go, now while its still cheap! (Cambodia)

Member Name: kissy1

Product:	Cambodia
Date:	09/05/09 (58 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: great country, great people, great atmosphere

Disadvantages: long way away

Where I went:-
I entered Cambodia from Laos, travelling south in a slow boat down the Mekong. I then took a bus to Phnom Penh. Later I travelled north by train to Siem Reap (for Ankor Wat).I then flew out of Cambodia to Thailand.

What I thought of the landscape:-
The one thing about Cambodian landscape that sticks in my mind is how wet it was. Everywhere has a lake, or a pond or a river. The Mekong is huge, and runs north to south. It's the life blood of Cambodia and is used to move everything from people to animals, even groceries. Tonle Sap is the other main body of water which is also huge. A lot of Cambodia is also quite flat, which can be nice but also a bit boring; although there are some hills in places.

What I thought of the people:-
The Cambodian people are great. Tourism isn't as big there as it is in neighbouring Thailand, so they really are glad to see you. There is far less tourist traps here, and the people seemed genuinely please to see you.

What I thought of the transport system:-
The Cambodian transport system is basic, to say the least. Having said that, it is cheap, so I didn't mind it being basic. The buses vary a lot, from modern to very old Taxi's are really cheap and ok quality and the trains have different classes, so you can choose what level of 'comfort' you want (don't go super-cheap bench class!!!!)

How much does it cost?
Cambodia is cheap. My budget per day was £5, and that went a long way. A hostel was around £2.30 per night, and a good evening meal was around 70p. Although that was in 2005. In 2010 Cambodia are going to be producing their own oil, drilled just off the coast; so expect prices to rise.

Final opinion:-
I loved this country, it was cheap and the people very welcoming. I would highly recommend going.

Summary: so worth a trip, my fav place