Two weeks in Cambodia
based on 19 votes
Cambodia was one of the most beautiful and tragic countries we've visited. We probably could have spent months there.
The temples around Siem Reap are truly awe-inspiring, but there is so much more.
Only recently has this country been truly at peace. Efforts to help rebuild are abundant, so my husband and I did our best to support these causes whenever we came across them. A good resource for active non-government organizations in Cambodia is a website called www.stay-another-day.org.
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Explore locations featured in this Traveler List:
Phnom Penh, Battambang, Siem Reap
- Category: Recent trip
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Traveler type: Culture, Sightseeing
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Appeals to: Couples/romantics, Tourists
- Seasons: Winter
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This is the capital city and we found it to be very charming. The area along the river is bustling with tourists and tourist restaurants, but most of the other areas are still very nice.
Highlights include the shopping, which can be done at the Central Market or the Russian Market. We didn't really find that much of a price difference between the two and we found the Central Market to be much bigger and more conveniently located. If you want to buy Columbia Sportswear or Diesel products, do it here as they are not as readily available in Siem Reap.
We also thought the Toul Sleng Museum was a sombering experience. This was a security prison during the reign of the Khmer Rouge and there are several guides available there who can tell you their personal stories. It was sad, but we thought it was worth it. We were so overwhelmed with emotion that we were unable to continue onward and see the killing fields.
Restaurants we really enjoyed included the FCC (mainly for its ambience), the Sugar Palm (for authentic and good Khmer food), and Friends (innovative and tasty food run by an organization teaching former street kids a trade). Of course, the street food and the market stalls were still the best, but at your own risk. |
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This is a sleepy little riverside town with a lot of French architecture that is still intact. A bus ride here from Phnom Penh cost us $6 each and took about 6 hours. The road is actually quite nice (i.e. paved with no pot holes) and you get a good view of the countryside. The two bus companies we could find were the Sorya Transport Company and the GST, both located at the central market.
Wandering around and checking out the weird juxtaposition of French architecture and Khmer signs was one of our favorite things to do here.
We also thought the cooking class at the Smokin' Pot was phenomenal. For $8 per person, we were taken on a tour of the markets to buy our ingredients, then we were taught how to cook 3 courses, which we were then able to eat. They limit the class to max 10 people a day as well, so we felt like we had a lot of personal attention. Our instructor tailored his teaching for a couple people who didn't eat meat and showed them how to substitute veggies into the meat dishes the rest of us cooked.
An unforgettable experience was attending a children's performance circus at Phare Ponleu Selpak, an organization that provides education and arts study to at risk children. I think they have performances 3 times a week. Their website is www.phareps.org.
One day, we hired a moto driver to go see Wat Ek Phnom. We liked the temple, but found the journey there to be the most enjoyable part. Our driver stopped at various places to tell us about the history and industries of the region. We snacked on these curious sticky rice treats wrapped inside a bamboo stalk. If you would like the email address of our charming driver, feel free to contact me. Having a driver who speaks english well makes all the difference.
One restaurant worth mentioning is the White Rose, which has really good cheap food. For just 50 cents, you seriously have got to try the pineapple and jackfruit shake. Really.
We took the boat ride from Battambang to Siem Reap and found the views breathtaking. The boats are not nearly as shady as we thought reading through the guidebooks. Going in December, we had no problems with the water level and we had no boat malfunctions. There were comfortable seats on the lower level, but we liked sitting on the roof and getting an unobstructed view. Bring sunblock or you will regret it. This boat ride is a must for bird lovers as you will see all sorts of amazing birds flying around the river. It costs $15 per person. Bring food as the boat ride is about 7 hours long (remember, its about the journey, not the destination). Also, be prepared for a swarm of tuk tuk drivers waiting for you in Siem Reap vying for your business. If you can arrange for a driver ahead of time, it will save you a little bit of confusion and disorientation. |
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Of course the main attraction in Siem Reap are its temples. A lot has already been said about them, so we'll just give you some of our impressions. A 3-day pass ($40) is enough if you want to just go to the nearby temples. If you want to go to some of the farther temples, we would recommend staying for at least 5 days and buying the week long pass ($60).
We were here for 6 days and found it to be very nice not to have to rush around. We were able to go to Angkor Wat and the Bayon at both sunset and sunrise, and found it very nice as it was empty and quiet during these times. It was a luxury to be able to return to the same temples at different times of the day and seeing how the light changes the atmosphere of the places. We agree with others in saying that the sunset at Phnom Bakheng is highly overrated.
We really enjoyed going to the temples farther out. Banteay Srei had carvings that are hard to beat. Our favorite was Beng Mealea because it still feels like an undiscovered ruin and we get to climb around and scramble all over the rubble. We arrived at Beng Mealea before 10am and had the place literally to ourselves for about half an hour. By the time we left, there were still only about 30 people who showed up.
Lunch at Paul Dubrule's Hotel/Restaurant School was amazing. At $8 you get a 3 course meal and you get to support a good cause at the same time. As a training facility for 5 star hotels, we found that the service was actually better than going to those hotels. We had a dozen people falling over themselves trying to make sure we had an enjoyable experience.
While we cannot say anything bad about the place we stayed at (La Maison D'Angkor), I think our next time we will stay at one of the training schools and try to support efforts to educate and find jobs for locals. Some of these places which offer rooms include Shinta Mani, Sala Bai, and Paul Dubrule's School.
Shopping in Siem Reap was a bit of a disappointment. We felt that the Old Market had stand after stand of the same cheap souvenirs. I guess if you want to buy a bunch of silk scarves and wooden carvings, you would actually be satisfied here. We liked going to Phsar Leu the best as this seemed to be where all the locals actually shop.
My husband and I would like to advocate the idea of responsible tourism. Please respect the local customs, be cognizant of the fact that the tourism infrastructure here is still very new and inexperienced, and try NOT to TOUCH the walls and statues. |
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Compliment Ptuey
Ptuey
