My Tryst with Cambodia

March 2015. I had just left my job in banking and was raring to travel, my long (and nearly lost) wish. I wanted to backpack and since it was my first backpacking trip, I wanted to go somewhere close by, perhaps some country in South-east Asia.

Cambodia is a country which, if you mention as a possible tourist destination to anyone often surprises them. Having Thailand as its more glamorous and popular neighbor to the west, everyone asked me the reason behind choosing Cambodia. I decided to go to Cambodia because I wanted to go someplace unusual, somewhere I had never thought I would go. I had never heard anyone within my friend circle talking about it or having been there. I wanted to travel like a backpacker, and Cambodia became my first destination.

There are many aspects about this excursion that make it special, right from the inception of the idea, planning the trip and actually being in that country. But the one that stands out is how the country never failed to surprise me at every step of my trip. The pre-trip research included everything from reading about the country, the currency used there and the challenges that a backpacker is likely to face in Cambodia. I was surprised to know that USD is the generally used currency in the country.

Cambodia is famous for Angkor, one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Spread over nearly 400 sq km, its two most famous temples are Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom. I wanted to witness these archaeological wonders and this removed any lingering doubt in my mind about choosing Cambodia as the destination. But little did I know what the country had in store for me. It has everything that a traveler looks for while deciding his destination.  

 I landed in Siam Reap in northwestern Cambodia, the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, to start my 10 day trip. Reaching Siam Reap was no less a feat. To minimize my flying expense, I had to fly to Thailand from India (which itself was a hopping flight) and then take an Air Asia flight to Siam Reap. As Air Asia flies from a different airport in Thailand (Don Mueang Airport), I had to take Thailand visa (visa on arrival) to enter the country only to exit in the next few hours (I had to do the same on my way back). After nearly 15 hours of departing from Delhi and having set foot on 5 airports in 3 countries, I found myself standing near the visa counter of a small yet intriguing airport. And 15 minutes later, after a bench of nearly 10 people scanning my passport one after the other, I was all set to enter the Cambodian kingdom.

Siam Reap

I reached Siam Reap at around 10 PM and went straight to the hostel I had booked. As I was new to staying in hostels (I opted for Mad Monkey Hostel http://madmonkeyhostels.com/) while traveling abroad (this was my first backpacking trip), I was pleasantly surprised to see the atmosphere. The first thing I saw was a pool with a couple of youngsters sitting around and chatting (teenagers if I had to guess). For the money that I was paying, I was very happy with the place. It had a rooftop 'beach bar' and had a fun board with 'interesting' info with regards to the party in the evening (pic below). (What would you have worn - Red / Yellow or is it Green ;)). And yes they had free shots too.

The one thing that I definitely wanted to see was the Angkor ruins. Apart from this, my only objective was to travel across the country, feel the vibe the country has and not necessarily visiting the ‘touristy’ places. Siam Reap is a place frequented by many tourists from across the world due to its proximity to the Angkor ruins. And the city has a very active night life. One place worth mentioning is “The Pub Street” or the party hub of Siam Reap. People from different countries come together to drink and enjoy here. Some pubs have loud music going on with people dancing to the tunes of music on the roads in front. It was definitely a treat to be there and soak into the atmosphere. The street reminded me of a place called “LKF” in Hong Kong (a different work related trip).

Pub Street, Siam Reap

Visiting the magnificent temple ruins was an experience in itself. Some temples were so spread out that it took around 2 hours to walk to the other end of the temple (and then 2 hours back to reach the entry point).

People gathered to watch sunrise at Angkor Wat

And on one of these mornings (April 1 of course) ... ;). The expressions of people in the background made the prank totally worth it.

Not a bad place to 'fake' propose ;). Centuries of history standing witness.

And how can I forget about “tuk-tuk”, the popular means of transport in Cambodia. It is somewhat similar in concept to the cycle-rikshaw we have in India, just faster, trendier and sometimes a little hip-hop too.

With Kapish (friend and a former colleague)

Phnom Penh
After two days in Siam Reap, I traveled southward to Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It is a busy city. I took a mini bus from Siam Reap to reach the capital. Phnom Penh has its own share of places to see like the Cheung Ek killing fields, Royal Palace, etc. A river cruise in the evening made me realize how quickly the city is changing due to rapid commercialization. On the left of the cruise boat, I saw small dilapidated boats with entire families living on them, whereas on the other side, I saw huge under-construction buildings owned by reputed developers to give a boost to tourism and infrastructure. It again reminded me how stark the difference is between the upper and lower income strata in developing and under-developed countries.

Flags of various countries on the riverside boulevard.
The Royal Palace in the background

Families having to live on boats

My stay in Phnom Penh was just one day as I wanted to spend more time in other smaller towns towards the south like Kampot and the beaches near Sihanoukville. Next day I was on my way to Kampot without having the slightest idea of the surprise that was in store for me.

Kampot
Kampot is a quaint riverside town. The highlight of the town is its riverside promenade. A walk along the river and you will see amazing sunrise and sunset views. Kampot was probably the best experience I had during my entire trip because of the slow pace of the town. Laid back diners, pubs and restaurants with small groups of people sitting and enjoying. Nowhere do you get the feeling of being swamped with people. Waking up at 6 in the morning and having the entire water front to yourself is an experience hard to forget.

Yummy pineapple pancake to start the day

The surprising element was the proximity of the city to Bokor hill station. A one hour car ride literally teleported me to the top of the Bokor mountain. Engulfed in fog and dotted with ancient French buildings and an abandoned church, the mountain gave me mesmerizing views of the valley. The city really slows you down and makes you wonder if all the pace and frantic of the world is really worth it.

On Bokor Mountain

Mysterious church atop Bokor

Sihanoukville
From Kampot, I moved further south to Sihanoukville and nearby islands. My love for water always leads me to beaches and islands wherever possible. Sihanoukville has the best beaches in Cambodia. Depending on what one prefers, you could sit near a stretch more frequented by travelers with pubs alongside the beach or find a quite stretch away from all the lighting and the crowd. As for me, I had the best time sitting on the beach alone, my phone kept in the sand and playing old hindi songs for hours into the night.

Some beach on the mainland

Koh Rong Sanloem Island
From there, I went to Koh Rong Sanloem Island. It is very pristine island with gorgeous beaches. It is not frequented by a lot of travelers and you can visit this or any of the other nearby islands to spend time with your loved one or just stroll the beaches and spend some alone time. I enjoyed the tranquility that the island had to offer. I enjoy travelling alone and always relish such places where you could feel nature in your veins. It gives me a tremendous sense of satisfaction. Every trip has moments that get etched in one’s mind. The view from the wooden bridge at sunrise is one memory that will stay with me forever from this trip.

Koh Rong Sanloem Island

The island was my last stop in Cambodia. Starting from the ancient temple ruins in the north to rivers, beaches and islands in the south, the country has all the ingredients to make for an adventurous and interesting excursion.

In hindsight, I am happy that I selected a not so popular destination. It changed my beliefs about backpacking and taught me that there is only so much one can learn from the internet or hearing from travelers who have been to a particular country. Unless you travel yourself, you will never know what the place has to offer. My perception about Cambodia has changed totally after the trip for the better. Yes, one needs to be a little careful but that stands true for any country; be that in Asia or Europe.

Before planning this trip, I took input from the articles on the internet and other people’s stories to plan my trip and know about hidden places which we don’t hear about in general. I will publish a separate post on 'Cambodia on a budget'. I hope my experience inspires people to travel to and explore this beautiful country.