When foreigners think of Cambodia, they probably think of the capital Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, the home of the temples of Angkor. But these days the coastal city of Sihanoukville is proving a big draw for both tourists and investors, leading to a building boom that is straining the existing infrastructure to breaking point. And as Rian Maelzer reports from Sihanoukville, many people are also groaning under the pressure of this development.

The rumble of cement trucks, whirring of cranes, din of traffic clunking over potholed roads, lapping of waves along the white sand beaches -- this is the city of Sihanoukville in the midst of boom.

RIAN MAELZER SIHANOUKVILLE, CAMBODIA "Just a handful of years ago, Sihanoukville was a quiet fishing town and low-key resort visited by small numbers of Western backpackers."

But tourist arrivals have been growing at double-digit levels, while arrivals from the biggest market, China, more than doubled last year.

There are plans to expand the tiny air terminal and extend the runway of the airport in the next two years.

And the port, which handles three quarters of Cambodia's external trade, has recently expanded. Its business boosted by the special economic zone on the city's outskirts.

But the city's infrastructure is creaking and cracking under the strain of this development surge.

OKNHA LAV KANG, PRESIDENT SIHANOUK PROVINCE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE "A lot of hard work has been put in to devise infrastructure plans to improve drainage systems, roads, electricity supply, and a system to prevent sewage from flowing out to sea. Because of the very sudden and rapid surge of development, local authorities have been struggling to solve these problems."

The rapid development has also driven up property prices and rents.

And many of those working on the shiny new construction projects end up living in squatters' settlements like this.

CHAN CHANTY SIHANOUKVILLE RESIDENT "My husband's salary is small, about $150 a month. Renting in town is $100, plus we have to pay water and electricity. With our expenses and low salary, there is no way we can afford to rent."

It's the flip side to Sihanoukville's boom – one that's boosting prosperity and turning the city into a dynamic industrial and tourist hub but throwing up plenty of challenges too. Rian Maelzer, CGTN, Sihanoukville, Cambodia.