Came back from Cambodia 4 days already, finally can sit down and write a review for this trip.

Here are some photos of this trip http://cid-47136fa1814acf50.photos.live.com/summary.aspx

We reached Siem Reap 7.20am local time by Jetstar Asia www.jetstar.com and cleared immigration. The process at immigration can be considered as fast cos i already applied evisa before departing, but i hv to say the immigration officers should be sent to learn how to use the computer.

Tuk tuk driver was already outside waiting for us. We booked Five Star Angkor Villa www.fivestarangkor.com . It’s a guest house with all the basic facilities you need. Owner Phil is Caucasian and married local. It’s a lovely place with delicious burgers (trust me, more than 100 types). It’s very near Pub Street (let’s talk abt it later) and night bazaar. We booked 2 nights tour package with the guesthouse after checking in. Price is US$55 which is very reasonable and even I doubt how they can get profit. Strongly recommend this package. You can also check other tour information at www.siemreaprooms.com, owner is also Phil and his friend Harry.

The only thing I don’t like is – Too MANY mosquitoes!!! But I believe it’s not only the guesthouse but whole siem reap, or my blood is too sweet??

The tour starts from the Floating Village. There are more than 200 families living on the boats. They hv school, church, satellite, restaurants, crocodile farm, shops….. I was asked for US$15 for some pencils and exercise books, I paid cos they said it’s for the children in the village. This is the only thing sad me cos the boy who asked money is only 10yrs old.

The package incl buffet dinner and Apsara Dance. Food is nice, dance is not bad also. After dinner, we went to the night market, spent a lot on magnet, scarf and other souvenirs.

The second day we went to Angkor Wat, finally I came to my dream place. I’m so impressed of it. I don’t hv to say much abt it, everyone can search Angkor Wat on internet. The hawker center next to Angkor wat sells nice Mango shake even though it’s more expensive than outside. The children there are soooooooo sticky, they could tail you for one hour until you buy something from them. So I bought 20pcs postcards. One day pass costs US$20 which is incl in the tour package, it’s not only valid for Angkor Wat but for few other temples. Really worth to visit.

We went to Pub Street after a rest. The street is so short and it’s more like a restaurant street than Pub Street. We spent some time in ‘Angkor What?’ I like the B52 & Monkey Brain there.
Unfortunately we didn’t take any photo with our Tuk tuk driver and Phil, the owner of the guest house. They are all very nice people.

We left Siem Reap for Phnom Penh by bus – Paramount Angkor Express. It took 6hrs exactly and costs US$8 (cheaper than Mekong Express). Phil recommended and it’s very comfortable.

Siem Reap overview: beautiful, good people, budget price, extreme hot weather & millions mosquitoes.

We reached Phnom Penh in the evening and departed next day 9.30am, so we didn’t spend much time there. Hotel we chose is Blue Lime www.bluelime.asia which costs US$50 per night for a superior twin room. The room is perfect but on 4th lever with narrow stairs and without elevator. We spent whole night in a Pub along the river with nice food, cheap Angkor beer and live band. Owner is Caucasian and we watched MU and Arsenal 0:0, we really enjoyed there.

Phnom Penh overall: pollution, dirty, more expensive, modern, many beggers, nice food.

Our finally destination is Ho Chi Minh City. Took bus still and another 6hrs. We chose Mekong Express this time and costs US$12. Bus is almost the same but provides guide, clean toilet, pastries and a bottle of water. One thing I want to highlight is the guide on the bus was really helpful. My mate left her PSP in the hotel Blue Lime and only realised it after bus departing. He was so kind and offered using his own mobile to call back the hotel and also assisted to deliver the PSP to HCMC with the next bus without a single cent. Thanks him and it makes us to choose Mekong Express company again definitely next time.

I came in Siem Reap 3 years ago. Roads in poor conditions, no ATM at all, no KFC and similar air-con modern places.

Now, the trip from Thailand to Siem Reap, thanks to the new road, is just a 1h 3/4 by taxi (it costed me 20$) and around 4 hours by bus (coz they stop in expensive eating place to get commissions)

But back to Siem Reap. This pleasant town still have retained its charming ambiance. Now you can have it all and the choice is vast. Accommodation in Siem Reap is very cheap and food is around 50% more expensive than in Thailand. Of course, everything is imported... Unless you stick to basic Amoc and Khmer food. and fatty fishes from the neighboring Tonle Sap lake.

But who mind? You came here for visiting the wonderful Angkor Wat Temples after all. Enjoy this majestic memories and just allow enough time to let the magic reach you. Wandering in theses temples, just figuring out the live and people who where here centuries ago. Wow! Magic place. Enjoy!

Even though Siem Reap is not a perfect place to visit, it certainly has its winning charms. I am hooked, inofficially.

Pros:

1. Friendly people eveywhere. It's so easy to make them smile.
2. The pedestrian & cyclist-friendly roads. You can go anywhere in no time. We had an excellent time cycling around the town.
3. The food. Do not go for safe i.e. expensive options. Live a little. The hawkers offer great snacks in between meals for less than 2500 riel. If u can speak Cambodian, even better!
4. Many options for accommodation. You cant go wrong here.
5. Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Pre Rup, East Mebon and Ton Le Sap. Worth the sweat.

Cons:

1. The dust during the hot days. It can bring an asthma attack in no time.
2. The touts. They are everywhere.
3. The USD currency. It can be quite financially painful especially when you cant speak Cambodian and is automatically asked for 1 Dollar for everything.

In October 2006 I took a travel agent trip to Cambodia.

That had to be the most amazing experience I've ever had. I have never seen so many people who had so little , but be so happy with what they do have.

We did most of the major ruins that were in the area. Angkor Wat was the most amazing one I've seen. We also went to where Tomb Raider was filmed, and the famous one from National Geographic with the monk in red sitting in the window.

We also went to the Tonle Sap lake with the floating village. It was amazing to see how they live. We saw on one side of the road big houses (by their standards) that may of housed 3-4 families and were fenced in, then on the other side, shacks that may have housed 3-4 familys with no walls or doors. But one shack had a TV .. that was funny. We walked thru the village and saw a man smoking his own fish and the kids were just getting out from school, so they were crowding around to take pictures.

On the boat, kids in wash basins were paddling up to tus asking for money or drinks. A little old lady with a young girl came up in a boat selling cokes or beers. Our guide bought us all beer (at 10 am in the morning, but it was afternoon in Canada) and a little boy in the water, offered me his snake (yes you heard me right) for my beer. Needless to say, i've never moved so quickly in my life. When we docked the boat, he had been following and then offered me a turtle for money. I gave him a dollar. He left after that.

We did traditional dinners and shows and the weather, although humid, was great. Hotels were amazing and always had cloths ready for a clean up upon arrival, which helped alot.

My only complaint (there are two) was whenever we got off the bus at any of the tourist spots, there were locals that were harrasing to buy their stuff, but I did get some pretty nice things for very nice prices. Their way was bargining..they were insulted when we weren't bargining and offering full price.

My other complaint was that upon arrival at the airport, they took my passport to issue my visa, but they walked away with it, and I had to go to the end of the counter and pick it up there. They did not explain that they were doing this, and when I asked the guard behind the desk got very abrupt with me. It was late at night, so maybe he was tired, but it made me nervous and upset.

Other then that, i would go back in a heart beat