Cambodia forum

If he's not answering balcony@y7mail.com, which he doesn't sometimes, try calling the number on the website 016 604 036. If he doesn't answer that, have someone try the Khmer number 015 688 128. If not just stop in and try your luck...

Sorry I couldn't offer more...

Ya, but Balcony is the best of the classic backpacker guesthouses in Kratie (though stay tuned for Star under new ownership and You Hong II). A bunch of the places on the river are crap (looking at you Reverside [sic]). Oudom Sambath ain't bad.

'sheeed

Nah. Right now in Banlung. Tomorrow Phnom Penh...

I would say a "classic backpacker guesthouse" is a place where you get helpful information from the staff, and where you can exchange stories and share your experiences with other travellers over a drink or a meal.(You know, thats what it was all about before we had internet forums

So for experiences...
Kratie food: For good food go to Red Sun Falling on the riverfront in the evening - get there early for the "special". Also the food at U Hong II is ok and apparently Star is changing hands. Balcony also does good food and the restaurant (surprise surprise) is on a balcony - also great place for sundowners if you fancy drinking something apart from beer.Otherwise there is an khmer restaurant next to the market down from Star which serves tasty local food.(Sorry name escapes me.)
Don't forget that about 3 years ago most of these guesthouses and western food places didn't exist - Kratie is discovering tourism and tourists.

Couderc
When I started travelling the only information you got was from other travellers, all happened by word of mouth and we seemed to get by, thought the advantage of the internet is far more choice and faster information.What I don't understand is why everyone has to stay in a place because it's in Lonely Planet. I would never recommend any of my favourite places on the internet because I don't want the crowds and the prices to go up: however I will swop info with fellow travellers over a drink somewhere, that's tradition.
I DO remember visiting Kratie for the first time about 5 years ago in the wet season and being really impressed with it. We had a balcony room overlooking the river and hired a motorbike.I remember visiting a very nice Pagoda with lots of steps. Does anybody know the name? Then we went on a boat trip through the flooded landscape but only briefly saw dolphins. The boatman wore a red Krama and my companion who was Khmer reckoned he was ex-Khmer Rouge as he scowled constantly and chain-smoked a la chairman Mao so she made us shorten the trip.
In Banlung the place had one western restaurant bar and we got hopelessly drunk and lost leaving it since there were no lights.I remember going up country and these half-naked women with huge bundles on their heads hiding behind trees when they saw our jeep approach. I expect it's changed like everything else but I have great memories.Went back to Kratie this March and the place looked exactly the same except the room was $8 for one overlooking the river but he said we could have a back one for $5.
I do remember in March there was one great place to eat on the riverfront and it was Khmer owned but the name escapes me. Probably the one you mention.

So what's there to see in Mukdhahan?
I'd probably love the food since I actually like things like Nam tok and Gapi.
Isan food's the best.
But if you like roast beef you should come to Phnom Penh but be prepared to do a lot of chewing. I get roast beef with a salad (although you probably wouldn't recognise the vegetables) plus a large jug of fresh beer for $3.50.

Maize Porridge v Som Tam mmm! I think I know what I prefer.

I thought it was the staple food of most of East Africa.Our porridge is made of Scottish oats. Don't let your wife hear that about Somtam I'm sure she's rightly proud of one of Thailands finest cuisine.The liver fluke is partly to blame but the Lao kow has something to do with it as well.
Trying to get back on thread I just found some old footage of my trip to Kratie in the wet season.You can't see the river because it has spread way, way out into the countryside.Spent a lot of time watching the continual rain from under a tarp,drinking beer next to the river.It's one of my favourite places in Cambodia.

Hey Sheed:

Thanks for the clarification about Joe's hours. Absolutely correct.

Regarding weirdness and beer for breakfast, I have no problem with either. It's the way off kilter vibe at Balcony that I was talking about, and the general decrepitude of the place relative to tariff. But hey, whatever floats your boat.

I want to throw in another plug for Sun Set Bar (& Inn). I met the family who own the place - charming lot - and, most importantly, the food was excellent.

Happy travels!

Too late. I'm at a GH in PP right now and I just heard that everyone is planning on staying at Sunset now. Booked solid for months to come... by TOURISTS!

People who stay a long time are the ones who know the best places so perhaps that makes it clearer.Some of the bargain places I know and I mean clean, friendly AND cheap are too good to share on the internet, sorry

Yes, the pagoda did have a lot of pillars.Good ride but my beautiful guide made it worthwhile.

Madmac
Now your talking.
I loved Arab food when I was in The Middle East and Italian is great.

I loved my grits with eggs and ham when I stayed down in Louisiana too.
I think grits is a kind of porridge.Maize? Corn? Can't knock it.

Meanwhile back in Kratie......is it raining?

I recently heard grits described as "the base for whatever you really want to eat."

Mmmmm... Waffle House...

I have their business card. I'll dig it out and send you the information a little later.

Cheers!

Giroffle/Carmel:

There is no e-mail address on the Sun Set biz card I have. The telephone numbers shown are (+855) 12 725 032 and (+855) 011 77 24 55. Actually, I'm surprised they don't list an e-mail address on their card, since they have an internet cafe in their lobby.

The following is quoted directly from the Sun Set business card I picked up last January:

Double room with fan (bath room): $2, $4
Double room with A/C (bathroom): $8
Only one roof top Bar and Restaurant Over Looking the Mekong.
Free Welcome Drink!!
200m South of the Bus Stop, Kratie Town

By the way, regarding Balcony GH: although I would strongly recommend Sun Set over Balcony, I see on the Balcony business card I have that their e-mail address is actually balcony@y7mail.com, versus what you wrote above. Secondary e-mail is ngoempheak@yahoo.com.au . Phone number is (+855) 015 688 128.

Happy travels!

Michael

Michael

Thank you so much for all this...really appreciated...so there is no web address for Sun Set...the only way to get hold of them is by phone ?

I'll take those numbers though and see how I go you are right about the balcony email address I got the chars transposed so it failed, works now and I have dropped them an email...got the address muddled there...thanks

Do you know the journey time of the bus from Kratie to PP ?

Kind Rgds
Carmel

thanks both...those 2 no.s you gave me for Sun Set

00855 12725032
00855 011772455

Can I assume one is LL and the other Mob
I have texted the longer number (assumed this was mob) but haven't heard back and there was no prob sending it...could you confirm if you can please....thank you again...I would like to get hold of them if I can

Rgds
Carmel

Rasheed...thank you...they are Mobile No.s right ?

Travel time: From Kratie , the bus presently takes Hwy. 7, through Snoul, which is a long way round. About 215 km, Kratie to Kampong Cham; then another 120 to PP. With stops for food and passengers, I think 8 or more hours is likely. In January, went by jeep from Kratie to Kampong Cham via Chhlong & Roka Khnaor (along the dirt road paralleling the Mekong). I saw a lot of work being done on the road to Chhlong from Kratie (road 308). Right of way being widened and bridge work being begun. The plan is to make the main route go that way, then, I think, use existing Hwy. 73 from Chhlong to where it connects with #7 south of Chong Cheach as the new main route. But that's a long ways off yet.

Phone numbers: How Rasheed has the in-country version is correct. You add a zero in front of the number. I don't know about the double zero in front of the 855, though. Never tried to call there from here (US).

Sun Set e-mail: Maybe you should start a new thread entitled "Sun Set GH E-Mail" or something like that. It might get the attention of someone who knows what (or if) it is.

Michael

One is not longer than the other. See my previous comment.

Honestly, figure it out when you get there. None of the places to stay are really that much better than the others. If one is full find another.

was reading through this thread and while im a bit late but i noticed a little interest in muk and can definitely say that following the river visiting Muk, Nakhon Phanom and That Phanom was one my favorite times in thailand. That Phanoms night market was awesome and the local barber is not to shabby with a straight edge razor and gave me a nice bald head. Had a hard time explaining that i wanted to keep my beard but like clock work a monk walked and by i pointed to his head lol.gave him a nice tip and bought him a drink. Beautiful rural thailand. looking forward to hitting up muk again soon.