| M Eidelman |
18 March 2002 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Seim Reap is very hot 35-41 C in mid-march. Be prepared for this since it is hard in these temperature to endure to much temple trotting in one day. I think that unless you are a real history or anthropology buff, 8 hours of time using a car to get around is more that enough time to appreciate Angor Wat and the surrounding temple's glory.
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| H Heinz |
28 February 2002 |
Stayed at Tai Seng Hotel - Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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Recommenden Restaurant: Foreign Correspondance Club at Riverside. Good Pizzas.To Kompong Som please take official trasportation means and not just a taxi at USD 45.
Be aware of (somtimes aggresivess) transvestites at Riverside, even if you would swear to talk to a lady, it's a man !
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| J Tinney |
13 February 2002 |
Stayed at Regent Park Hotel - Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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Phnom Penh is a very vibrant asian city. It has an air of faded grandeur and of hard times endured. The waterfront area has been done up and gentrified and is an attempt at le croisette on the mekong. The royal palace and national museum are worth a visit as is the russian market for shopping. The killing fields are out of town and are an eye opener, not for the fainthearted. There is a lot of poverty and deprivation in Phnom Penh and beggars acost you on the streets especially after dark. It is a very different destination and one which will not easily be forgotten.
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| C Yen nee |
07 February 2002 |
Stayed at Regent Park Hotel - Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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Nothing really very much. Usings lots of US$ but do prepare some Riel for a ride on the moto and for tippings.
The Airport tax is crazy!!! US$20. It is quite dark at night. try not to go out at night.
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| G Karas |
09 January 2002 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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No trip to SE Asia is complete without visiting
Angkor. Siem Reap is a very pleasant town,
although we were disgusted by the volumes of trash
floating in the river. It's also easily the most
overpriced city in SE Asia. In addition to the
hotels being way overpriced, the restaurants were
the most expensive in SE Asia, including, with
a couple of exceptions, most that we found in
Bangkok. We highly recommend a trip to the silk
farm outside of town, where you can see the entire process, from growing the mulberry and
works to the actual weaving. It was fascinating
and free!
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| D Schuebel |
03 January 2002 |
Stayed at Cambodiana Hotel - Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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You need a car with a driver, which the hotel helps you to find. We visited downtown Phnom Penh and were quite shocked about the garbage mountains everywhere. This was quite a contrast to the fabuluous Royal Palace compound and the National Museum. We also visited the nightmare Genocide Museum and found it rather tasteless that 'normal' souvenir stands can be found outside such a dark place.
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| C Severn |
02 January 2002 |
Stayed at Sofitel Royal Angkor - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Angkor Wat is of course a fantastic place to visit. A few comments - busy times seem to be early mid morning, say about 9-11am. Bayon for example was so busy when I visited that it spoiled the atmosphere completely, but it was almost empty at lunchtime, though admitedly hotter. Ta Prohm was beautiful and empty at 8am. Bantay Srei is small and mobbed by large groups so patience is needed to get a shot free of other people.
I travelled with two children under 2 years. Angkor Wat can be managed this way and even our one pushchair was ok, through make it a light one since there are quite a few steps in places. Other temples will need either a pouch/backpack for babies, or leave them with babysitters as we did about half the time.
The trip to Tonle Sap lake is an interesting diversion, though some goups seemed to be very crowded on their boats where we had a boat to ourselves for the same price.
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| T Brewer |
07 November 2001 |
Stayed at Sofitel Royal Angkor - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Since I had only 4 days, I stayed with visiting the temples. Plenty to see. I got around by motorbike after the first day as my original car driver lost track of me when he dropped me off the first day. I ended up walking extensively when I couldn't find him. I finally got a ride from a motorbike driver, who I hired as my guide for the next 3 days. He was excellent. The original car driver showed up at the hotel later that afternoon and wanted to get paid for the day! I paid him his $20.
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| M Cook |
24 October 2001 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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The Angkor Temples were fasinating!! The infrastructure in Seim Reap is sad. During the rainy season the roads are more mud rivers than roads. Suggest that people should wait a few years to visit to allow the roads and sewers to improve. We saw signs of improvement on one road, but it will take time. Not much else worth seeing in the area except the Angkor Temples. Private guide ($20/day) and private car/driver (also $20/day) worked great. The people are very, very friendly. The food at the hotel was average. We enjoyed the food at a nearby restaurant (Bayon) where we had two big dinners which were less than $10/person.
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| M Buckley |
03 September 2001 |
Stayed at Angkor Village Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Decide when entering any temple complex if you want a guide or not. If not then just say 'no thanks' to the officials who often start chatting friendly and walking with you and before you know it become self-appointed guides (who will of course politely ask for a few dollars at the end).
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Traveller's Tales: Advise for travellers in Cambodia
