Cambodia

Cambodia, a small but beautiful country, was our next destination after Laos and Vietnam.

We had debated for a long time whether to visit Cambodia, as Thailand and Cambodia had just started a war. However, after careful research and deciding to avoid the border regions, we decided to go ahead. Fortunately, we didn't experience any problems related to the war during our stay.

Our flight from Vientiane to Phnom Penh, our first stop in Cambodia, was quick. Even on the drive from the airport to the hotel, we noticed that Cambodia was significantly cleaner than Laos and Vietnam. While Laos was also cleaner than Vietnam, Cambodia stood out.besonders hervor.

Our hotel was fantastic, with a pool, a rooftop bar, and excellent service. Since we enjoyed the hotel and the city so much, we decided to extend our stay by two nights. We recommend staying at least three to four nights.

From the bar, we had a breathtaking view of the river and the Royal Palace. We didn't visit the Royal Palace itself, as the entrance fee only granted access to the grounds. The buildings are no longer open to the public, which is a real shame.

The next day, we took a tour of the Killing Fields and the museum where the people were tortured. It was harrowing to learn about the history of this place.

From mass graves to torture chambers – whether children, teenagers, or adults – they didn't care. It's simply heartbreaking what they did to their own people.

In the evening, we had a table reserved at what has become our favorite pizzeria. Pizza 4 Ps has served us many delicious meals in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi.

Afterward, we continued on to Siem Reap. We traveled by Red Bus, which was very comfortable and relatively quick.

There, too, we had great accommodation, although it was a bit dated.

Nevertheless, it was perfect: very friendly staff, everything clean and tidy. However, the rooms could use some work.

Breakfast was perfect, and the restaurant isn't bad either, but unfortunately, it has a very limited selection. But we were so busy exploring that we simply found good restaurants along the way.

We recommend at least three nights in Siem Reap. There's an incredible amount to discover.

We've always wondered why so many people fly to Cambodia, and now we know why.

Angkor Wat is something you absolutely must see and experience at least once in your life.

We spent two wonderful days at Angkor Wat and still haven't managed to see everything. We booked the tours through our hotel and were driven from one temple to the next all day long. Walking would have been far too much.

Unfortunately, we missed the famous sunrise over Angkor Wat, but the visit was still worthwhile. The beauty of the place is truly breathtaking.

On our last day, we learned just in time that Cambodia's famous theater had moved from Battambang to Siem Reap. We spontaneously bought tickets for the evening and would have been very disappointed if we had missed it. An absolute must-see!

Near the theater, we found a fantastic restaurant. It was a bit pricey, but the excellent cuisine and great atmosphere made it absolutely worth it.

Afterwards, we took the Red Bus to Battambang.

Unlike Siem Reap, which is impeccably maintained by the state, Battambang was in a sorry state. The roads were full of potholes and barely passable. We were glad we hadn't explored Cambodia by motorbike.

In Battambang, we also had a nice hotel, located a bit out of the way. It had a great pool and clean rooms. The breakfast took some getting used to, but it was okay. However, the drinks at the bar were incredibly expensive. They were the most expensive drinks we had seen in all of Asia. Unfortunately, you're woken up there at six in the morning by monks chanting their prayers over loudspeakers.

Upon our arrival, we met a tuk-tuk driver who offered us a fair price for several rides over the next few days. In the evening, he picked us up and took us 16 kilometers to the bat cave.

It was an impressive spectacle, but unfortunately, we couldn't see much because it started to rain. After a long wait, thousands of bats finally emerged from the cave—an incredible sight! We were soaked, but it was an experience you simply have to see.

Afterward, he took us to a fantastic pizzeria, where we immediately reserved a table for the next day.

The following day, after breakfast, we were picked up and taken to the bamboo train station. This was a real highlight! It was an exciting experience, but it must have been strenuous for the driver, who had to lift the carriage off the tracks when oncoming traffic approached, as the line consists of only one track.

The cool bamboo train in Battambang

Afterwards, he drove us around Battambang for a bit. In the evening, we went back to the pizzeria.

We had booked the bus again for the next morning and traveled back to Phnom Penh, which was more relaxing than going straight to Sihanoukville.

In Phnom Penh, we spent another night at the wonderful hotel, which wouldn't be the last time.

In the morning, we took the bus to Sihanoukville to catch the ferry to Koh Rong and Pagoda Beach. The beach was beautiful, and the resort was fantastic. Everything was clean, and the staff was incredibly friendly and helpful.

Unfortunately, I have to say that the island itself doesn't have much to offer. The coastline is breathtaking, but the interior isn't particularly impressive. Taxis and tuk-tuks are expensive, and the only other way to get around is by renting a scooter, which isn't exactly cheap either.

We stayed for twelve nights, which is far too long for this island. Five nights would have been ideal. However, we deliberately booked for that long to process the experiences of the past three months.

Our journey took us through Vietnam, Laos, and then Cambodia, and the break did us a world of good.

Von Koh Rong aus nahmen wir die Fähre zurück nach Sihanoukville, da es in der Nebensaison keine direkten Fähren nach Kampot gab. Daher fuhren wir erneut mit dem roten Bus. Wir waren froh, dass wir keine Nacht in Sihanoukville verbracht hatten, denn als wir durch die Stadt fuhren, bestätigte sich, was alle über sie sagten: Sie ist einfach nur hässlich.

Nach einer dreistündigen Fahrt über holprige Straßen für 70 Kilometer kamen wir in Kampot an und bezogen ein schönes Hotel mit Pool, Balkon und sehr freundlichem Personal, wie man es dort überall findet.

The next day, despite the changeable weather with occasional rain showers, we embarked on a tuk-tuk tour from the hotel. Our guide offered to drive us, which we accepted. Our first stop was a cave, which we reached after climbing over 230 steps. The cave itself wasn't particularly impressive, but the 17th-century temple inside was remarkable. Aside from that, there were only a few monkeys who seemed to enjoy sweets. We continued on to a reservoir, built during the Khmer period by thousands of people, many of whom died during its construction, hence its nickname, the Hidden Lake. At the far end of the lake, we visited one of Cambodia's many pepper plantations, home to some of the finest pepper and sea salt, also harvested in Kampot. We sampled many different varieties and then walked through the plantations to observe the different growth stages of the peppercorns.

We drove to the beach and the crab market near Kampot, a great market with many delicious treats to try. The crabs and the baby squid were delicious.

After five hours, we returned to the hotel to relax and end the day. The weather wasn't great the next day either. Nevertheless, we embarked on a day trip to the Borker Hils, where we had planned several stops. And right from the start, it was a fantastically beautiful tour in lovely weather.

Right on cue, it started to rain, and we got soaked at our first stop, the Black Temple. We visited a huge Buddha statue and then returned to the car. At the next stop, an old hotel with a casino, we got out even though it was pouring rain, and the building looked rather eerie in the downpour. Unfortunately, we had to skip the oldest Catholic church and the waterfall and cut the tour short. There wasn't much to do at the hotel besides relax on the balcony. The next morning, we took the red bus back to Phnom Penh.

In Phnom Penh, we stayed at the same hotel and spent a lovely day strolling along the river promenade.

We spent four weeks in this beautiful and friendly country and would travel there again in a heartbeat. This country is so impressive, it's impossible to put into words.

Then we continued on to our next adventure:

Thailand 🇹🇭.