Travelfish correspondent Simon Hare

Simon was born in London in 1966 and made his first overseas trip at the age of seven, a family holiday by rail to the South of France and has barely stopped travelling since. He has lived in the UK, Spain, France, and Thailand and is currently living in Siem Reap, Cambodia, home of the remarkable Angkor Wat temples, where he works for a UK charity that place volunteers with local NGOs. He is fluent in English, Spanish and French, but to date he has only mastered a few carefully chosen words of Khmer, like "Food" and "Beer" and "Fat". Simon's 20 years working as "a suit" in magazine publishing have been described by friends as "long periods of travel interrupted by short periods of work", so it made sense that he should eventually retrain as a travel writer. He studied journalism at night school at The London School of Communications, and in 2011 he called a "time out" on his publishing career and headed west out of London, armed with his notepad, his Nikon and a one way ticket to Asia, via The USA, Mexico, The South Pacific, New Zealand and Australia.
Website: http://www.simonjhare.co.uk

Posts by Simon Hare:

• Cycling around Siem Reap

  First published: 17 Jan 2013
  

  For cyclists, Siem Reap is genuinely twice blessed. Firstly, all the major sights are within easy striking distance of the town using pedal power alone. And secondly — and more importantly given the tropical climate — the terrain is pretty much flat as a pancake, making cycling a year-round possibility. Many hotels and guesthouses include … read the full post

• Review: Mother Home Inn, Siem Reap

  First published: 14 Jan 2013
  

  With a quiet location near Sivatha Boulevard, Siem Reap’s busiest shopping street, double rooms from just $27 a night and a host of appealing extras – including an outdoor pool and an in-house spa — Mother Home Inn offers great value for travellers who like to keep one eye on the budget without having to … read the full post

• Review: Kerala Restaurant, Siem Reap

  First published: 09 Jan 2013
  

  Kerala Restaurant — named after the southwest Indian state of Kerala — on Siem Reap’s increasingly chi-chi Alley West is as good a reason as any to give yourself a break from Khmer cuisine and treat yourself to an authentic South Indian meal in pleasant, informal surroundings and at reasonable prices. If the suggestion of … read the full post

• Review: Sonalong Boutique Village and Resort, Siem Reap

  First published: 04 Jan 2013
  

  As far as Siem Reap hotel names go, the word “boutique” is only marginally less ubiquitous these days than the word “Angkor”. But don’t let that put you off. The Sonalong is a relaxing and family-friendly cluster of spacious, traditionally-styled two-storey villas, nestled in a tropical garden around a great salt water pool, and all … read the full post

• Siem Reap’s Royal Gardens

  First published: 02 Jan 2013
  

  A 15-minute stroll north from the Old Market, along the shady west bank of the Siem Reap River, with its ornate stone streetlamps and hotch-potch of animal and religious sculptures, leads you to The Royal Gardens, the Siem Reap city centre’s only open public green space. It is an area that provides visitors with a … read the full post

• Review: Siem Reap Rooms Guesthouse, Siem Reap

  First published: 30 Dec 2012
  

  With spacious, air conditioned and spotlessly clean en suite rooms from just $18 a night, a quiet location less than a kilometre from the heart of Siem Reap and a rooftop terrace with a plunge pool no less, Siem Reap Rooms Guesthouse is an excellent budget option for the city. Located in a modern four-storey … read the full post

• New Year’s Eve in Siem Reap

  First published: 26 Dec 2012
  

  For as long as most people can remember, New Year’s Eve in Siem Reap has meant just one thing: the Pub Street party. Such is its notoriety that last year a group of 100 Singaporeans shunned the charms of their home town and chartered their own plane to transport them to Siem Reap’s festivities instead. … read the full post

• Review: Rosy Guest House, Siem Reap

  First published: 23 Dec 2012
  

  The leafy riverside neighbourhoods around Siem Reap’s Royal Gardens are home to a number of luxury hotels where the likes of Angelina Jolie and Hillary Clinton stay when they’re in town. But cross over the river to the equally peaceful, and rather more traditionally Khmer River Road East and you will find Rosy Guest House, … read the full post

• Christmas 2012 in Siem Reap

  First published: 13 Dec 2012
  

  No sooner had I ripped the November 30 page off my desk calendar than the Christmas trees were sprouting up and the decorations were invading the Siem Reap shops. Carol concerts have started and the party season is in full swing. In fact if you are one of those who goes on holiday every December … read the full post

• Balloon flights over Angkor

  First published: 08 Dec 2012
  

  UPDATE: Here’s the Phnom Penh Post report. I am slightly claustrophobic  – demanding to be let off a Boeing 777 three hours into a flight from London to LA was a particularly memorable episode in the history of my phobia – so a flight in a hot air balloon has never appealed. However, many people … read the full post