With a loud noise, the tourists put down the products in their hands and walked out of the booth. The gorgeous fireworks bloom in the sky.
Here is the largest seaport in Cambodia - Sihanoukville Port, where the 9th Cambodia Ocean Festival was held.
In the evening, the street lamps by the sea have been lit. Small vendors also pushed the dining carts to the side of the road, busy preparing ingredients and waiting for guests who came to Westport.
During the Ocean Festival, a large number of tourists flocked. According to official statistics, tourists from more than 20 countries gathered here. The main road in Westport was crowded with vehicles, and the bustle of the past was restored.
Among them, many tourists drive from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville on weekends. They pass through the first expressway in Cambodia, the Golden Port Expressway, built by a huge company. This expressway shortens the time from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville to 2 hours.
The Cambodia Ocean Festival was initially held once a year in four coastal provinces, Sihanoukville, Koh Kong, Kampot, and Kep. It was suspended for two years due to the epidemic and resumed this year, releasing the enthusiasm of the people for tourism.
The director of the Accommodation and Catering Service Management Department of the Ministry of Tourism of Cambodia said that on the eve of the Ocean Festival, the room reservation rate in Sihanoukville reached more than 90%.
There is a characteristic blue arch bridge at the entrance of the Ocean Festival. Coconut trees, dolphins, fishing boats, and sunsets are magnificent. The elements on the arch bridge all arouse people's impulse and yearning for the sea. After crossing this arch bridge, you enter the "Sea World".
Diving is indispensable in "Sea World". Relevant personnel from the Malaysian Tourism Bureau came with a "mini version of National Geographic" travel brochure to show the charm of various underwater sports.
All kinds of seafood in the "Sea World" are also essential. Hungry diners stood in front of the oysters and shrimp, wondering whether it would be more delicious to roast them or keep the food's original taste.
On the weekend of Sihanoukville, people enjoy a leisurely vacation, and businesses are also working hard to promote their products.
Walking into a white booth, the owner looks out from time to time. She's promoting a strawberry latte that's served with iced fruit juice.
"Cambodia is in the tropics and is not suitable for growing strawberries. The strawberries grown in Korea are bigger and sweeter," she recommended to tourists.
Her name is Soka, and she is in charge of the sales of a Korean company's products in Southeast Asia. Although a local, this is the first time to participate in the Ocean Festival.
The deputy secretary of the Cambodian National One Village One Product Promotion Committee, who was present at the scene, told reporters that the committee provides services for the entire industrial chain of agricultural products in each village, from production, and processing, to transportation and sales.
The exhibition of this Ocean Festival provides a good platform for farmers to connect with consumers.
"We will extend the time of the Ocean Festival and hope that more tourists will come to Sihanoukville to enjoy the holiday time." Vice Governor of Sihanoukville Province Longdimon told the media at the scene.