Ponheary-Angkor Guide
 

We just got back from our trip to Thailand and Siem Riep. We used Ponheary as our guide for Angkor Wat. She was contacted at [email protected].

I originally contacted her in April and reserved the three days. I also inquired concerning her ability to help with hotel rooms. She provided quotes that were significantly less than I could find on the internet. I asked about the usual Sofitel and Victoria and she provided rates. She also recommended the Prince D'Angkor and a better rate. I decided to trust the fates and went with her recommendation. This involved a high level of trust because there was no confirmation number. She booked through a local travel agent friend of hers. This worked out great. The hotel was good and the pool great. The rate also included a big discount on the mandatory New Years Eve Gala dinner. We ended up saving about $250 by doing this through Ponheary. If we had so chosen, I believe that she could have booked us at one of the more upscale places for similar savings.

Ponheary was extremely knowledeable about the temples. She recounted much of the pertinent Hindu epics to which the temple carvings referred. She did so in clear English at a pace that we could follow.

She was always prompt. Even though she had a minor family crisis, she fulfilled all of her guide resposibilities in a superb fashion. I add my high recommendation to those that have gone before.

The one non-gushing comment that I have is that she was not particularly warm. We did not feel ant personal connection, as we have so ofetn with guides in Thailand. However, I fully recognize that we did not ask her to be our best friend. I know that I could not be warm and friendly to a stream of visiting tourists.

Thanks, Andy. We are also spending 3 days with Ponheary next month, including an early morning arrival on the first day. Having done some research on the sites, I would probably want to do an itinerary very similar to yours - is there anything that you would do differently if you could do it all over again?

In retrospect, I would skip the Tonle Sap portion of the trip. It used up an entire morning and only provided limited interest. I might suggest that you seek an alternative exposure to rural Cambodia. If Bob can remember his "village experience", maybe he can help. If not, you might E-mail Ponheary to see if she has a suggestion. I do note that her E-mail time is very limited. On the other hand, if there's an off-the-beaten track temple that has caught your fancy from Dawn Rooney, perhaps you could visit that. I do warn you that there is the possibility that you could get over-templed. We did not, but Tonle Sap provided a break.

Make sure you take advantage of the daily break. The rest allows you to be fresh for the temple visits.

Have a great time.

Thanks for the info Andy....we are doing the same as you and staying in the same hotel so you report was very reassuring.
Aloha!

HT-FYI there is a laundry place in a restaurant near the Prince D'Angkor. Walk to the main street (Sivartha, I think), take a right and it's about 4 storefronts down. There's a small laundry sign out front sometimes.

Make sure you use the pool.

If you like firm massages, get the Khmer massage. We had a 25% discount , so the hour massage was $15.

Also, have dinner at the Red Piano. Hopefully, you can gewt a table upstairs on the veranda.

Thanks Andy really looking forward to it!
Aloha!