Exploring Cambodia - Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Kampot, Otres, Koh Rong

Cambodia was a wonderful experience. I spent three weeks in this country and slowly fell in love with it more and more. Bonus: I got to meet up with my friends, Tess and Leo, both of whom I had met in Pai, Thailand!

After spending about 2.5 months in Southeast Asia, I am finding some cultural practices that span the region – the idea of saving face, having to ask for the bill in restaurants, getting up early in the morning – but Cambodia’s culture and history is its own. I admit that Cambodia was a more difficult country to travel. The internet was unreliable, the food was mediocre, air conditioning was not standard, and some roads had me praying during my entire bus journey. Especially coming from Thailand, Cambodia is more inconvenient. But Cambodians are some of the kindest, most helpful, easiest smiling people that I have met during my travels. To fully appreciate this country, it is key to learn and understand the recent history and current political situation. Trust me, you will forget about the inconvenience and marvel at the resilience, strength, and beauty of Cambodia and its people.

Here are the places I visited during my stay:

Siem Reap – I started my time in Cambodia in Siem Reap. The only reason to go here is to see Angkor Wat, which you can easily spend two or three days exploring. This is a great place to go with friends because it is fun exploring Angkor Wat and experiencing the nighttime atmosphere with others. Angkor Wat is completely worth it! I spent two days there – one day on a bike tour and the other via tuktuk with a couple of friends. I highly recommend both options. I was awestruck by the temples and needed two days just to pick my jaw off the ground and be able to appreciate them properly. I did not do sun rise or sunset because it was overcast during my time there, but I was okay with that.

Phnom Penh (PP) – The capital city of Cambodia and one that I actually enjoyed. The city is crazy and loud, but I liked the feel of it. I stayed here at two points in my trip and managed to have a cold and ear infection during my stays. I appreciated having pharmacies, modern conveniences, and Western restaurants at my disposal. Also, getting my Vietnam visa in PP was cheap and simple. On a serious note, PP played an integral part in my understanding of Cambodia as I visited both Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields while here. It was difficult to handle but vital to my trip. I recommend touring the Museum first because prisoners were held at Tuol Sleng before being taken to the Killing Fields. This will give you a more comprehensive understanding of the atrocities that took place.

Kampot – This is the one place in my travels that I wish I had spent more time. Kampot is a relaxed, riverside town near the coast of Cambodia. The town is not flashy or bustling, but the atmosphere and the people were a necessary balm after the busyness of Siem Reap and PP. We rented scooters to travel around the town. We spent an afternoon riding to the top of a mountain and exploring abandoned casinos (it is an actual tourist attraction, I promise). Another afternoon was spent paddle boarding and swimming on the river. We had tapas one evening, beers and dumplings at a private movie theater another evening, and drinks at our favorite local bar on our last night. If visiting Kampot, do not underestimate it and give yourself four or five days to enjoy it.

Otres – Go towards Sihanoukville, drive through it, and experience the picturesque beaches of Otres. Turquoise water, squeaky sand beaches, and plenty of lounge chairs to sprawl on all afternoon. There are not many activities or hostels here. We found a cheap beach bungalow on Booking.com, which is a great option. Come here solo if you want alone time or visit with friends if you still want a social vibe. Also, beware when riding scooters into town. We got stopped by the police (because it is illegal to ride a scooter in Southeast Asia without a driver’s license from that respective country). Plenty of tourists ride scooters and none of them have the appropriate license. We paid 20 USD and were fine, but this is a common occurrence in Sihanoukville.

Koh Rong – If you want a true island experience, stay at Inn the Village on Koh Rong. It is the lone guesthouse situated in a non-touristy Cambodian village on the island. The guesthouse is VERY basic – bucket showers, electricity from 5-11 at night, no internet, mosquito nets, no air con or fans. But you can really get away from it all. You can go scuba diving, snorkeling, or kayaking, walk around the island, lay in a hammock on the beach, eat fresh crab for dinner, play volleyball with the locals, drinks beers at the hostel with other guests, or sit back and enjoy the non-tourist vibe. Just make sure you carefully follow the instructions on getting to the hostel (aka taking a local community boat from Pier 52). Leo and I were meeting Tess at the hostel as we were coming from two different cities. She took a different boat, ended up on the other end of the island, and, due to a windstorm, took two days to get to us. So, yeah, make sure you go to the correct pier and take the correct boat.

So that was Cambodia. It was an incredible country and I recommend it to anyone wanting a less tourist experience. After Cambodia, my friend, Leo, and I are now spending six weeks traveling Vietnam from south to north. Let the good times keep rolling!