Take you to know the beautiful and open pearl of the country – Dara Sakor

Take you to know the beautiful and open pearl of the country – Dara Sakor

Dara Sakor is located on the coast of Koh Kong Province, a major tourist province in western Cambodia, and is being gifted abundant seaside tourism resources.

Figure 1: Aerial view of Dara Sakor Beach

“Where there is a road, there is hope.”

It takes about 3.5 hours to drive from Dara Sakor to Phnom Penh now. Previously, it took at least 4 hours. After China Road and Bridge Group invested and built the “Phnom Penh-Sihanoukville Expressway” and opened to traffic in 2022 (the Covid-19 period), the time cost to travel from Phnom Penh to the western provinces of Cambodia is shortened accordingly, and the safety and comfort of riding are also greatly improved.

Figure 2: Phnom Penh-Dara Sakor road map

The upgrade project of Highway 48, which is currently under construction with a loan provided by the Korean government, will shorten the drive by about half an hour when completed. However, for tourist areas, a three-hour drive from the international airport is far beyond the comfort range. Therefore, it is imperative to build an international airport in Dara Sakor. It is understood that Dara Sakor International Airport has completed the verification of flight calibration ahead of schedule on April 23, 2022.

Figure 3: Dara Sakor International Airport completes flight calibration in April 2022

Figure 4 : View of the flight runway of Dara Sakor International Airport

All the changes mentioned above started in 2008 when the Royal Government of Cambodia approved the lease and development of Dara Sakor by Union Development Group. Without the ” Union Road” ( the connection road between Dara Sakor and Highway 48 invested and constructed by Union Group ), all this would be impossible, because Dara Sakor and the surrounding area had no roads before.

Figure 5 : On March 3, 2018, His majesty Han Samrin cut the ribbon at the unveiling ceremony of Union Road

As the reporter learned from local citizen Jinyi ( 31 years old), before 2010, if local people wanted to go to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, they had to first spend $3 to take a boat to Koh Sdach island, and then wait for the Royal ferry (it does not sail every day) to Sihanoukville, the ferry fee is $15, and then it costs about$8 to take bus to Phnom Penh. Generally, the trip shall not be completed within one day.

Jinyi said : “Many people in the village have never been to Phnom Penh or even Sihanoukville before. They are very satisfied if they can go to Koh Sdach Island once a month. Now it is much more convenient, one can take mini buses to Phnom Penh everyday for only 50,000 Riels (about $12.5).”

Beautiful and open Dara Sakor

The reporter learned from Ms.Paula Pineda, the tourism director of Dara Sakor, that the region is fully open. There are currently 9 hotels, 17 restaurants and 11 tourist attractions in the region.

Ms. Paula Pineda said: “Hotels include a variety of styles and prices, ranging from inns for $30 to holiday villas for $200. The catering covers a variety of tastes and grades such as Cambodian food, Chinese food, Western food and so on. Recommended attractions include Diamond Beach and Peam Kay mangrove forest, etc. Recommended tourist activities include diving, snorkeling, sea fishing and golf”.

Figure 6 : Real photos of Dara Sakor

The reporter saw that even though it is now the off-season for tourism, many tourists can still be seen on the beach. Driven by Dara Sakor, tourism trend on the islands nearby has gradually heated up. Several resorts on Koh Sdach island are also becoming new travel destination for internet celebrities.

Figure 7 : Koh Sdach Island – Koh Apikjun Resort

Mountain countryside gets a new look

Tourism development has brought tourists to the local area and also new development opportunities for nearby villages

Figure 8 : View of the new village in 2010

Figure 9 : View of new village streets, gas stations, hospitals and other facilities in 2023

The reporter learned from the local government that the people around Dara Sakor used to live a life that apart from fishing and planting, they had no other livelihood skills. Since the investment and construction of Dara Sakor was launched, the local economic model has begun to diversify, industry and commerce have developed in coordinate with traditional agriculture and fishery.

Chief of Koh Sdach said: “In the new village, there are currently more than 800 households and more than 3,000 people. Various businesses such as gas stations, car repair shops, supermarkets, private clinics, restaurants, and inns can be found. People no longer have to rely on the weather to make living.”

Acquiring attention

In 2008, the Ministry of Environment, on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia , signed a lease and development agreement for 36,000 hectares of land in Koh Kong Province, Cambodia, with the Union Development Group Co., Ltd. witnessed by senior officials of the China and Cambodia governments .

The reporter learned that this project has received great attention and strong support from the two governments. Due to its attributes in infrastructure construction and cultural tourism, the project was included in the “Belt and Road” project cooperation list of the two countries in 2015.

Previous news reports pointed out that Prime Minister Hun Sen visited Dara Sakor in 2018 and fully affirmed the project and gave important instructions. As a result, the project moved from the initial stage to the comprehensive development stage in 2018.

According to Mr. Du Baohong, head of the Dara Sakor Management Committee, despite being affected by unfavorable factors such as the COVID-19 epidemic, the construction of the project has not slackened.

Mr. Du Baohong introduced that in January 2022, during the 40th ASEAN Tourism Forum, the ASEAN Minister of Tourism Golf Invitational Tournament was held at Dara Sakor; in April, the flight calibration verification of Dara Sakor International Airport was completed ahead of schedule ; in September 2023，the maiden voyage cargo ship was arrived at Dara Sakor International Port successfully.

The remarkable achievements achieved through hard work, as well as the investment and development scale of the project. This project has also drew special attentions from various eyes. It has not only received invitation for cooperation from many Southeast Asian investors, but also received attention from investors in western countries.

Mr. Du Baohong said: The door of Dara Sakor will always be open, welcome tourists and investors from all around the world!