173 CYCLE TOURING CAMBODIA (10)
2 October - 19 October 2024
1 042 Km – 17 Days
MAP
2-3 October - Muang Khong - Stung
Treng - 100 km
I began my day with a steaming cup of
coffee as I prepared for my ride across the bridge to join Route 13 South. Despite
the brisk wind tugging at my clothes, I felt a surge of excitement at the prospect
of returning to Cambodia after nearly five years when I cycled the country with
my friends Megan, Erma, and Janice.
The process of getting stamped out of
Laos turned out to be surprisingly straightforward, despite the border post's notorious
reputation for bribery. The officers requested a $2 stamp fee, but I firmly
declined, and they didn't push the issue. The Cambodian immigration process was
much smoother, and I paid the $35 visa fee before resuming my journey.
The road leading south was in a sorry state
due to ongoing repairs, covered in a thick layer of gravel that made cycling a
challenge. Fortunately, motorbikes had carved out a single track next to the
road. Although signs periodically indicated the "End of road work,"
the gravel would quickly reappear, and I kept reassuring myself with the mantra,
"This too shall pass."
On a more positive note, I had the
pleasure of meeting another cyclist from Japan who was also on a cycling adventure
through Asia. I also discovered that Cambodia was in the midst of celebrating
Pchum Ben, or the Festival of the Ancestors, one of the country's most significant
and grandest festivals. I caught glimpses of the festivities, witnessing
two-wheel tractors laden with villagers passing by in the opposite direction.
By the time I arrived in Stung Treng,
it was late, and I struggled to find a hotel with available rooms, most likely
due to the festivities. I settled for one that offered an air-conditioned room
with a window for $12, but I found the cleanliness lacking, and I wondered if
my frugality was worth it.
I decided to stay in Stung Treng the
next day to withdraw Cambodian Riel or Khmer Riel (KHR) (4 000 KHR = 1 US$), a
SIM card, and take care of a few other things.
4 October – Stung Streng – Preah
Vihear – 140 km
I felt remarkably energetic, and the
weather and the road were good. As a result, I pushed on. I forgot just how
scenic Cambodia is. Numerous unusual sights kept me occupied, and I again
realised just how comfortable the Cambodians are on a motorbike, as twice I saw
people returning from the clinic with an IV drip bag on a stick attached to their
arm.
I don't know what was in the drink I
bought from a roadside vendor as I was so energetic that I cycled the 140 km to
Preah Vihear. Once there I was more than happy to find Javier Guest House,
which has a lovely large room for only $7.
5 October – Preah Vihear – Phumi
Moreal, Heng Heng Guest House – 83 km
I wasn’t all bright-eyed and
bushy-tailed, and my morning search for a baguette revealed nothing, so I got
on the road and headed toward Siam Reap. Again, the scenery was unsurpassed,
and it turned out to be a lovely day of riding. Sixty km later, I came upon Koh
Ker, a UNESCO World Heritage and Archaeological Site. This Ancient capital of
the Khmer Empire between 921 and 944 CE is now partially hidden in a dense
forest; I dropped my bags at a guesthouse and went exploring. It was after six
p.m. that I returned and headed straight to a restaurant, starving.
6 October – Phumi Moreal – Siam Reap –
100 km
It rained throughout the night, and I
could still hear it pouring when I woke up. I stayed in bed with a coffee and
played on my phone until I heard that the rain subsided. It was thus late
morning by the time I saddled my old iron horse for the ride to Siam Reap. I
felt immensely happy to be on the bike, pedalling down a rural road. The sound
of children calling “Hello Farang” always brought a smile to my face, their voices
blending with the sound of cattle. If you didn’t respond, they would keep
calling louder and louder, their excitement echoing through the countryside.
This is such a rural part of Cambodia
that, at times, I could imagine I'm on a different planet. By the time I neared
touristy Siam Reap, I was somewhat taken aback by the urgency of the drivers
and the chaotic dance of traffic, which sharply contrasted with the peaceful
countryside. Still, I joined this dance and made my way to Smiley Guesthouse,
which has ground-floor budget rooms and a swimming pool. It’s a good place to
lay low, and I paid for three nights.
On stepping out, I thought I could
easily spend the three days eating as the aroma of the local delicacies wafted
through the air. I imagined myself exploring all the culinary delights of the
area.
The following day, I took the bicycle
to the bike shop to be cleaned and oiled. I was shocked at the prices in Siam
Reap. When prices are quoted in US$, you know you have been overcharged. So,
nothing much came of eating at all the restaurants that looked so inviting the
previous evening as they were clearly priced with tourists in mind. Eventually,
I grabbed a baguette with egg and salad from a mobile vendor at less than half
the price at the sit-down restaurants. I also handed in my laundry to get a
proper machine wash as it’s a fee I never complain about.
9 October Siam Reap – Stoung – 102 km
I made a bit of a detour because I
didn’t want to cycle along the main road, but the minor road I chose soon spat
me out on the main road south. I guess I’ll never get used to Cambodia's
ingenious means of transport. There is nothing they cannot transport by bicycle
or a two-wheel tractor.
Once away from Siam Reap, the road was
quiet and a pleasure to cycle. The rain lasted no more than 10 minutes, and soon,
the sun was shining bright again. I met the nicest people; a man stopped and
handed me a Pocari Sweat. How nice was that? Later, I stopped to take a break
and met a mum and her daughter who could speak some English. She was ever so
helpful, and we took a few selfies.
I was on the old Khmer highway between
Angkor and Phnom Penh. It's a new road today, but surprisingly, the Kampong
Kdei Bridge is still in use. Built in the 12th century, Spean Praptos, also
known as Kampong Kdei Bridge, used to be the longest corbeled stone-arch bridge
in the world, with over twenty narrow arches spanning 87 metres.
I arrived in Stoung around four p.m.
It is a typical Cambodian small town with a market, a temple, muddy roads, a
petrol station, bug vendors, and the ever-present mobile food carts. My guest
house cost 8 Dollars, and the room was as big as a dancehall. Taking the stir
my presence created, I didn’t think a farang had ever stayed at this
establishment; great was my surprise thus when I discovered a young American
lady also staying at the guesthouse and travelling by bicycle. She was heading
to Siam Reap and this was her fourth day on her first cycling holiday.
10 October - Stoung – Won With Guest House
– 110 km
In a 2021 survey, it was found that approximately
63 percent of households in Cambodia are engaged in agricultural production. It's
thus common to see wooden houses on stilts with chickens, buffalos, cows, palm
and mango trees next to rice fields. Today, I came across many
"Ambok" or flattened rice producers along the road. The rice seemed
to be first roasted in a pan with a mechanical stirrer, then pounded in a
wooden bowl and separated from the husk in a sieve. During the rice harvest,
some rice is specially prepared for certain Khmer ceremonies and family
gatherings. I regret not buying any, but hopefully, I'll find them again
tomorrow. After 110 km, I found Win With Guesthouse, a perfect spot midway
between Phnom Penh and Stoung. Once again, the experience of finding food was
fascinating and amusing.
11 October – Win With or Von Vith
guest house - Phnom Penh 110km
The ride to Phnom Pehn was
surprisingly easy, as it is a new road. Still, it was pretty boring, and I
believe that my ride along the river trail was far more interesting. However,
it was easy riding, although not much happened except for stopping at Skun,
known as Spider Village. The reason is that it’s a place well known for the
exotic cuisine of tarantulas. Vendors sold deep-fried tarantulas coated in
garlic and chillies, and although the aroma was appetising, I don’t think I can
ever get myself to eat a tarantula. The last stretch into the capital was easy-going
except for the chaotic traffic. I rarely made a booking, but this time I did,
and as always, it was a total disaster, and I didn’t stay at the place booked.
I, however, easily found a room as just about every second building in Phnom
Pehn is a guesthouse.
I stayed in Phnom Penh for three
nights as I quite like the place, and I had the usual housekeeping to attend to.
I also met up with Matt, a friend for many years and we had supper at the Addis
Restaurant. I love Ethiopian food, and the food at Addis is excellent and it
made for a lovely and relaxing evening.
14 October – Phnom Penh – Krong Doun
Kaev – 103 km
As I left the bustling city of Phnom
Penh, I found myself navigating through the chaotic Monday morning traffic. It always
takes some time to adjust to the constant flow of vehicles and the need to
trust the traffic around me. Once I cleared the city limits, I followed a narrow
path along the serene Bassac River. A sign directed towards Chisor Mountain
Temple caught my eye, prompting me to change my course to the west. To my
delight, I stumbled upon the ancient ruins of this 11th-century temple perched high
on a hill, accessible by a lengthy staircase. Despite the heat and swarms of
mosquitoes, I persevered and was delighted to reach the remains of this old
temple. However, my battle with the mosquitoes eventually forced me to cut my
visit short. By the time I finished, it was already late afternoon, but I
decided to cycle to the next village, which was only 30 km away.
15-17 - October – Krong Doun Kaev –
Kampot - 86 km
Again, the Main Road to Kampot was a
dead boring affair. That said, the road was new, wide and in good condition, so
I shouldn’t complain. It’s just that I don’t like such predictability. In any
event, I stuck to the main road and soon landed in the lovely riverside town of
Kampot. I’ve visited Kampot on many occasions and this time I chose to stay in
the village. Good Morning Kampot Guesthouse was an ideal place to stay as it
was slap bang in the centre and right on the river. It also offered spacious budget
rooms on the upper floors with a restaurant below. Reviews stated that the food
was excellent; I think whoever made those comments must have been British, as
the food was so bland that I had to ask for a portion of fresh chillies to make
it more palatable. LOL
I paid for two nights and was thus
slow to rise the following morning. With no plans for the day, I handed in my
laundry as whenever I have a chance of having my laundry done for a dollar, I can’t
resist. I did truly little the rest of the day except visit the Kampot market
as no one can be in Kampot and not go to the market or buy the famous Kampot
pepper, known as the best pepper in the world.
I was up early to collect my laundry,
but the lady couldn’t find it and asked that I return later. There wasn’t much
to do in Kampot, so I took my bicycle and cycled to the old fishing village on
the opposite side of the river. Much later, I returned and was happy to find
that my laundry was located. I was so happy that I treated myself to Nachos &
Gaugamela in Kampot Alley, where noodles are still handmade, and something is
always steaming in a pot.
18 October – Kampot – Srae Ambel – 108
km
After doing almost nothing for two
full days, I felt pretty energetic and was eager to get underway. I had no specific
plan and contemplated going to Sihanoukville.
The day started with a lovely scenic ride,
and I was happy to be out on the bike. This euphoria, however, came to a
grinding halt when the paved road abruptly disappeared after approximately 25
km. It was not a disaster until I realised this was no ordinary dirt road but
one that had been neglected for years, and I thought it resembled a minefield
(not that I knew what it looked like). In any event, I persevered, bouncing
over the potholes and slip-sliding through the muddy patches. Conditions worsened
as the day progressed, and I had my eye set on the junction 20 km away,
believing conditions would improve from there. I clawed onto the handlebars for
dear life, and after 5 km, I stopped to take a breather, feeling happy I
managed 5 km. My wrists and arms felt shaky, but I returned to the bike,
determined to reach the main road. And so it went until I reached the junction.
It was already quite late, and instead
of going to Sihanoukville, I decided to head straight to Srae
Ambel. You can imagine my surprise when I found the road (although paved)
in dreadful condition, busy and narrow. So narrow was the road that two trucks
could barely pass one another, let alone avoid bicycles or motorbikes. Motorbikes
mainly used the no-man’s land next to the paved road, and I followed suit. This
was no easy ride as the no-man’s land wasn’t meant for vehicles and was by then
potholed and muddy. I was in this mess and had to persevere. The continuous
rain didn’t make the ride any more manageable. Once, I stopped for coffee to
get out of the rain and rest my wrists, but I still had a way to go and soon
got back on the bike.
A new road was in the process of being
constructed, which made the way one huge construction site. The hills
encountered at the end of the day left me gasping for air, but I pushed on, and
5 km from Srae Amble, the weather came in again, and I pedalled like a woman
possessed to reach the town before the storm broke. I reached the town just as
raindrops started falling and pulled into the nearest Guest House. I was relieved
I made it but soon discovered it was a brothel, LOL, not that I could care less
as I was far too tired to be concerned about that.
19 October - Srae Ambel - Koh Kong –
by bus
I was optimistic about the new road leading
to the border being completed, but unfortunately, that wasn't the reality. Despite
my determination to continue, the mud clogged the chain and gears, forcing me to
stop and clear the wheels. What a mess! Seeking advice on the road conditions
ahead, I stopped at a roadside eatery, only to be informed that the road was impassable
for a bicycle. Although I usually take such warnings lightly, I decided to heed
the advice this time. I was directed to a bus, where I was surprised to find no
seats, just an open space. As we traversed the bumpy road, the driver and his companion
were incredibly amiable, even buying me a coffee and offering water and a baguette.
Initially told that the journey would take seven hours to cover 125 km, I was relieved
when we arrived in Koh Kong after just 5 hours. I paid the driver 50,000 riel
for the ride, which I thought was a bargain. He seemed content with the payment
and even offered me change, which made me chuckle. Afterwards, I cycled around
town searching for budget accommodation and found Rene’s Pasta Bar &
Guesthouse, which offered a fan room for only $11. The room was sparkling
clean, the staff helpful, and the food delicious. I couldn’t be happier.
CYCLE TOURING THAILAND
KOH KONG – PATTAYA
20 OCTOBER – 23 OCTOBER
4 DAYS – 355 KM
20 October – Koh Kong – Trat – 100 km
I had a slow start this morning. Every
task seemed to drag on forever, and I even considered staying another day.
However, since my bags were packed, I decided to cycle to the money exchange
and convert my remaining Cambodian Riel to Thai Baht. The distance to the
Cambodia-Thailand border was only about 10 km, but by the time I left the
immigration office, it was already past 12. I felt completely drained and
lacked the energy for the 90 km ride to Trat. The route to Trat was quite
hilly, and my legs were not cooperating. Despite this, I persevered, knowing it
was a beautiful ride on a well-maintained road. I entertained the idea of
settling for a roadside motel, but I daydreamed so much that I suddenly
realised I was only 30 km away from Trat. Fifteen km from Trat, the sky
darkened, and someone jokingly shouted, "Rain is coming!" Before I
knew it, it was dark and raining; I couldn't help but think I must be crazy.
However, at that point, I had no choice but to keep going. It was a
nerve-racking experience. Eventually, I arrived in Trat and had to walk the
bike through the darkness and rain, searching for a guesthouse. Finally, I
spotted one and knocked on the already closed door. Being incredibly kind, the
owner let a drenched farang (me and my bicycle) into his guesthouse. The room
was available for just $7, and I couldn't believe my luck. The room was quite colourful.
🤣🤣🤣
21 October - Trat – Chantaburi – 70 km
Even though this is usually a pleasant
ride, I was not in the mood for cycling, but knew it had to be done.
Fortunately, the ride was short, and the weather perfect, making biking easy.
I chose a pleasant route through old hamlets and passed even older temples. I
love these country lanes. My arrival in Chanthaburi was just as a few raindrops
started falling and checked into the nearest hotel. The Muangchan Hotel is hidden
but offers ground-floor rooms at 350 THB. I would have easily paid more to avoid
carrying my panniers up a floor or two. Later, I strolled to the night market,
always a fascinating affair, but it remained virtually impossible to find vegetarian
food.
22 October – Chantaburi – Rayong -
115km
I didn't want to be back in Thailand
and wasn't keen on the ride to Pattaya. Still, I thought it best to extend my
non-immigrant visa as it's a pretty handy visa. It's not that this part of
Thailand isn't interesting; it's just that I've cycled it too many times, and
it's never nice to return to where you started just a few months ago. Anyway, I
reluctantly made my way in that direction and, after 115 km, arrived in Rayong,
where I cycled straight to Richy Grant Guesthouse. It's easily the cheapest
accommodation in town and comes with washing machines, which is always a bonus.
I've been here so many times, the owner gave me a discount on the room. LOL.
23 October – Rayong – Jomtien, Pattaya
– 70 km
Instead of taking my usual coastal
route, I took the main road and cycled (almost) nonstop to Jomtien where I arrived
hungry because I didn't stop for food. I eventually found my key, which I had forgotten
what I had done with. Everything was exactly as I left it, except for a layer
of dust, which didn't bother me too much. It was good to have a decent shower,
coffee, and beer. I decided to do the laundry later. While hanging out the
laundry, I heard someone call my name. Leo and Sammy were on their way to the Corner
Bar, so I went downstairs to join them for a cold one.
24 October – Jomtien
I did nothing productive all day
except watch the robot vacuum, sweep, and mop, LOL. However, I did walk across
the road to the day market to stock up on eggs and potatoes, as putting eggs in
a steamer and a potato in the microwave is pretty straightforward. By late
afternoon, I strolled to the beach, and it was a real privilege. I sat on the
sand, scolding myself for feeling restless, when I should be grateful for the
opportunity to have just completed a lovely circular route in Southeast Asia
through three countries in 8 leisurely weeks, covering 3,371 km.
