10 days in Cambodia
Sep 5th, 2006, 07:14 PM
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10 days in Cambodia
We'll have 10 days in Cambodia and want to make the best of it. There is so much to see and do there 10 days isn't close to enough, but it's what we have.
Of course we will go to Siem Reap for temples and Ponheary. I'm looking for other places people have been and enjoyed. Somehow I've got to narrow down my l-o-n-g list.
Of course we will go to Siem Reap for temples and Ponheary. I'm looking for other places people have been and enjoyed. Somehow I've got to narrow down my l-o-n-g list.
Sep 5th, 2006, 08:03 PM
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The most beautiful countryside in Cambodia is Kampot town and province. Lush beyond belief, the best mangos and durians, etc. Town could be like Luang Prabang or Hoi An if it were fixed up with UNESCO funds. Incredible old shophouse architecture.
Kep is a wonderful coastal area, 25 kms from Kampot town. Eat the crab. White sand beaches are a half hour boat ride offshore, at Rabbit Island (have not been).
Many also love Bokor Park, in the mountains behind Kampot.
Stay at Oasis Guesthouse in Kampot and rent a bicycle. Friendly, well-located, clean, air con room at $15. Large fresh breakfast.
Many high quality restaurants throughout town, but I don't recall the names presently.
Kep is a wonderful coastal area, 25 kms from Kampot town. Eat the crab. White sand beaches are a half hour boat ride offshore, at Rabbit Island (have not been).
Many also love Bokor Park, in the mountains behind Kampot.
Stay at Oasis Guesthouse in Kampot and rent a bicycle. Friendly, well-located, clean, air con room at $15. Large fresh breakfast.
Many high quality restaurants throughout town, but I don't recall the names presently.
Sep 5th, 2006, 09:17 PM
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You did not say when you are traveling so I assume it is not in the rainy season. I also presume that you are flying into Bangkok from Japan and that you will have your daughter with you. On these assumptions and taking into account some things that your daughter might enjoy I might suggest the following.
Fly into Siem Reap and spend 3 days
Take a taxi for the 3-5hr ride to Battambang, Note that the stretch from Siem Reap to Sisophon is still in poor shape but from there on is fairly good. You could also take the boat but it is sometimes crowded and in the dry season can get stuck and take a long time. Although the scenery is spectacular I do not consider the boat the safest mode of transportation. Spend 2 days here. Be sure to have a ride on the Bamboo train. Hire a car /driver to visit outside of town.
From here take a taxi to Phnom Penh (5-6hrs) and spend 1 day now and 1 more day when catching a flight out.
Now you have a choice for the remaining time.
a) taxi up Kratie (5hrs on good road) to see the famous Mekong River Dolphins (Irrawaddy) outside of the town.
b) taxi to Kampot/Kep (good road) for the 4wd trip up the mountain to see the old french fort that is now a ghost town and in Kep have the best fresh seafood in Cambodia.
c) taxi to the beach town of Sihanoukville (5hrs over the best road in Cambodia) and stay at the 4/5 star
Sokha Resort on its own private beach. Only go to here during the dry season. No beach is that pleasant when it rains
Other than SR, PP and the beach the other places have only basic accommodation. However the hotels are clean and safe and have private bath and a/c. You will notice the vast difference in the small towns as compared to the touristy SR and even PP. These places do not get a lot of visitors and the people are friendly and curious. The kids will come up to you not wanting anything but to pratice some english and see where you are from.
Fly into Siem Reap and spend 3 days
Take a taxi for the 3-5hr ride to Battambang, Note that the stretch from Siem Reap to Sisophon is still in poor shape but from there on is fairly good. You could also take the boat but it is sometimes crowded and in the dry season can get stuck and take a long time. Although the scenery is spectacular I do not consider the boat the safest mode of transportation. Spend 2 days here. Be sure to have a ride on the Bamboo train. Hire a car /driver to visit outside of town.
From here take a taxi to Phnom Penh (5-6hrs) and spend 1 day now and 1 more day when catching a flight out.
Now you have a choice for the remaining time.
a) taxi up Kratie (5hrs on good road) to see the famous Mekong River Dolphins (Irrawaddy) outside of the town.
b) taxi to Kampot/Kep (good road) for the 4wd trip up the mountain to see the old french fort that is now a ghost town and in Kep have the best fresh seafood in Cambodia.
c) taxi to the beach town of Sihanoukville (5hrs over the best road in Cambodia) and stay at the 4/5 star
Sokha Resort on its own private beach. Only go to here during the dry season. No beach is that pleasant when it rains
Other than SR, PP and the beach the other places have only basic accommodation. However the hotels are clean and safe and have private bath and a/c. You will notice the vast difference in the small towns as compared to the touristy SR and even PP. These places do not get a lot of visitors and the people are friendly and curious. The kids will come up to you not wanting anything but to pratice some english and see where you are from.
Sep 5th, 2006, 10:11 PM
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Thank you for the suggestions so far. Great ones, too.
To clarify, it will be rainy season...August. We'll be flying from Jaapn, NRT - SIN with a 2-4 day stay there. Then SIN - REP/PEN. Then fly REP/PEN - BKK, husband goes home to Japan and daugther and I will have a week or 10 days more in Thailand, or maybe we'll choose to spend more time in Cambodia.
To clarify, it will be rainy season...August. We'll be flying from Jaapn, NRT - SIN with a 2-4 day stay there. Then SIN - REP/PEN. Then fly REP/PEN - BKK, husband goes home to Japan and daugther and I will have a week or 10 days more in Thailand, or maybe we'll choose to spend more time in Cambodia.
Sep 6th, 2006, 07:04 AM
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As you know, Kim, I think Siem Reap deserves more than 3 days. I spent a week and didn't see all of the accessible temples. And I know you plan to spend some time at a school as well. So I would choose one other place to visit in Cambodia. Kampot sounds iinteresting to me.
Sep 6th, 2006, 08:23 PM
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Kim, will say to be prepared for a very, very bad road between Siem Reap and Battambang (I'm just sayin'...) , but the south side of the lake is worth seeing as a different representation of Cambodia than just the tourist infrastructure built around Angkor. It's understandably needed, but not really what Cambodia as a country is like.
One place I really enjoyed (mostly because of having no expectations) was Kampong Chhnang, between Battambang and Phnom Penh. Not needing more than a day, but it's got a floating village that is less of the zoo sort of atmosphere of those around Siem Reap. Local pottery cooperatives, which are a source of pride for the town since way back. But I will say that motos are about the only way to get around town and hotels (guesthouses really) are basic, but we enjoyed them for what they were.
By the way, there are perfectly nice buses from BB to PP for $5 pp. No need for car/taxi for that portion. Comfy, clean, assigned seats. Ask at any hotel. We stayed at the Royal in Battambang. Was ok, no raves from me, but had what we needed - ensuite, bed, a/c. Price is $15-$20 now.
Sep 7th, 2006, 03:21 PM
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Kim, I would not recommend so much time in Cambodia. It is HOT, HOT, HOT!!! The lovely resorts of Thailand, Bali, etc. are not as available in Cambodia. The tourist industry is limited. Cambodia was destroyed and has not recovered. Still areas with land mines, terrible roads, no safe water, often no sewerage system. It is poorer than India and not as safe. There is much of Thailand that you have not seen. What about going to Ma Hong Song area??
Sep 7th, 2006, 05:49 PM
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Elainee:
I hate to take issue with such a veteran Fodor's contributor. However, aren't the bulk of the issues you raise reasons TO spend more time in Cambodia, especially outside the tourist areas of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh? Can't your money and your open-mindedness as a traveller truly make more of a difference to the people under these circumstances?
Moreover, when was the last time you heard of a traveller being harmed by a mine in Cambodia? I don't think it is a real danger unless you blatently disobey the occasional skull and crossbone "mine warning" sign.
Also, I'd like to hear your support for the statement that Cambodia is "poorer than India and not as safe". I have found the opposite. When I was in India I was hassled incessantly by scam artists. Cambodians in general are far too gentle a people to be hucksters. As far as comparative poverty, I found India's to be more desperate overall, with large crowds of people waiting outside breadshops each day, looking as if they would starve if they weren't given handouts. Making another generality, people in Cambodia are poor in a more gentle, "we can make due off the bounty of the tropics" sort of way.
Just my humble view--Others may certainly disagree.
I hate to take issue with such a veteran Fodor's contributor. However, aren't the bulk of the issues you raise reasons TO spend more time in Cambodia, especially outside the tourist areas of Siem Reap and Phnom Penh? Can't your money and your open-mindedness as a traveller truly make more of a difference to the people under these circumstances?
Moreover, when was the last time you heard of a traveller being harmed by a mine in Cambodia? I don't think it is a real danger unless you blatently disobey the occasional skull and crossbone "mine warning" sign.
Also, I'd like to hear your support for the statement that Cambodia is "poorer than India and not as safe". I have found the opposite. When I was in India I was hassled incessantly by scam artists. Cambodians in general are far too gentle a people to be hucksters. As far as comparative poverty, I found India's to be more desperate overall, with large crowds of people waiting outside breadshops each day, looking as if they would starve if they weren't given handouts. Making another generality, people in Cambodia are poor in a more gentle, "we can make due off the bounty of the tropics" sort of way.
Just my humble view--Others may certainly disagree.
Sep 7th, 2006, 06:39 PM
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Kimadrew, good points. Something you may not know is that Elainee knows our family and has been to Cambodia with her family.
Elainee...I know that you've been to Cambodia and that you know us fairly well, too, so I know that your advice is heartfelt (gosh, is that a word...or is it Japanese English?).
There is much of Thailand that we haven't seen, you are right, and we are also considering a "fly in fly out" introduction to Cambodia...but, on the other hand, Cambodia just seems so interesting to me, on a different level than Thailand, though. We are considering the various risks and level of comfort carefully...Nothing is set just yet...we do have loads of planning time.
We've been tossing this trip around for a few years now, and it's still in the planning stages. I'll be very interested to hear E and R's, and R & S's impressions of Siem Reap and surrounding areas, as well as all about their time with Ponheary. We can probably use their experience there as a good guide I think.
Elainee...I know that you've been to Cambodia and that you know us fairly well, too, so I know that your advice is heartfelt (gosh, is that a word...or is it Japanese English?).
There is much of Thailand that we haven't seen, you are right, and we are also considering a "fly in fly out" introduction to Cambodia...but, on the other hand, Cambodia just seems so interesting to me, on a different level than Thailand, though. We are considering the various risks and level of comfort carefully...Nothing is set just yet...we do have loads of planning time.
We've been tossing this trip around for a few years now, and it's still in the planning stages. I'll be very interested to hear E and R's, and R & S's impressions of Siem Reap and surrounding areas, as well as all about their time with Ponheary. We can probably use their experience there as a good guide I think.
Sep 7th, 2006, 06:49 PM
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Kim:
Here's my 2 cents worth.
I wish we had stayed a little longer than three days in Siem Riep. Kathie is right there is so much to see.
When I asked Ponheary what her favorite place in Cambodia was she said the beach area near Kampot....so beatiful and peaceful I remember her saying. You might want to ask Ponheary about your itinerary if you haven't already but you probably have.
Aloha!
Here's my 2 cents worth.
I wish we had stayed a little longer than three days in Siem Riep. Kathie is right there is so much to see.
When I asked Ponheary what her favorite place in Cambodia was she said the beach area near Kampot....so beatiful and peaceful I remember her saying. You might want to ask Ponheary about your itinerary if you haven't already but you probably have.
Aloha!
Sep 7th, 2006, 06:56 PM
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KimJapan:
You are right; I didn't know you and Elainee knew each other well already and it does make me see her post in a different light.
On the other hand... I just couldn't pass on the opportunity to stick up for my "Second Homeland", especially since Thailand is viewed by many as the 800-pound gorilla of Southeast Asia.
You are right; I didn't know you and Elainee knew each other well already and it does make me see her post in a different light.
On the other hand... I just couldn't pass on the opportunity to stick up for my "Second Homeland", especially since Thailand is viewed by many as the 800-pound gorilla of Southeast Asia.
Sep 7th, 2006, 07:07 PM
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All of the ideas here are very helpful for us. Kep and Kampot are on our list of places we'd like to go...as Battambang, Kratie and a few more I'm sure.
We all like to travel slowly, and our daughter especially likes to settle into a place and call it home for a while. We spend a fair bit of time doing things that are not sightseeing...anything hands-on tends to keep our attention better than straight sightseeing.
We all like to travel slowly, and our daughter especially likes to settle into a place and call it home for a while. We spend a fair bit of time doing things that are not sightseeing...anything hands-on tends to keep our attention better than straight sightseeing.
Sep 7th, 2006, 07:43 PM
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Kim
The hotels in Battambang are certainly not of the luxury kind but while being basic, they are clean with friendly staff. The best used to be a toss up between the Royal and Teo at about $23. The Star and Spring Park are newer hotels (no information on these) and the La Villa is well overpriced ($112) for what you get. Another hotel just lisited is the Rattanak at $33. I stayed at the Teo a few years ago and found it quite okay at $10 then.
The hotels in Battambang are certainly not of the luxury kind but while being basic, they are clean with friendly staff. The best used to be a toss up between the Royal and Teo at about $23. The Star and Spring Park are newer hotels (no information on these) and the La Villa is well overpriced ($112) for what you get. Another hotel just lisited is the Rattanak at $33. I stayed at the Teo a few years ago and found it quite okay at $10 then.
