AKP Phnom Penh, January 01, 2026 --

Cambodia kicked off the 2026 tourism year on Thursday as the Marshall Islands-flagged cruise ship Sirena docked at Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, bringing over 600 international visitors to the Kingdom’s coast.

The arrival followed a night of massive New Year’s Eve celebrations along the province's beaches, signaling a strong start for the country’s maritime tourism sector.

According to immigration officials at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, the vessel arrived from Vietnam at 7:00 a.m. local time on Jan. 1. The ship carried 633 passengers representing 35 nationalities, alongside a crew of 393. Travellers from the United States (269) and Australia (81) made up the largest share of the passenger manifest.

During their stay, the tourists visited several regional landmarks and interesting development areas.

The Sirena departed at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, continuing its itinerary toward Thailand.

This docking follows the arrival of the Diamond Princess on Dec. 29, 2025, which brought 2,850 tourists to the province. 

By K. Rithy Reak