |
September: Sat 3, Sat 17 October: Sat 1, Sat 15, Sat 29 November: Sat 12, Sat 26 December: Sat 10, Sat 24 |
Travel to Teach volunteers stay in very nice local house close to Serendipity beach. The house is newly built with big rooms and can accommodate up to six volunteers. There are also a few rooms connected to the school which are set up to house volunteers. You will, where possible, be given your own room but may occasionally have to share.
There are also western bathrooms, a kitchen with cooking facilities and a living room with TV and DVD player.
Sihanoukville is a beach resort and the painting project is set just meters away from Serendipity Beach. Here you can find an array of late night bars and restaurants to choose from, whether you would like western or traditional Khmer food, and there is even a decent Tex-Mex restaurant only a five minute walk away from the project and volunteer house.
Weekends can be spent soaking up the sun, working on your tan, either on Serendipity beach or on one of the many other beaches you can find that are only a short tuk-tuk ride away. We at Travel to Teach recommend sipping a cocktail or two whilst watching the sunset over Victory beach from the amazing Russian hanger bar, which is complete with full sized airplane!
There are many boat trip excursions, which will take you out to the beautiful "Bamboo island" (mostly referred to as paradise) where you can snorkel in the clear blue seas and see the most beautiful fish. Or, for the more adventurous, you can try jumping off the top decks of the boat (make sure you are covered by your travelers insurance just incase!)
On Serendipity beach there is also a 5 star Dive Center where you can obtain your Padi license. This dive center stays open all year round and comes highly recommended by previous volunteers.
For the culture vultures then after volunteering, or maybe en route to our program in Sihanoukville may we recommend stopping off in Siam Reap and seeing the breath taking Angkor Wat. You can also be reminded and absorb some of the sad history of Cambodia in Phnom Penh by visiting the Killing Fields and Khmer Rouge S21 prison.
Volunteers will eat lunch with the staff and children. Breakfast and dinner are however not included in the program fee and thus volunteers must purchase their own food. Meals can be prepared in the kitchen or you can try one of the many nearby restaurants.
Sihanoukville has a variety of restaurants including those with Khmer, Thai, Vietnamese and Western cuisine.
There is excellent seafood available and many street stalls selling Khmer dishes and snacks.. There are two night markets where a variety of goods can be found including fresh fruit and other foods. There is also a supermarket which has imported western goods.
The weather in Cambodia is hot and humid throughout the year with 2 distinct seasons, hot, from December to April, and rainy (although still hot) from May to November. The coolest time of the year is November – February where temperatures average approximately 22 degrees Celsius.
Sihanoukville Weather Chart
Getting to Phnom Penh
Arriving by Air:
There are numerous flights direct to Phnom Penh. It is worth checking whether it is cheaper to fly direct to Bangkok or Malaysia first and then arrange a separate flight to Cambodia with a local low cost airline. Have a look at www.airasia.com who fly from Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur to Phnom Penh.
Arriving by Bus:
If you are travelling elsewhere in Asia first, there are direct buses to Phnom Penh from Bangkok in Thailand and HoChi Minh City in Vietnam. If you are travelling through Laos first you will have to change bus/boat before Stung Treng at the border and maybe again at Kratie. If you are travelling within Cambodia there are many local buses to Phnom Penh.
Getting to Sihanoukville
In Phnom Penh buses leave for Sihanoukville many times a day. The trip takes approximately 4.5 hours and tickets cost $4. Sihanoukville has a small airport which has recently been upgraded to international status, however at the time this was written, the airport was still not functioning for international or domestic flights.
Volunteers will be met at the bus station in Sihanoukville.
Madeline Kilpatrick, an international affairs and economic development graduate from San Juan Island, Washington joined out partnering organisation in Sihanoukville in 2010 as their new Program Manager. Ater spending two years teaching English at a university in Hunan, China, she returned to the US to receive her Master's in clinical social work from Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Madeline is particularly interested in international social work and refugee mental health. She hopes to continue building a career in which she can live in developing nations and combine her love for social work and social service with her passion for travel and adventure.
Pheap runs the kids art studio in Sihanouville and has been with the project since its start in 2005. He used to be a monk and has come all the way from the northern countryside of Cambodia. Now 28 years old, he is happily married and has a beautiful newborn baby boy. Always up for a good joke, Pheap is a born entertainer. Because of this he has great rapport with the kids, organizing plays, parties and sports activities. Not only a good handyman, Pheap is generous and caring social worker, always willing to help out anyone in need.
Chamreoun, or James Brown as he likes to be called, is a local guy born and raised in Sihanoukville town. He has been working with the project for over a year now. Like Pheap, he also studied as a monk in his youth. Chamreoun is a qualified English teacher and is in charge of our teaching programs also acting as a liaison with the government and local NGO?s. Chamreoun is responsible for a lot of the recent progress of our project. He is also a great cook and a passionate karaoke singer.
There are two options for your visa depending on the length of your stay:
Business Visa ($25)
This visa is valid for exactly one month and is available on arrival at Phnom Penh Airport or Siem Reap International Airport, Angkor. Visas are also available from Immigration at the border posts of Bavet, Poi Pet and Koh Kong. We suggest you purchase a Business Visa as it is easier to extend than a Tourist Visa should you wish to stay on.
NGO Visa ($15) (You must be arriving by air)
This visa is valid for three months and is easily extended.
If you will be volunteering for more than one month please send a scanned copy of your passport to apply@travel-to-teach.org three weeks before you are planning to arrive in Phnom Penh to ensure the visa is arranged on time. You can pay the NGO Visa fee on arrival. On arrival at Phnom Penh Airport wait at the immigration counter for someone to come with your letter. Do not apply for any other visa!
Please Note: Volunteers at our Siem Reap and Phnom Penh projects are required to provide evidence of a police check-up prior to starting their placement.
Courses or boosters usually advised: hepatitis A, typhoid;
diphtheria; tetanus.
Vaccines sometimes advised: Japanese B encephalitis, rabies,
tuberculosis, hepatitis B.
Malaria: You cannot be vaccinated against malaria. Malaria precautions
are advised in all areas, except Phnom Penh, the Mekong river delta and
in the rice growing areas around the large inland lake of Tonle Sap.
Avoid mosquito bites by covering up with clothing such as long sleeves
and long trousers especially after sunset, using insect repellants on
exposed skin, and sleeping under a mosquito net (nets will be provided
by Travel to Teach)
One of the conditions of entry onto our programs is that volunteers have travel insurance. Most importantly the insurance needs to include medical treatment and repatriation in case of unforeseen accidents or illnesses. Volunteers should purchase insurance independently and bring a copy of their insurance certificate with them for their local co-ordinator to check before starting their program. Read our terms and conditions.
Read our Terms & Conditions
Download our Teach Terms and Conditions as a PDF File
Philip, Germany"Seametrey Children's Village is sited south of Phnom Penh's city center opposite the Russian Embassy in a rather small side street..."
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