CAMBODIA (28.02. - 19.03.2013)

   
We're still in southeast asia, so lots of things are the "same" then in the countries bevore. The Language is Khmere with it's own writing. Outside of the touristspots it's harder to find english.
First thing I noticed in Cambodia is the traffic on the right side (Malaysia and Thailand are left like New Zealand, Australia...). And you won't believe it, but even I lived nearly my whole life with rightside traffic, now I can't work it out anymore! With every streetcrossing I look to the "wrong" side and nearly walk against the next motorbike!
The WEATHER though seems to get hotter with every day. Usually I guess around 30-35degree - its the hottest time of the year now. Rain was just one evening. But from April-October it is raintime here and apparently it can rain weeks without break and everything is flooded. Now the most rivers are low and waterfalls are dried out. But all the countryside houses are build high like stilt houses - so it rains a lot!!!
I guess I didn't stay long enough and didn't get to that many different places - that makes it hard to say something about the culture in Cambodia. What everybody knows and what the country is "famous" for in the "western world" is mostly the HISTORY, I guess. There are on the one hand the Temples of ANKOR and a lot more all over the country, all ruins from the 9-15 century. Most of them belong to the WORLDHERITAGE by now. The other newer history would be the Khmerer Rouge (just after the Vietnam war) which took over the whole country and left it with horrible memories of that time.
Around 95% of the population practise the BHUDDISM, simular to Thailand. So there are tempels all over the country with all the gold decorations and huge buddha statues.
And compare to Thailand here are a lot more kids asking for money, mainly in the capital or around Siem Reap. But not all of them are really hungry, some want just your money. Often the mothers are the one to work and bring the money home. If they sell the whole day at the market, the kids are staying with here and sell.
TOURISM is not yet as "bad" as in Thailand, but Cambodia is getting more and more a popular destination for all kind of travelers. The main touristspots provide all the usual western-stuff like fancy hotels, restaurants, shops, massages, heaps of daytrips or nighlife activities... But if you stay to local food or guesthouses you find incredible cheap deals like dormitories or dinner for 2 US$!
In some of the small towns like Kep you see how they start to build a whole new town with brand new hotels and streets - in 10 years there won't be anything left from the cambodian smalltown charme.
FOOD and markets are simular to other aisian countries - thought here is not as much seafood as in Thailand, but more is cooked with coconut (bad for me as that is one of the only things I DONT like to eat), and at markets you find more often things like fried cockroach.
The only big city would be Phnom Penh (the capital with maybe 1,5 milion). Outside are lots of medium size cities and the (often quiete poor) countryside. LANDSCAPE has farmland all over the country. Just in the south you find the sea with heaps of sandbeaches, islands and of course tourist. In the west there are couple of higher mountainranges. And everywhere the country starts to open nationalparks.
Its in some places incredible cheap and people are allways very friendly here, so take your time and try to see more than the usual 3 tourist places...

Siem Reap & Temples of Angkor

The TEMPLES OF ANGKOR with the most famous temple ANKOR WAT - tourist attraction number one in this country. It's the sign of Cambodia and you find it on the national flag, the beer, the money, just everywhere. The city of Ankor (khmer "holy city") and the temples were build between the 9th and 15th century. The kingdom hat it's highpoint around the 12th century and in the city (Ankor Thom) lived probably more people that time than in London or anywhere else. After different kings, change of religions (parts of some temples were changed between buddism and hinduism), lots of wars and time there are "just" ruins left - today part of the WORLD HERITAGE. Every tempel is different in its own way. Some are renovated, some are tatally collapsed, some have just couple of walls left, others remain in good shape till today. There are temples with tousand year old trees crown inbetween the stones at the wall, other temple are on some kind of island, others have full buddhas remaind, on some you can climb up stairs 3 levels high,... It's just awsome to explore all of them! Best to do it in my opinion is 3 days, one day is just not enough!

 

 

 

SIEM REAP is the town to stay at, 8km away from the first temples. And of course it is the biggest touristplace, full of accomondation from 1US$ till endless luxushotels. The days are usually quiete (as everybody is at Ankor), but the nights are as busy as hardly any other place in Cambodia. The pubstreet is crowded full of bars, restaurants, massages etc. And at the huge NIGHTMARKET you find everything you want - but bargain for the prices! Heaps of souvenirs all kinds, cloths, bags, local art desings, food,... Its an adventure itself!
If you have time it's worth to spend as well a day in Siem Reap itself. WAT THYME is interesting and has some human bones from the civil war in an monument. The museum shows all facts about the history and the central Market or some cultural Shows and heaps of places to relax are there to have an easy day at town.

Phnom Penh - the capital

Cambodias CAPITAL and therefore biggest and busiest city. The huge western shoppingmalls like in other capitals are missing, but  there is still heaps of modern westernlife all around the riverfront with its restaurants, guesthouses, bars and nightlife. And there is a "foreingner" part of town which has all the INTERNATIONAL schools and companies.  Except of that the city still has the traditional style and dos'nt seem at all like a huge city! In the eving on the street you'll find all the yum foodstores or the nightmarket. During the day check out the big CENTRAL MARKET for food and all kind off stuff. Stroll around the RIVERFRONT (as well cool in the afternoon when all the local families get out) and the towncenter with its monuments, parks, artstreet... Worth going to is as well the ROYAL PALAST with its pagodas and the kings throne, and ankor wat in miniatur.
The KILLINGFIELDS and S21 are both very important places of cambodias history. It is terrible to go to, but as well very interesting and important. S21 was the biggest prison at the civil war and tousands of people kept here in tiny cells and a lot sufferd from torture and later died at the killing fields.

South Cambodia - Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kep

SIHANOUKVILLE, the POPULAR BEACHTOWN. Divided in Downtown (more or less just a few streets with shops and markets), the big beachareas with most of the tourist and nightlife, and Victory hill where I stayed (some kind of miniversion of the big beach areas). And how it seems it is the place to stay for all the long-term people. All around I meet heaps of western guys which had enough from home and moved over here for a while. Why not, it's a nice place!
Best to explore the area eather by moto or bicycle. Ochheuteal Beach is a huge sandbeach with endless tourist and shops around it - nice but to crowded for me. Otres beach is the most outside of town and much more chilled out with bungalows straight at the beach. And except of those popular ones there are lots more all around to explore, often with hardly any people there :)

 

KAMPOT is much smaller than Sihanoukille, but as well a much more RELAXED and chilled out athmosphare (and some nice hostels with bar and garden - what more do you need?). Next to the RIVER and lots of mountains and farmland around it makes it a beautiful spot for LANDSCAPE interested people. And even it is a quiete town, there are still a few backpackers around to hang out with and there's actually quiete a bit to see in the area. Top Sightseeing is of course the BOKOR MOUNTAIN just out of town. It has the best road in whole Cambodia, just finished last year to get better access to the top (which is a 37 km winding road, 1h by motorbike). The whole way up and on the top is an amazing view over the nationalpark, mostly forest. And a few old buildings are still there from the old french HILLTOP STATION (all empty and more or less ruins by now). And next to it is a new shiny big Hotel with Casino and lots of building still going on (apparently there should be a golf course etc.). Yeah, thats the way of today to visit a nationalpark!

Except of that Hilltopstation there are couple of other hills to go around. As well there are some rapid falls, some CAVES with temple ornaments and cavings in it (1.300 years old!), and all the beautiful coutryside around it with some fishing villages and lots of salt- and pepperfields.

 

Easy DAYTRIP from here is to KEP, the small COASTAL TOWN 25km from here. Most people go there eather to visit Rabbit Island just off the coastline or pass town on the way to Vietnam. But it's worth staying there couple of hours and walk along the beautiful COASTLINES with all the bays, small foodstalls and the beach. Actually there is hardly anything more except couple of guesthouses and a supermarket. But it looks like they want to build it all in a new flash town. The road and the towncenter are all new and big made up. Everywhere you see them building...

Northwest - Kampong Cham & Kratie

KAMPONG CHAM was to be honest just a stop for the night to break the long busjourney. It took 11hours (maybe 300km) by bus from Kampot to Kampong Cham. That was enough! So I got here just before dark, went to the riverfront for dinner and thats it. The next morning I walked a bit around town, but there is not much except the NORMAL CAMBODIAN LIVINGCITY. A huge market and the river are the "special" things.

 

Next morning then the bus north to KRATIE - which are around 130km and around 4hours busride. Traveling in Southeast Asia is always easy, but you need time and you have to be patience! Kradie itself is a quiete RIVERTOWN, again on the MEKONG (which is by the way asias biggest river). Town has a nice SMALL CENTER with a MARKET, the usual TEMPLES... The mainattraction is 15km north in KAMPI, an easy bicycleride through BEAUTIFUL COUNTRYSIDE (with lots of kids waving :D) is the best way to get there. Here you've got awsome views over the MEKONG RIVER and you can make a boattrip through lots of small islands - and if you're lucky you see the MEKONG RIVER DOLPHINS :D. And on the way back to town its worth to stop at the TEMPEL ON THE HILL with some great views over the surrounding fields! If you have couple of hours more time you can make a trip over to KAOH TRONG (its as well possible to stay overnight at homestays). It is a small ISLAND just 1km by boat from Kratie center. Take a bicycle with you and explore the 9km loop with small villagehouses and fields, a bit beach and the FLOATING VILLAGE.

 

From here my trip leads me up north 200km to the bordercrossing to LAOS - a bordercrossing like you imagine it from old movies. Couple of foodstalls an the Cambodian side, then the red-white gate with the passport controll, 500m plain street to walk, and another gate with the Loas immigration.