Cambodia

during the chinese national holidays we went to Cambodia.
We didn t contact an agency.  Because old people can speak French and basic English, young people speak English ; it is very easy to organize everything yourself.

we took the plane to phnom penh. there we had a lovely small hotel called ' the white mansion'. It used to be the American ambassador s home. it only has 30 rooms but it is very nice.
White mansion - boutique hotel

26 street 240, phnom penh.
the only negative point was that the breakfast is a la carte and there for takes a lot of time before you actually get your food.

we visited the city with a tuktuk of Mr Tom who has a city tour and a outside city tour. he is very nice and attentfull. If you visit the city , I really recommand him
Mr Tom , tuktuk Number 10
tel +855 12 47 25 60
or email him at savirakluk@yahoo.com
for 20 USD he ll give you an one day city tour.

For the transport to Siem reap we took a bus. although it is not so far, it still tooks us 8h travelling. the bus is 15 USD for 1 person. children under 2 years are for free.  we left with a delay because one of the tourist refused to sit next to a local woman having the child on her knees. He really made a fuss about it. in the end they could agree by putting the lady with the child on her at the middle seat at the back. this seat is normally not sold because it is a dangerous place.  I would have throw that selfish guy out of the bus. how can anybody react like that?

The way back we informed for a car. in Phnom Penh they told us that a car was 250 USD but in Siem reap we found a young man who asked 80 USD for driving us back. he was a bit shy though.

He gave me his name card to pass to you if you need transportation in Cambodia. 

you can contact him at prakchanraksmey@yahoo.com ( it don 't know if I can read it correctly ; it is also possible that it is prakchanraksrney@yahoo.com )

or at +855 88 67 555 52

In Siem Reap we stayed 3 days visiting the Angkor site in 3 rounds

the first day we did Angkor Thom ( Bayon Temple, Baphuon, Phimeanakas Royal Palace and the terrace of Elephant) and Angkor Wat. Angkor wat is best in the afternoon because in the morning the sun is at the wrong place for taking nice pictures.
these temples are also most crowded because everybody staying 1 or 10 days in siem reap has to see them. Or is hoping for a lara craft stand in to pop up from the trees.

day 2 we did another part of the park where there were less tourists. the temples are smaller but as there are less people, nicer to visit.  there are too many temples so you have to make a selection: we did Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som , Eastern Mebon and Pre Rup.

The third day we went to an even less touristic part; the rolous group.  we were very lucky here to arrive when there was a kind of special celebration. The temples are not so spectacular but the atmosphere was very nice. Bakong , Preah Ko and Lolei.

in china people are depending on you for surviving but here it is even more. people are just too nice to you hoping for getting well paid. When a tuktuk drives you to the restaurant, you don t have to pay him. He comes back at the time you asked him to pick you up. after dropping you off at the hotel , you pay him. that shows that there are too many tuktuks. and there is trust. here in china, no tuktuk or taxi would ever leave without his money.

we ended our trip with a visit to the floating village

Cambodia is beautiful, very poor and also a lot of tourists.
from Europe, I would never make the trip only to cambodia. A combination with thailand or so , looks a better deal to me. But for now, we enjoyed our stay.

 

 

 

phnom phen  

my plate full of big ants ( at least I have eating my proteins that day ) 

floating village