Postcards From Britt

Cambodia was always a country that was a little bit mysterious to me. I only knew of one other person who had visited this country. Cambodia is so rich in history, from the of the Angkor reign  to the more recent and tragic history of the Khmer Rouge regime.

Our journey with Intrepid Travel, took us across three different countries. Starting in Bangkok my friend Emma and I embarked on an epic adventure across Cambodia, learning about the culture, the history and even spending the night in a local Cambodian home. And finishing in Ho Chi Minh City where an angry bar tender poured something chronic in my drink!

Lost in Bangkok!

We arrived in Bangkok the night before our tour was to begin. We caught a taxi from the airport but the driver dropped us in the wrong area. He dropped us at the top of Khao San Road and pointed us in the direction of the hotel. After he left we realised we were officially lost!! It was late at night, our hotel was not in sight and it was not where he directed us to go. We wandered around the busy streets with all our luggage in tow, looking very out of place and with no idea where to go.  So we bartered for a Tuk Tuk, in the hopes he would know where our hotel was and that way he could drop us directly at our hotel, which he happily charged us 300 baht to do so. In hindsight, we could have walked, as it was just around the corner!! However we had no maps and we did not have a local sim! Lesson learnt to always be better prepared by carrying a map with you so you know where you are going and then you can give clear instructions to the taxi driver! 

After finally making it to our hotel, which was centrally located on a quiet and narrow street and close to all the main attractions. We found a cute little restaurant/bar called ‘Slow’ Restaurant where we enjoyed our first local beer, Tiger. 

Day 1 – Bangkok

Our tour did not officially begin until 6pm so we spent the morning exploring Bangkok. We got around by Tuk Tuk, which the driver took us to Wat Intharawihan. The temple is known for its large standing Buddha, which stands 32 metres high and is decorated with glass mosaics and 24 carat gold.

When we returned to the hotel, we took the opportunity to relax by the pool as we knew the next week was going to be on the go. 

After meeting the rest of our group we all went for dinner at the restaurant behind the hotel that was right on the riverfront that both Emma and I had enjoyed lunch at earlier that day.

After dinner, we had the option of exploring Khao San Road, however we were both a little sick and had to depart the next morning at 645 am, for a long drive to Siem Reap.

Hotel: Novou City Hotel, 2 Samsen road, Banglamphu

Day 2 – Bangkok to Siem Reap

Our day began at 645 am. We traveled by private minivan for roughly 4 hours, to the Thailand/Cambodian border at Poipet. Here, we obtained our visas just prior to crossing the border at the Kingdom of Cambodia Embassy. Out tour guide had everything organised which made the process so easy and stress free.

Once we left Thailand, we walked down a stretch of road that is classified as no mans land as it is in-between the two countries. This area had children begging us for money and there were two casinos that we passed.

Once we crossed the Cambodian border which was very interesting as there is no real security. We entered a small room to the side of the road where we jumped on a public shuttle that drove us to a waiting area where we waited for our private bus.

Just a few hours from the border crossing is a restaurant that allowed us to pay using Thai Baht which was good to be able to use up all that currency. My meal was only 120 Baht and I bought a beer for $1 USD. The food was so cheap!!!

After lunch, we drove on through the dusty and dry Cambodian countryside for another 2.5 hours till we reached the beautiful city of Siem Reap.

Our original hotel was booked out so we stayed at a nicer place closer to the main area.  The hotel had lovely rooms with a balcony and a swimming pool to freshen up in.

Day 3 Angkor Wat, Siem Reap

Today, we spent the whole day exploring the majestic Angkor Wat. This temple was built in the 12th century, when the Khmer empire was a thriving and prominent eminence in South East Asia. 

We visited at the end of February, which is the dry season in Cambodia, so the grounds were very dry and dusty. The temple was crowded with so many tourists. 

The temple itself is breathtaking. The symmetry and composition of the complex is perfectly balanced highlighting that the organisation and engineering of the structure was far ahead of its time. The abundance of intricate carvings that are so detailed, adorn almost every inch of the sandstone walls offer a glimpse into the history of the Khmer civilisation and tell stories from Hindu mythology. 

After exploring the main attraction we visited the smaller “lady temple,” called Banteay Srei Temple.  This temple offers a dramatic contrast to Angkor Wat, not only in its much smaller size but in its unique architectural features. It features red sandstone that is covered in delicate and detailed carvings.

Before heading back to the hotel we explored the ancient city Angkor Thom, which was once the capital of the Khmer Empire. It is surrounded by a large wall with grand entrances on either side and many different ruins can be found within the city grounds. In the centre, stands the unique Bayon Temple, which is known as the ‘Smiling Faces’ temple. There are 216 smiling faces that are carved into the 37 towers that make up this temple, providing a very positive and happy ambience.

For dinner we enjoyed a Cambodian BBQ on Pub Street. Pub street is the place to go if you are looking for restaurants, and a lively nightlife.

Read more: Wonders of Angkor: Exploring Cambodia’s Lost Empire

Day 4: Ta Prohm

This morning we were up at 430 am to watch an unforgettable sunrise over Angkor Wat. What a magical experience this was! We arrived in the dark and surprisingly there was a calm peacefulness to the atmosphere considering the amount of people that were there. This made it hard to get a good position to witness the spectacle. We bought our much needed coffee, served with condensed milk, for $1 USD. It was served in a plastic cup, which was a little hot to hold, but it tasted delicious! And then we watched the magic happen and it was indescribable. As the sun rose, it cast a purple haze across the sky which slowly faded into a burnt orange backdrop, silhouetting the ancient temple and painting a perfect reflection on the still surface of the nearby ponds. 

After the sun had risen, we made our way back to Angkor Thom to visit the Terrace of the Elephants, before exploring Ta Prohm. Also known as the ‘Tomb Raider’ temple thanks to it featuring in the movie by the same name. This Bhuddist temple feels like it has been lost to the jungle, as its structure is engulfed with large overgrown tree roots that cascade down around the walls of the temple as if it is swallowing it whole. 

Read More: Wonders of Angkor: Exploring Cambodia’s Lost Empire

Before heading back to the hotel for a swim and a refreshing, Angkor beer, we spent the afternoon exploring the Cambodian Cultural Village which is now known as Angkor Green Park. There were a range of different things to do here. Most notably learning about the different traditions and cultures of the area. 

That night we all went to a local Cambodian restaurant called ‘Sour Melon’ where we dined on tasty traditional Khmer food.

Read more: 52 Hours in Siem Reap

Day 5: Siem Reap to Sambor Prei Kuk village

Today we drove 3 hours from Siem Reap towards Sambor Prei Kuk, a small rural community that maintains a traditional lifestyle. Before leaving Siem Reap, we stopped at the Artisans Angkor workshop and watched the locals carve pieces of art out of wood and stone. The intricate detailing on the stone work was so impressive. This workshop provides training and employment for Cambodians, whilst preserving Khmer artistic traditions. Many of the artists were deaf and I think this workshop is worth the visit as it helps support a great initiative. 

Along the way we stopped to view a thousand year old bridge, called Kampong Kdei Bridge. This bridge was built in the 12th century and was once the longest corbel stoned, arch bridge in the world. It is 87m long and is built from ancient laterite which showcases 21 arches with a sandstone balustrade. 

Before arriving at our local homestay, we stopped for lunch at a restaurant on the water. This had to be the funniest moment of the trip. We were in stitches with laughter!! During lunch, another traveler, Ian, somehow got chilli in his eyes! He was in so much pain, they were burning so bad that his eyes immediately turned red raw. We kept pouring bottles of water into his eyes, to try and soothe them but instead we just drenched him in water! After lunch, as we lounged in the hammocks enjoying the view, Emma couldn’t seem to stay in her hers.  Instead she fell straight out of the hammock, beer still in her hand, and somehow managed to not spill a single drop! Her but was sore from the fall….but she saved the most important thing, her beer!

After our comedic lunch stop, we bought some toys to take to the village we were going to be staying  for the night.

After we met our Cambodian family and toured the homestay we explored the local village. We visited the local English school that is run out of the village Chiefs home, we rode an Oxen cart through rice paddies and met local kids playing with the local ice shop.

Read more: Living like a local: Spending the night in a Cambodian Homestay

Day 6: Sambor Prei Kuk to Phnom Penh

In the morning we woke at the crack of dawn and ventured out to visit Sambor Prei Kuk. These temples are older and more ancient then the temples of Angkor. They were built in the 6th century. There is not much of the temple that remains, not only due to decay over the years, but also due to looting from the years of war. There were a lot of land mines buried in this area, so we were warned to stay on the path.

On entering the temple the ceiling was not very high and so we had to be careful of falling bricks. Conservation efforts have been slow as the locals rely on visitors to help fund the project as it was not yet a UNESCO World Heritage Site (as of July 2017, it is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site). There were oxens wandering through the grounds. The bush was quite dense so it was interesting finding remains hidden amongst the trees.

Once we returned to the homestay for breakfast before starting the journey to Phnom Penh. The drive took just under a 4 hours. For one of the other travelers, Ian, this would have felt like the longest drive as he was suffering from food poisoning. We stopped on the way at a place called Spider Town. We wandered around the markets which were filled with insects of all kinds, scorpions, spiders, grasshoppers and cockroaches. Everything that you wouldn’t want to eat was available for purchase! They even had buckets of live tarantulas that you could buy as a pet.  Our guide told us that the tarantulas had their fangs removed so you would not get bitten. This is where I tried a deep fried tarantula!! It was extremely oily and very hairy! I first tried the legs, which just tasted like bland potato chips. I then found the courage to bite into the abdomen, which was really gross! It had eggs in it so the texture and thought of what I was eating turned me off to the point I could not stop gagging! I then tried a roasted grass hopper, which was crispy and quite tasty. We bought some pineapple from the local kids to help cleanse the palate and wash away any remnants of insect. This did cause a bit of a problem, all of a sudden many more kids surrounded us and would not leave us alone. They continuously hounded us wanting us to buy more from them.

After arriving in Phnom Penh which is a much larger city then Siem Reap. We checked into the Mondulkiri Boutique Hotel, then ventured out for lunch at the ‘Friends the Restaurant.’ This restaurant is unique and a really great initiative which helps young adults get off the street. All the staff from the waiters to the chefs are current students who are learning whilst on the job. After lunch, we went next door for a manicure from the students learning beautician work. Here, we ordered a cocktail while we were being pampered. It wasn’t the best mani I’ve ever had, but it was worth it for a good cause.  These students cannot afford schooling so this place offers training and an immediate job which gets them off the street. 

Before heading back to the hotel we ventured around the busy streets of Phnom Penh. We passed the Royal Palace, Wat Phnom and Yeay Penh Statue, which is a monument dedicated to the founder of Phnom Penh.

Day 7: Phnom Penh

In the morning we ventured to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. It was an extremely emotional experience.  This mass grave site is where more then 1.3 million people were killed during the Khmer Rouge regime. 

Some of the bones that were dug up are now on display as a monument that was erected in memory of the victims.. It holds over 8,000 skulls which are only some of the bones that were dug up there and it describes how each person died. 

After this emotional experience we visited the Tuol Sleng genocide museum. This is where victims were imprisoned and tortured before being sent to the killing fields. We met Chung Mei who is now over 80 years old. I even bought his book, which tells the story of his time at the prison.

To end our tour our time in Phnom Penh we went for an afternoon foot massage. But this wasn’t just any massage. We went to Seeing Hands Massage which is a company who employs blind massage therapists. Now my massage was really not the best, but I did not care as I was there to support locals with disabilities. I think it is a great initiative allowing locals to earn an income regardless of what their limitations may be.

Other places of interest for our next visit will be to visit the Royal Palace, National Museum and Wat Phnom.

Read More: How to Spend 48 Hours in Phnom Penh

Day 8: Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City

This morning we travelled by local bus cross the Cambodian and Vietnamese countryside, Ho Chi Minh City.  The trip took roughly 7 hours with stops along the way. After checking into our accommodation we boarded a boat and enjoyed a sunset cruise down the Mekong River. It was a really nice evening to end the trip.

After dinner we headed to Bui Vien Street for an evening drink to celebrate our last night. We were enjoying drinks on the balcony and admiring the view over the street below.

I decided to make a toilet stop before ordering another drink on the way back to our table. I paid for my drink at the bar and the bartender told me he would bring it out to me. Rookie error!! When he brought the drink out to me, along with other drinks for my group, he brought me another bill to which I told him I had already paid for mine. He argued with me saying I had not and he was quite aggressive in the way he spoke to me. I refused to pay again and ordered a couple more before heading back to the hotel. Now, I have no evidence he tampered with my last couple of drinks, but that night in the hotel I started feel a bit off. Emma and I ate the same food that day, so it was definitely not from food. The next day we were flying out the Philippines and by the time I got to the airport, I was not in a good way. Let’s just say I could not venture far from a toilet. I spent the majority of the time sitting in the cubicle waiting for our plane to start boarding. I felt so queasy in the stomach that I couldn’t even eat. By the time we got to Puerto Princessa, I was extremely ill. I couldn’t leave the hotel for 3 days and I had to see a doctor at the resort as I was not getting any better and was suffering from dehydration. This illness continued for another 3 nights while we were in Boracay, although it had subsided a little bit. Now, I do suspect the bartender put something in my drink, probably unfiltered water or ice. He was so aggressive with me and didn’t want to accept what I was trying to tell him. I have never felt so sick in my life! Not a very good way to end what was an amazing trip!