My visit of
Laos and Cambodia was an unforgettable experience.
Laos is a country not yet fallen in the gears of mass tourism, where time really seemed to have stopped. Moving from the tranquility of
Vientiane to the poetry of
Luang Prabang, to the beautiful colors of the nortern mountains, to the mystery of the jar's plain finishing then with the enchanting scenery along the Mekong delta.
People (although their living condition is unfortunately not always the best) always smiles, being very friendly. Almost everyone speaks English and is always happy to help tourists in case of need.
Cambodia... Well, there are no words to define it. Simply magical. An amazing country, despite the many difficulties met during history, it found the strength to rise up again after years of the minimum terms existence. The temples of Angkor are wonderful, a marvel not to be missed. Phnom Penh is sometimes disturbing and sometimes charming, always in motion: a city where everyone breaks his back, sometimes humiliating, to pass the day. Much more quiet and economical compared to the neighboring Thailand. The beaches of
Sihanoukville are good places, the ideal to relax and drink some beer.
The Itinerary
I started from Rome on 14 September 2003 with Thai flight to Bangkok and I came back Italy nearly after 40 days. Arrived in Bangkok, I tried a flight to
Vientiane, always with Thai. Landing in
Laos, within
Vientiane prefecture the ticket for the return flight was required. It was not my intention to come back directly to Bangkok, so I solved the problem by buying the return ticket without a fixed date, practicallye buying a ticket that, if not used, will be reimbursed, as effectively happened.
Total price 8700 Baht (1 Euro = 45 baht).
There is also a bus running from Bangkok at 17:00 and arriving in
Vientiane at 7:00 of the next morning, price 650 Baht.
The visa costs US$30 and you must submit a photo.
Once at the airport I took a taxi to the center (US$ 5) stopping to a guesthouse (12 US$, hot water, air conditioning and television).
Vientiane is nice: along the Mekong, specially at sunset, the atmosphere is truly unique. I ate in restaurants along the river for just US$ 2.
Between 23:00 and 23:30 almost everything closes, only the clubs inside the major hotels remain opened.
I visited
Vientiane during the Talat Sao (market day), going to the symbol of the country, the Pha That Luang monument and Wat Si Saket.
Some prices: 1 Euro = 11.000 Kip, rooms cost from US$ 7, a Tuk Tuk trip from 1 US$, bike rental 1 US$ or more, a complete lunch from 10.000 kip up, a beer 4000 kip, a coffee 3000 kip.
From
Vientiane I moved with bus to
Luang Prabang. Cost: 160 Bath.
Departure and arrival at 7:30 to 18:30. The road was really bad, full of curves, continuously rising and to mention the driver that drove at crazy speed.
In the bus there was an escort provided by armed soldiers, because on the road there was danger of ambushes by Hmong bandits.
Arrived in
Luang Prabang, I took a tuk tuk agreeing with the driver to be left on a guesthouse in the heart of the city. Price US$ 8, hot water and air conditioning included.
Luang Prabang is very beautiful, there time seems to stand still. I visited the market, some of the magnificent
Luang Prabang wats, Tat Kuang Si waterfalls and Pak Ou caves.
A climb on Phu Si, the hill which lies at the heart of the city, is worth. From its top is possible to enjoy a stunning landscape.
Back in
Vientiane, I arranged to move southwards with coach, in the direction of Tha Khaek. Price: 3 US$, about 7 hours of trip. The road is continuously flat....
I set in a room with hot water and air conditioning with 7 US$. I visited the village, by which I was not impressed, and the next day I moved to Paks, 10 hours of travel, with about 6 US$.
From
Vientiane, is possible to fly directly to Paks. The flight costs 70 US$.
Even here, I moved into a guesthouse with 3 US$ air conditioning included, but with shared bathroom. I visited the city and bought a plane ticket to
Siem Reap. The flight departs every Wednesday and Sunday and costs 60 US$. To move out from
Laos I paid US$ 20.
At
Siem Reap airport it is compulsory to pay US$ 20 for visa and you must submit a photograph. In the airport I was approached by a cambodian policeman that offered me a reimbursement for the visa expense, opting for accommodation in his proposed guesthouse.. I refused and for 1 US$, I took a mototaxi to move in a guesthouse near the center. The room was good, hot water and air conditioning for US$ 8 each day.
I agreed with the driver of mototaxi which I hired for the next day to bring me in
Angkor Wat. The entry fee is expensive (US$ 20 for a single day visit) but, despite price and the crowd of tourists visiting the temples, is a thing to do. I moved through temples with mototaxi, because distances are great and to have it on foot is a real suicide.
The next day I visited the city. It is possible to walk calmly, without problems. I suggest to visit the market, it is worth.
In the guesthouse I bought my ticket for the boat that, the next day, should bring me in
Phnom Pehn. 7 hours of trip for 25 US$.
Departure from the guesthouse at 5:30 with a pickup full of people: 13 passengers plus luggage, a terrific journey on a dirt road till the pier.
Upon arrival in
Phnom Pehn I was literally attacked by procurers.. I arranged an accommodation in the center for US$ 10, hot water, television and air conditioning included.
The next day I hired a mototaxi to bring me to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. At the exit I found my previous driver that accompanied me in a motion tour through the city. By now it was night. At night Phnom Penh was really incredible, it really worth the pain.
The next day I visited Tuol Sleng museum, ex security prison S-21. To understand what's going on just think that between 1975 and 1978 in this prison were hacked to death, after being tortured, about 17,000 people. The place is not recommended for particularly sensitive people: the impact is really strong.
The next stop was at Choeung Ek death camps, 15 kms outside the capital. The mototaxi trip was tiring, the road wasn't paved and full of holes. Truly painful.
It was the heaviest day of my trip, the inspirations to reflect on what happened in Cambodia have been many.
I spent the next day around Phnom Penh, ending sat in a bar along the river, an incredibly beautiful place.
The next morning I moved in Kampot. After the Phnom Penh frenzy a little relax was needed. The guesthouse I was hosted in, brought me the transfer for 6000 R, with 3 hours of travel.
There I found accommodation for 3 U.S. dollars and, two days after I reached, along with other three Cambodians
Sihanoukville by taxi. In
Sihanoukville I stayed in a room paid US$ 10.
The beach is beautiful and the place is frequented by many rich Cambodians. In the evening, for those who love this kind of entertainment, there is the opportunity to attend discos.
From
Sihanoukville I took the ferry that brought me to
Krong Koh Kong, on the Thailand border (700 Bath, 6 hours of travel), where the next day I took a minibus to reach
Trat. Departing from
Trat there's a regular bus service to Bangkok, and here (unfortunately) I ended my trip.
Trivia
Some Cambodian prices :
* Mototaxi from US$ 0,5 for one way travel to US$ 10 for an entire daily rental
* A tea. US$ 0,4
* Eggs with jam and bread: US$ 2
* Rice with Chicken: US$ 2
* A room: starting from US$ 3 or more,
* To bring into museums a camera or videocamera costs almost always US$ 2 of charge
*
Phnom Pehn - Bangkok Flight: US$ 95 (one way)
* Phnom Penh to Saigon bus (Viet Nam) from: US$8
Useful links
* Discovering
Laos* The extraordinary world of Mekong
* Live News from
Vientiane* Virtual guide in Phnom Penh
* The
Angkor Wat portal
* A tragic page: the Cambodian genocide
I hope I provided some useful information to those who will to make a trip in this part of Indochina. If there's someone who needs additional informations, with much pleasure I would be happy to provide him some. Good bye to everyone from Angelo