Thailand to Sihanoukville 2

The trip does require a night in Koh Kong, the border town on the Cambodian side, because the border opens in the morning at the same time that the boat leaves (at 8:00 a.m.) It's a ten minute ride into town by taxi, fifteen by motorbike. Don't pay more than half of the original asking price. I always shout out "Moto Guesthouse!" and quickly get whisked away from the pestering hoards of touts.

DO NOT change money at the border. No need to as all of Koh Kong accepts U.S. dollars or Thai Baht and all of Cambodia uses U.S. Dollars.
The Moto cost 200 Baht and offered air conditioning, cable TV, a swimming pool, and excellent meals. The town is small and an afternoon is sufficient to see it. I partied there one night with some Germans and we all ended up missing the one daily boat. That made for one extra, very long day in Koh Kong! The guest house offered to amend our tickets for a healthy fee. The Germans paid but I refused. Boarding on the following morning, the boat company accepted my 'out-dated' ticket with no questions asked.

All the guesthouses sell tickets for the boat (U.S.$20) and arrange transport to the dock. Tickets can be also purchased at the dock before boarding. There are numerous guesthouses within walking distance of the dock as well.
(to be continued)

Thailand to Sihanoukville/Kampot

Anyone know the best way to get from Thailand (by boat, I'm guessing, but up for other suggestions) to either Sihanoukville or Kampot?
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Take the bus to Trat (Eastern Bus Terminal in Bkk), change bus to the border, after crossing either by moto taxi or taxi to Koh Kong town. From there take another bus to SHKV. The road Koh Kong to SHKV has been repaired and there is no reason to take the boat ferry any more. connecting KK to SHKV. Boat was discontinued when the road was finished. Bus from KK to SihanoukVille, about $10usd.
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An easy way to get from Thailand into Sihanoukville, on the Cambodian coast, is by way of the fast boat. It also provides a nice way to do a loop from eastern Thailand-Sihanoukville-Phnom Penh-Siem Reap-Thailand, (if you are on a short visit and want to see the highlights of Cambodia without doing a lot of back-tracking.)
From Trat, Thailand, blue air-conditioned mini-busses make the run to the border from the new bus station whenever they get a full load of ten passengers. That is fairly often. The one-and-a-quarter-hour trip costs 110 Baht and is non-negotiable (by my ability anyway).
The border transit is fairly smooth, though a line tends to form at the Cambodian Point of Entry office where the application and fees are paid at one window and your passport with the new visa picked up at another. The 30-day visa cost $25.
(to be continued)

Cambodia 3weeks 2

Battambang is a good place to get to know a moto driver and do some day trips into the countryside.
kratie is small in a really nice way. see the dolphins and bike around.
ban lung was a really enjoyable place to chat with people in the market, relax, and enjoy nature. it's not hard to get away from the crazy touristy side of cambodia as it is pretty centered on siem reap and phnom penh (i still enjoyed both), and i hear sihanoukville, though we didn't go there.
it's a great country to spend some time in and not many people give it more than a week.
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We spent a month in Cambodia this June/July my recomendations apart for the obvious Phnom Penh and Siem Reap would be:
Kampot, Kep and Rabbit Island. Check to see if Bokor is open, spend a day on Rabbit Island in the peace and quiet. Enjoy the rivers and caves of Kampot and of course the food and laid back- ness of the place.
Battambang - do a cooking course at the smoking pot, ride the bamboo train, enjoy the great food! Hire a Tuk Tuk and get out in the country and villages.
Kratie - Irawaddy Dolphins and once again the laid back ness of this town along the banks of the mighty Mekong. Hire bikes and ride around the island across form the township.

Cambodia 3weeks in November/December

Hi haven't posted for a long time...haven't travelled for along time!
Am going to Cambodia in November/December for 3 weeks and would like to know what people with some experience here would recommend in terms of places to visit, things to see, treks/journeys to take and also where the best beaches are.
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Koh Kong, the new eco/adventure tour destination.
Ratanakiri/ Mondulkiri, trekking, jungle, elephants.
Siem Reap, Angkor and outlying 'jungle' temples.
Kratie, fresh water dolphins, cycling, sustainable tourism projects.
Battambong, typical Cambo provincial capital, quiet, laid back, lots of history.
Phnom Penh, cultural center of modern Cambodia, the capital.
Sihanoukville and islands, the beach.
(to be continued)

south Laos

I have approx 2.5 weeks holiday and am thinking heading to south Laos from BKK
I 've been to North Laos 4 years ago with Vientiane VangVieng LuangPrabang and Meuong Ngoi.
Any suggestion for itinery. I'm thinking about the Vat Phou and the 4000 islands. Any other must sees? What about Konglor cave a bit more North?
Can I cross over from Laos into Cambodia ang get visa at border ? I read it's not possible the other way round.
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If you will be in Pakse, you can use that as a base to see Champsak (Wat Pu) and even head to the Bolaven area (Tad Fane falls, etc) and then from there you cold head to Si Phan Don and see the river islands, and stay there a few days to relax. You can also take a day trip to Khon Phapheng falls. Cambodian visas are available at the border crossing into Cambodia but Lao visas are not available if you are crossing into Laos from Cambodia.
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It would probably be easier to head to Nakhon Phanom and cross over the Mekong to Thakek first if you want to visit the Tham Konglo and then work your way south to Pakse, visit the Bolavens, then to Vat Phu near Champasak before heading down to Nakasang for the crossing to Don Det/Khon and then onward to Cambodia. How much time do you plan to spend in Cambodia, because you could easily use up 12-15 days just for the Lao segment of your trip? Posted
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bus from Bangkok to Ubo Ratchadamri cross pakse don det for few days visa on arrival Laos to Cambodia but not other way around. after dolphins and phaseng falls bus to phnom en then back up to siem Reapa nd minibus to Koh Chang direct for alst few days on beach there ae buses direct Trat to airport or alternative get of Ban pey (stop before eckmai)and take taxi or minibus at bus stop opposite where bus drops you off, or go Bangkok

Laos Itinerary help 2

No, you don't miss much not doing the two boring days on the slow boat; there are better boat trips anyway.

No, you won't miss much not going to LNT and trek overnight to village there; you can do that in many other places in Laos.

Like trains? Train Bkk-Vinetiane

Then Vang-Vieng-Luang Prabang-boat trip Nam Ou to Nong Khiaw - Muang Ngoi-back to Nong Khiaw-Xam Neua-Phonsavanh -direct to Pakxan (buses dry season only)-ViengKham-Nahin/Khonglor-Thakek-Savn'ket-Pakse-Champasak-4000islands; then back into Thailand, by bus to Ubon Ratch, by train back to Bangkok.

Gets you away from the pancake trail a bit.

Trekking: out of Nong Khiaw, Khonglor, Pakse.

However rather a full month itenary and not 20-21 days.

Options to speed up things:
Skip Vang Vieng (you will see more stunning carst peak at Khonglor), Muang Ngoi (little Vang Vieng hang loose community, carst scenery again); on the way to Pakse one stop (or do no stop) overnight is enought o break the journey, no need to do both Thakhek and S'keth.

That would be ok in about 21 days.

Laos Itinerary help

I have one month, starting and ending in Bangkok. I want to use most of my time to travel through Laos from north to south, and perhaps end my holiday with a few days on a Thai island, depending on how much I like 4000 islands or not (if I find that relaxing and fun I might stay there and head straight to Bangkok).
But I am having trouble deciding how / where to start... people have told me to go to Huay Xai and take a boat to Luang Prabang. But I am also interested in Nam Ha / doing some trekking.
What would be more practical?

A. Bangkok - Huay Xai - Luang Prabang - Nam Ha - backtrek to Luang Prabang or do a loop through northeastern Laos?
B. Bangkok - Huay Xai - Nam Ha - Luang Prabang > would I miss out much by not doing that boat trip?
C. Bangkok - Vientiane (I really like trains!) - Vang Vieng (depending on whether I can cope with it) - Luang Prabang - Nam Ha - loop back through northeastern Laos, or...?? Would I miss anything by skipping that Huay Xai corner of the country?
Any other suggestions and highlights welcome, i.e. itinerary suggestions, suggested stops along the way from Bangkok to Laos, highlights or hidden gems in Laos. Thank you!
(to be continued)

Cambodia - Is it Corrupt?

In Cambodia children are sold into prostitution.
There are foreign organizations stopping this to some extent. There are some Cambodian people making money from it. There are some Cambodian people turning a blind eye. There are some Cambodian people powerless to do anything about it.
In Cambodia, poor people are sometimes tricked or coerced into giving their children up for adoption. People from other countries are told that their parents are dead, and adopt these children. The Cambodian people doing this, will be very nice and polite, while they are lying to their face. Britain has banned adoption from Cambodia because there is too much dishonesty.
Again, there are some people making money from this. There are some people turning a blind eye. There are some people powerless to do anything about it.
These are just examples of what happens in Cambodia.
This type of attitude runs through the entire system. People in Cambodia make money with no regard to honesty or fairness the way we understand it.
If you learn the language, go and talk to the poor people about a whole lot of issues which affect their everyday life, and listen to how they are treated, you will probably cry.
The tourist guides won't normally tell you about these things. They want to present a nice picture of Cambodia to the outside world.
(to be continued)

Cambodia - Is it Safe/ Corrupt/ Unhealthy?

To put things in perspective, it is safer than the United States.
However, be sensible. For example, don't walk alone in certain places late at night.
If you left valuables unattended, most likely they would be stolen. However, very few people would threaten you with violence to take your valuables.

Is it Corrupt?
For local people doing business, the system is very corrupt. Those with money can do whatever they want, but the poor are not given a fair go. People see the poverty. Most don't understand, the real problem is a corrupt system.
But this does not normally affect tourists. Most tourists are not aware of what really goes on.
There is corruption in most poor countries.

Is it Unhealthy (disease).
If you are a sensible person, the main thing to be concerned about, is drinking contaminated water, or eating food prepared with contaminated water and getting diarrhea. Be sensible with what you eat and drink.
Every country has some sickness and disease. In places where there is a lot of poverty, it tends to be worse than in places where people have everything they need.
(to be continued)