two weeks in Cambodia?
Discussion
It's a small country, 2 weeks you could do a lot, I was there for a week had 4 days round Siem Reap, I.e. AW which is a decent sized area with the best temples off the main area. I the went to Tonle Sap look round there, floating villages, but then instead of a boat to Phnom Penh got a bus as advised by the locals, better experience, only tourists go by boat, stayed there for 3 days. Another week would be plenty to go further down the river to the beaches.
Just got back from Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam.
How old are you guys, we were a group of 21 year olds so can recommend boozy hostels and places to go drink?
If you want beaches see if its possible to fly into phu quoc island - its actually in Vietnam but I think if you fly in you don't need a visa. I was there about 4 weeks ago, its very very nice.
Do the killing fields and see S21. One of the most harrowing things I've ever seen.
If you want you can shoot guns for about $40 for 30 bullets. I shot an M16.
The people are very friendly and a lot speak good English/or just want to learn, talk to them!
Crossing the border from Thailand by land is basically a competition of who can rip of you off the most - ignore everyone and walk over the border, get your passport stamped out of Thailand then find the Cambodia visa office, pay for $20 plus a small bribe in Thai Bhat and join the stamping queue. A lot quicker and cheaper than going to the 'visa offices' on the Thai side of the border.
There are places to do jungle treks etc if thats up your street, we didn't do one there so can't really comment about that. If you have the time it could be worth considering flying into Vietnam? Hanoi and the north is amazing, Saigon is good but not close to the north. The national park in northern Vietnam is one of the most stunning places I've been, plus it has the biggest cave in the world.
But yeah, I literally got back 5 days ago from 2 months out there, let me know if you want recommendations of places to stay/drink/etc!
How old are you guys, we were a group of 21 year olds so can recommend boozy hostels and places to go drink?
If you want beaches see if its possible to fly into phu quoc island - its actually in Vietnam but I think if you fly in you don't need a visa. I was there about 4 weeks ago, its very very nice.
Do the killing fields and see S21. One of the most harrowing things I've ever seen.
If you want you can shoot guns for about $40 for 30 bullets. I shot an M16.
The people are very friendly and a lot speak good English/or just want to learn, talk to them!
Crossing the border from Thailand by land is basically a competition of who can rip of you off the most - ignore everyone and walk over the border, get your passport stamped out of Thailand then find the Cambodia visa office, pay for $20 plus a small bribe in Thai Bhat and join the stamping queue. A lot quicker and cheaper than going to the 'visa offices' on the Thai side of the border.
There are places to do jungle treks etc if thats up your street, we didn't do one there so can't really comment about that. If you have the time it could be worth considering flying into Vietnam? Hanoi and the north is amazing, Saigon is good but not close to the north. The national park in northern Vietnam is one of the most stunning places I've been, plus it has the biggest cave in the world.
But yeah, I literally got back 5 days ago from 2 months out there, let me know if you want recommendations of places to stay/drink/etc!
This is great info Tim thanks, we're a bit/lot older than you guys sadly but we've still got some go about us 
. I've read bad stuff about the border business, it's a shame they do that. Two of our six have already been to Vietnam so want to go somewhere different which is also a shame as I like the sound of it. I tried an M16 in Beijing, and an AK-47, not sure the others would be that bothered about doing that ha ha. Sounds like there aren't too many beaches in Cambodia?
. I've read bad stuff about the border business, it's a shame they do that. Two of our six have already been to Vietnam so want to go somewhere different which is also a shame as I like the sound of it. I tried an M16 in Beijing, and an AK-47, not sure the others would be that bothered about doing that ha ha. Sounds like there aren't too many beaches in Cambodia? Edited by Blackpuddin on Tuesday 17th September 09:15
The temple thing gets a bit tedious but yea, 1 day to do Ankor Wat, another to do Bayen, wood temple etc and a day to wander around Siem Reap itself. Get to Ankor Wat as early as possible, 5 am - its before the tourists and is at its best when the sun rises!
Phnom Phen has a lot going for it, good fun and plenty food and bars! Also as mentioned teh road trip from Siem Reap to Phnom Phen is a good one to try too - either by bus or rent a car / mini bus and driver.
Don't know much about the beach scene, but some good beaches aroudn Ho Chi Min and the NE monsoon will be strong, so great Kite Surfing / Wind Surfing!
Otherwise perhaps Koh Chang island on the Thai / Cambodean border also good.
Phnom Phen has a lot going for it, good fun and plenty food and bars! Also as mentioned teh road trip from Siem Reap to Phnom Phen is a good one to try too - either by bus or rent a car / mini bus and driver.
Don't know much about the beach scene, but some good beaches aroudn Ho Chi Min and the NE monsoon will be strong, so great Kite Surfing / Wind Surfing!
Otherwise perhaps Koh Chang island on the Thai / Cambodean border also good.
A holiday in Cambodia you say 
It's time to taste what you most fear
Right Guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear:
It's a holiday in Cambodia
It's tough, kid, but it's life
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Don't forget to pack a wife
You're a star-belly sneech
You suck like a leach
You want everyone to act like you
Kiss ass while you b
h
So you can get rich
But your boss gets richer off you
Well you'll work harder
With a gun in your back
For a bowl of rice a day
Slave for soldiers
Till you starve
Then your head is skewered on a stake
Now you can go where people are one
Now you can go where they get things done
What you need, my son:.
Is a holiday in Cambodia
Where people dress in black
A holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll kiss ass or crack
Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, [etc]
And it's a holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll do what you're told
A holiday in Cambodia
Where the slums got so much soul
It's time to taste what you most fear
Right Guard will not help you here
Brace yourself, my dear:
It's a holiday in Cambodia
It's tough, kid, but it's life
It's a holiday in Cambodia
Don't forget to pack a wife
You're a star-belly sneech
You suck like a leach
You want everyone to act like you
Kiss ass while you b
hSo you can get rich
But your boss gets richer off you
Well you'll work harder
With a gun in your back
For a bowl of rice a day
Slave for soldiers
Till you starve
Then your head is skewered on a stake
Now you can go where people are one
Now you can go where they get things done
What you need, my son:.
Is a holiday in Cambodia
Where people dress in black
A holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll kiss ass or crack
Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, Pol Pot, [etc]
And it's a holiday in Cambodia
Where you'll do what you're told
A holiday in Cambodia
Where the slums got so much soul
Dead Kennedys The bus to Siem Reap from the border wasn't too bad when we got it. Cross the border and get the free bus from the border to the travel center. Then choose a bus or minibus, if you're in a big group, or team up with others the minibus is the better option and pretty cheap.
Don't worry about the border, just drop me an email if you want and I'll link you to some info about getting over, its easy once you know how! Make sure you take passport photos for the visa unless you want to bribe some more!
As for beaches, no, not many really. sihanoukville is your best bet, and then from there head to Koh Rong island perhaps? Its meant to be amazing. Also sihanoukville is probably the seediest place I went in Asia, full of old australians and prostitutes/ladyboys. We even had a run in with the mafia there!
If you want beaches, obviously Thailand is the place or the coasts of Vietnam (Nha Trang etc)
In Siem Reap we stayed in Mad Monkey Hostel - great hostel and even better bar. Even if you don't stay there go there to drink before you head to pub street, it has a beach bar on the roof. Pub Street itself, Angkor What? bar is the place to be, the buckets are lethal! Once it shuts head to the Tuk Tuk bars to drink with the locals, great fun in there, they're super friendly. Let me go behind the bar and pour pints for people!
sihanoukville - We stayed in Mick and Craigs which has a great restaurant. Utopia is the place to drink before the party moves to the beach, once you're on the beach follow the crowd/music. Oh, theres a bar on the beach on the right hand side where theres a 70 year old bloke who DJ's here he is:
Oh theres a good waterfall to go visit just outside of Sihanoukville too. Few others pics of Cambodia (only crappy iphone ones)
And here is a tuk tuk driver after I beat him in a drinking competition,
Don't worry about the border, just drop me an email if you want and I'll link you to some info about getting over, its easy once you know how! Make sure you take passport photos for the visa unless you want to bribe some more!
As for beaches, no, not many really. sihanoukville is your best bet, and then from there head to Koh Rong island perhaps? Its meant to be amazing. Also sihanoukville is probably the seediest place I went in Asia, full of old australians and prostitutes/ladyboys. We even had a run in with the mafia there!
If you want beaches, obviously Thailand is the place or the coasts of Vietnam (Nha Trang etc)
In Siem Reap we stayed in Mad Monkey Hostel - great hostel and even better bar. Even if you don't stay there go there to drink before you head to pub street, it has a beach bar on the roof. Pub Street itself, Angkor What? bar is the place to be, the buckets are lethal! Once it shuts head to the Tuk Tuk bars to drink with the locals, great fun in there, they're super friendly. Let me go behind the bar and pour pints for people!
sihanoukville - We stayed in Mick and Craigs which has a great restaurant. Utopia is the place to drink before the party moves to the beach, once you're on the beach follow the crowd/music. Oh, theres a bar on the beach on the right hand side where theres a 70 year old bloke who DJ's here he is:
Oh theres a good waterfall to go visit just outside of Sihanoukville too. Few others pics of Cambodia (only crappy iphone ones)
And here is a tuk tuk driver after I beat him in a drinking competition,
br d said:
What's going on in your second pic there timlongs? Is that flooding a regular occurrence or monsoon or something?
We were there in August which is their wet season. That was in Phnom Penh. It just absolutely pissed it down for a good hour and a lot of the streets flooded. So the kids just use the streets as swimming pools!Gassing Station | Holidays & Travel | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff