Cambodia

Cambodia officially known as The Kingdom of Cambodia is a backpacker’s paradise. Many tourists visit its neighboring countries like Thailand and Vietnam but give Cambodia a miss due to its lower popularity. Cambodia is best known for being the largest religious Temple in the world. But it has a lot to offer. I did a bike road trip in the whole country in 10 days and found many known and hidden gems that can be explored. You can cover all the places by Bus/Car/Bike and in some places even train. Bus service is easily available for budget travelers in Cambodia.

You can apply for your E-visa at https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

(The Waiting Period is 3 working days)

Note: You can enter the country by road from Thailand, Vietnam, or Laos country as well. Many bikers do visit Cambodia from Vietnam on the same bike by crossing borders with valid visas. I have done a Vietnam bike road trip as well. If you want to read about Vietnam then click here

I traveled to Cambodia in June 2022. Cambodia has the largest freshwater lake in South East Asia. The whole country depends on this freshwater lake called Tonle Sap. The route I took while riding the bike covers a round-road trip to this lake. You can do the same route by bus or car.

Bikes: For renting a bike please contact Victory Motorbike Website or Facebook. Even if you want to drop your bike off at another city then also he can arrange to do so. Beware of bike theft in Phnom Penh. Other cities are good but I have heard many theft stories in its capital city. You should ask the bike owner to provide an extra lock for the bike where you can lock the tire as well. He will provide you helmet, Mobile holder, straps for loading bags, and an extra lock for safety. You have to either pay 1000 dollars in advance in cash or give a passport. I gave my passport to him after a long discussion for the first time in my life. Earlier I always used to give cash.

Phnom penh

Phnom Penh is the capital city of Cambodia. It is also referred to as the Pearl of Asia. For Indians coming to Cambodia on E-visa can be a tricky situation. You need to have proper papers about your entry and exit from the country along with vaccination and travel insurance proof. They might ask you for cash as well to show. I have heard many scams where security takes you to another room and asks for a bribe. I saw many Europeans and Americans who were granted entry easily without any questions.

In my case, I was exiting the country via the road to Vietnam so I didn’t have a return ticket exit from Cambodia. So I was questioned a lot by 3 different security personnel and had to explain to everyone about my plans to exit the country by road. I showed them the Vietnam E-visa and exit flight ticket to my home country from Vietnam. They did ask for hotel booking and cash which I showed (minimum 500 dollars you should carry). They wanted to see more days’ bookings of my hotel, I only had a booking for the first day. I explained to them that I had no fix planned and would be renting a bike from Phnom Penh and riding to Siem Reap. After 20 minutes of interrogation, I was cleared and granted entry into Cambodia.

Day 1:

I came outside the airport around 9 Am and started walking outside to the main road. There are many taxi drivers and tuk-tuk drivers available just outside the airport but if you want to get cheaper rates then walk out to the main road which is less than 5 minutes walk and bargain. It was morning time and the city was very crowded. It took me 40-45 minutes to cover the 10 km distance from Airport to my hostel. I was staying in Mad Monkey which is one of the most famous hostel franchisees in Cambodia. You will find this hostel in almost every big city.

I reached the hostel around 10 am and did all the formalities but check-in time was 2 Pm. So waited for a while met a few travelers and some breakfast, grabbed one beer, and started walking around the streets to rent a bike for my upcoming adventures in Cambodia. Mad Monkey does provide a free sim card that has internet that lasts for one day.

The first walk in a new country is very important where you learn about a new country, its traffic rules, currency, grocery shops, and their ATMs. I was carrying dollars which are acceptable everywhere in this country. After walking for 1.5 km I reached my destination, met the bike rental owner, and selected one of the bikes for the next 7 days. You either pay a security deposit of 1000 dollars or a Passport. I gave him my passport.

You can rent a bike from here. The hostel also gives bike rent from the same guy but at a higher cost. So make sure you rent it on your own to save some money. I saved 4 dollars per day by not renting it from the hostel.

Evening time – Mad Monkey Hostel organizes a pub crawl party which includes One T-shirt, 1 free drink, and 3 different drinks in the pubs that you are going to visit. The cost is 10 dollars per person which is worth it if you are traveling alone and want to make some friends. In my case, I made 2 friends with whom I traveled the whole country for a week.

There is a lot to see in this beautiful city. But in my case, I avoid big cities as much as I can so I didn’t travel. You can visit the below-mentioned tourist attractions:

Killing field
This is a must-visit place if you want to know about the history of Cambodia. More than 1 million people were killed and buried between 1975-1979. They were beaten to death with machetes, hammers, and even bamboo poles. This is one of the most tragic losses in human history. When you visit this place you will see many skulls of the victims and even all the clothes scattered everywhere even to date. They have preserved everything as a reminder.

Note – Visiting the killing field can make you depressed. It is not for everyone and if you want you can skip. I skipped killing fields.
Royal Palace
The palace contains numerous buildings which still serve as the Royal residence of the King of Cambodia. Constructed in 1870, visiting this place will give you a glimpse of the lifestyle of the royal family.
Mekong River
The city’s major attraction is taking a sunset cruise in the Mekong River. You can walk and explore nearby areas where there are many cafes available on the bank of the river.
Central Market
A large market was constructed in 1937 in the shake of the dome. You can buy gold, silver jewelry, antique coins, fake name-brand watches, clothes, and many more items from here.
Russian market
For souvenirs, you can visit. Here everything is available you can buy from clothes, shoes, and bags, to antiques.

Siem Reap

Day 2:

After doing a pub crawl late at night, I somehow still managed to wake up early because I had given time to for bike rental who was coming into the hostel to pick me up. I did all the paper work rented a bike and came back to my hostel to pack my bags on the bike. Local Tuk Tuk drivers are always present outside the hostel to take you anywhere you want to go. They were very helpful and helped me to tie bags on my bike.

Siem Reap from Phnom Penh is 318 Km which takes around 5-6 hours. Riding in Cambodia is fun if you like the countryside. I witnessed villages and different cultures while riding. There were no mountains in this route but still, you will love this route because it will be your first day. The mistake I made was not carrying my sim, where I relied on the free sim given by the hostel. My net was not working and I was riding to another city like old days asking locals for the route map in sign language. Thankfully I was on the highway so it was straight. There are many mobile shops available when you are passing by a small town. So you can easily recharge/buy a sim. The only downside is that they don’t understand English and it can be tough making them understand about recharge.

While I was entering the city, I saw some glimpses of this amazing city and was pretty sure that I was going to have a great time. The city is famous for its Unesco World Heritage 50+ Buddhist and Hindu Temples. Apart from the temples, this city has a lot to offer and as a biker and backpacker, I was so happy that I decided to visit this amazing country.

I reached the hostel Mad Monkey just before sunset. Make sure you book at the reception from the hostel instead of online booking. This way you can get 1 day free stay on staying for 2 days at the property. In my case, I had planned to stay for 2 days but I loved this city so much that I extended my stay and when I asked Mad Monkey about the one-day free stay, they willingly allowed me. This Mad Monkey Hostel is better as compared to the Phnom Penh Mad Monkey Hostel. They were many backpackers and I had a great time with them for 3 days. We were like family for three days, all going together for the pub crawl and exploring temples together. On my first night, I did a pub crawl and wandered around walking street with hostel friends.

Day 3:

Before visiting Cambodia I made a friend in Couchsurfing who is Indian and was living in Siem Reap. So today I had planned to visit him in the afternoon. There is a big expat community in this city and my Indian friend was one of them. He took me to a house party where all the expats were meeting today. I met so many like-minded people who were 10-20 years older than me. I interacted with them and learned a lot from them about leaving everything behind and settling in a new country. It was a great experience which living in India I had never experienced. They all were running some small business or were doing independent DJs. I met so many DJs and was dancing to their beats. If you have local friends then they take you to hidden gems of the city where you can relax and enjoy authentic food.

You can visit Floating Village which is a half-day tour which you can book from the hostel. They take you to the freshwater lake where many villagers stay on houseboats. This place is famous for crocodile food where many travelers go.

Day 4:

After partying the whole night till 5 Am, Yes this city is awake the whole night. I woke up in the afternoon and went to the Apopo Visitor Center famous for The Hero Rats. They have designed and built a center where you can experience well-trained Hero Rats sniffing mines and giving warnings to the trainer. This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We all know about the Vietnam American War. To date, there are many land area which is still covered under mines, and with the help of Rats they are clearing out the land. This process takes a lot of time and how this is done and how they train them, all can be witnessed.

Angkor wat

Angkor Wat is the largest religious structure temple in the world. It holds the Guinness world record measuring 162 hectares of land. You need a whole day if you want to witness everything in detail. There are plenty of guides available once you enter the temple.

I booked an Angkor Wat ticket one day prior on my own. You have to be physically present at the ticket counter. Click here for Google location.

People do get confused that they can visit other temples along with the main Angkor Wat temple. Yes, you can visit every temple with the same ticket. There are several options available for Angkor Wat.

1. One Day Ticket

2. Three Days Ticket

3. Seven Days Ticket

Note: You can check the price of the ticket. Click here. You have two options either go for sunrise or sunset. Tourists mostly prefer sunrise. If you want to go for sunrise then my suggestion is that you visit Angkor Wat from outside if you are going there by vehicle. This will save time tomorrow for the sunrise and this way you are aware about parking spot.

Day 5:

Woke up early around 4 AM and was there inside Angkor Wat before 5 Am. Pl monitor sunrise time before you go. We were a group of 5 4 of them were traveling by Tuk Tuk and I was riding a bike.

There are 72 major temples along with remains of around 700 minor temples scattered around Angkor Wat. I visited 3 major temples.

Angkor Wat
One of the main attractions in Cambodia. Take your time to witness this amazing temple. There is a small pond inside from where you can watch the sunrise and take amazing photographs of the temple. Angkor Wat from the inside is very big. We did hire a local guide who was giving us special guidance. I would recommend you to please hire one guide. Earlier this temple was a Hindu temple and on the walls, there are still structures crafted about Mahabharat. Being an Indian I was amazed to see all this. This temple is something else that cannot be described and you need to personally visit to witness it. Outside the temple, there are many souvenir shops. The paintings available here are some of the best I have ever seen. Do check them out.
Bayon Temple
This temple is famous for the smiling stone faces of the Buddha. Everywhere you see you will find faces which is a unique experience. This temple is also worth visiting and is famous amongst tourists.
Ta Prohm Temple
This temple became famous because of Angelina Jolie’s movie – Tomb Raider. Few scenes were shot in this temple. This temple is unique and was my favorite. Some trees are so big that they have found their way from inside the walls of temples. Many roots of the trees are so unique coming outside from multiple walls that you will find it jaw-dropping. I have played Tomb Raider games and it was like a game only going through this amazing temple. When I visited, at that time joined restoration process was going on with Cambodia and India. So not sure in the future we will be able to see these perfect trees and their roots.

There are many more temples but seeing three was enough for me. It all depends on your interest. Many tourists buy 7-day tickets and visit most temples. If you have your vehicle then visiting all the temples one after another becomes very accessible. There are many guided tours and even tuk-tuk drivers who can take you. You can find them on Facebook by joining the Cambodia Backpackers group.

battambang

Battambang is famous for its Bamboo train and bat cave. Battambang is 164 Kms away from Siem Reap which can be done as a day tour as well. But I would recommend spending at least a day and then heading south to the Islands. After visiting Angkor Wat I checked out from my hostel and started my journey to Battambang around 1 PM. I reached my next hostel around 4:30 PM. Click here for the location. I was the only tourist and person staying which was kind of weird. There are not many tourists who visit Battambang and if they do visit then they only do day tours.

It was almost sunset so I could only visit one place and I decided to visit the Bamboo train (click for the location). The bat cave is 15 more km away from this place. So if you have time then do visit before 5 Pm. All bats come back to the cave before sunset and witnessing that is something special that cannot be missed. I have also seen on Facebook that local day tours are being organized from Siem Reap for the waterfall trek which you can explore.

The main attraction of Battambang without a doubt is Bamboo Train. They have this rail track which is abandoned by the government where local villagers use it for their necessities. They have this hand-made bamboo flat bed which is put on the wheels in front of you and they have a small tractor engine on which it runs. For the first few minutes riding on it can be scary. It’s unpredictable and very noisy but without a doubt worth it. They even take you to the local market where you can buy some snacks and eat while riding on the bamboo train.

Note: Villagers who are running this do not understand English. So I did some sign language and they asked for 10 dollars. If you are in a group then it can go up or down. Mostly I have read that they charge 5 dollars per person. So I convinced them for 7 dollars.

koh rong and sanloem islands

Koh Rong is an island located off the southwestern coast of Cambodia. It is known for its stunning beaches, crystal-clear waters, and vibrant marine life, making it a popular tourist destination. It’s very famous amongst backpackers for Nestival. There is one hostel on the island which is famous for every Saturday night party.

Day 6, 7 & 8: (Beach Days)

To reach Koh Rong island you first need to reach Sihanoukville which is a coastal city. This city is famous for its casinos and beaches. Party culture is also present in this city. There are many tall buildings and this city is still under construction. It is a Chinese-influenced city and many Chinese people stay in this city. You can spend one day here if you want to make one stop before going to the islands. To reach Koh Rong you need to catch a ferry which can be booked online. In my case, I went to the port location directly for my booking. Click here for the port location from where you can catch a ferry.

My friends were traveling by bus directly from Siem Reap. So they had booked a ferry + Bus ticket from the Mad Monkey hostel itself. The distance from Battambang to Sihanoukville is 470 Km and the ferry leaves for the island every Hour. The last ferry is 3 Pm. Make sure you reach there on time. In my case, I was not aware of the ferry time and was under the impression that the last ferry time was 4 Pm. But the 4 Pm ferry is the return timings from the island back to Sihanoukville. The bike route to reach here was very long and tiring because I was always chasing time. Also as per Google Maps there are routes from which you can reach. My suggestion is that you do not skip the main highway even if it’s showing more km. I made a mistake and the road which I came across was still under construction. In the future, this road may be ready but do check it out with the locals. There is also one newly constructed express highway from the capital city but bikes are not allowed.

I started at 4 Am and after riding it for 12 hours straight I somehow managed to reach the port just in time to find out that the last ferry from the port was at 3 Pm. I enquired and found out that a special ferry is being arranged for locals who are coming by bus to spend the weekend. So I was allowed to travel with them at 5 Pm. Paid safe parking is available with proper slips.

Koh Rong– Reaching the island was important because it was Saturday night. The ferry takes 1 hour to reach Koh Rong Island. Some locals have small mopeds which you can hire to reach your destination. I was staying at Nest Beach Club which is famous for its private beach. Hostel Nest was far away so I rented one Moped for around 2 dollars. When I reached the hostel, I could see almost 50 travelers enjoying the beach. Few of them were partying, few were playing beach volleyball, few were playing football and few were enjoying the high tides. So without wasting any time I also joined my friends who had already made more friends. To date, this is my best beach just because of the environment and the party vibes. Some so many young travelers are coming and staying here for weeks. do not have a private room. So if you want to book a hotel nearby then make sure it is not far away from Nest. You will always find yourself hanging around Nest and interacting with fellow travelers. There is not much activity to do apart from snorkeling, Kayaking, and sunrise/sunset boat rides. If you just want to relax at the beach then Koh Rong is the island. I have so many good memories here. I was just relaxing and partying and enjoying my best time. I was on this island for 3 days.

Note: You can book a ferry ticket for Sanloem Island from the hostel itself. Many travelers travel directly from Nest so you get your party boat. It takes 30 minutes to reach another island. There are two main hostels in Sanloem Island. It all depends on the group of friends you make. Some say Mad Monkey (this hostel is permanently closed now) is the best but we were traveling at the time so at that time there were not many travelers. So we decided to stay in Onederz which is also a very good option.

Sanloem- In Onederz hostel there are private rooms available. The facility in this hostel was also good where they even had Table Tennis. Sanloem was small as compared to Koh Rong Island. So you can spend 1-2 days here depending on how much more you want to spend your time in the islands. I spent one night here with my friends who extended their stay for 3 days. The beach without a doubt is one of the best but company alone does matter. There is not much activity to do here on this island.

Note: Ferry is always booked with a return ticket. You just need to contact them one day before for the pickup. The ticket is valid for One month but do inquire at the office. I stayed for 4 days. Traveling from one Island to another is a separate ticket.

krong kampot

Day 9:

It was time to say goodbye to the islands and get back to the city life. I had two options either to go back to the capital city or explore Kampot city which is 107 Kms from Sihanoukville. I took an early morning 9 Am ferry which took 2 hours to reach the port. It was a relief to see my bike safe which was parked in public parking. There are many stories of theft but port parking was safe. My internet days were over and I was without any internet package. It was like the old days when people used to travel by asking directions. So I did the same where instead of asking directions I used to ask for WIFI Password and travel from one place to another.

Kampot is a small town situated on the banks of the river which is famous for its colonial architecture. Travelers visit Kampot for Bokor National Park which has stunning mountains and waterfalls. It is also famous for hiking and wildlife. It was a quick stopover place for me so I decided to stay in Arcadia Backpackers hostel which is famous for its water park theme. The owner of this hostel also has his speed boat where he invites travelers for a sunset ride and even offers free beers if you are lucky. I found many young travelers who were staying in this hostel for 6-7 days. They were happy partying and enjoying water slides. It even had table tennis and a snooker table. The only downfall was that the rooms were not having any air conditioning. I met other travelers and enjoyed the speed boat which was one of a kind experience for me. All young and wild enjoying together like there is no tomorrow.

Day 10 & 11:

It was time to head back to the capital city – Phnom Penh which is 160 km from Kampot. The Cambodia trip was one of the best for me. It was my first international solo trip. I did it at the age of 32 and the only regret is why I did not do it early in my younger days. This was a complete round road trip to the country where I covered all major cities on a bike. Riding solo in this amazing country was fun and making new friends and exploring places with them is a memory that I will cherish for a lifetime.

My trip was not over and from here I was heading towards Vietnam. I was crossing borders by road in a bus which was a first for me. Vietnam is my favorite country and I was visiting for the second time. I was back again to explore the remaining places which were left off the last time. Do read the blog on Vietnam.