Cambodia travel route. How much will it cost to travel to Cambodia from Pattaya on your own?

The visiting card of Cambodia is, of course, the Angkor temple complex. The classic one-day option for visiting the main attraction looks like this: you negotiate with a tuk-tuk driver (you can’t drive a motorbike around Angkor on your own), and he takes you to watch the sunset (it’s worth considering that there will be about 200 other people with you). The next morning you go to watch the sunrise (be sure to check the sunrise time on the Internet, as they often arrive an hour and a half earlier); Afterwards, spend the whole day moving from one temple to another. Those who do not want to share the mystical atmosphere of the temple ruins with a crowd of tourists should come here as soon as dawn (but the sun has not yet risen) and walk along the deserted corridors alone with the patterned bas-reliefs.

• When to visit Angkor: early morning before noon and after three o'clock in the afternoon.
• How to dress: light clothing covering shoulders and knees (respect temples and protect yourself from the sun).
• How to behave: Make friends with the tuk-tuk driver and arrange for him to take you to the temples in reverse order to avoid groups of tourists.
• What to take: Bring water, a hat and sunscreen.

No. 2. Siem Reap

In my opinion, Siem Reap is the most pleasant town in Cambodia. The infrastructure is well developed here, there are a lot of hotels for every taste, excellent service and very tasty cuisine. Due to the fact that Angkor is the main source of income from the tourism sector throughout Cambodia, everything here looks relatively prosperous.

A classic day for a traveler in Siem Reap looks like this: the morning and first half of the day are given over to Angkor, or spent in the arms of Morpheus after a stormy night the night before; after four o'clock in the afternoon everyone returns to the hotels, where they can swim in the pool or enjoy massages and spa treatments. When darkness falls, all the people flock to two points - Pub Street and the Night Market. In the market you will find many useful and useless goods, both local and Chinese. It is worth paying attention to scarves made of silk or cotton and various kitchen utensils carved from the trunk of a coconut tree. In addition to shopping at the night market, you can get a massage. In local restaurants you can try frogs and crocodile steak, and also unexpectedly catch an excellent concert of some little-known Filipino band.

• How many days to spend: minimum 3 days.
• What to do: circle Angkor-Spa-Shopping-Restaurant-Nightclub-Angkor and choose your favorite activity to repeat the next day.

No. 3. Battambang

Battambang is just a village compared to Siem Reap. But it’s convenient to stop here on the way to Phnom Penh for a day or two. The most interesting thing in the vicinity of the city is the mountain with the Phnom Sampeou temple. You can spend the whole day here, calmly climbing to the top and stopping along the way at quaint monuments and Buddha statues. Everything here seems to have been done by a big child - primitive, but at the same time very touching. This is probably where Alice would have ended up if she lived in Cambodia. In addition to the hill with the Phnom Sampo Temple, Battambang has another hill with the ruins of the Phnom Banan Temple, an abandoned Pepsi factory and a local attraction - the bamboo train.

• How many days to spend: maximum 2 days.
• What to do: Take a break from the hustle and bustle of Angkor Wat and meditate on the top of the hill.

No. 4. Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is a city of contrasts. Some are in a hurry to leave here as soon as possible so as not to see the dirt and poverty, while others happily walk along the wide avenue, visit palaces and temples, and in the evening sit on the Mekong embankment, drinking iced coffee and detachedly watching the life of the city . Phnom Penh is actively growing, clearing dirt and child prostitution from the central streets. It’s convenient to stop here for a day or two to see with your own eyes the city that was once the prosperous capital of Indochina, and then, deserted in the bloody seventies, stood for 4 years collapsing.

• How many days to spend: maximum 2-3 days.
• What to do: visit the main attractions (Wat Phnom on the hill, the Royal Palace, the National Museum of Cambodia, the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum), spend the evening on the Mekong embankment, join group aerobics on the square near the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument, try the whole variety of Khmer cuisine.

No. 5. Sihanoukville

And of course, the main resort place in Cambodia is Sihanoukville. Here you will find sand, sea, hotels for every budget size, delicious seafood, and noisy bars. In short, the ideal place to end your trip to Cambodia. If two days of lying on the beach are enough for you, and the spirit of adventurism haunts you, then feel free to go sailing around the nearby islands, taking a snorkeling mask with you. Stay longer on one of the uninhabited islands and imagine yourself as a character from the movie Cast Away.

• How many days to spend in Sihanoukville: minimum 5, or up to 2 weeks.
• What to do: enjoy a beach holiday, get a massage every day, go to a mini-cinema, go to the islands, climb Mount Bokor, meet everyone in bars.

No. 6. Bokor

Another interesting place that is unfairly missed by many travel agencies is Mount Bokor. It is located in the vicinity of a town with a cute name for the Russian ear Kampot, just two hours drive from Sihanoukville. At the top of the mountain there was once the residence of the king and a casino that was very popular in the 50s. Now all the buildings, including a church and a post office, are in disrepair and look like something out of a mystical thriller, especially when the fog creeps in. The unexpectedly eerie atmosphere and mountain coolness make it worth spending a day here.

Where to stay:

• Siem Reap:

The hotel is located in the very center, next to the bar street and market. Spacious modern rooms are suitable for young couples and groups of travelers.

Delightful cozy bungalows with gardens and a pond on site. A high level of service and its own theater are an excellent choice for discerning travelers.

• Battambang:

Nice hotel in the town center with a wide range of prices. There is a wonderful terrace on the roof where the restaurant is located.

Spacious modern rooms and good level of service. The hotel is located in a quiet location, but close to the center.

— a travel plan for the sights of an exotic country in Southeast Asia and a guarantee that your trip to the Khmer country will be successful. You can very easily create your itinerary based on your interests and in accordance with the number of days, using my article. I have traveled to Cambodia several times at different times of the year. I have accumulated a lot of experience, and based on it I have compiled several itineraries - from two days (for those who just want to drop into Cambodia), for a week or two (to see only the main attractions), to three weeks and a month for independent travelers in Kampuchea who want to thoroughly explore this country.

For a successful trip to Cambodia, it is better to plan and work out a route to famous attractions in advance and have a rough idea of ​​how the trip will go. You need to know in advance what exactly you want to see in Cambodia and what you expect from it. This will make it more convenient to travel and there will be no hassles or problems.

Cambodia is a poor country, but with a rich history. Now it distinguishes three main tourist destinations (for active trips and beach holidays):

1. Siem Reap and Angkor Temples- the greatness of the Khmer Empire and the wonders of medieval architecture. It is the other temples of the ancient Khmers that are the main attractions that all tourists watch, bring money to the budget and feed the country at the present time.
   All Siem Reap hotels with prices and reviews from tourists
2. Capital Phnom Penh, where you can get acquainted with the culture of the country - in museums and by visiting. Modern Cambodia will be found on the streets and on the embankment. Also near Phnom Penh there is the former capital of Cambodia - Udong, where it is worth visiting a beautiful temple on a hill. In the province of Takeo, near Phnom Penh, small temples from the pre-Angkorian period have been preserved, which are older than the temples of Angkor.
   Good hotels in Phnom Penh are better to book
3. Sihanoukville is a popular beach holiday destination in Cambodia. Although the beaches of Cambodia cannot compete with the best, but, as experienced travelers say, they are better than in Thai Pattaya. This is a relaxing holiday by the sea, which will be quite reasonable after a busy tourist trip to the sights and immersion in the ancient history of this country.
   You can choose a good and inexpensive hotel in Sihanoukville follow this link >>

Gardens around the Throne Hall of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh

But upon a more detailed study of the country, it turns out that there is an interesting province near Sihanoukville Kampot is the birthplace of the famous black pepper in Cambodia, as well as a resort town Kep, where the French came to rest. Today it is a relaxing youth resort where you can stay inexpensively in bamboo houses and relax in hammocks.

Recently, a new direction of tourism has been actively developing in Cambodia - these are cities Battambang And Pailin- the birthplace of Cambodian gems.

And now you can safely travel to the eastern provinces of Cambodia - Mondulkiri And Ratanakiri, where it is interesting to learn about the life of ordinary Khmers, towards whom civilization is moving slowly. For now, it is better to visit natural attractions and mountain tribes with an experienced guide, so as not to expose yourself to danger, including due to mines that have not yet been cleared, left after the war.

As you can see, Cambodia offers a wide range of tourist destinations. And the traveler needs to decide on the time of the visit and buy tickets to Cambodia and book hotels where necessary.

Read also:

• Review article about what to bring from Cambodia as a souvenir

I offer several options for ready-made routes around Cambodia, based on my experience visiting this country.

Mr. Samet takes us around the sights of Siem Reap in his tuk-tuk (or rather remorse)

A short route around Cambodia for the lazy - 3 days

At the very short route in Cambodia You can include a visit to the main attraction of the Khmer country - the Angkor temples in Siem Reap. You can even try to squeeze highlights into one full day, and leave the other two days for travel between and. The easiest way to travel along this route is to pre-purchase plane tickets from Bangkok to Siem Reap and fly to Angkor airport, then you will be able to allocate two whole days to different temples of Angkor and a visit to the main attraction of Cambodia - Angkor Wat!

Here is a three-day Cambodia itinerary for those who are short on time:

• 1st day— arrival at or arrival by plane at Angkor airport. You can buy cheap plane tickets.
• 2nd day— inspection of the temples of Angkor by or by.
• Day 3- transfer from Siem Reap to Bangkok by bus and taxi, or inspection of other temples of Angkor (for example, Beng Melia or the death pyramids of Koh Ker) and evening by plane.

Our first visit to Cambodia took place along this route. Traveling independently in Thailand, we went to Cambodia for a few days. In two full days we managed to see almost all the nearby ones and got rich impressions, and also visited a couple of distant ones - the ancient city with the pyramid of Koh Ker and the atmospheric Beng Melia temple, hidden in the jungle of Cambodia.

It took us almost two more days to get on buses and planes from, as well as return to Thailand and go by train to the south, to.

Buddhist monks at Angkor Wat

Cambodia itinerary for a week or 10 days

In a week in Cambodia you can see the main attractions and relax a bit on the beach. I recommend the following program for visiting Cambodia in 1 week:

• Visit the city Siem Reap and see many of the temples of Angkor (3 days);
• Get to know the capital of Cambodia - Phnom Penh (1 day);
• Relax on the beaches of Sihankuville (2 days).

This is the simplest and most optimal route, during which you will see the most important thing that Cambodia has. The route will be eventful and rich in impressions, but the last days on the beach will help you relax and unwind.

Read our detailed guides to the cities of Cambodia:

• Siem Reap - all practical information about the city:
• Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia:

Do not forget that you also need to allocate time for moving between cities one day at a time, as well as for the days of arrival and departure. Everything will depend on the transport you choose. Planes are faster, but more expensive. Buses are very inexpensive, but take a long time.

If you really only have a week in Cambodia, then it’s worth shortening your days in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville to spend them on travel, and it’s better to fly to Cambodia itself by plane. But if you have ten days, then the three days added to the week will be spent moving between cities.

Children from the floating village easily navigate the boat on Tonle Sap Lake

Cambodia travel itinerary for two weeks

If you have two weeks, you can no longer rush so much and include various interesting cities and temples near the main attractions in your standard route. This way you can learn much more about this amazing country.

• For example, a visit to the temples of Angkor can be spread over four to five days and even a trip to the famous Preah Vihear, over which Thailand and Cambodia periodically fight. Visit and atmospheric, and also go on an excursion to the floating villages.
• See everything and then go to and to the former capital of Cambodia, Oudong, which will take 2 days.
• And in Sihanoukville, relax on one of the many beaches, and also visit the islands, Ruam National Park (it is better to spend 3-5 days for this).

This was the itinerary for traveling around Cambodia for two weeks, including transfers.

Galleries of Ta Prohm Temple - Angelina Jolie's temple in Cambodia and tree roots

Cambodia travel program - three-week itinerary

Cambodia travel itinerary for three weeks will allow you to add additional cities and attractions to the above two-week itinerary. I propose the following large route, detailed by day:

As a result, together with all the transfers or flights, it will be possible to spend about three weeks in Cambodia.

Interestingly, in this case, a circular route through Cambodia is obtained, which is convenient because it will end in the same place where it began. For example, you flew or arrived by land to Siem Reap, visited the temples of Angkor, went to Phnom Penh, then to the beaches and Kampot province. From there you can return to Phnom Penh and immediately go to Battambang. And then you can either return to Siem Reap and fly away, or go through the city of Sisapon to the border with Thailand.

Upon entry into Cambodia, all tourists at the border are given a visa for 30 days. All these days can be used for sightseeing in Cambodia. Despite the fact that a whole month seems like a lot, you need to be more careful when planning your route, since now you can visit all the interesting places scattered throughout Cambodia.

When planning a route around Cambodia for a month (4 weeks), you should definitely pay attention to the following attractions:

The total is 24 days of travel throughout Cambodia, during which you can see all the sights, and 6 days will be spent traveling between cities.

Tropical paradise in Cambodia

If you start your visit to Cambodia from Siem Reap, then you should devote a week to the temples of Angkor, then go to Battambang, and from there stop by Pailin. The next point will be the capital Phnom Penh and other attractions nearby - Udong and the Pre-Angora temples.

The relaxing beaches of Sihanoukville and Kampot province with its national parks are a short break on the itinerary.

And then you will need to return to Phnom Penh and go to the towns of Krati or Stung Treng (depending on which hill tribes you want to visit). Afterwards you will need to return to Siem Reap and fly away. Or go to, if you are traveling to several countries in Southeast Asia at once.

If you arrived in Phnom Penh

If the first city of your trip to Cambodia is Phnom Penh, then I suggest the following route:

• Phnom Penh and surroundings
• Kampot, Kep and Phnom Bokor
• Sihanoukville and islands
• Battambang
• Pailin
• Siem Reap and Angkor Temples
• Hill tribes of the eastern provinces
• Return to Phnom Penh

We can absolutely say that such a trip to Cambodia for a whole month will be very memorable and you can consider that you have seen the whole of Cambodia.

Hotels with discounts on RoomGuru

Cambodia is an underexplored destination in Southeast Asia. Tourists are mainly offered two-day excursions from Thailand or Vietnam. But it’s much more interesting to explore this amazing country on your own.

Flight.
There are no direct flights from Russia to Cambodian cities. You can get to Siem Reap with either one change in Bangkok, Seoul or Guangzhou, or with two changes. But the simplest thing is to fly first to Ho Chi Minh City or Bangkok to relax there for a while, and then take a ticket on local airlines.
Flight cost: from Moscow or St. Petersburg to Bangkok you can buy a ticket for 18–20 thousand rubles, if you follow airline promotions. A plane from Bangkok to Siem Reap will cost about 2 thousand, from Ho Chi Minh City - about 5 thousand. Siem Reap - Sihanoukville: about 4 thousand rubles one way.
From Thailand or Vietnam you can get to Cambodia by bus, it will be cheaper, but the road is quite long and tiring.
There is no need to worry about a visa in advance; it is issued at the border.

Siem Reap.
People from all over the world come to this small town to look at the unique temple complex discovered by the French. Incredible stone structures amaze the imagination and impress even the most experienced.
At dawn, people leave to see the temples, and in the evening they walk the streets and sit in cafes and bars. Since there is no sea, most stay only one or two days. Siem Reap has a unique atmosphere filled with speech in different languages, movement and a sea of ​​people. If you are not a fan of discos and bars, you can get a Thai massage or foot massage in the evening, it costs only 5-10 dollars.
From the airport, you can ask the taxi driver to take you to the city center, where there is always a place in one of the hotels. Price per room: from 20 dollars per day. Any taxi driver will be happy to take you to see the temples, with whom it is better to negotiate the evening before. The trip lasts from 5-6 am until approximately noon.

Phnom Penh.
In the capital of Cambodia, all the contrasts inherent in this mysterious country are fully manifested. On the street you can see luxury Lamborghinis and pedicabs. Wealth coexists with extreme poverty. Tourists in the capital visit temples, as well as the “Killing Fields” near the city, where they can understand the entire Pol Pot regime and the tragedy of an entire nation.

Sihanoukville.
Coastal city built by the French.
This is simply an ideal place where a traveler can recuperate. Warm calm sea, fruit markets, smiling locals who know how to enjoy life and incredibly beautiful children. At the same time, you can find completely deserted beaches, for example, Otros Beach, where instead of palm trees, large larches grow on the shore. On any beach there is always a free bungalow at a price of 20-30 dollars for two.

What to eat.
Prices in cafes on the seashore are not at all high. Of course, there are a lot of seafood and rice dishes here. One of the national Cambodian dishes is amok - fish, poultry or seafood cooked in coconut milk with spices. There are many Italian restaurants on the central beach of Serendipity, where they also serve pizza.

Safety.
Like most countries in Southeast Asia, Cambodia is completely safe for independent travel if you follow the general rules that apply in any country: do not walk on the streets late at night, beware of pickpockets in crowded places, do not wear diamond jewelry on the beach, be polite to locals residents and understand that you are not at home.

What to pay attention to.
Khmers (Cambodians) are very friendly people, but in tourist places you have to keep your eyes open, you can bargain everywhere, as the price is often very high from the start.
At the border you can meet “Ostap Benders” offering to exchange money for the local currency, riel, at a very unfavorable rate. And those who claim that there will no longer be an opportunity to change money anywhere. In fact, in Cambodia you can pay in dollars everywhere, and it is much more profitable.
Many locals speak fairly good and understandable English.
Cambodia is not yet as “spoiled” by tourists as Thailand, so prices here are slightly lower.
Souvenirs. Here you can buy beautiful wood products, jewelry with semi-precious stones, cotton clothes, and pictures of temples.
Don't forget to take out insurance before your trip.

Cambodia is becoming more and more popular every year, so don’t put off your trip to this wonderful country, which will give you vivid memories for a lifetime.

Where it all started

Our story began simply and simply. A stuffy summer Moscow office... I still remember the first time I saw it. He walked down the corridor in a gray suit and I, like all dreamy girls, thought that here he was, the man of my dreams. Like Carrie Bradshaw (the heroine of the popular female television series “Sex and the City”), I had to try to be noticed, appreciated and loved. 4 years of work, friendly communication and quarrels have passed. I changed, and so did he. Winter has come to Moscow. The time has come for New Year's corporate parties and so, finally, WE appeared. Galya and Ruslan.

First trip. Vietnam!

Our very first trip took place 3 months later, we flew to Vietnam, Hoi An. We had too much baggage from the past and we were getting used to each other again and getting to know each other, so Hoi An was both forever remembered by us and also erased from our memory. It has become too personal a city for us. Traveling has taught us to understand and hear each other, as well as the wonderful surrounding world that is new and so different from ours, so perhaps the phrase that travel is the best teacher would be appropriate here. Because this is really true.

Therefore, I want to tell you about our second journey - Cambodia, magnificent in its beauty and so distant and unhappy for its own people.

Travel to Cambodia

Since we decided that we would never go to corporate events again (you never know how it could end up ☺), for our trip we chose the glorious month of December, already far away in 2014. When everyone in Moscow is wrapping up warmly and preparing food for the most important night of the year, we decided to bask in the sun and enjoy the spicy taste of local cuisine.

It turned out that you can’t just fly from Moscow to Cambodia, there are no direct flights. Yes, and you still need to get a visa. And the sea and Anchor are located in different parts of the country. Call! A real traveler would think. Call! I thought too and got down to business. Plans, budget calculations, reservations and finally we are on the plane. It was very scary to fly. What awaits us there? Will we be able to travel from north to south on our own? But I have the perfect man with me, I thought. And he knows English well, so why should I be afraid? Moreover, I’m already sitting on the plane and there’s nowhere to go anyway).

Visa. Everything is simple here, there are 2 options, you can buy it upon arrival for 25 dollars after standing in line, or just buy it on the Internet https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ paying 28 dollars and print it in two (or better yet in three, and if you are sloppy or confused, then in ten copies on a color printer (this is important for them, because there is a photo!) One printout is taken by the customs officers upon arrival, another upon departure, and just in case.

Flights. There are two airports in Cambodia, in the north of the country, where the Ankor Wat temple complex is located, and in the capital. We decided to take it to Siem Reap to immediately begin exploring the country from the Ankor Wat complex. We bought tickets in August and they cost us almost 70 thousand for two. But! We flew for the New Year holidays and transited through Korea (we were lucky, Russia just canceled visas on January 1 and we took enough time to admire the sights of another new country for us). By the way, now the cheapest Aeroflot ticket costs 43 thousand per person with one transfer in Shanghai. There are still no direct flights, and the price has increased during the crisis... You can, of course, fly to the capital, Phnom Penh, if your goal is the sea. But is it worth flying such a difficult route without visiting some of the main attractions of Asia to the South China Sea, when there are direct tickets to Vietnam?

Returning to my memories... The plan seemed ideal to me: We fly to Siem Reap, stay there for 2 days, admire the Ankor temple complex, take a night bus to Phnom Penh (12 hours), admire the Royal Palace, be horrified by the genocide museum and take a second bus to sea ​​(4 hours).

It’s worth clarifying right away that Anchor Watt is located at a fairly decent distance from the city and it’s almost impossible to get there, buy tickets and get around everything yourself. We allocated two days (Ruslan could have spent his whole vacation there, but I really wanted to swim) and it was decided that we would go broke and take an excursion.

After looking through a mountain of sites, for example, I was upset, everything was very expensive and usually the excursion was divided into two days - into a large and small circle (each excursion costs $100 per person). And I really wanted to go to Phnom Kulen National Park. It was here that King Jayavarman II laid the foundation for modern Cambodia in 802 by declaring the independence of the Khmer state. At the highest point of this mountain there is a small temple located on a stone ledge, in which there is a statue of Buddha. For some reason, I really like Buddha statues and really wanted to go there too.

But, really, everything in life happens for a reason... At lunch in the office, I got into a conversation with a colleague who, it turns out, lived all last winter in Cambodia and traveled the length and breadth of it with a Ukrainian who moved from Poland, who previously sold souvenirs, and now carries Russian-speaking tourists . He offered his services for 300 bucks for two for the whole day, Anchor (the best of the big and small circle). We paid entrance tickets separately, $20 per person for Anchor Watt and also for Phnom Kulen. Expensive, but you only live once... Cambodia is a very expensive country in some ways (sights, domestic flights), but in some ways you feel like a king, buying beer for 0.5 cents...

Adventures in Cambodia

The adventure began as soon as we arrived at the hotel. The beautiful picture of the booking did not coincide at all with what we saw - a mattress on the floor and a hole in the floor as a shower... It was one in the morning, we were supposed to be picked up for the excursion at 4 in the morning, I was on the verge of panic/hysteria.

The hotel employees, after we filed a complaint with them, told us that they had posted the best room on booking and we needed to pay another 20 bucks for it, but it was still occupied now... Then they completely stopped understanding English. I wanted to go with my suitcases and look for another hotel, but my husband decided that sleep was more expensive, it wasn’t worth spoiling my vacation and it was easier to pay extra.

The analogue of the “best” room had old furniture, separate beds and there was no soundproofing at all, so I personally never managed to fall asleep, I enjoyed the loud beats of the nearby bar street... Tan Kang Angkor Hotel, I really don’t recommend it) How Our guide later told us, and also, according to the experience of our friends who went the next year and found them in a similar situation in the capital, this is a common practice among Cambodians. And here no one is safe. Upon arrival, I wrote a letter to booking, but they didn’t even answer me.((

Anchor. He is beautiful. I don't know what to write about him. It needs to be seen. Just like the Eiffel Tower of Paris. This is a kind of Eiffel Tower of Asia. A little advice: to enjoy the deserted and deserted Ankor, you need to go to its opening, at 5 am, almost at dawn, otherwise all the beauty will be lost behind the crowd of Chinese tourists.

By the way, I’m wearing a stupid T-shirt with a Smurf... in such a place... and all because women need everything to be covered, otherwise they won’t be able to enter many temples, Cambodians sacredly revere this place, and I only had one T-shirt with me((

National park in Cambodia

But even more than Anchor, I was impressed by the national park. We drove along a mountain serpentine to the top of the sacred mountain Phnom Kulen (on the road sometimes it seemed as if there was no road at all; in the jeep we were shaking as if we were riding a bicycle over bumps), namely to the statue of the 8-meter Reclining Buddha in Temple 16 century Preh Ang Thom, carved right on the top of the rock.

Buddhist pilgrims from all over Cambodia come here to worship the Great Buddha. The monk here tied a red thread for me for good luck. It is different from the white thread that is tied for a wish in Thailand (by the way, my thread came undone after 2 hours and my wish came true, so it works!) Next we went down to the stream of 1000-lingams, delivered on elephants from India in 802 .

The river bottom is almost completely covered with stone carvings. At different times of the year, at the bottom you can see stones of the male (lingams) and female (eni) origins. According to Khmer beliefs, water flowing through the lingams and yenis becomes healing. Therefore, many Khmers come here in search of health. Then we swam in the waterfall and saw a circular rainbow (I really didn’t want to get into the icy water, but the guide said that it was impossible to drive such a distance and miss such beauty and practically pushed me into the water, which I was then very grateful for).

Trip to Phnom Penh

The next day we planned to go for a walk in Ankor on our own, but we were so tired that after sleeping for 12 hours we just went for a walk around the city. In addition, we had a goal, we needed to get to the next point of our journey - the capital Phnom Penh.

Initially we planned to take night buses, but the guide said, guys, why? Everyone travels this way, because no one simply knows that you can travel by boat on the Mekong. At the same time, he said, you will see floating villages, also consider it an excursion. We were simply fired up by this idea; by the way, finding a travel agency that provided this service was as easy as shelling pears. As long as the river does not overflow its banks, this is a frequent way of transportation. By the way, it cost a little more. If a bus to Phnom Penh would have cost us 15 bucks per person, here we paid 20. Having booked everything and happy, we went to eat, not knowing what awaited us tomorrow morning.

Pay attention to the last two lines))

The person who was supposed to pick us up and our suitcase was an hour late. I panicked, Ruslan was waiting. We were about to go to yesterday’s travel agency to find out how two motorbikes arrived, the three of us were riding on one, our suitcase was on the second) When they brought us to the square to a group of foreigners, we thought, oh, great, then everything will be fine. But fate is an insidious thing)

The bus that was supposed to take us to the pier was crowded and it was simply impossible to get on it, we thought that it’s okay, there are about 30 of us left here, another one will arrive, we’ll wait. But a truck arrived... you know, the one in which animals are transported in Texas in American films? This is the truck they put us in)

We rode like herrings in a barrel, jumping up and falling on each other on any bump in the road. But, apparently, only positive people go to Cambodia, everyone was having fun, when will you ever ride like that, pressed on one side by an Englishman, and on the other by a laughing Frenchman. The branch that hit me on the head (by luck, I was standing on the edge) dampened my ardor a little, but it set the topic for fun for another couple of kilometers.

A boat... it really was a boat) And there was even enough space for almost everyone)) The rest were taken to the roof. We were glad that we had time to take our seats for exactly two hours, then the bottom flooded and our feet were ankle-deep in cold water. And we also climbed onto the roof. Here the trip became cool, we enjoyed the view, the Cambodians were immediately selling beer and nuts. We sailed like this for 4 hours. It’s a pity that no one thought of selling protective cream (((And the suitcases were securely packed... I burned like never before in my life, even my ears were peeling off))) But, impressions for life) In addition, Ruslan fell into the water glasses, then we'll be back))

In Phnom Penh, I didn’t want anything more than to check in quickly, wash and put on sunscreen, so we immediately took a tuktuk. Well, to be honest, I missed this moment and didn’t study the location of our hotel. We paid 5 bucks and rode around the capital for half an hour, although as it turned out later it was only a five-minute walk)))

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is the capital. The king lives here. Siem Reap is a village in comparison. In the morning we had breakfast (we were lucky, the hotel was wonderful, they even booked us a bus to the seaside of Sihanoukville, it cost $11 per person and brought us to the reception).

We had a goal in the capital. Ruslan is interested in history and really wanted to go to the genocide museum. To be honest, the only thing more terrible is the museum in Hanoi, where the Vietnamese thought of planting mannequins in the image of victims. I couldn’t even make it to the end; I sat waiting for him on a bench, watching cute Cambodian girls jumping over a rubber band.

Our vacation then proceeded without incident. We booked a plane back from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap. The way home was very difficult - as many as 3 transfers, I probably will never dare to do this again, it is very difficult. We paid 16 thousand for a one-way plane for two. There, too, they wanted to scam us out of money, not allowing our bag with carry-on luggage onto the plane, supposedly it was too big. They asked for more than 100 euros, but I was no longer ready to pay them for anything more, considering the ticket prices, I took out winter clothes and told Ruslan to get dressed. Here they probably thought what kind of crazy foreigners were, when I was already buttoning my jacket and tying myself with a scarf (luckily there was an air conditioner in the room), we were allowed to take our bag for free into the cabin of the plane and we flew home!

And now photos of beautiful beaches (there are quite a lot of them, there is a lot to choose from), and in the evening all the beaches turn into parties with music, coastal cafes set up tables on the beach. But we liked going to family restaurants on the second line more; by the way, it was cheaper there.

The beaches are very beautiful... but there is one big problem! They steal there. In broad daylight, children run up, grab everything that is lying around and run away. I myself saw how a French woman’s glasses were stolen. Together we never went for a swim, unlike in Vietnam, where we did it all the time. An eye and an eye were immediately needed. This is a very unpleasant moment. People live very poorly, the same bracelets on the beach cost 1 dollar and the child just walks around begging to buy these bracelets from him, we took a few... besides, I love bracelets)

This concludes my huge story, thank you for reading! Somehow I didn’t expect it to be so long)) I hope it was informative!
If you are ready for such adventures, then you will definitely like it in Cambodia! It’s a pity, of course, that with the current exchange rate it has become less accessible.

P.S: On my own behalf, I would like to say a big thank you for your site) While in Nha Trang, we were looking on the Internet for where to eat, what was recommended, and I came across your site with a description of a local restaurant, we became regulars there until the end of the vacation, we really liked it) Sami We would probably be afraid to go into such a cafe) And now I’m studying your articles about Gelendzhik, because 9 months ago a new traveler was born in our family and this Sunday this young guy is going on his first trip - to the south of Russia. What am I talking about? Thank you very much for your site!

Cambodia is the country of the ancient civilization of the Khmer Empire, at various times called the Angkor Empire, the People's Republic of Kampuchea and the Kingdom of Cambodia. In Cambodia you will find magnificent sandy beaches, pristine islands washed by the crystal clear waters of the Gulf of Thailand.

And of course Angkor Wat - this gigantic temple complex was built by King Suryavarman II (900 years ago). The complex was “discovered” in the jungle for European civilization only in 1861 by the French traveler Henri Muot. In 1992, Angkor Wat was declared a world heritage site and is under the protection of UNESCO.
Reverse side:
Cambodia is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. Three decades of war and civil conflict have left several million mines scattered across this country. During the three and a half years of rule of the Khmer Rouge, 25% of the urban and 15% of the rural population of the country (about 1.7 million people) were destroyed. The wars only ended in 1989.

Concept

Independent travel from 03/17/2012 to 03/29/2012 (14 days) along the route Moscow - Thailand (Bangkok) - Cambodia (Siem Reap - Angkor Wat - Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville) - Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City) - Moscow.
Budget: 50,000 rubles per person.
Two main goals:
1. Get acquainted with the cultural heritage of the ancient Khmers (3 full days);
2. Beach holiday (3 full days).

Brief travel plan

Day 1 Flight from Moscow to Bangkok (Russia)
Day 2 Arrival in the “City of Angels” Bangkok (Thailand)
Day 3-6 Siem Reap, cultural treks to the temples and Angkor Wat complex (Cambodia)
Day 7 Phnom Penh, capital (Cambodia)
Day 8-11 Sihanoukville, beach holiday (Cambodia)
Day 12 Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnam)
Day 13 Departure from Ho Chi Minh City to Moscow (Russia)