Ochheuteal Beach travel guide, Sihanoukville, Cambodia

It may be difficult to pronounce, but the name certainly hasn't put people off the longest and most popular beach in Sihanoukville. Many actually know Ochheuteal beach as Serendipity, which actually refers to the western patch of sand.

Much of Occheuteal is dedicated to food stalls and small bamboo bars, but the southern stretch is largely deserted, save for a development project, including a golf course, which has seemingly been under construction forever.

While Serendipity has the bulk of the beach hotels and guesthouses, the restaurants and bars stretch for much more of the full length of the beach, with the far end playing host to the on-again off-again joints that offer free accommodation in the low season (you're expected to either eat and drink at the place frequently or help them distribute flyers in return).

Popular with barang and Khmers alike, the weekends are particularly busy with snacking Phnom Penh escapees mingling with backpackers and daytrippers from other beaches.

The seas can get rough here and drownings are not uncommon, so exercise care when swimming — the waves may not look big, but the currents are deceptive. And, without wanting to sound too much like your mother, swimming when under the influence (of whatever) isn't a particularly intelligent thing to do.

Ochheuteal also has more than its fair share of con-men, dodgy moto drivers and other lowlife, so exercise care at night. Staggering down the beach in the early hours of the morning stoned or drunk is not recommended. Rapes, stabbings and muggings have all been reported here, both at the rocky end near Serendipity, but also along the other end of the beach.

Be careful, people! Remember, Cambodia is barely recovering from three decades of war, poverty is desperate and there's a pretty chronic drug scene among Sihanoukville local youth.

Further to the south, over the headland, you'll find the rather tempting Otres Beach.

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Kratie travel guide, Cambodia

Say Kratie to any Khmer and they'll think dolphins -- in particular Mekong Irrawaddy dolphins. Around 20 kilometres north of Kratie, at the village of Kampi, the swirling waters of the Mekong are considered one of the best places in the world to see the critically endangered Mekong Irrawaddy dolphin.

Dolphins aside, Kratie province is also known for its pleasing riverside scenery and pretty villages and paddy. Nearly all who choose to stay here do so in the same-named provincial capital of Kratie -- an almost charming town with enough colonial architecture and tree-lined streets to warrant getting the camera out, a bunch of welcoming guesthouses and hotels and even a bar -- quite a novelty in these parts. The surrounding villages will live up to fantasies of lush, riverside Cambodia, with green paddy and beautifully polished stilted wooden homes shaded by thick palms.

Moreso than Stung Treng to the north, if you're planning on blasting through from Phnom Penh to Don Dhet in 4,000 islands, if you've got the time, you'll be glad to have at least had an overnight stay here.

Fewer than 80 dolphins (a VOA report in June 2009 put the total at 76) remain in the river -- primarily along a near 200 kilometre stretch of the Mekong River in northern Cambodia heading towards the Lao frontier. About 25 of these dolphins reside primarily in the area near Kampi, and while there are ongoing and comprehensive conservation projects underway, dolphin mortality remains high. A report by the WWF said the lower part of the Mekong River has become so polluted and contaminated that as many as 88 dolphins have died since 2003. Toxic substances such as the DDT pesticide that is used in agriculture and PCB that WWF Cambodia believes is from mining in Laos (particularly copper and gold mining in Savannakhet province) do not help the situation.

A common misconception is that the dolphins can be seen from Kratie town; this is not the case. The dolphins hang out at Kampi, some 20 kilometres north along the river road. Any motodop will be more than happy to take you there. Other ways to get to Kampi include motorbike hire ($6 per day), bicycle hire ($2 per day) and car hire ($15 per day). Once you arrive at the dolphin pool, it costs $9 for one person to rent an entire boat or $7 per person with three or more people. The boat ride lasts for an hour or two and the driver should be flexible on bringing you back once you've had your fill. A number of dolphins are still in the area and on prior visits we saw about 10, several of which swam quite close to the boat. Note that the organisers will not let you watch from the mainland -- and have in fact built a wall to obscure the view. If you want to see the dolphins, even if you don't want to use the boat, you still have to pay for it. Yes, idiotic.

It takes about 30 minutes each way to Kampi, and we recommend going in the late afternoon when it's cooler and you can pair your trip with a stop at the nearby Sambok Mountain pagoda to watch the sunset. A giant (like those who mythically built Angkor Wat) guards the staircase to the temple. At the top, there's a small pagoda on Phnom Bro (Brother Mountain) and another, higher hill connected by staircase, called Phnom Srei (Sister Mountain). Oddly, the male monks live on the sister hill and the nun's pagoda is on brother hill. We found the nuns to be warm and chatty with female solo travellers who spoke only basic Khmer.

Koh Trong, located across the river from Kratie's town centre, is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. We learned the hard way that bicycles are available on the island and you do not need to rent one in town and haul it down to the river before boarding the ferry. The ferry costs 1,000 riel per person (bicycles are free). A nine-kilometre trail circles the entire island, and while it's a bumpy ride, it's beautiful, lush and unspoilt, with a few villages, grazing cows and smiling kids around the perimeter and fluorescent paddy in the centre. We've never had more fun trying to get lost and never felt like we'd accessed authentic Cambodia quite so easily. You can watch the sunset from the island's western banks, but be sure to arrange transport back ahead of time since the last scheduled ferry leaves promptly at 18:30. Accommodation is available on Koh Trong -- there are two homestays and one more upmarket resort.

Many other towns and villages make pleasant day trips from Kratie. Among them is Chhlong, about an hour and a half south by motorbike. A morning trip with a motodop should cost you about $13. The town itself was both once a bustling port for French and Chinese traders, and the beautiful, decaying colonial architecture lining the riverfront attests to this. There's also a famous stilted home with 100 stilts. It isn't particularly impressive but the family who lives there is welcoming and likes to share stories from the "Pol Pot time". Villagers were evicted from the town during the Khmer Rouge's rule, and they occupied most of the town's buildings.

Inside Le Relais Hotel on the edge of town is a former prison where skulls of Khmer Rouge detainees remain. There's not much here, although if you're interested in Cambodian history and have a driver who doesn't mind facilitating conversation with the locals it can be a very worthwhile sidetrip. There's also a hilltop pagoda that is surrounded by war-era pillboxes and a police base that are both work a look on your way out of town.

Aside from the dolphins, there's ample opportunity for boat trips, village walks and general exploring. Many of the guesthouses in Kratie have more information on things to see and do in the area. In our experience, the area surrounding Kratie is particularly lush, with beautiful stilted homes, and some of the friendliest people we've met throughout Cambodia.

A few NGOs organise home stays in several of these villages as well as in Koh Trong -- they can be contacted through their web sites if you plan ahead, and the Cambodian Rural Development Team has a small kiosk on the grounds of Le Bungalow in Kratie town.

Cambodian Rural Development Team: (023) 357 230 ; www.crdt.org.kh ; No. 695 Street 2, Kratie
Cambodia Community Development: (012) 674 800 ; info @ crdt.org.kh (for island homestays).

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Kep travel guide, Cambodia

Cambodia's Kep is a former playground of the French and Cambodian elite, with the King Father's crumbling mansions sitting atop the hill, a testament to the country's cultural zenith in the 1960s. It takes some imagination to conjure this heyday from the weekday peace and laidback ambiance, but the revival of a white sand beach and a throng of holidaying Khmers at weekends hark back to Kep's popular past.

Kep is staging a slow but steady comeback. Over several years, many of the beachside plots, which hosted nothing but ruined villas and tangled jungle for decades, have been snapped up by foreign royalty, merchant bankers, expatriates and wealthy Khmers. While visiting the town's hotels, it's quickly apparent that it wants to be more upscale and subdued than Sihanoukville and even Kampot. Much of the accommodation is resort-style bungalow places, although you can find a bed for less than $10 a night at more budget-minded establishments. Refreshingly, development here for the most part seems slow, careful, and planned. A 20-year masterplan emphasises preserving the environment and limiting development, particularly along the beachfront.

New accommodation options and improving services for visitors may be signs of the changes to come, but much stays the same. Among Khmers, Kep remains best known for its fresh crab, and on weekends hordes of locals descend to eat all the crab they can get their hands on. For Phnom Penh based expats Kep remains an ideal weekend getaway.

Much of Kep maintains its ghost-town ambiance: although things feel bustling enough by the bus station area above the beach, and the crab market up the hill at the western end, there's a big stretch of nothing much happening until you reach the town 'proper' with the market and Koh Tonsay pier. You may feel that you blinked and missed something, but if you spotted the white naked woman statue, the welcoming crab and the mini Independence Monument, you likely didn't.

Kep's popularity is based on taking it easy rather than a long list of available activities. The imported white sand beach is only a kilometre long, but the sea is perfect for a float in a car-tyre or a potter around in a sailboat. The sunsets across the bay to Bokor National Park are stunning and this is a great place for a lazy spell in a hammock. Nature lovers can take relatively easy treks in the national park, or get up close and personal at the Butterfly Farm and Oceanarium.

The islands off Kep are well worth visiting and we've got a soft spot for Koh Tonsay, better known as Rabbit Island. It's easily visited by boat from Kep on a day trip, or rudimentary accommodation is available should you want to overnight there.

The main island you can see offshore is Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island, which is totally off-limits via Kep (though it can be reached from both Ha Tien and

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Kampot travel guide, Cambodia

Sleepy Kampot sits on the east bank of the Kampot River and enjoys spectacular views across to Bokor and Elephant Mountains, which make up the sizeable Bokor National Park. The town was once a trading centre and until the establishment of a deep sea port at Sihanoukville in the 1950s, Kampot was Cambodia's primary port. A smattering of small fishing boats can still be seen unloading every morning a short walk south of the main town on the dirt road parallel to the river. Given Kampot's proximity to the Vietnamese border, fish often isn't the only catch being unloaded, with smuggling -- particularly of cigarettes -- a handy extra earner for the fishermen.

Today, Kampot is best known for its pepper, which is truly excellent. Pepper plantations as well as a few low-key sites can be visited from town, which also forms an ideal base for trips up to jungle-clad Bokor, a highlight of any visit to the Cambodian coast. Atop Bokor are a church and a casino, remnants from Cambodia's French colonial period. Today they're both in a decrepit state -- the Khmer Rouge and Vietnamese spent a long stretch shooting at each other here, with one team in the casino and the other in the church. Spoiling the misty spookiness is a new casino development, but the road built to access it at least means you no longer have a tough trek to the top.

Kampot is both somnolent and pretty, in a rundown kind of way. Plenty of villas and old shopfront trading houses, especially along the river road, make it a pleasant area to wander through -- thankfully Kampot hasn't lost too many of its older buildings to the glass and brass brigade. Given time and sufficient interest from travellers, many of these buildings will hopefully be retained. The Old Market, long a derelict landmark, has recently been revitalised with shops and eateries and rumours abound about plans for the empty fish market on the riverfront.

Along with its relaxed ambience comes an excellent selection of places to stay, from cheap backpacker-orientated guesthouses through to some fine flashpacker and midrange hotels. Kampot also boasts plenty of decent places to enjoy Cambodian and Western food and just hang out.

Within town, activities include taking a walk over the once-bombed but now repaired river bridge for a view of the town, enjoying a sunset boat cruise up the Kampot River or just hiring a bicycle and meandering about. You also, of course, need to enjoy at least one sunset over Bokor by the river with a drink in hand. Further afield are some caves just off the road to Kep, the 'Secret Lake', some salt fields and a small waterfall.

A growing number of people are also attracted to Kampot to spend some time with a volunteer project. Choose from a range of options, from short term through to longer-term projects working with disadvantaged groups. Blissful Guesthouse and Epic Arts Cafe are two good places to start with enquiries.

One of Kampot's less favourable aspects is the large number of noisy dogs, which have the freedom of the streets after dark. Although unlikely to bite, their bark is bad enough. If ignored, they will let you pass the properties they are protecting. Take a torch if you're out in the evening, as street lighting hasn't really become popular yet.

It's also worth noting that although the town is sporting sparkling new signage, most locals don't know the street numbers -- the signs are apparently for the benefit of a certain Google car. Most navigation is still done by roundabouts and bridges. Pick up a copy of the excellent Kampot Survival Guide for a town map and some very tongue-in-cheek advice.

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Koh Rong travel guide, Sihanoukville, Cambodia

Koh Rong is quite possibly that cliched island paradise you've been looking for, boasting pristine white beaches, turquoise water and limited development on most of the island. For years the island was almost completely undeveloped save for a diving outfit and a few bungalows, though that's changing, in particular on the southern patch Koh Touch.

Serviced by the fast boat from Sihanoukville as the fourth stop, Koh Touch is a sandy guesthouse-packed stretch that has earned Koh Rong a reputation as a party island. All the beaches aside from Koh Touch however are undeserving of this label as they're the kind of places where the lights go out when the sun goes down and the sounds of nature, rather than music, will lull you to sleep. Despite many a developer having their beady eyes on the 78-square-kilometre island, the rapid development of late is mostly limited to basic bungalows and cheap guesthouses in Koh Touch, so it remains easy to find a quiet refuge elsewhere on the island.

The island is truly gorgeous. So gorgeous in fact that a production company has set up a permanent base at Soksan Base Camp hotel, on Soksan Beach, making the most of the deserted beaches and exceedingly beautiful waters for filming all sorts of movies and programmes, including reality TV show Survivor. The swish property occasionally opens to outside guests in-between production runs.

Taxi!

The island boasts seven bays, all teeming with marine life, making for great snorkelling and diving. The ultra-high end millionaires' hang-out Song Saa Resort is to the north of the island, but you can save your cash and get the same paradise views at a fraction of the cost elsewhere. There's enough to keep even the most active visitor busy, with diving, snorkelling, mountain biking, trekking, kayaks and motorbike treks, and plenty of sand, sun and sea for those with more relaxed tastes.

Chill out.

Koh Rong has 43 kilometres of beaches, but the majority of bars and accommodation is on the southeast, by Koh Touch village. There's barely a patch along the bright white sand without a bungalow being constructed. Here music blares out till the early hours where sleeping in the tightly packed accommodation close to the pier is usually a wasted effort -- the main generator turns off at 02:30 but that doesn't stop one bar, Mango, which has its own so it can pump on till 05:30.

There's a couple of basic minimarts, laundry services and a choice of eating, but no ATMs or internet cafes -- though a scattering of properties now offer free WiFi. The clientele closest to the village are mostly backpackers and divers who have come to enjoy the nightlife, with expats and couples preferring more seclusion further along the beach at quieter, more spread out accommodation.

Beaches can get very busy at times.

The next largest cluster of accommodation is on Sok San, a sleepy village that's a world away from Koh Touch with regular direct slow boats from Sihanoukville and a fast boat primarily serving the production company based there, with an irregular schedule accordingly. Family-run over-water stilted bungalows and basic beach huts are the order of the day here, with multiple new bungalows springing up during our October 2014 visit.

Soksan Base Camp is based at the end of the village with a whopping 90 new bungalows -- adding to the existing 54 -- being constructed at the end of 2014. This is to accommodate more production crew and to be able to open it up more to tourists -- currently there are only very narrow windows during filming breaks when they accept bookings online, usually in low season. With 24-hour power, high-speed internet and air-con, prices are steep for these smart wooden bungalows but there's nowhere else that really competes.

Pesky cloud.

A handful of other one-off resorts are set around the island at the northeast and southwest and these arrange their own slow boats from Sihanoukville; it's a two-three hour journey that's absolutely worth it if you're looking for real peace and isolation.

The Cambodian government has sold Koh Rong to an investment group based in Cambodia, which has plans to build an airport and "ecological" resort. There's currently little sign of development though apart from a rough and ready road which connects some parts of the island, and the WiFi and mobile phone signals which now service most of the accommodation. If you must make that call, Hello Axiata and Metfone seem to get the strongest signals, particularly on Koh Touch beach.

Waterfall bound.

The interior of the island is largely undeveloped and travelling between beaches requires trekking or a boat; the latter is relatively expensive. One of the most beautiful beaches, north of Koh Touch, is known as Long Set beach, after the farmer who lives there growing cashews, coconuts and mangoes. Thanks to the views, it's thought it will be the first one to be developed. Around the point to the west of Koh Touch, the white coral sand bay known as Seven-Kilometre beach, with Sok San village at one end, is also a potential development site.

Even the bathrooms are memorable.

So far the development group has left the bungalows alone and they appear safe for the time being. The operations pay rent and have signed agreements saying they will leave whenever they are ordered to.
So if you want to take advantage of Koh Rong's perfect beaches, diving, snorkelling and phosphorescent night swimming (subject to availability), go now.

Orientation
Rooms are highly sought after in high season, and it's better to book before you go, or arrive on the early ferry to catch rooms at Koh Touch beach. Be aware that the island does not have mains electricity and resorts rely on generators for power -- you'll get the most power supply at Koh Touch including at night, though not 24/7. Water is also a precious commodity, and most bathrooms employ an economical bucket flush system.

Take your pick at Angkor Chom.

One of the problems of deserted beaches is that undisturbed sand can be the perfect habitat for sand flies. These small black flies like to bite, and leave itchy red marks that can irritate for days. The best approach is prevention so bring along some good strong repellant with DEET and apply it first thing in the morning as well as after the sun goes down.

While you're enjoying the turquoise waters, don't forget to look for sea urchins or sea eggs underfoot. The spines are painful if they embed in your sole and won't pull out easily. However, the discomfort will wear off in a couple of days and these particular creatures are not dangerous.

The blue just goes and goes.

Being a small, mostly uninhabited island, medical help is very limited. For anything halfway serious, you'll need to return to Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh. Bring some supplies of iodine and plasters with you, and take care of yourself!

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Battambang travel guide, Cambodia

Battambang province lies in the far western region of Cambodia; bounded to the west by Thailand, the south by the Cardamom Mountains, the east by the Tonle Sap Lake and Pursat, and to the north by Banteay Meanchey province. The landscape, often picturesque and highly varied in this large province, morphs from vast marshes and wetlands around the lake's rim into extensive rice paddies dotted with limestone outcrops and then rolling orchard-blanketed hills around the Pailin enclave, before finishing with rugged forest-clad slopes abutting the southern mountain ranges. Battambang is home to the kingdom's best farming land and the provincial capital was traditionally a wealthy trading town as well as being the second largest city of the kingdom.

'Bourgeois' Battambang with its large ethnic Chinese population suffered greatly during the Khmer Rouge era. With nearby Pailin being one of the last redoubts of anti-government forces during the war of the 1980s and '90s, it also later became the centre of UN peace-keeping operations. Today the town is flourishing again due to its agricultural riches and relatively good communications and transport infrastructure; Khmer expats and investment are returning to the region.

Tourism-wise, the town was always a rather off the beaten track destination -- known mostly for being the end of a scenic boat ride from Siem Reap and its famous 'bamboo railway' -- but these days it's increasingly appearing in traveller tour plans, with easy access to Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Thailand. The tourism infrastructure is developing fast.

There are plenty of things to see and do in and around town, apart from just admiring the idyllic countryside, with no shortage of great accommodation and food and drink options. The town still remains quiet and far more traditional than the bustling capital or tourism hotspots of Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, so it makes for a wonderfully contrasting destination to complete your Cambodia itinerary.

One oddity of Battambang province is the rain gambling. Although it does happen all over Cambodia, this is the epicentre of the phenomenon. Fortunes are won and lost betting how much rain will fall at a given place at a given time. When in the capital, keep an eye out for people clustered on the roofs of the buildings overlooking the central bus station. Clutching walkie-talkies, they're communicating with both their rain-spotters, who are scattered across the surrounds monitoring the clouds, and their bookies at Phsar Boeung Chhoeuk. The bookies can be a bit shy about having their photo taken, but they're not too worried if you're just there to check it out.

Battambang is Khmer for "disappearing stick", referring to a legend about a cowherd named Ta Dambong who found a magic stick and used it to usurp the then-king. The king's son ran off to the woods and became a monk. In the meantime, Ta Dambong had a dream that a holy man on a white horse would vanquish him, so he decided it would be a good idea to have all the holy men rounded up and put to death. When the prince heard he was required to go into town, a hermit came up and gave him a white horse. When the prince got on the horse he found it could fly. When he flew into town, Ta Dambong realised his dream was coming true so he threw his magic stick at the prince and did a runner. Neither he nor the magic stick was ever seen again.

Orientation
The city itself is split into two by the Sangkar River with the compact central area and main market situated on the left bank. The series of narrow parallel streets numbered imaginatively 1, 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3 are home to an increasing number of cafes, bars and restaurants. This is where you'll find most of the old Chinese shophouses and a smattering of French colonial-style buildings as well.

Battambang was an important province in the Angkor period so several temple ruins and historical sites can be found within a 30 kilometre radius of town, providing convenient day trip opportunities.

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Sihanoukville travel guide, Cambodia

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's premier beach location, a peninsula ringed by pretty whiteish-sand beaches and surrounded by a smattering of tiny islands. Debate rages over whether its beaches will ever seriously rival those that lure the hordes to neighbouring Thailand, but given international tourism's insatiable appetite for new places, we think they will ... eventually ... one day ... maybe; at least, the international developers who have snapped up many of the islands on long-term leases are hoping so.

Cambodia's youngest city, Sihanoukville town sprang to life in 1955 when a construction team arrived at what was then known as Kompong Som to begin work on Cambodia's first (and only) deep water port. When the port was finished in 1960 the area was renamed Sihanoukville (in honour of then King Sihanouk) but many Cambodians continue to refer to it as Kompong Som.

The Khmer Rouge kept Sihanoukville largely off-limits to all but the most intrepid travellers for years. But today, with a good road from Phnom Penh and an on-again, off-again airport where regular flights may one day become a reality, Sihanoukville is drawing a steady stream of backpackers along with expatriates down from Phnom Penh for lazy weekends.

The first time we visited Sihanoukville we loved it, the second time less so; each time after that less so again, as its seediness started to outshine the prettiness. Despite its newfound popularity, the town has a somewhat abandoned feel to it, amplified by the number of half-built or deserted plots of land marked out by high and imposing fences — plots often "owned" by businesspeople with sometimes dubious land titles and an eye for a fast buck.

And though it's a beach town, it's not the most relaxing place. Endless construction projects in all parts of the town make sleeping in a luxury and time spent on many of the beaches is punctuated by repeated requests from street children and local vendors to buy bracelets, make donations or have massages.

Ochheuteal beach, Sihanoukville's most popular, has a bit of a caravan-park feel to it and the motodops here are among the most dodgy in Cambodia. Over the last few years, Thailand has slowly tightened its visa regulations and it seems there's been a commensurate influx to Sihanoukville of crusty, sex-tourist types who have certainly contributed to the rising number of dodgy bars. Sihanoukville also has a long-running problem with foreign and local paedophiles.

It isn't all bad news though. Sihanoukville's beaches are sprawling and pretty, though perhaps not as postcard-perfect as many of Thailand's. The sand is generally grainier and more yellow-grey in colour and many are lined with ramshackle food vendors. On weekends, Khmer and barang hordes converge particularly on Ochheuteal, and accommodation prices rise accordingly. It's a fun place, and the unusual mix of Khmers and barang relaxing side-by-side is something you don't see in Thailand, nor in fact in the rest of Cambodia, that often.

If you're looking for white sand beaches and turquoise waters, you'll have to head offshore to one of the many islands around Sihanoukville.

The province is also home to Ream National Park, which is well worth a visit.

If you're arriving in Sihanoukville by bus or share-taxi from Phnom Penh, you'll arrive in Sihanoukville town, from where Ochheuteal Beach, Independence Beach, Victory Hill & Beach and Sokha Beach and much more are but a motodop ride away.

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Phnom Penh travel guide, Cambodia

One of the better preserved French relics in Southeast Asia, the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh has a lot more to offer travellers than a quick, depressing swing through Tuol Sleng and a run out to the Killing Fields.

Cambodia's history stretches far back beyond the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. As far as Phnom Penh goes, legend has it that its beginnings stretch back to the late 14th century, when an old woman named Penh found a tree with a handful of Buddha images lodged in one of its nooks. She retrieved the images and had a hill (phnom) built to house them: Penh's Hill, or Phnom Penh, was born.

Established at the crossroads of the Bassac, Tonle and Mekong Rivers, Phnom Penh remained little more than a large village and didn't become the permanent capital until the late 19th century during the reign of King Norodom I. On April 17, 1864 Norodom agreed to make Cambodia a French protectorate in an attempt to keep the bellicose Vietnamese and Siamese at bay. In the years following, the construction of Phnom Penh proper began. Interestingly, 111 years to the day after King Norodom I signed his first treaty with the French, the Khmer Rouge entered, took control and totally emptied Phnom Penh.

By the time Cambodia became a part of French Indochina in 1884, Phnom Penh had developed into a sizeable, largely French-designed city, and by the 1920s it was considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Southeast Asia, earning it the moniker Pearl of Asia.

A few decades of optimism -- some overseen by then King Norodom Sihanouk, a charismatic arts-loving playboy -- were finally interrupted by war. Historically Cambodia had been a battleground between the Thais and the Vietnamese, but through the late 1960s and early 1970s, Cambodian fought Cambodian as a brutal civil war engulfed the country. By the time the Khmer Rouge took power in 1975 and evacuated the city, Phnom Penh became a ghost town, and it was but a shadow of itself when the Khmer Rouge were finally evicted by a Vietnamese invasion in 1978-79.

People trickled back to Phnom Penh and the city slowly returned to life. However, it wasn't until the 1990s when UN-sponsored elections took place (accompanied by a slew of aid) that the city really began to develop anew. The new century has seen considerable financial investment from China and South Korea and an onslaught of new construction projects have resulted in many of Phnom Penh's French relics as well as its unique 1950s and 1960s architecture falling to the wrecking ball, only to be replaced by characterless glass and brass affairs. The result is a hodge-podge of stunning French colonial buildings and concrete egg-carton eyesores.

And as the money has flowed, so have the people. The once sleepy streets are developing into a chaotic mess of motorcycles, cars, minibuses, ox carts and remorques battling for space. Urban migration continues apace and it's not unusual to see entire families camped out on footpaths. Poverty is endemic and one not well addressed at all by the country's largely dysfunctional government, despite Prime Minister Hun Sen long being a darling of the international aid community.

Phnom Penh and Cambodian history is well documented at the National Museum, S-21 and the Killing Fields. Other attractions include the Royal Palace, temples, markets and boat tours and a bountiful supply of excellent cafes and restaurants for gourmands, bars for night owls and spas for those who need to unwind. Phnom Penh is a charming spot, so don't make the mistake of allowing just a day or two here.

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Siem Reap travel guide, Cambodia

Set in northwest Cambodia, Siem Reap is best known for being home to the incredible Angkor ruins, a sprawling World Heritage-listed complex of ancient temples with the magnificent Angkor Wat as the focal point.

While the Angkor park is surely one of the globe's most amazing historical sites, Siem Reap province is also home to an array of other ruins, such as Beng Mealea, Bantaey Srei, and the holy mountain Phnom Kulen. So if ancient temple ruins are your thing, this province -- an expansive piece of mostly flat land, covered in rice fields and brush -- must be explored fully. It runs along the north shore of the Tonle Sap, Cambodia's "Great Lake", and north to Oddar Meanchey province, where Pol Pot met his end. Few visitors get around to the fringes, even though they are becoming increasingly accessible after many improvements to Cambodia's roads.

The provincial capital of Siem Reap is also a transportation hub, with many people coming through here en route to Phnom Penh, Poipet (the northwest border crossing to Thailand) or by bus or boat to Battambang. And more and more people are now using it as a base from which to visit the renowned Preah Vihear temple.

Siem Reap's international airport now takes in more tourists daily than the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh. Mass tourism has well and truly arrived to this part of Cambodia and is expected to triple between 2010 and 2015.

The town itself is situated three kilometres south of the temple park, and has exploded from a relatively small backwater town to the fastest growing settlement in the nation. Annually, two million visitors now travel through the small city to see the adjacent Angkor ruins. This tourism hub has three PGA-rated golf courses, the presence of international hotels such as Sofitel, Raffles, Aman and Le Meridien, and an airport with 36 international and domestic flights arriving daily. Developers scramble to build facilities that complement the impressiveness of Angkor, described by Henri Mahout, the Frenchman who re-alerted the West to it in 1860, as "a rival to that of Solomon and erected by some ancient Michelangelo... grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome."

The chaotic growth has not always had the best results and some would argue it has all happened far too quickly, without any planning or considerations of sustainability. For example, the town has been experiencing serious issues with water access for a number of years now, driving businesses to distraction. No matter what your opinion of that, Siem Reap is booming and is set to remain a key stop for travellers to Southeast Asia for years to come.

Straddling the Siem Reap River which flows from Phnom Kulen, the town itself is home to a couple of minor sites of interest, some reasonable shopping and hundreds of guesthouses and restaurants. It is the best base from which to launch your visits of Angkor and the surrounding area and the town offers a full range of accommodation options, from $4 flophouses to $3,000-plus a night luxury hotels.

Most tourists tend to visit the ruins in the morning and late afternoon, taking a break back in town during the middle of the day when the heat and poor light detract from the temples. The easiest way to visit is to hire a tuk tuk or motodop in the morning for a $10 to $15 flat rate, although you can also see the temples by bicycle (on average $2 per day), bus, car, helicopter, microlite and even hot-air balloon.

Back in Siem Reap, visitors tend to spend their time lying around their guesthouse and splashing in a pool if they're lucky, sipping or supping in one of the town's many stylish (and some not-so-stylish) bars and restaurants, seeing the minor sites, visiting nearby villages and shopping. Although it seems like a new hotel opens every month, the impact on prices has been minimal and there has been little variation in the last few years. During low season, it is possible to bargain a little, depending on the month. This will rarely work in July and August though, when visitors numbers spike.

Spas are springing up to tend to ruin-weary legs and dust-encrusted faces, some sumptuous, and many mid-range ones which can be just as good. Almost every hotel has a contract with a local spa to provide in-room massage, while most high-end hotels have separate spa facilities.

Even those with a minimal interest in the ruins will easily be occupied for a couple of days, while if exploring tree-shrouded hidden crevices and piles of rocks are your thing, you could end up spending a month here.

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Cambodia_From temples to Tomb Raider

For decades off limits to all but the most intrepid tourists, today Southeast Asia's Cambodia is a popular destination for all kinds of travellers: from independent backpackers who roam far off the beaten track to explore the stunning sugar-palm dotted hinterland to luxury tourists who stay in style and see Cambodia's main drawcard of Angkor Wat between massages and exquisite French meals.

The ancient temple complex of Angkor Wat is Cambodia's national treasure. The nearby city of Siem Reap has developed dramatically since the days Angelina Jolie filmed Tomb Raider here and fell in love with the nation.

While some lament the discovery of Angkor by the masses, the site is still breathtaking and Siem Reap offers all the comforts one could wish for on any budget.

Many do simply holiday at Angkor and travel no further, but Cambodia has a lot more to showcase. Consider as well a break on the lazy whitesand beaches of Sihanoukville, a stay at a stylish resort in resurging coastal Kep, or a tour to the atmospheric, mist-shrouded Bokor Hill Station for a taste of Cambodia's 1960s heyday.

Many write off Phnom Penh, yet it's a beautiful city, with a stunning colonial heritage, a gorgeous riverside promenade featuring a glittering palace, and a great selection of restaurants and bars.

Shopping here has taken off: trawl the stalls of the Russian market for "antique" finds, wispy organza fabrics and chic ceramics, stop in a few boutiques for home-grown designer clothes and get some leather shoes handcrafted at a bargain price at one of the city's skilled cobblers.

The reminders of the horrific genocide perpetrated by Cambodia's Khmer Rouge make for harrowing but essential viewing: do see Tuol Sleng and make a trip to the Killing Fields just outside the city for a sobering aside to your travels as you pause to remember the atrocities humans are capable of committing.

Further afield, Battambang offers travellers a taste of laid-back rural life. Stop to see Cambodia's first winery and tour isolated Khmer temples, some of which pre-date Angkor.

The former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng is another key stop for the more intrepid and adventurous traveller, where the grave of Pol Pot serves as another reminder of the history Cambodia is struggling to overcome.

Travelfish shows you how to make the most of the popular destinations, points you in the direction of Cambodia's best-kept secrets and equips you with the knowledge you need to make up-to-the-minute decisions throughout your trip to Cambodia.

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Angkor travel guide, Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodia’s Angkor is, quite simply, one of the most splendid attractions in all of Southeast Asia. Long considered “lost”, the ruins of Angkor were never really lost to the Khmers, who have used the monuments as religious sites throughout their history.

The myth of the lost ruins of Angkor is more suited to an Angelina Jolie film than the history books. The story more or less begins with their being “rediscovered” by Western explorers in the 19th century, beginning with the French botanist Henri Mahout who stumbled across Angkor Wat in 1860. Few remember though that Mahout was led to the site by a Khmer guide and that when he arrived, he found a flourishing Buddhist monastery within the temple grounds.

During the Khmer Rouge period, the ruins were largely left to their own devices. Like most Khmers, even Pol Pot was unable to shake the power of the site, saying in 1977, “If our people can make Angkor, they can make anything.”

Never lost, lost then found, found then lost then found again — today it doesn’t really matter. With thousands of people visiting daily, the sprawling Angkor Park remains a see-at-least-once-in-your-life destination.

Angkor refers to the entire 400 square kilometre Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site packed with historic temples, hydraulic structures such as reservoirs, ancient highways and forest. Angkor Wat is the iconic temple with lotus-like towers at the heart of the park while Angkor Thom is the ancient walled city, within which many more temples are found.

Most of the nearest accommodation is in Siem Reap, while for food and drink, there are some snack stalls set up by Angkor Wat. They’ll offer basics like baguettes and noodle soup and much-needed bottles of water at slightly inflated prices, as do the row of restaurants running alongside to Srah Srang — don’t expect haute cuisine, and you will not be disappointed. Alternatively Angkor Cafe, opposite the front entrance to Angkor Wat, offers air-con, a gift shop and Western fare. Unless you’re in a rush, in the middle of the day you’re best to head back to Siem Reap for a rest and a meal — Siem Reap has some outstanding restaurants.

Passes to the park cost $20 for one day, $40 for three days of visits within a week, and $60 for seven days of visits within a month. Ticketing is operated by privately owned Sokimex Corporation. The process takes a few minutes and they take your photo and print it on the ticket, so don’t hope to share a week’s pass with a fellow backpacker unless you bear an uncanny resemblance. Only the main entrance issues tickets, despite there being other roads that enter the park. Tickets are checked at almost every temple too, including the ones further afield. The ticket sales booths open at 05:00, though if you are intent on jostling for the best spot for sunrise and plan to leave earlier, it is possible to buy your ticket the evening prior – after 17:00. It is also free to enter without a pass at all after 17:30, but given the sun sets early in Cambodia be prepared to return in the pitch black. The temples are not lit at night, so there’s nothing to hang around for.

Transport to the park for the day is relatively easy. The going rate for a day-long tuk tuk ride through the park is $15. This price includes Angkor Wat, Bayon, and all the temples in the immediate surrounds. For longer distances, expect to pay more. Trekking out to the Rolous Group of temples about 13 kilometres away will cost around an extra $3, while prices for trips to Banteay Srei and even farther temples can range wildly depending on your driver’s willingness to make the trip. The roads are all flat so it is easy to cycle – as long as you can cope well with heat and avoid the steady stream of tour buses on the main routes.

An English-speaking guide costs $30 a day – a rate set by the Khmer Angkor Tour Guide Association. It will cost more for guides speaking other languages. Some of the best tour guides can charge more than this as they are in high demand. A good guide is recommended if you really want to understand the thousands of carvings adorning the buildings and get pointers on what time of day to visit the various sites.

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Mondulkiri-Cambodia: Busra Waterfall

Busra waterfall is located in Pich Chenda district about 43 kilometers northeast of Mondulkiri provincial town, Sen Monorom. Busra is considered by many to be the most beautiful waterfall in Mondulkiri. The waterfall is divided into three stages:

  First Stage: The waterfall fall is 8 to 12 meters high and 15 meters wide in rainy season and 10 to 15 meters wide in dry season.

  Second Stage: The waterfall fall is 15 to 20 meters high and 20 meters wide in rainy season and 18 to 25 meters high and 13 meters wide in dry season. The second stage is 150 meters from the first stage.

  Third Stage: The speed of waterfall is faster than the second stage. This stage cannot be reached because it is in the thick forest. There are no marked paths and dangerous wildlife inhabits the area.

The double-drop waterfall is very popular with the locals who use it as a bathing and picnic spot. Its top level is around 10m in height, and the lower level drops down 25m to the gorge. It is in a scenic and pristine setting and offers great photo ops. Nearby is the ethnic Phnong village called Pichinda which has a small guesthouse. Some snacks are available at the falls, but bring food if you would like something more substantial. Then we head northeast to Bou Sra. We never rode north on this road before and I am surprised that right behind the first hill it is getting rougher than most we have seen yesterday. We cross a small river on an improvised bridge and are charged 500 Riel each by a bunch of kids.

After that the road is getting somewhat smoother but still requires a lot of attention. There are deep grooves in the road, most likely left behind my heavy cars. Once you get into one of those it leaves you with only very few options other than just following it hoping not to get stuck. Yet the ground is solid and provides good grip for the tires. We keep going and after some time we do not see settlements anymore. The forest is relatively dense and in some places impenetrable. Both of us have to restart the bike a number of times and while we proceed with moderate speed it remains a challenge in many places to maneuver those relatively heavy bikes.

The way I start this bike many times is I put it on the stand, climb on the moto and start it from this relatively comfortable position, before I flap the stand and go. However, I realize that the stand is about to break off and can hardly support the bike anymore. The road is getting tougher; there are many rocks and countless obstacles, sometimes forcing us to ride next to the road. And hills are pretty steep in some instances. Overall we move quite slowly. After about 40 minutes we have a break. I try to figure how Pongro is riding down those hills and ask him. I learn that he controls the speed entirely with the clutch.

I am about to suggest using a lower gear. To demonstrate how he does it he takes the clutch clever and holds it tight. Oddly, at precisely this moment the clutch cable breaks. I does not take us long to realize that it is impossible to ride this bike without clutch. Ironically, today is the first day we go without the heavy set of tools and spare parts we usually carry and which includes a clutch cable. Pongro is still confident that we can manage to fix the bike here. Once in while people pass on small, old Honda's, sometimes badly overloaded but always very skillfully finding the way between all those rocks.

We learn that the way to Bou Sra is still longer than the way back to Sen Monorom. Furthermore the road is getting tougher from here. And it is very unlikely we find somebody there who can fix the bike. One of those guys stops for some time and Pongro borrows some tools and wire in order to try fixing the moto. The Phnong guy joins and for some time they try hard. However, it is becoming increasingly clear that this won’t work out.

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SihanoukVille-Cambodia: History and Legend

History

As you may notice in your travels, Sihanoukville has a different look and feel than most Cambodian towns. There is no Colonial architecture or ancient pagodas. Constructed as a port city in the late 1950s, the town is much newer, more urban and cosmopolitan than most Cambodian provincial cities. The history of Sihanoukville goes back only as far as 1955 when the area was known as Kampong Som. In August of that year, a French/Cambodian construction team cut a base camp into the unoccupied jungle in the area that is now known as ‘Hawaii Beach.’ They laid the groundwork for the construction of the new Port of Kampong Som. 

Prior to 1954, Indochina (Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam) was a single political unit under French jurisdiction. During this period, Cambodia maintained international sea trade via the Mekong River. But the dissolution of French Indochina in 1954 meant the Mekong delta reverted to the control of Vietnam. Seeking unfettered access to the ocean, plans were made to construct a new ocean port. Kampong Som was selected for water depth and ease of access.
Construction of the port and Route 4 (the road to Phnom Penh) was carried out from 1955-1960. Most of the funds for construction of the port came from France, and the road was financed primarily by the USA. The town began as housing for construction workers in the area just southeast of the current port. Upon completion, the town was renamed Sihanoukville in honor of the King.

Sihanoukville’s heyday came in the 1960s. Although Kep was more popular as a holiday destination, the commercial success of the port led to a flurry of construction and expansion including the construction of the Independence Hotel, the original Angkor Brewery (closed in 1975 and reopened in 1991), a Truck & Tractor Plant, Wat Chotynieng (aka Wat Leu), St Michael's Catholic Church (constructed in 1960, closed in 1975 and reopened in 1993), dozens of villas on Ochheuteal Beach (destroyed in the 1980s) and other structures. There was also a second phase of port construction, which began in 1965 and halted with the Lon Nol coup d'etat of 1970.Sihanoukville entered the history of the American/ Vietnamese conflict when, during the late 1960’s and early 70’s, it served as a transit point for weapons bound for both sides in Vietnam. The town’s most direct involvement came on May 13, 1975 when the Khmer Rouge captured the S.S. Mayaguez, a U.S. container ship. Attempting to release the ship and its crew, the U.S. engaged KR forces at Koh Tang, an island near Sihanoukville. They met fierce resistance and suffered heavy losses. American bombers struck the naval base at Ream (north of Sihanoukville), warehouses at the Port, the airfield, the train yard and the oil refinery north of town. The ship and its crew were released May 15, during the battle. This engagement is considered to be, from the American perspective, the last battle of the Vietnam War.

During the UN sponsored elections in 1992 and 1993, Sihanoukville played host to the Australian, Belgian and French contingents of UNTAC (United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia). After the elections, American aid paid to repair National Route 4 between Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh (1994-95) and foreign tourists began trickling into Sihanoukville for the first time in two decades. But tourism came to an abrupt halt with the tragic 1994 Khmer Rouge murders of 3 backpackers taken from a train on the way to Sihanoukville, and of 3 expatriates taken from a taxi on Route 4. The road was finally secured and regularly scheduled buses started to ply the route between Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh in 1996. Tourism to Sihanoukville increased steadily but slowly until the early 2000s, when the increase became significantly more rapid.

History Picture #1 - Kampong Som base camp, 1955

History Picture #2 - Kampong Som during port construction, August 1957

History Picture #3 - US Defense Department map of oil refinery bombed in Mayaguez incident. May, 1975

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Legend

At the crest of the Pich Nil Pass on Route 4 dozens of spirit houses line the road. Many of the houses are maintained for Ya-Mao, the deity who oversees the southern coastal region of Cambodia. When traveling Rte 4 people often display bananas on their dashboard and offer the the bananas, incense and a little money to Ya-Mao at Pich Nil. The offerings are usually made with the prayer for safe travels. There seem to be no two identical tellings of the legend. In one telling, Ya-Mao was the wife of a village chief in the area of Ream.  

Her husband was forced by work to spend months away from her in Koh Kong. One rainy season she grew lonely for him and took a Koh Kong bound boat to meet him. On the way the boat was swept away in a storm, drowning everybody, including Ya-Mao. But her spirit was powerful and through dreams and spirit possessions she made it known that she was overseeing the southern coast and protecting the fishermen and villagers. She required only their good behavior and occasionalofferings of phallic symbols.

The main spirit house at Pich Nil is adorned with phallic symbols but why Ya-Mao makes this demand is a matter of debate. Some people say that she was seeking this in her ill-fated trip and so still desires it. Others say that she is angry at men because she died trying to get to her husband and wants a symbol of a severed phallus. Sidestepping the debate some more conservative members of the community think that Ya-Mao is now too old for phallic symbols and requires only bananas.

 

Phallic symbol offerings can still be seen on the beaches near fishing villages, usually in the form of a stick and incense stuck in the sand under a tree. Wat Khrom in Sihanoukville maintains a small but significant temple for Ya-Mao.

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Sihanoukville-Cambodia: Beaches Beaches

Beaches, Beaches, Everywhere

Everywhere, everywhere, beaches. 

Here's a Few

Some of these SihanoukVille beaches are crowded with beach chairs, umbrellas, bars, and people.  Some are just filled with sand.  A few beaches are rocky, and nice to look at, but not for swimming.  From most Cambodia beaches, you can take trips to the islands, and rent boats for snorkeling and fishing.

Ocheteaul Beach

On the East side of town, about a 5 minute ride from downtown. This beach runs about 3 kilometers from Serendipity Beach to Otres Beach. Ocheteaul is filled with beach stands and chairs.  Seafood, burgers, pizza, and booze.  Most places serve Khmer style food, but most offer Western dishes.  Across the street from the beach, there's an assortment of restaurants and hotels. Central Ocheteaul, going towards Otres Beach, is an unoccupied 2 kilometers of beach, behind the "golf course" which never was. This is your walking path to South Ocheteaul and Otres Beaches.  South Ocheteaul is a 200 meter stretch of beach ending in a rocky point, river and bridge.  a few hotels here, beach restaurants, and mostly quiet and beautiful.  Also, you can go on the road, around the "golf course" to this beach.  You can walk across the bridge, and you're at Otres Beach.  Voila.

Serendipity Beach

The tourist beach on the East Side of town. Actually the last 200 meters of Ocheteaul beach towards Sokha Beach.  No beach stands here, just Western style bars, hotels and restaurants.  One of the few places with rooms right on the beach (or hillside).  Swimming's not great here, but the scenery on the beach is.  Very quiet daytime, but can be very noisy at night.  Many new souvenir shops, clothing, MP3 downloads, tour services and boat departures to the islands.  Serendipity has turned into the shopping section of town.

You'll find the main tourist pier for trips to the islands here.  Also, Serendipity Beach Road, from the pier 400 meters to the Golden Lions Circle, has over 40 guesthouse/hotels, and over 60 restaurants (covering about 20 different nationalities).  Rooms here are from $1 a night to $200.

Victory Beach

At the bottom of "The Hill", near the port, Victory beach has quickly become the tourist beach on the West side of town.  Unfortunately, this is all "private beach" now or under construction, so not very popular.  An easy walk from Victory Hill, with plenty of seafood, boating activities, guesthouses, and a full service casino or three.  Some quiet beach in the middle, and some restaurants towards the port. Also, featuring a pier for island boat trips.

Island Beaches

Opening up quickly, but still (mostly) pristine, the islands offer some very beautiful beaches.  Day trips to the islands let you experience a few of these.  Many have basic bungalows (and some really nice ones too) on the island beaches.  One island features $5,000 rooms per night.  Check out Cambodian-Islands.com for more info.

Independence Beach

A kilometer or two of nothing but beach.  A Small collection of new beach restaurants in the middle, and a private beach at the Independence Hotel complex at one end, and at the Holiday Palace Casino at the other.  One of the quietest beaches.

Sokha Beach

Sokha beach is a private beach, 1.5 kilometers long, for the guest of the Sokha Resort hotel.  Well groomed beaches, not too many people, and for a fee (if you're not a hotel guest), a beautiful swimming pool, fitness center, and lobby lounge.  At the near end of Sokha are a few hillside and cliffside bungalows.

Hawaii Beach

Hawaii beach is filled with pine trees, shading the beach area.  Many small boats are available for rent to the islands.  Right next to the bridge to Snake Island, which you can see a few hundred meters from the shore.  Several beach restaurants here, but no accommodations.

Otres Beach

Outside of town, Otres is the fastest growing beach in town.  Several dozen beach stands and fine dining are here.  Electricity and a couple new roads just came to this beach, so it's expanding rapidly.   Also, sailboat and kayak rentals and windsurfing here.  Many hotels and guesthouses with rooms from $5 to $150.

Other Cambodia Beaches in SihanoukVille

Past the port, is Hun Sen beach along the road to Steung Hauv.  Not normally a tourist beach, but worth a ride out.  You can check out the fishing piers along the way.

There's also a beautiful beach at Ream National Park, about a half hour drive outside of town.

Steung Hauv fishing village is a great day trip, but no swimming beaches.

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