Before we start, here is a brief intro you’ll find at the start of all of my blogs!
This is a story-style travel blog featuring my adventure through Southeast Asia in the fall of 2024. I spent 1 week on my own in Laos, then joined a 14-day tour called Ultimate Cambodian Adventure from the company G Adventures, and a final 3-day solo stop in Singapore. You can read the blog in order, or about whichever destination intrigues you! Within my stories, I’ll offer some recommendations and some tips and tricks for a smooth journey. When I travel, I mostly do group tours and the reasons are:
* As a solo woman traveler, it is much safer especially if traveling long distances or to countries that can be dangerous in some areas
*The itineraries are amazing and usually include all of the things you’d want to see and do…and if not, there is free time to do as you wish
*You don’t have to worry about booking transport, finding hotels, etc. Sometimes that can contribute to the adventure, but it’s also nice to sit back and relax and let your Tour CEO be in charge
* And finally…the new people you meet on your tour become your family, and I’ve made lifelong friends in these journeys. For myself, this has equal importance with exploring new countries.
Cambodia is located in Southeast Asia; it is a land of ancient wonders and vibrant traditions. The history is rich, and the country is abundant with temples – the most famous being Angkor Wat which is the largest religious monument in the world. Here you’ll find lush jungles, stunning natural landscapes, beautiful beaches, and the most kind and welcoming people you will ever meet. The population is around 17 million, with the majority being ethnically Khmer. In the mid 1860’s, Cambodia became a French protectorate, and gained independence after World War II. You’ll still find a lot of French influence in the country. The country became involved in the Vietnam war, which brought in a takeover by the communist Khmer Rouge in 1975. During this time, Cambodia experienced one of the world’s largest genocides, carried out by the Khmer Rouge. I have talked more about in previous blogs. Life isn’t easy for Cambodians today, as there are still much corrupt practices in their everyday lives, another problem has been the many unexploded landmines, but luckily the country is expected to be clean by the end of 2025.
This morning, we have a quick breakfast at the hotel and it’s back on the road to our next destination, Kampong Cham. It’s a short drive, and along the way we stop at a café and I try the coconut butterfly pea tea. Oh my god it’s so good and the color matches my outfit!
They give out the drinks in bags, and we assume it’s so that you can hang it on the handlebars of your motorbike. When we get back into the van, Vic hangs his on the seat in front of him. So Tristelle and I challenge him to drink it while it’s hanging. Vic is never one to say no, so he tries and we kill ourselves laughing (he’s not successful).
We arrive in Kampong Cham by noon; it is the third largest city in Cambodia, and it’s a great place to get a glimpse of everyday life in Cambodia without it being too touristy. Here you’ll find a mix of history and natural beauty in the rural landscapes.
We check into Monorom VIP Hotel. It’s located along the banks of the Mekong River.
The rooms are really nice and the décor is over the top opulent. The lobby has this giant wooden statue and fancy tables and chairs.
Our room has these fancy drapey curtains.
We have some time to kill, so a few of us walk over to the market to pick up some goodies.
Vic is on the hunt for durian; many of us have not tried it yet and he loves it. Durian is known as the stinky fruit, and it’s big and thorny.
It’s very expensive too, even here in Cambodia. Vic buys one, and lets us all try it. There are many ways to describe the taste of durian; it has a creamy texture and I feel like it tastes a bit like onion – and sweet and savory at the same time. I don’t hate it, but I don’t love it either. The smell is so strong – you can detect it from afar.
For lunch, we are dining at Smile Restaurant and it’s very handy since it’s located right beside our hotel.
This is another NGO charity establishment, run by Buddhism for Social Development Action. I order the samlar korkor, which is a Khmer veggie and fish soup, served over rice.
This afternoon we will be doing a tour of Koh Pen Island, which is just across the bridge from Kampong Cham. We have the option to either ride a bike the whole time, or ride in a tuk tuk. I know it would be so much fun to ride a bike, but I also know I won’t last for long. Ha ha. But that’s ok, there’s 4 of us that take the easy ride.
Our first pit stop on the island is the Wat Kaoh Pen, a beautiful peaceful pagoda.
The paintings that adorn the walls and ceilings inside are so vibrant and tell so many stories.
It’s respectful to remove your shoes when entering, and normally these pagodas are really clean. This one has a lot of dirt on the floor, which makes it gross to walk around barefoot.
Our next destination on this countryside tour is to see a guy who makes bamboo bowls…it’s so neat how the bamboo all threads together.
While there, the boys have a try of the local tobacco. Even for seasoned smokers, that stuff is strong!
Everyone we encounter on the island is so nice and friendly and the all children wave and say hello. We make one last stop for some fruit..
And then for a beer before heading back over the bridge onto the city.
The Riverside Walk is starting to come alive as everyone is out for a stroll, or stopping for a snack. I pick up one of these from a street stall. Popcorn craving satisfied!!
Eline spots an outdoor aerobics class so she joins in. Vic is never one to decline a challenge, so he joins in too and we have a good laugh. Eline is a pro, Vic….well he tries. Haha. I don’t think the aerobics ladies were expecting this tonight!
There doesn’t seem to be a ton of options for dinner nearby the hotel, so we end up at Smile again; at least we’re supporting a good cause. Except my dinner tonight is not great…I have the herbed chicken with potatoes and veggies. The flavor of the chicken is really bland.
After dinner, the cool kids decide to hit up a couple of sky bars along the riverwalk. The first one is called Taurus, and we order a couple of cocktails.
Vic has Singapore Sling , which turns out to be stronger than he can handle since he doesn’t drink much. The next bar we hit is on top of the high rise LBN Asian Hotel. It’s much fancier, and the rooftop is huge.
We get a spot on the comfy couches by the ledge so we can enjoy some views, except it starts to pour so we have to move a little further in. We are having such an awesome time, sipping on cocktails, and I order myself and Dave a flaming shot.
It is windy so the flames keep blowing out, but we manage to make it work. I don’t think my flame is fully out when I sip it because it feels way too hot in my throat. In between the convo and laughter, we notice Vic has been in the bathroom for awhile, so I figure he’s actually decided to sneak out to go to bed after that Singapore Sling. He emerges some time later, and we’re like, Are you OK? Turns out, he got locked in the bathroom. Hahahaha. And the adventures of Vic continue…
We have had such a lovely time here in Kamping Cham, and we’re all becoming such good friends that it’s going to be difficult to say goodbye to each other and this fabulous country in a few short days!
Everywhere On Earth With Erin 