First time in Cambodia

One of the problems with the ‘no plan plan’ is that there isn’t any sort of plan. I know that sounds obvious, but sometimes constantly moving is exhausting. You are always planning a few steps ahead.

We had already found ourselves in Ho Chi Minh City, where we needed its transport links. Thrust from there into Cambodia.

So much of the information on Social Media is out of date or just plain wrong – it’s exhausting. – Come with loads of USD because no one takes the local currency. Wrong
– You can’t find ATMs in Cambodia. Totally wrong (and also wrong for Vietnam, while we are on the subject).
– The visa situation is so complicated. You should engage with an agency. Also totally wrong. The 30-day tourist visa is available at the border. If you want to make your life a complete breeze then pick a tourist bus company who does it for you (https://www.giantibis.com/).

Before we knew it we were in Phnom Penh. The border crossing had been a mere formality. We had a room for two nights with a beautiful view of the River. It was difficult to believe that we had moved from Vietnam to Cambodia. There was no real striking difference – but why would there be?
The number of motorbikes had dramatically reduced. In Cambodia there were tuk tuks – something missing in Vietnam. Things weren’t as manic, there were less people and a feeling of calm descended.

With one day in Phnom Penh, we made plans to visit the Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. It was just really unlucky that it was Valentine’s Day. It’s not the most romantic activity. It’s an education. I recommend a visit. You can do both on a half-day visit. The sites are not massive. The reasons comprehensively explained. When we visited we were also able to meet with two of the survivors of the prison. With one of these gentlemen in his 90’s this sort of first-hand experience will soon disappear. Why do these elderly gentlemen attend the site a few days each week? Because they don’t want people to forget what happened. It’s certainly a harrowing, and yet basic, museum.

The following day we were off again. Escaping the city for the countryside at Kampot. Famed for its peppers!! We stayed on Fish Island – which occasionally lived up to its name with an expected aroma. The beaches here are down dusty farm tracks and are good to wild camp on. You wouldn’t want to try the tracks after heavy rain and the beaches themselves are a bit disappointing. There is a fair amount of rubbish and coastal erosion is taking its toll.

Fish Island itself has the most peculiar and huge clock. It stands, 35 meters high. Clock face itself is seven meters wide. On the opposite bank to the water spout, a seahorse. We read that the clock was installed as a tourist draw to the area after the success of the seahorse fountain installation. I’m not so sure. It chimes, but not every hour, it plays a tune, occasionally. It wakes you most mornings because you think it’s your iPhone alarm going off in another room. It’s not a problem but I can’t see horologists from all over the planet descending to visit it.

But there is change going on here. Investment in infrastructure is obvious and a new international ferry terminal opened early in 2025. Promising a million new visitors to the area in 2026. There’s also a daily service to Phu Quoc. Owned by Vietnam, the route is destined to be one of the busiest. We visited the new port. It was like a ghost town. But we bought two tickets for the ferry to Koh Rong in four days.

Cambodia has a very short coast line. We were making a good job on the scooter we hired to see as much of it as humanly possible. We got as far as the port of Kep. From here you can take a ferry to Rabbit Island. Treating ourselves to a coffee whilst overlooking the island and to the left of us the coast of Vietnam. It suddenly felt like we had travelled no distance at all in our change of country.

We spent six days on Fish Island. In a wooden hut. No aircon. Being eaten alive in the evenings. Still on the ‘No plan plan’, we made a plan to visit Koh Rong next.

We rode around the area on our rented scooter. On beautifully tarmaced roads. We stopped for coffee and lunch in random places. Circling the coast. We learned that Cambodia is a country of a million Hammocks, of Blue Glazed roof tiles and huge kites.

Cambodia is also a country of coffee, silk, and the Kampot Pepper. Being based in Kampot it didn’t take long for us to find ourselves following signs to ‘La Plantation’. Enjoying their free one hour tour and tasting.https://laplantation.com/en/visit-us/our-farm-kampot/
The tour was short but interesting. The Kampot pepper is the same pepper strain grown in Kerala. What makes it specific or special is the growing conditions. Wind/soil/temperature all have an effect and the resultant peppercorns available in a dazzling array of varieties. The result has an EU Protected Geographical Indications. It is obvious to question why you need an EU protection; until you discover that a lot of the backing for this project comes from countries in the EU.

The following day we took our little scooter up in to the Bokor National park. Wow what a disappointment that turned out to be.

Whilst all the guide books highlight the sleepy abandoned village on the hill (which is really only a couple of houses and a graffitied church), and it is a bit fun to take a scooter up the hill on the twisty turny road. There are fruit sellers as you enter the park, you soon understand why they sell bananas. Avoiding the monkeys who think that they own the road (and one who unfortunately was squished into the road on the way back down). But the top is a huge surprise. A completely out of place Chinese casino dominates the area below some ancient temples, and this is just the start. All around you the national park has been flattened (sympathetically, apparently!) to make way for a new city!

A seat on the new hydrofoil was calling. Negating the need to take the bus three hours to sihanouk, the USD25 one way charge for the two hour journey, seemed good value. Its noisy, but quick and services both islands. Asked when embarding of your disembarkation point. WIth the luggage is sorted accordingly.

We chose to stay at the north of the island Prek Svay. A traditional fishing village with the most beautiful beaches. If you stay in the area, consider either staying or eating at Lily’s Riverhouse. We ended up having most Breakfasts and most dinners here. They also have the most fabulous Boat tour. Including Fishing, Snorkeling on a coral reef, Sunset views and swimming with the illuminous plankton.

When travelling I am always looking for sights and experiences which take my breath away. If you haven’t done it before, then Swimming with Plankton in the dark is one of those moments. Its like living inside the film Avatar – it is just the most extraordinary life experience.

We toured the island on a hired scooter. It’s tiny and you could get from one end to the other in just 40 minutes. There are also big designs for this island. There’s a new airport going in. In the centre. It could be years yet. But the groundwork work has been done. No doubt this will change how the island works in the future. But I do, sincerely hope, that areas like Prek Svay retain their rustic charm. That the new infrastructure creates valuable jobs for the islanders and that the money stays on the island. But I know I am probably shooting for the stars.

A week later. Carl had been the English guide on Lily’s Riverhouse Fishing trip a couple more times and I was beginning to believe that he was finding his niche and we would never leave.
I had my ‘watercolour time’ – invaded by local children and my book of watercolour paper now houses wonderful artworks from local children. Abusing the huge range of colors I carry, mostly all the paintings ended up as dark brown smudges.
I found the manager of the Free afternoon English teaching facility on the island and had a discussion about returning, to help the English teaching project on the island. I hope we do.

There’s no doubt about it, I love this place and its people. It has an un-spoilt charm. I love the fact that they replaced the wooden bridge in the village with a more sturdy one made of brick and concrete but made it too low for larger boats to get under.
I love the fact you can kayak from the mangroves to the sea, that the sea is crystal clear, and is shallow for miles.

Finding myself standing in the sea – admiring my surroundings – quoting Jack Nicholson in the famous Oscar winning movie …….
“What if…………this is as good as it gets?”

We left on the supply boat, which leaves this top end of the island every morning around 8 am. An experience in itself, as it stops to pick up freshly caught shrimp from fishing boats out at sea.
Two hours or so later we arrived in the Port of Preah Sihanouk. Unsurprised by our surroundings, we had read many reports about the town. It’s just not very nice. About 75% of the buildings appear to be casinos or abandoned hotels. The departure of the Chinese during Covid has hit this town hard. There is some building work going on. But the abandoned monuments to the Chinese economic invasion of the port are everywhere to see.
It was hot, we had no plans to sight see – there’s nothing to see. So we checked into a hotel for seven hours, had a kip, enjoyed the pool, great food a/c and a fabulous shower. Taking a Tuk Tuk back to the port for our overnight bus to Siem Reap.

From the start of this journey we had been undecided about visiting Siem Reap. We were so close, it made sense. It felt like we had spent the past two days travelling. We had arrived at the hotel at stupid o’clock in the morning. Having a very tired conversation at check in about not wanting to pay an early check in charge. The hotel was listed on Bookingdotcom as check in ‘anytime’. We were also being eaten alive by mosquitos whilst this was going on. I was tired and I just wanted to sleep.

We took a Tuk Tuk tour and were picked up at 5 am. In time to see the Sun Rise. Seeing the sky slowly illuminate is a wonderful experience. The tourists taking their positions on the bridge and on the lake, searching for a perfect sunrise. It didn’t come, but it was still a memorable, beautiful heartstopping moment.
I don’t think it has quite the same grandeur of the sunrise in Agra; but its still a wonderful experience.

It would have been nice not to have been ‘taken to task’ about sitting on the balustrades. When it’s dark you can’t see the signs. There are plenty of signs but not in the dark. An argument about deleting the picture your husband took of you sitting on the wall is to be avoided as it kind of takes the edge off a heart stopping moment. We never found out why, but it was something about it being a temple – even though we weren’t in the temple.

It’s a beautiful place. Full of history. Built at around the same time, it reminded us so much of Hampi in India. Only Hampi is bigger and mainly free to enter. There were many temples in the complex and our driver showed us four of the main ones. Illuminating boards explain the frustrations experienced keeping something of this age standing upright. Our favourite temple was of course the one with the ‘Tomb Raider’ vistas and the extraordinary sights of the trees and their enormous roots blanketing the walls. It’s amazing how nature always finds a way.

Having enjoyed two days at a hotel with a pool and caught up with the washing, we left Siem Reap on a day bus. Night buses may seem more convenient, but sleep is hard to come by It seems you are saving on an overnight hotel, but we often feel completely wiped out by the time we arrive.

With a certain amount of trepidation regarding the Laos border but with USD40 in crisp notes (each). The border crossing turned out to be a breeze and suddenly we were in Laos. A country we only talked about in passing two months ago……but from everything we had seen over the past few weeks, we were keen to have a better understanding of what Vietnam and Cambodia may have looked like fifty years ago.