Heritage and Culture Travel

THE SOLO DRIFTER: Experience the Exceptional Cambodia (A Travel Guide)

By on Sunday, July 2, 2023

This article was first published on 3 June 2018, 9:23 PST; updated on 2 June 2019, 14:02 PST and 3 July 2023, 2:22 PST.

I experienced going to Cambodia from both Thailand and Vietnam. In 2018, I booked a seat through Busbud. TravelMart BangKok Co, Ltd. took us to Siem Reap through a VIP bus. TravelMart is commonly known as Virak-Buntham Express in Cambodia. TravelMart has a number of crew who helped us depart from Thailand until the immigration process in Cambodia. I paid USD18 online for my bus ticket. TravelMart has the cheapest price. Other travel agency price ranges from USD23-30 with schedules 1AM, 8AM and 9AM. But traveling from Vietnam is more hassle-free as we don’t need to have an almost km-long walk from Thailand immigration to Cambodia and fall in long lines. In Vietnam immigration, we just waited for few minutes for our passport to be stamped. You may want to check the immigration process from Vietnam to Cambodia here when I went back in 2019. But yes, it’s more easy.

My intention was to visit Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam every year. But because of COVID-19, it stopped the plan. But finally in 2023, I was able to do it again. This time, with my family and my brother’s girlfriend, Kyla.

At the border, I had my THB exchange to KHR. Tip: Do not try to exchange your money at the border. Money changers there have a bad deal. Also, you don’t need to exchange your money. Cambodian people accept anything there, especially USD. They also accept THB. In MNL, almost all money changers does not buy KHR.

Tuk tuk

TravelMart/Virak-Buntham offers a free tuk tuk service from their office to our hotel. My tuk tuk driver owns Siem Reap Angkor Transport Services. He offered me to avail a tour. I deposited KHR50,000 and at the end of the tour, I paid KHR50,000 – that is KHR100,000 in total. You may contact him through this number: 088 84 14 866 or 081 42 47 11 in WhatsApp. Depending on the price, you may choose from tuk tuk, car or van service.

Cambodia currently offers visa-free travel to nationals of 9 countries, including the Philippines. Philippine passport holders are visa-exempt in Cambodia up to 21 days.

What you need to know about Cambodia

  1. Bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east
  2. The official religion is Theravada Buddhism
  3. The capital and largest city is Phnom Penh, the political, economic, and cultural centre of Cambodia
  4. The kingdom is an elective constitutional monarchy
  5. The Vietnam War extended into the country with the US bombing of Cambodia from 1969 until 1973
  6. When French Indochina was given independence, Cambodia lost hope of regaining control over the Mekong Delta as it was awarded to Vietnam
  7. Rainy season is May to October
  8. The garment industry represents the largest portion of Cambodia’s manufacturing sector
  9. Agriculture is the traditional mainstay of the Cambodian economy
  10. Cambodians drink plenty of tea, grown in Mondulkiri Province and around Kirirom
  11. Currency is Cambodian riel (KHR)
  12. Commonly-used transportation is tuk tuk

What you need to know about Siem Reap

  1. A popular resort town and a gateway to the Angkor region
  2. The name “Siem Reap” can be translated to mean “Defeat of Siam” (siem in Khmer)
  3. European visitors had visited the temple ruins much earlier in 1586
  4. Siem Reap was little more than a village when French explorers “re-discovered” Angkor in the 19th century
  5. Frenh acquired Angkor in 1907 following a Franco-Siamese treaty
  6. Local specialty is rice wine

What you need to know about Angkor

  1. Derived from the Sanskrit nagara (नगर), meaning “city”
  2. The principal temple of the Angkorian region, Angkor Wat, was built between 1113 and 1150 by King Suryavarman II

What you need to know about Phnom Penh

  1. Literally, “Penh’s Hill”, Phnom Penh takes its name from the present Wat Phnom (“Hill Temple”)
  2. Water Festival is the largest annual festival in Phnom Penh, which celebrates the reversing of the flow of the Tonlé Sap river

Here’s a 2018 video from my Phnom Penh trip.

Phnom Penh

After a tiring but fulfilling conference, I went to Phnom Penh from Ho Chi Minh. It took me almost 5 hours to get there via bus thru Kumho Samco.

 

I took GrabTuktuk to get to my hotel, Ohana Phnom Penh Palace Hotel. Tip: Always take GrabTuktuk instead of asking Tuktuk drivers to bring you to your hotel. Some drivers add up charges up to USD10 (KHR40,000) to your bill if they know that you are a tourist. I was only charged KHR6,500 by GrabTuktuk from the bus station to my hotel. I did not have high expectation for this hotel but I was wrong. With USD37.80, I was able to book a deluxe double room for a night, inclusive of a buffet breakfast, plus it has a pool at the ground floor and a cold pool and jacuzzi at the rooftop, with a view of Mekong river.

Ten minutes from the hotel, I went to the National Museum to Cambodia to watch Plae Pakaa Cambodia Living Arts Show. I bought a ticket amounting to PHP729 in Klook for a Section A seat (middle, first five rows). I must say that this is the best cultural show that I ever watched. The show starts at 7PM everyday. The love the message the founder wants to convey – encourage and teach the next generations to embrace music and arts, not weapons; chose peace, not war.

 

The next day, I met my Cambodian friend from KPMG, Sophea, We walk around the Royal Palace and she drove me to Wat Phnom. She also showed me the new establishments in Phnom Penh. Wat Phnom’s interior has a central altar complex with a large bronze seated Buddha. This is open daily with USD1 entrance fee.

My brother told me that the best experience that he had in Cambodia was our Khmer Cooking Class. We took a morning class so that we can have whatever output for lunch. LOL. Luckily, we were the only group taking the class that day so it was like a small private class for us. We were picked up via tuktuk, then visited a local market. Sorya gave us a tour and introduced to us some local and native products. Each of us had to prepare a starter, main dish, vegetables and a dessert. We decided to try everything so we allocated the dishes to each of us. For me, I chose green mango salad with dry shrimp, tom yam seafood with Khmer spice, vegetable tempura and banana with coconut milk. It’s more than a family bonding for us. Sorya and Sivorn taught a lot of techniques and helped us the best way they can.

Where to eat

Yi Sang Restaurant

Sophea took me to Yi Sang Restaurant in the riverside for a breakfast. In 2023, I also brought my family here. It’s always nice to see the Tonle Sap River / Mekong River from here.

Harry’s Phnom Penh

When we arrived in Phnom Penh, that was 16 April 2023. That’s Khmer New Year. From the roads of the Cambodian immigration to Phnom Penh’s, we were welcomed by water. Yes, water throwing during the New Year. That’s songkran. Thankfully, we were on a bus. We decided to celebrate Khmer New Year in this restaurant. Its speciality is steak and grilled dishes.

Sikgaek Korean Restaurant

If you are looking for a Korean cuisine, Sikgaek offers the best samgyup experience. When you enter the restaurant, the receptionist will guide to a private room. It’s best for families visiting Phnom Penh.

La Croisette

How to beat summer heat? Ice cream maybe? La Croisette is known for this but it also offers breakfast and burgers. If you stay upstairs, you get a view of the Sisowath Riverside Park.

From Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, we took a hotel bus Mey Hong Transport. One ticket is only USD10. It has a good space for sleep. The bus requires you to put your shoes in a plastic before entering. It’s clean and has a good lighting.

Siem Reap and the Angkor

If you want temple run, do not miss Siem Reap! Here, you can find Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious monument. In 2018, my tuk tuk driver picked me up in my hotel at 4:30AM and we went straight to the ticketing office to buy Angkor Pass for one day. Starting February 2017, price increased to USD37 from USD20. While for a three-day and seven-day pass, it now cost USD62 and USD72. The one-day ticket is valid only on the day of purchase. The three-day access is valid for ten days from the date of purchase. You can choose which three days you wish to visit the Angkor temples on. The seven-day access is valid for one calendar month from the date of purchase. You can choose which seven days you wish to visit the Angkor temples on. The opening hours of the ticketing office and the Angkor Park are:

  • Angkor Ticket Center – Open daily, 5AM-5:30PM
  • Angkor Wat and Srah Srang – Open daily, 5AM-5:30PM
  • Phnom Bakheng and Pre Rup – Open daily from 5AM-7PM
  • All other temples – Open daily from 7:30AM-5:30PM
    Note: For Phnom Kulen and Beng Mealea, you will need to buy an extra ticket to visit these
Angkor Pass

I had a photo taken at the counter for my Angkor Pass. The ticket is non-transferable and non-refundable. Important: Keep your Angkor Pass while you are at the Angkor site. If you lose a one-day ticket, the penalty is USD100. For a three-day and seven-day tickets, USD200 and USD300, respectively. You do not need to give back the Angkor Pass to the ticketing office – it’s yours. You may now purchase your ticket online here.

Let us start the tour!

Angkor Wat

Tourists wake up early to see sunrise in this central feature of the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas adorning its walls.

Angkor Thom

Meaning “large city”, which can be accessed through 5 city gates, one on each cardinal point and the Victory Gate on the eastern wall. At the centre of the city is Jayavarman’s state temple, the Bayon, with the other major sites clustered around the Victory Square immediately to the north.

Ta Keo

A temple-mountain, possibly the first to be built entirely of sandstone by Khmers.

Ta Prohm

Meaning “Ancestor Brahma”, founded by the Khmer King Jayavarman VII as a Mahayana Buddhist monastery and university.

Banteay Kdei

Meaning “A Citadel of Chambers”, its structures are contained within two successive enclosure walls, and consist of two concentric galleries.

Preah Khan

Meaning “sacred sword”, built in the 12th century for King Jayavarman VII to honor his father.

Other temples

A number of significant temples you may visit include Ta Som, Pre Rup and Neak Pean. These temples may be visited along the grand circuit or the small circuit routes.

So here’s a funny story when I was at Angkor with my family. I knew that we should not talk to those ladies and gentlemen, offering a photo of you with Angkor as the backdrop at USD1. But my mom and dad would like to try it. We did. The lady took a family picture, couple pictures and my solo. Surprise, not USD1 for the whole service but USD1 per one click. But still worth the price. She has good photography skills.

Floating villages

There are three floating villages around Siem Reap – Kompong Khleang, Kompong Phluk, Chong Kneas, with Kompong Khleang considered the most authentic. You may want to visit them after your temple run.

Nightlife in Siem Reap

At night, Siem Reap comes alive with lights and music. That’s because of the world-famous Pub Street, where majority of bars, restaurants, street stalls and souvenir shops are concentrated. I must say that Cambodians are good businessman – even young children know how to deal with customers. When I went back there in 2023 with my family, it has improved a lot – more clean and organized.

Well, if you feel that Pub Street is not giving more exotic food, The Red and Green Curry Angkor Restaurant is here to satisfy you. From fried snake to deep fried frog to fried eel with ginger. The servers here are kids, and they memorize everything you say and they do the math without calculator!

If you are not still convinced, why not try Pizzeria Villaggio and try their famous crocodile burger!

Everytime I visit a certain country or region, I always ensure to watch a play or an act. The cultural show in Phnom Penh and Phare: The Cambodian Circus reflec the artistry and creativity of Cambodian people. I watched the Phare with my family in 2023. It currently holds the Guinness World Record on the longest circus show (24 hours). Our ticket includes social contributions (e.g. supporting Phare Ponleu Selpak School in Battambang, Cambodia, fair wages and benefits, providing jobs), operating expenses of the Big Top and ethical business practices. We personally met the cast and had a photo op. They are the funniest cast ever! The circus itself tells a story of Khmer Angkor Village people. While waiting for the show, there was a pre-show at the Phare Cafe.

Where did we stay in Siem Reap

Everytime I go to Siem Reap, I always prefer Little Prince Resort & Spa. The King Room cost me USD29 when I first went there. What I love about Little Prince Resort & Spa is the place itself. It is relaxing. It is a place where nature and modern world meet. The facilities are excellent – from the bed to the shower area and bath room. It has a pool. The two English-speaking staff are accommodating. They really represent Cambodian hospitality. I really want to go back there! Thanks to the team for a warm welcome and accommodation. In 2023, I only paid USD200 for four nights, for five people. See the generosity!

Cambodia is really exceptional. Thanks to the people and organizations behind the restoration and improvement projects of the cultural heritage. I hope tourism in Cambodia will improve the life of every Cambodian people, the economy of the nation, the transportation and education of its younger generation.

This ends the first series of my first Southeast Asian tour (with updated guide). Thank you for reading!

Here’s my 2018 video in Siem Reap, Cambodia:

For a detailed budget and suggested itinerary, visit my Indochina Tour Series 1 main page.

Please click the following links for the following travel guide:
Thailand
Vietnam

About the Author

Paul Michael Jaramillo
Paul Michael JaramilloChief Executive Editor
PJ is a CPA, writer, storyteller, environment and youth advocate. As a writer, his articles on national development were published in a Spanish newspaper and local news network Rappler. As a storyteller and environment advocate, his documentary films on mining and environment were featured by ABS-CBN News and GMA News. He launched his career as a CPA at KPMG in the Philippines in late 2015. He started his professional journey as an external auditor of a global workspace provider (the largest audit client of KPMG in the Philippines), global bank, leading MFCG in the Philippines and a number of shared service centres. As an auditor, his team won the KPMG Asia-Pacific Data & Analytics Challenge and coached the Philippine team that placed third to the KPMG GlobalRunner Cup. More than two years later, he led KPMG in the Philippines’ Network of Audit Innovators and Data & Analytics Champions and its academic arm, while serving as a member of the KPMG Asia-Pacific Audit Digital Transformation Workstream. He served as a member of the Audit Methodology Group and Root Cause Analysis Team of KPMG in the Philippines. He was a regular training facilitator of KPMG on audit methodology, innovation, data and analytics, professional standards and regulatory updates. He also served as a coach for newly promoted supervisors. PJ was also the Firm’s System of Quality Management Implementation Manager and a Workforce of the Future Champion. He was also a Sampling Specialist of the Firm. In 2019, PJ was a member of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA)’s Technical Working Group on Audit Methodology. PJ led in developing some of the innovative solutions of KPMG in the Philippines. Above all, PJ is a people investor. He invests on people who have potential and talents. That makes him a coach and mentor to some young professionals in the profession and served as a People Committee member of KPMG in the Philippines. He leads advocacy projects that help communities. He produces vlogs thru his YouTube channel, PJspirations which features stories of different individuals. As a volunteer, he is the Academic Master and Head Coach of PREMIER International Learning and Development Center, which provides coaching, mentoring, training and learning programs and platforms that promote growth and development in every individual’s life and career. He is also with the Middle East and Caspian regions of KPMG as a member of its Professional Practice group and Audit L&D for the Saudi Levant Cluster, providing subject matter knowledge and guidance on audit methodology, and learning and development programs to its offices. He is a proud Ilocano and a graduate of Northwestern University.

He also conducts #IamRemarkable sessions, a program initiated by Google for women and underrepresented groups.
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