Cambodia end of Jan 23/beginning Feb 23

[bjmarren]

Hi All,

The wife and I like to get away at the end of January every year as it's her birthday on the 28th of Jan, and Pre Covid we had some great holidays in South Africa and Malaysia and Singapore, which were the most recent ones. Made do with Belgium last year but turned out very enjoyable. Anyway we fancy heading back to Asia and were thinking of Cambodia as a destination. Just wanted to know if anyone had any recent experiences of travelling there or elsewhere in the region. We're not really beach fans and prefer trips where there is a lot of historical interest and good food, of which Asian is one of our favourites. Any thoughts anyone? Length of trip would be about 10 to 14 days probably.

Cheers!

Brendan

[richfool]

Hi All,

The wife and I like to get away at the end of January every year as it's her birthday on the 28th of Jan, and Pre Covid we had some great holidays in South Africa and Malaysia and Singapore, which were the most recent ones. Made do with Belgium last year but turned out very enjoyable. Anyway we fancy heading back to Asia and were thinking of Cambodia as a destination. Just wanted to know if anyone had any recent experiences of travelling there or elsewhere in the region. We're not really beach fans and prefer trips where there is a lot of historical interest and good food, of which Asian is one of our favourites. Any thoughts anyone? Length of trip would be about 10 to 14 days probably.

Cheers!

Brendan

Firstly, I have to say I have never been to Cambodia, though I have lived in Thailand.

My understanding from those I know who have been to Cambodia, is that it is much less developed and poorer than Thailand. Flights will usually involve flying via Bangkok. Medical facilities are much better in Thailand. The most popular tourist area is Ankor Wat which is well worth a visit if your interest lays in historic temples and civilisations. Ankor Wat is accessed from Siam Reap, a major tourist centre.

If travelling to that region, Luang Prabang, in Laos, (which I have visited) is well worth a visit. Waterfalls, temples, caves, the Mekhong and Kan rivers, boat trips, wooden buildings, french influenced cuisine, wines, oh and Laos beer.

[bluedonkey]

I agree with the comments. Those that can, travel to Thailand for medical treatment. Angkor Wat is stunning. Cambodia is about 20 years behind Thailand to give you some idea. Rather grim but worth a visit if you can bear it is S-21 in Phnomh Penh where the Khmer Rouge "interrogated" prisoners suspected of spying for the CIA (practically no-one did spy but that didn't stop the masses of interrogations). I would add in Laos to a trip.

[stevensfo]

I agree with the comments. Those that can, travel to Thailand for medical treatment. Angkor Wat is stunning. Cambodia is about 20 years behind Thailand to give you some idea. Rather grim but worth a visit if you can bear it is S-21 in Phnomh Penh where the Khmer Rouge "interrogated" prisoners suspected of spying for the CIA (practically no-one did spy but that didn't stop the masses of interrogations). I would add in Laos to a trip.

We did exactly this trip, i.e. Cambodia and Laos. We went with my second-cousin whose son teaches English there. Cambodia still has loads of hotels run by the French and you can have a great time there. Siem Reap/Angkor could easily fill a week, but we had only 2-3 days there before heading south. Phnom Penh was interesting, but then we had a nice relaxing time at a hotel in Kep, on the coast. Can't remember the name, but run by a French lady and simply amazing. Off the beaten track you'll see loads of markets and villages, but be aware that they sell food that will make your stomach turn!

If you go to Luang Prabang in Laos, you should take some crayons, exercise books, pencils etc to give to the Primary school. They also have a place that asks for English-speakers to spend an hour chatting to students, just to help them.

Steve

PS Though I still prefer Vietnam!

[Lootman]

One of my sons was there recently. He was excited because he got to fire a Kalashnikov there. Bullets were 1 USD each however.

He was advised to ensure that his travel insurance included an air ambulance to Bangkok or Singapore if he got suck or injured.

[JohnB]

20 years ago Cambodia was interesting but not as good as Vietnam. Phnom Penh has palaces and the Khmer Rouge museums were sobering. Catching a needle boat up the Mekong to Tonle Sap was a great way to get to Ankor. It was busy then, I expect its worse now, but there were lots of other temples in the complex where you could get away from the crowds. There was a minefield museum too. Food and hotels were disappointing compared with Vietnam, I'd combine it with southern Vietnam if you can.

[bjmarren]

Thank you all for your replies, they are very helpful. Didn't really consider Vietnam, as we thought it might be too touristy by now, hence considering Cambodia. Myanmar was also a consideration. Have a lot to think about now! Will be travelling from Bulgaria so transiting via somewhere else may put us off a bit but will check flights to day so see how long the journey will be. The other alternative is Southern Spain for the same period, maybe less as we've been there a number of times, but always lots of new things to see.

Brendan

[stevensfo]

One of my sons was there recently. He was excited because he got to fire a Kalashnikov there. Bullets were 1 USD each however.

He was advised to ensure that his travel insurance included an air ambulance to Bangkok or Singapore if he got suck or injured.

At least 4 years ago, according to one of my relatives, you could also throw hand grenades! We toured Cambodia with them but one look from my wife (Sybil Fawlty) put paid to any ideas I had about recreating the Rambo movies.

Steve

PS Just for info - for those visiting Hanoi in Vietnam, there is an organisation called Hanoi Kids, which organises two university students to guide you around for a day. The idea is that they practise their English with you and take you to interesting places. No money changes hands but it's expected that you'll bring them some magazines or little gifts and pay for lunch and museums. We had lunch in a place popular with students and it was great!

[gryffron]

I did a combined Vietnam and Cambodia.

I found Vietnam to be too industrialised. A million mopeds on every street. Amusing for a weekend but you soon get bored of it. You cross the road by just walking steadily through the throng of mopeds. Terrifying. I have never been so pleased to be 6' tall and blonde. Cos I really stood out from the crowd.

Cambodia is much less developed. Very primitive indeed. Which is both good and bad as others have mentioned. You get to see things you could not see elsewhere, but facilities can be limited. Angkor Wat of course is very busy. Best to visit early in the morning. I did like the bands of traditional musicians at many of the temples. All land mine victims. They arrive, take off a leg, and proceed to play. Drowns out the awful tourist "hubbub" you get at crowded places. Great idea.

Gryff

[Dod101]

I did a combined Vietnam and Cambodia.

I found Vietnam to be too industrialised. A million mopeds on every street. Amusing for a weekend but you soon get bored of it. You cross the road by just walking steadily through the throng of mopeds. Terrifying. I have never been so pleased to be 6' tall and blonde. Cos I really stood out from the crowd.

Cambodia is much less developed. Very primitive indeed. Which is both good and bad as others have mentioned. You get to see things you could not see elsewhere, but facilities can be limited. Angkor Wat of course is very busy. Best to visit early in the morning. I did like the bands of traditional musicians at many of the temples. All land mine victims. They arrive, take off a leg, and proceed to play. Drowns out the awful tourist "hubbub" you get at crowded places. Great idea.

Gryff

All of this sounds great. Until a health issue raised its head, I was planning to go to Indo China over this winter. Vietnam has never appealed to me but Laos does and I was intending to go to there with a brief visit to Cambodia. Then return to Malaysia and Perth WA to visit my stepson. I do not think that it will now happen in 2023. I can though smell the tropical heat which would be lovely considering our current weather here.

Dod

[bluedonkey]

Yes the tropical heat sounds attractive until you factor in the tropical humidity as well. I recall walking around a town in Cambodia one morning. By 11am I was practically dissolving!

[Dod101]

Yes the tropical heat sounds attractive until you factor in the tropical humidity as well. I recall walking around a town in Cambodia one morning. By 11am I was practically dissolving!

Yes. I know well what you mean. It is not so bad if you live in it, but most travellers do not have time to acclimatise. As long as I take my time and carry water in some form (or have ready access to it) I am usually OK.

Dod

[DiamondEcho]

OP/BJM: 'Just wanted to know if anyone had any recent experiences of travelling there or elsewhere in the region. We're not really beach fans and prefer trips where there is a lot of historical interest and good food, of which Asian is one of our favourites. Any thoughts anyone? Length of trip would be about 10 to 14 days probably.'

I've travelled each of the 3 Indonchinese countries at some length, revisits to Cambodia and Vietnam together with my wife most recently. Come to think of it we've never visited a beach in any of them, it just doesn't seem that kind of region. Hisory+food is off the scale and will easily pre-occupy you.
The region is pretty vast and varied, including say climmate-wise (Hanoi vs Saigon etc). Given you have to allow more time than planned to happily get around, what with things running on Asian-time I think you need to focus on what is most important to you. Vietnam is the most developed of the three, but also the most capitalist, easily accessible, money-spinning.
Laos when I went was still really the boonies. Vientienne was odd but not enchanting, but an interesting entry/exit. Luang Prabang and surrounds/north felt other worldly, remote, wonderful. If it hasn't been ruined I'd recommend it.
Cambodia. We avoided Phomh Penh and flew directly from SIN or BKK into Siem Reap, basing ourselves there. IIRC we stayed a week in-country. We spent 3-4 days at Angkor Wat and associated temples/ruins which was about right. Do not focus just on the former, some of the latter are less well known but jaw-dropping and you might have them entirely to yourselves. - Plus the food in Siem Reap we found to be very good. They do a memorable fish curry, fish amok (IIRC) that was wonderful.

If I'd visited none of the countries so far and was making a suggestion for a first 10-14 day visit to the region. I'd probably suggest 5-6 days in Siem Reap/area and 6-7 in Saigon/area, with the latter as an entry point. Couple together local visits and day/over-night side-trips regionally and that'll happily fill your schedule.

>>Myanmar -- Maybe in previous times, but we missed that boat and would not visit presently. Sadly 'totally bonkers', tourist profits re-routed into government pockets and into oppressing the people.

[bjmarren]

Hi Diamond Echo,

Many thanks for your reply. In the end we decided to take the easier option that we were also considering, given the short time frame to organise things, and booked a trip to Valencia. However, we still want to return to Asia at some point and what you suggested in your reply would suit our plans very well, so we appreciate you taking the time to reply and your advice.

Looking to book a hotel in Valencia at the moment, so if any one has any advice about Valencia in terms of a good area to stay in, it would be much appreciated.

Brendan

[Dod101]

OP/BJM: 'Just wanted to know if anyone had any recent experiences of travelling there or elsewhere in the region. We're not really beach fans and prefer trips where there is a lot of historical interest and good food, of which Asian is one of our favourites. Any thoughts anyone? Length of trip would be about 10 to 14 days probably.'

I've travelled each of the 3 Indonchinese countries at some length, revisits to Cambodia and Vietnam together with my wife most recently. Come to think of it we've never visited a beach in any of them, it just doesn't seem that kind of region. Hisory+food is off the scale and will easily pre-occupy you.
The region is pretty vast and varied, including say climmate-wise (Hanoi vs Saigon etc). Given you have to allow more time than planned to happily get around, what with things running on Asian-time I think you need to focus on what is most important to you. Vietnam is the most developed of the three, but also the most capitalist, easily accessible, money-spinning.
Laos when I went was still really the boonies. Vientienne was odd but not enchanting, but an interesting entry/exit. Luang Prabang and surrounds/north felt other worldly, remote, wonderful. If it hasn't been ruined I'd recommend it.
Cambodia. We avoided Phomh Penh and flew directly from SIN or BKK into Siem Reap, basing ourselves there. IIRC we stayed a week in-country. We spent 3-4 days at Angkor Wat and associated temples/ruins which was about right. Do not focus just on the former, some of the latter are less well known but jaw-dropping and you might have them entirely to yourselves. - Plus the food in Siem Reap we found to be very good. They do a memorable fish curry, fish amok (IIRC) that was wonderful.

If I'd visited none of the countries so far and was making a suggestion for a first 10-14 day visit to the region. I'd probably suggest 5-6 days in Siem Reap/area and 6-7 in Saigon/area, with the latter as an entry point. Couple together local visits and day/over-night side-trips regionally and that'll happily fill your schedule.

>>Myanmar -- Maybe in previous times, but we missed that boat and would not visit presently. Sadly 'totally bonkers', tourist profits re-routed into government pockets and into oppressing the people.

Sorry but being totally ignorant of Indo China how has Luang Prabang been ruined?

Dod

[Lootman]

Laos when I went was still really the boonies. Vientienne was odd but not enchanting, but an interesting entry/exit. Luang Prabang and surrounds/north felt other worldly, remote, wonderful. If it hasn't been ruined I'd recommend it.

Sorry but being totally ignorant of Indo China how has Luang Prabang been ruined?

DE didn't say it had been ruined. I took him to mean that it is the kind of place that is susceptible to being ruined, in the same sense of such other idylls as Bali, Goa, Penang and Phuket.

"Ruined" in that sense means becoming touristy, overcrowded, expensive, locals trying to rip you off etc.

[Dod101]

Sorry but being totally ignorant of Indo China how has Luang Prabang been ruined?

DE didn't say it had been ruined. I took him to mean that it is the kind of place that is susceptible to being ruined, in the same sense of such other idylls as Bali, Goa, Penang and Phuket.

"Ruined" in that sense means becoming touristy, overcrowded, expensive, locals trying to rip you off etc.

Got that wrong, thank goodness! 'If it has not been ruined'. Not the same 'Has been ruined'. I was hoping when planning to go there that it is probably at the same stage of development as say Penang or Phuket were about 50 years ago when I first went there. For instance the Lone Pine Hotel at Batu Ferringhi when I went there at that time was a modest but comfortable hotel pretty much on the beach. Nowadays it is one of a row, nay pretty well an overbuilt street, of hotels with a modest overcrowded beach attached.

Dod

[bluedonkey]

Hi Diamond Echo,

Many thanks for your reply. In the end we decided to take the easier option that we were also considering, given the short time frame to organise things, and booked a trip to Valencia. However, we still want to return to Asia at some point and what you suggested in your reply would suit our plans very well, so we appreciate you taking the time to reply and your advice.

Looking to book a hotel in Valencia at the moment, so if any one has any advice about Valencia in terms of a good area to stay in, it would be much appreciated.

Brendan

Been to Valencia many times. Quick reply for now - stay in the centre, don't stay at the Valencia beach as it is a bit quiet and out of the way.

[bjmarren]

Thanks "blue donkey",

We were thinking the same given the time of year. A lot of the hotels within our price range are fairly close to the the "City of Arts and Science", so I guess that might be an ok area to stay in. Easy access to the centre and other places of interest. We are keen walkers so don't necessarily want to rely on public transport. What do you think?

Brendan

[bluedonkey]

BJM,

Personally I would stay closer to the historic centre. Use Carrer de Colon / Calle de Xativa (where the Valencia Nord main train station is) as your boundary on one side. We stayed in a hotel on that road once and it gave good walking access to the centre. FWIW it was a pleasant hotel: "Hotel NH Collection Valencia Colon".

If you enjoy walking a lot (or cycling), make sure you experience the extraordinary phenomenon - to me anyway - of the dry river bed that runs north from the Ciudad de las Artes, it's several miles long and given over to parks and paths.