Cambodia

Packed full of culture, delicious food, history and temples. Did I say temples, because there is so many of them! And with temples comes hundreds of tourists. But when you go to Cambodia you soon understand why the tourists come here. Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom City, Ta Phrom (tomb raider temple) and the Killing Fields- just to name a few.

The bestie and I took a 9 day guided tour through Cambodia with Intrepid Travel and we loved it. It was the perfect way to see what Cambodia had to offer from the temples to Floating Villages and everything in between.

Who we travelled with: We traveled with Intrepid Travel. A tour company for those who want to explore in smaller tour groups. We went on the 9 day tour called “Angkor Trails” which started in Bangkok and finished in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam.

Where we stayed: In Cambodia we stayed in Siem Reap at the Freedom Hotel and in Phnom Penh we stayed at the Townview Hotel 2. Both were clean, provided breakfast and had friendly and informative staff.

Where we went: Siem Reap- Angkor Thom City, Banteay Srey (lady temple), Angkor Wat- at sunrise and during the day, Ta Phrom (the jungle temple), floating village.
Phnom Penh- visited a silk farm, Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. Bring the tissues because ladies and gents, its overwhelming and sad. I recommend either getting a tour guide or using the audio tour at the killing fields (hire a diskman and headphones and follow the signs).

Where we ate:

The highlight: wandering around the temples, getting lost in it all and taking millions of photos.

The worst bit: Trying to navigate our way through the Cambodia border crossing. If you get anxious easily then make sure you’ve got some valium handy.

My hot tip: Get up early to see the sunset over Angkor Wat. It’s breathtaking.

Enjoy: the laughter of the children that play in the villages and the simplicity in how the locals live. It really makes you realise how good we have it back home.

Expect: crowds.

You can find our Intrepid Tour here. I’d highly recommend them to someone who doesn’t want the party vibes of a Contiki and wants to see the real Cambodia. There’s still plenty of opportunity to do your own thing and drink some very cheap cocktails.