Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Angkor on a Budget: Getting the Most Out of Cambodia’s Majestic Temples


Angkor Wat is the pride of Cambodia, and of the Cambodian people. Believed to be the largest religious complex in the world, it is one of many temples found in and around what used to be the city of Angkor, a metropolis of around 2 million people that was abandoned for unknown reasons. What is left is Angkor Archaeological Park, an UNESCO World Heritage site and Cambodia’s biggest tourist draw. For temple enthusiasts, Angkor is a must-see on the travel circuit. For budget travelers, the $40 three-day admission price may send chills down one’s checkbook, but if  you spend your time wisely, the price is well worth it. Here’s a run-down of our time in Siem Reap, the town just outside of Angkor National Park, and our adventures in the ruins in Angkor.

Siem Reap:

We arrived in Siem Reap from Battambang just in time to meet a friend of mine I met traveling last year in Nepal. The bus ride from Battambang was four hours and cost five U.S. Dollars, and a tuk-tuk ride from the bus to our hotel was one dollar. We stayed at Garden Village Guesthouse, which I recommend. It’s a five minute stroll to the center of town and there are rooms for every budget. We booked two $1 dorm beds on HostelWorld and were surprised to see when we arrived that the beds were outside under a corrugated metal roof! We each got a mattress, a mosquito net, and our very own Cambodian stray kitten. If you’re not down for a little camping though, private rooms are available. If you do the dorms, bring your own padlock for a free locker.

Our "dorm" at Garden Village Guesthouse. Very cozy!

What to do in Siem Reap: The town of Siem Reap can be a bit overwhelming, mainly due to the millions of tuk-tuk drivers desperate for business during the rainy season (I think our record was about 10 yards between subsequent offers from a driver). Most people travel to Siem Reap solely for Angkor, but there are a few gems in the town itself that make up for the overabundance of transportation. One of my favorite parts of Siem Reap was the number of wonderful fair trade shops in the city center. Before you do any shopping in the Old Market or the Night Market (both good for local art, tea, and spices) check out the fair trade shops for more unique gifts and souvenirs that benefit poor or disabled Cambodians. My other favorite was our go-to restaurant, Navi Khmer Kitchen. This is a small, unassuming family-owned shop right down the road from Garden Village Guesthouse on the way to town. The sign outside says Navi Khmer, but the menu says Khmer Cafe Des Sports; anyway, it’s right across from My Best Western Guesthouse and we ate almost every meal there! Go there for $1 breakfasts, 50 cent fruit shakes, yummy Samla Ktiss (traditional soup), and the best pancakes in Cambodia!

The French influence in Siem Reap is lovely!

If you’re going to be around after your Angkor pass expires you might end up booking a tour of the surrounding area. A floating village is nearby, but tours can get pretty pricey. Some tours, including one through our hotel, include a stop at a local orphanage. While this may sound like a nice idea, these tours actually cause more harm than good. A former guest of our hotel who vandalized the sign advertising the orphanage tour summed it up nicely: “An orphanage is not a zoo.”  Before you book any sort of tour please read this article on why orphanages are not tourist attractions.

Angkor Archaeological Park:

Guide books will do a better job of explaining the history of Angkor than I can, so I’ll just stick to what I know, which is the most rewarding way to visit Angkor if you’re traveling on a small budget.

Angkor Prices: When it comes to entrance fees, you have three options: a one-day pass for $20, a three-day pass for $40, or a one week pass for $60. Conveniently, the passes do not have to be used on consecutive days, so if you need a break amid all the temple-hopping, you can feel free to take a day to relax in Siem Reap. I do not recommend getting a one-day pass, as you’ll only have time to see a few of the big hitters and will miss out a lot of the quieter ruins (which were some of my favorites!). If you have time for the week pass, go for it. But for our purposes, the three-day pass was perfect. $40 sounds like a lot, but I’d say it’s a worthy sacrifice to experience this amazing archaeological park!

Transportation to Angkor: There are basically two options, unless you’re with a tour group: tuk-tuk or bicycle. A tuk-tuk can cost anywhere from $12-$15 for a day, depending on how many temples you see. Bicycle rental is a more rewarding and cost-effective method, if more time consuming, at around $1-$2 for a day. We rented bikes for two out of our three days in Angkor and hired a tuk-tuk the other day for $12 ($4 per person). The bicycles limited what we could see somewhat, but we only missed one of the heavy-hitters, Banteay Srei, because it’s over 20km away. If you want to see this one, your best option is to hire a tuk-tuk. Considering we saw everything else we really wanted to see, I’m happy with our decision to rent bikes and discover Angkor at a more relaxed pace.

Angkor Itinerary: Lonely Planet’s guide to Cambodia has some very useful itinerary suggestions, along with descriptions and history of individual sites. We based our itinerary loosely on Lonely Planet’s suggestions. My friend Courtney was only with us for the first two days, so we saw most of the biggies in the main temple group in those two days, saving the most impressive temples for the second day. (Be sure to see our photos of Angkor below!)

Day 1: Banteay Samre, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Krol Ko, Ta Som, East Mebon
We rented bikes on our first day and visited seven temples North and East of Angkor Wat. Banteay Samre was the farthest ride, so we visited this one first. Rainy season in Cambodia is June through early November, so half of our ride ended up being in the pouring rain. Although we were soaking wet, the rain didn’t dampen our moods, and Banteay Samre proved to be a delightful introduction to the Angkor temples with very few tourists to disturb the serenity. We ate lunch afterwards across the road (where, by the way, they have two menus: a tourist menu with higher prices and a secret low season menu that you may get if you say you’re going to look for somewhere cheaper) and headed to the other six temples. We started with the farthest, Preah Khan, and worked our way back toward the entrance to the park. These six temples are easily accessible from each other as they are all located on the same main road. It was a long and full day, but as long as you get a decent start in the morning you’ll be able to hit all of them! If you must sacrifice any of these temples, Neak Pean and Krol Ko were probably the least impressive; don’t miss the other ones! Ta Som was one of my very favorite temples; make sure you walk all the way to the back and through the stone archway to see a tree that has grown around/become part of one of the structures.

Day 2: Angkor Thom, Angkor Wat, Ta Prom, Pre Rup
The first three in this group are the biggies. If you see anything in Angkor, let it be these ones! The labyrinthine structure and impressive sculptures in Bayon (in Angkor Thom) and the sheer majesty of Angkor Wat warrant quite a chunk of time, so plan on this taking a whole day. We rented a tuk-tuk for this day so we wouldn’t have to leave our bikes outside these very busy temples, each of which can take up hours of your time. We were able to negotiate a $12 price for the four temples, or $4 for each of us.

Day 3: Roluos group: Preah Ko, Bakong, Lolei
Kim and I rented bikes for this day as well, a great way to enjoy the scenery on the 13 km ride from Siem Reap. To reach these temples, take National Road No. 6 heading East until you see a sign on the right for Bakong. Preah Ko and Bakong are on this same road. There’s also a ceramic workshop on this road where Khmer ceramics are made and sold that is definitely worth a look! Preah Ko and Bakong are worth the ride, but it’s a good idea to take a lunch with you so you’re not rushed. To reach Lolei, ride just a little farther on No. 7 and turn left onto a dirt road. This temple is smaller but is worth a look as long as the road isn’t muddy. I’m somewhat less coordinated than Kim and I definitely fell completely over on my bike attempting to navigate the muddy tire tracks!

Eating in Angkor: Expect to pay a little more if you eat in the park. If it’s low season, you may be able to get a discount at some of the restaurants, but we found it was more economical to take lunch with us. When we ate lunch in the park we each paid between 2 and 3 dollars, but a take-away fried egg sandwich from Navi Khmer Kitchen is one dollar and allowed a more leisurely lunch.

Our total cost per person for 3 days in Angkor (admission + transportation): $46

Is it worth it?

Yes! If you think you’ll get templed out before your three days are up in Angkor, think again. The temples of Angkor were built during different time periods and under many different kings, creating diversity among the ruins. Some of the more well-known temples will be flooded with tourists (for good reason), but there are also those lesser known temples whose natural and man-made beauty is combined with serenity that will make you feel like the first person to have stumbled upon them. I could spend pages and pages describing the beauty of the ruins at Angkor, but I think a few pictures will probably do a more efficient job. So here you go! Decide for yourself, but I promise a stop at Angkor will not disappoint!


The mother of all temples, Angkor Wat!
Kim hanging out inside Angkor Wat

Bayon, Angkor Thom
Striking a pose in the hallways of Bayon!
Headless giants at Preah Khan

Preah Ko

Kim in front of beautiful Ta Som

Banteay Samre

Real life Jungle Book at Angkor Wat!

Sarah in front of Ta Prom

Sarah at East Mebon
Bakong from across the water


Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Battambang: A Charming and Laid Back Town


Although Battambang is the second largest city in Cambodia, it is often overlooked by travelers who are more interested in the Angkorian temples of Siem Reap, beaches of Sihanoukville, or city life in Phnom Penh. However, Battambang ended up being one of my favorite stops during our time in Cambodia. With its laid back and relaxed vibe, beautiful French architecture, and easy access to nearby rural villages, it’s easy to understand why many travelers end up staying longer than expected.

Battambang, Cambodia

Visiting the Outskirts of Battambang

During one of our days in Battambang, Sarah and I decided to rent a tuk-tuk for a day. For $12 (which you can split between several people), a driver will take you around to various sights of your choosing outside of Battambang. The first thing on our schedule was to ride the fabled bamboo train, or “Norrie” as it is locally called, that I had often heard of when reading about Cambodia. The Norrie was first constructed in the early 1980s; the Khmer people had just come out from the brutal ruling of the Khmer Rouge and were struggling to repair their country. The roads were in disrepair and there were few means of transportation. The Khmer people invented the Norrie as a practical solution to this. The bamboo construction is a bit flimsy but incredibly strong and can carry things such as rice, vegetables, livestock, or people in medical emergencies. For $5.00, you can take a ride on the bamboo train, which goes surprisingly fast, to a small nearby village and back. 
The bamboo train ("Norrie")

We stopped at the village for about 20 minutes. While wandering around, I somehow managed to have a wasp fly up my skirt and sting me on my leg FOUR separate times. I’ve literally had a nightmare about this exact thing happening to me. I managed to somewhat maintain my composure and not completely panic. However, one of the locals witnessed what happened and told a nice man and woman running a food stand what happened. They all spoke almost no English, but they picked some flowers off a nearby plant and the woman crushed it up and mixed it with some sort of natural oil she had (mint, maybe?). She then brought it over to me and gestured for me to put some of the concoction on the stings, which at this point were swelling up quite badly. I was so grateful for their kindness, and literally within fifteen minutes the swelling had completely disappeared and I could hardly even see where the stings had been! Amazing. This was the first of many times that I experienced the incredible generosity and kindness of the Khmer people. 

After riding the bamboo train, the driver stopped at Chan Thai Chhoeng Winery, the only winery in Cambodia. It was pretty much deserted and after looking at the small section of vines with some green grapes hanging from them, we hopped back into the tuk-tuk and continued on to Wat Ba Nan. You must climb a long and unusually steep set of stairs in order to get to the top of this hill and see the temple, which is mostly in ruins now. It is an interesting thing to see and you can see great views of the area from the top. 

View from the top of Wat Phnom Sampeau
Our last stop of the day was Wat Phnom Sampeau, one of the most interesting stops in Battambang. This temple is located on a beautiful limestone hill southwest of Battambang and is also where some of the killing caves used by the Khmer Rouge are located. The killing cave is an incredibly sad place, but I wouldn’t miss it. There is a skylight in the cave where the Khmer Rouge would bludgeon Khmer people and push their bodies in to fall to their deaths. Inside the cave, there is a glass enclosure holding bones from victims of the Khmer Rouge. After viewing the cave, you can continue to walk up the hill to the top. There is a scenic lookout at the top showing incredible panoramic views of the area. Don’t miss this! Entrance tickets only need to be purchased once at either Wat Phnom Sampeau or Wat Ba Nan for $2.00; the ticket is valid at both sites on the same day. 

Cycling Through the Countryside

Cycling through Basseat village.
Battambang is relatively small and easily walkable. There are several places around town where you can rent bicycles for the day and cycle outside of town to nearby rural villages. Sarah and I rented bicycles for a day from Sunrise Cafe for $1.50 each. We headed out to a place I read about in a local magazine called Prasat Basseat, or the Ruined Ruins. It is a little over 12km (7.2 miles) away, and there  is a lot of beautiful scenery along the way. Since the article I read only provided very general directions to the site, we got a bit lost a few times on the way. At one point, Sarah and I turned down the wrong dirt road and found ourselves in a tiny little village. I stopped to ask a woman if she could point us in the right direction, but she didn’t understand a word of English and didn’t seem to know where the place I showed her on the map was. After a few minutes of smiling, gesturing, and laughing at each other, she called one of her neighbors over to help. He kindly jumped on his motorbike and guided us through a maze of dirt roads to the main road that leads to the Ruined Ruins. Another example of the incredible generosity of the Khmer people.

Prasat Basseat, the Ruined Ruins.
The bike ride out to the Ruined Ruins goes through an endless number of beautiful, intensely green rice paddies and several rural villages. People often waved at us and shouted many friendly “hellos!” in our direction. I think locals were a bit impressed with us for taking bicycles rather than simply hiring a driver for the day as many tourists do. The actual site is very interesting and is just sitting on the side of the road outside of a temple. If you would like to visit the Ruined Ruins, simply cross the bridge over the Sangker River from the main part of town and head north out of Battambang on the eastside river road. Follow this road for a few kilometers until you pass a mosque on the right hand side. A little after the mosque is Norea village; turn right here and go straight on a dirt road that goes through brilliant green rice fields. Follow this dirt road for about 12 kilometers until you reach Basseat village, after which you will come to the site. The Ruined Ruins are on the right side of the road in front of the modern day Wat. If you get a bit lost, don’t be afraid to ask locals for directions. Few speak English, but they are always eager to help! Renting bicycles and doing this day trip on the outskirts of Battambang was a perfect way to enjoy the beautiful scenery, see rural villages, and experience the kindness of the Khmer people firsthand.

Places to Eat in the City

Most hostels and hotels in Battambang offer free pick up from the bus station if you book ahead. There are numerous options in town, and most budget places are conveniently located near Psar Nat, the outdoor market in town. While the French influence is clearly seen in the architecture in Battambang, it is also seen in the food (imagine lots of baguettes!). Two of our favorite places to eat in Battambang were White Rose and Sunrise Cafe. White Rose has a vast selection of both Western and Cambodian foods for reasonable prices. Also, they have a long list of delicious $2.00 ice cream sundaes, which is a big deal because cheap ice cream is not always easy to come by in Southeast Asia! 

Our other favorite hangout place was Sunrise Cafe, a Christian-run restaurant that teaches Khmer women various cooking/baking skills and provides quality jobs for them. There are numerous Christian organizations in Battambang, including a YWAM base, so it is not uncommon to run into foreign missionaries around town. I fell in love with the hamburgers and cinnamon iced coffee at Sunrise Cafe. They also had several pastries that were surprisingly delicious, all for reasonable prices. Definitely worth a stop! One of my favorite memories from the cafe is spending several hours one afternoon eating and reading. It started pouring rain while we were there, and when we finally left we walked into the streets to find the main road back to our hotel completely flooded. We had to wade through nearly a foot of water in order to get back to our hotel. A great memory!

Overall, I absolutely loved our time in Battambang. The laid back vibe of the town is very apparent, and the people are unusually kind. It provides a great base for temple visiting or biking through rural villages on the outskirts of town. Sarah and I had many great experiences in Battambang, and I would urge you not to underestimate the charm and uniqueness of this lovely town!

A Few Helpful Tips:

All ATMs in Cambodia disperse USD instead of Cambodian riel. You can pay using either currency (when we were there, the standard conversion was 4,000 riel to every dollar). You can even mix currencies when paying in most places.

If you want to convert USD to Cambodian riel, the best place to do it is at jewelry stands (which are pretty common and usually have lists of the current exchange rate). These almost always give a better rate than banks. 

It is a little cheaper to pay for things in riel instead of USD, but the difference is so small that the overall difference isn’t very significant. 

Little kids will most likely approach you and offer to guide you to the killing caves or other attractions. Do not accept unless you are willing to pay the $1 that they will each demand at the end of the tour!

Saturday, November 10, 2012

The Travel Playlist


Anyone who knows me will tell you I have a playlist for almost everything: Christmas parties, birthday parties, driving, doing homework, cleaning the house, etc. But these days one of my favorite playlists to make is a travel playlist. I first discovered the power of the travel playlist last year when I spent two months in Nepal. My friends and I unwittingly created our own travel playlist just by listening to the same few albums over and over. The effect this had was to create in my mind an association between the songs and Nepal. To this day I can’t listen to Mumford and Sons or Lady GaGa without being taken back in time to Kathmandu. It also gave the three of us something to share with one another; it contributed to our group dynamic and created a certain mood between us.

For me, the purpose of the travel playlist is to create a certain mood for my trip. How do I want my music to make me feel as I’m biking on the backroads of Cambodia or gazing out the window of a train in Thailand? I also want to purposely create an association between certain songs and my travels, so all I have to do to reminisce is turn on a song. I think of it like a movie soundtrack, and I ask myself the question “If my life was a movie, what would the soundtrack be?” and then I make a playlist accordingly.

A travel playlist can be made several ways. One way is simply by listening to certain albums or artists repeatedly like we did in Nepal. For example, Kim has been listening to a lot of The Civil Wars, Needtobreathe, Damien Rice, Mumford and Sons, Colbie Caillat, and Mat Kearney. Another way is to create a mix with many different artists but a common mood or theme. In order to do this, ask yourself what mood you want for your trip and start skimming iTunes for possibilities. I usually add way too much to a playlist at first and then trim it down later. Since our trip is seven months long I opted to make two playlists with different moods, just in case I tired of one. In my iTunes they are simply labeled “Asia” and “Asia 2.”

My Travel Playlists:

My “Asia” playlist is meant to be soothing and inspiring, kind of like a Julia Roberts movie, and includes bits and pieces from all of the following artists: Alanis Morissette, Augustana, Branches, Bright Eyes, Brooke Fraser, Chemistry, Citizen Cope, Coldplay, Damien Rice, Fun., Gungor, Ian McIntosh, Iron & Wine, Jon Foreman, Lynrd Skynrd, Mat Kearney, MeWithoutYou, Mumford and Sons, Needtobreathe, OneRepublic, Regina Spector, Robert Plant & The Strange Sensation, Sufjan Stevens, M83, Florence + The Machine,The Paper Kites, The Verve, The Fray, and The Head and the Heart.

My “Asia 2” playlist, which I listen to less often, is meant to be upbeat and exciting, as if to say “Hey, look at how cool my life is!” It includes songs from the following artists: Aerosmith, Angels & Airwaves, A.R. Rahman, The All-American Rejects, Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Eric Hutchinson, Falling Up, Flo Rida, Fun., Ingrid Michaelson, Jason Derulo, Jonny Lang, Lady GaGa, Lenny Kravitz, Matisyahu, Mat Kearney, MGMT, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Moby, Nicki Minaj, OneRepublic, Passion Pit, Pitbull, Relient K, Selena Gomez, Switchfoot, Train, The Vines.

The important thing is that I listen to music I want my trip to be associated with. I also need to take care of myself, and music often has a strong affect on mood. On a long trip away from home can sometimes be trying. I find that if I’m frustrated, tired, or homesick, all I have to do is pop in my Asia playlist to get me feeling a little more cheerful. And if I forget what an incredible opportunity I have by traveling, I listen to “Asia 2” and get to feeling awesome again. So goes the magic of the travel playlist!

For me, good music on any trip is essential. Before you strap on your backpack consider what mood you want your journey to have, and listen accordingly!