Cambodia feature stories

Cycle Asia: An Angkor cycling guide
The multitude of temples at Angkor represent a true challenge to even a dedicated temple fanatic. Hundreds of temples lie in wait, some buried in growing jungle, while others sit conveniently right off the main road. With so much to see, a seven-day pass is clearly the best choice, buying ample adventure for US$60. While a million various routes exist, we took one that balances chronology with grandiosity, postponing the giants until the third day of the tour. After all, once you've seen Angkor Wat and Bayon, it's a little harder to appreciate sites like Bakong and Pre Rup.... Cycle Asia: An Angkor cycling guide -- full story

Cycle Asia: Of Battambang, bamboo trains and guidebooks
Lonely Planet, as the centre of the guide industry, has the ability to make or break hotels and restaurants. Even a somewhat casual mention within its hallowed pages can reap untold profits for a business for at least half a decade or so. Publication is comparable to a name-drop within the Bible, so far as the budget travel industry in concerned. But can the LP also engineer tourist attractions, due to its tremendous sway over its captive audience? Three kilometres south of Battambang, Cambodia, lies a small swathe of railway track that encourages exactly that question.... Cycle Asia: Of Battambang, bamboo trains and guidebooks -- full story

Sustainable tourism in Cambodia with PEPY Tours
Chances are, if you've spent much time on Cambodian buses you'll have passed by a bunch of cyclists in bright lycra. Who are these people and why are they cycling across rural Cambodia in the midday heat? It turns out they could well be paying volunteers, taking part in adventure cycle tours run by PEPY Tours. We sat down for an informal chat by email with Daniela Ruby Papi to find out a bit more... Sustainable tourism in Cambodia with PEPY Tours -- full story

A Cambodian Eco-lodge at the end of a rainbow
The best hoteliers and restaurateurs have reputations that precede them. There's Pennsylvania Joe at Mekong Crossing in Kompong Cham and paratrooper Pierre at Terres Rouge in Ban Lung, Rattanakiri. Newest to form a cult of personality complete with pilgrims is barrister Janet, whose remote ecolodge lures travellers seeking quiet wilderness under the care of a meticulous matriarch. ... A Cambodian Eco-lodge at the end of a rainbow -- full story

Travelfish.org's Top Ten Phnom Penh guesthouse picks for 2009
Phnom Penh's French colonial roots coupled with today's plethora of aid agencies based here have conspired to create a glut of accommodation for such a small capital city. Gated old mansions-turned-hotels with saltwater swimming pools and lush vegetation dot the city, while three backpacker hubs lure the budget-conscious: The riverside has rooms ranging from opulent to gritty, with a multitude of mid-range places between, shoestring travellers head lakeside to snare US$3 rooms and the BoeungKeng Kang 1 (BKK1) area, commonly called "NGO-ville", offers slightly more subdued low- to mid-range accommodation within walking distance to plenty of bars and restaurants. ... Travelfish.org's Top Ten Phnom Penh guesthouse picks for 2009 -- full story

Exploring Cambodia's Phnom Tamao Wildlife Refuge Centre
Inside the area where the Siberian tigers feed, the metallic smell of blood wafted up from gnawed carcasses strewn across the cement floor. I thought about the massive disclaimer I would have to sign back home in the United States in order to stand in a narrow corridor lined with tiger cages, a few iron bars away from turning into one of those lifeless lumps of meat.... Exploring Cambodia's Phnom Tamao Wildlife Refuge Centre -- full story

Cheap flights in Asia with the Discovery Airpass
If you're planning a holiday in Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam and are thinking of flying some of the legs, then the Discovery Airpass -- a flight coupon deal offered by Bangkok Airways, Lao Airlines and Siem Reap Airways -- can work out to be a money saver, delivering on the promise of cheap flights right across Southeast Asia.... Cheap flights in Asia with the Discovery Airpass -- full story

How do I get from Ko Chang to Phu Quoc Island?
With the 2007 opening of the Prek Chak / Xa Xia border crossing between Cambodia and Vietnam it's now possible to travel from Ko Chang in Thailand all the way along the Cambodian coastline and into Vietnam. For beach and boat lovers, this is a great trip as from Ko Chang you're able to visit Ko S'dach, Sihanoukville, Ko Russei, Kampot, Kep, Ko Tonsay, Ha Tien and Rach Gia, before finishing off on the glorious Phu Quoc Island. Here's a step by step guide taking you through the entire trip, commencing in Trat and finishing on Phu Quoc.... How do I get from Ko Chang to Phu Quoc Island? -- full story

Five special hotels in Cambodia
Cambodia's guesthouse and hotel scene is really developing, with some outstanding places to now stay at across the country. Here are five very special places that caught our eye on a recent foray through the countryside. If you'd like to factor in a splurge or two during your trip, these all belong on your short list.... Five special hotels in Cambodia -- full story

How do I cross the Cambodia to Laos border?
Of all the border crossings in the region, the overland crossing between Cambodia and Laos has been one of the most changeable. In some ways, Dom Kralor has all the ingredients of a pain in the posterior crossing -- corrupt border officials, inconsistent travel advice and of course wildly varying traveller tales. Read on to find out the best way to cross this ever-changing border.... How do I cross the Cambodia to Laos border? -- full story

How do I get from Bangkok to Siem Reap?
The trip from Bangkok to Siem Reap and Angkor Wat is one of the most talked about routes in the region: scam buses, awful roads, visa rip-offs, over-priced taxis and a whole realm of shysters and con men to boot, but in the end, it's a very straightforward trip, which, with a bit of planning is as easy as pie. Here's a cheat sheet to get you there and back without too much fraying of the nerves.... How do I get from Bangkok to Siem Reap? -- full story

Kompong Cham escape
We're sitting under a great old tree, on plastic chairs by the slick stirring waters of the Mekong. To our right the brilliantly lit Kasuma Bridge spans into the darkness. Beyond, the faint outline of the French-period guard tower is set. Below us a gaggle of sampans bob and bump in the river's current. Above the far bank, the moonrise lights the river in electric ghostly hues. It's midnight in Kompong Cham and we have the entire place to ourselves.... Kompong Cham escape -- full story

The Death Highway
I'd long considered the overland trip from the capital of Mondulkiri, Sen Monorom, to Rattanakiri's capital of Ban Lung, but the combination of my not being a particularly accomplished motorcyclist, and not knowing of any other means to do it, had led me to settle on a trip to Sen Monorom alone. So imagine my surprise when, as I walked into Sen Monorom from Vibol's Guesthouse, two Daelim drivers rode up and asked "Rattanakiri?"... The Death Highway -- full story

What is a good guesthouse in Phnom Penh?
There are many great places to stay in Phnom Penh -- whether your budget is a couple or a couple of hundred dollars a night -- and, with a bit of diligence, you should have no problem finding a place that meets your needs. You can stay on the shores of Boeng Kak Lake, near the river, or in the heart of the city -- each location with its advantages and disadvantages.... What is a good guesthouse in Phnom Penh? -- full story

Angkorian traffic woes
Any recent visitor to the famed temple complex of Angkor Wat must find themselves wondering how many eons ago all those wistful pictures of a deserted causeway bar a solitary dashing monk were ever taken. Today the typical sounds of dawn have been replaced by thumping boots, whirring cameras and hawkers flogging film. Entrances are crammed with tripods and their menacing owners who staked out their territory by the western gopura at 04:00am and aren't moving for anyone. Others take in the atmosphere from their plastic chairs at the western edge of the northern pond -- buzz, whirr, click, snap, buzz, whirr, click, snap -- and the sun hasn't even come up yet.... Angkorian traffic woes -- full story

Spas, shopping and seers in Siem Reap
Take your pick: spas, shopping and seers. Some super alternatives are springing up in Cambodia's Siem Reap so you don't have to feel too guilty for bowing out of rambling through Angkor Wat's endless ruins when you've had your fill.... Spas, shopping and seers in Siem Reap -- full story

Sihanoukville's beach lifestyle lure expatriates
Dozens of Western tourists ambling through Cambodia's Sihanoukville are tossing aside travel plans to relocate to this sleepy resort town, drawn by sparkling seas and a no-frills lifestyle.... Sihanoukville's beach lifestyle lure expatriates -- full story

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