Killing Fields and S21 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

I don't really have the words to describe the experience that is the killing fields, but it is definitely something that everyone should make the time to visit if they are in Phnom Penh, or Cambodia in general. 

It takes about 30-40mins to get to the killing fields from Phnom Penh, and you should only pay $15 for a tuktuk (two-way fare) or about $5 for a moto. 

There is an audio guided tour of the killing fields, which is super well done and very powerful. 

It gives a good explanation of what happened in this place, and also gives some personal stories of those who were affected by the Khmer Rouge. 

The tour takes about 2 hours, so give yourself sufficient time to wander around the lake and hear the extra stories and music created by survivors. 

I went to S21 the same day, which was a high school that the Khmer Rouge turned into a torture and interrogation centre. 

I found this to be the most difficult place to go through: there are headshots displayed of all of the prisoners, including many women and children. 

Some of their faces are so defiant and strong, while others look terrified and others still seem to have already accepted their ultimate end. 

Walking through the larger classrooms turned into torture chambers, and others with narrow wooden and concrete cells erected, was overwhelming. You could feel the energy from all of the atrocities that the Khmer Rouge committed here. 

The Khmer Rouge were a communist group that defeated the Nol Lon government. Once they successfully took Phnom Penh, the capital city and final stronghold, they forced all of the citizens out of all cities in Cambodia - then renamed 'Kampuchea' - and into the countryside to start their agrarian society free from currency and the West's influence. 

They essentially starved the entire population and killed everyone they saw as a threat: intellectuals, teachers, doctors, nurses, even monks. About a third of the country perished during their rule from 1975 to 1979, when the Vietnamese conquered Pol Pot, the notorious leader of the Khmer Rouge. 

It was definitely a heavy day, but I think it is important to pay respects to those who suffered in this beautiful country while the rest of the world was shut off from it and did not come to the Khmer peoples' aid. 

I hope that one day human kind will learn from our mistakes and that peace will be profound. 

In the meantime, may those who were affected by the Cambodian genocide rest in peace. 

Kep, Cambodia

I made the 25km journey from Kampot to Kep on a motorbike, although you can also catch a minivan to the main beach if biking isn't for you. 

 

The roads are alright, although there's a bit of loose gravel and lots of construction along the Kep circuit with only a strip of pavement bordered by sand. Makes things interesting when a huge truck passes by ;)

There are supposedly two caves that you can go to between Kampot and Kep, although I wasn't able to find either. 

Le fail. 

My little moto group and I hung out in hammock by the ocean after our long drive in the heat. I know, hard life ;) 

Lesson learned: the hammocks are $1 each, so don't feel obliged to buy a drink like we did. 

Kep is known for it's amazing crab, so our next stop was the crab market. 

There are a bunch of stalls set up by the ocean with lots of seafood, but the real crab selling happens on the pier. 

Ladies were selling their wares and locals would painstakingly choose what they thought to be the best crabs of the bunch. 

We went to Kimly restaurant on the water near the market, which was recommended to us. I got the fried crab with Kampot green pepper. Slightly saucy, but delicious. I would recommend the grilled crab if you want something less rich.  

All in all, a great day excursion. You can also stay in a guesthouse or bungalow in Kep, although there's really not much else to do other than lie on the beach and eat delicious crab meat. 

Wait, what am I saying, that's amazing! Definitely worth the drive there, even if the roads are currently under construction. 

Koh Rong Island, Cambodia

It's official, I'm addicted to island living. 

However, when I first arrived to Koh Rong, I felt a bit overwhelmed: there were tons of guest houses, bungalows and bars along the beach with a heck of a lot more people milling about compared to Koh Ta Kiev island. 

After a bit of an adjustment, I came to like Koh Rong quite a bit. 

I ended up staying at a bit of a sketchy guest house down a strange little alleyway, with boarded walls that had cracks in the middle since the boards weren't quite straight. Made for some loud mornings when the whole fam would wake up ridiculously early and start banging around pots and pan whilst yelling at each other right near my room. At least it got me out of bed bright'n'early ;)

Lesson learned: take the early morning speed boat to the island from Sihanoukville and not the afternoon slow boat like myself - all of the guesthouses were full by the time I arrived, hence the strange accommodations. 

Although the slow boat has some comfy seating ;)

Koh Rong is super chilled out and so flipping hot during the day that people don't do much more than hangout on the white sand beach, swim in the crystal blue waters (for hours, seriously). I'm pretty sure almost everyone on the island gets sunburnt almost every day with the 45C sun beating down. Good times. 

I made the trek through the jungle path to Long Beach on the other side of the island. 

There were much less people on this side, although snorkelling tours generally end here to watch the sunset. There are a few bungalows that you can stay in ($15) or a dorm ($6) or you can rent a tent ($5) and pitch it on the beach. 

I didn't end up camping on Long Beach since it started to POUR down rain the day that I made the trek over there. It was cool to swim in the warm water with the cool(ish) rain pelting down after a long game of beach volleyball. I decided it wasn't the best conditions to camp in...I know, such a lame-o. 

I ended up renting a tent with a travel buddy and we decided to branch out a bit and stay on 4km Beach (continue down the beach from Koh Rong to the left if you're looking at the water, past rocky beach and then you will see a long crescent of white sand beach, so beautiful!). 

It was amazing: we got fried noodles, Oreos and beers in Koh Rong and set up camp at dusk. There was only one other couple camping on the beach, which was cool later on since they knew how to start a fire. I know, I'm super outdoorsy ;) 

We went swimming with the luminescent plankton under the stars - the most amazing thing of all time!! I've never seen so much before, it was seriously like swimming through fairy dust. 

Not going to lie, my sleep wasn't the best (we had no mattress and we somehow ended up having as much sand as the Sahara desert in our tent) but the sunrise (at around 5:30) made up for it. 

So beautiful. 

It's crazy, though - as soon as the sun rises, it is instantly HAWT. It's potent fo sho. 

There were really cool BBQ restaurants in Koh Rong, although slightly pricier than the regular fried rice and noodle stalls down the beach.

There are no roads on the island, it's the best feeling to never have to wear shoes! Although the sand does heat up during the day and you can see everyone running from one shady patch to the next. 

Overall, although it's a bit busier and has more of a party vibe, I really enjoyed my time on Koh Rong island. 

I mean, how could you not love frolicking for hours in this water, amiright?!

Khmer New Year in Cambodia

 The Khmer (pronounced 'Kmai' in this context, unlike the Khmer Rouge pronounced 'Kmair') New Year took place on April 13-16. 

Unlike neighbouring Thailand and Laos, which have huge country-wide water fights to celebrate Songkran, Cambodia has family-focused festivities for three days, followed by a further two days for 'young lovers' to take off work. 

As you can imagine, prices everywhere go wayyy up during this time. For instance, my bus ticket was increased by $4 from Siem Reap to Sihanoukville - the ticket agent was mortified when he told me this. 'Same goes for locals, so sorry miss. I understand if you don't book with us...' No worries, man. 

I was on Koh Ta Kiev island for most of it, so I didn't partake in the festivities, but I could hear the music pumping from Sihanoukville and see the lights and fireworks. 

It's mostly a time when people get a proper vacation from work and return to the provinces from the city to be with family to eat and drink and party together. 

Sounds kind of like our New Years ;) 

Koh Ta Kiev Island, Cambodia

Oh my goodness, where do I begin? 

I absolutely loved my time on this island, and cannot stop raving about it to everyone that I meet. Seriously, I can't recommend it enough!

I had heard about the island from a few other travellers, so when I heard that there was a boat that left from Otres beach, I thought I would check it out. 

I caught the one boat that goes to the island at noon for Coral Beach (it leaves the island at 8:30am and returns from Otres near Footprints hostel at around noon every day). I knew it was going to be a cool place when everyone sitting near the landing area came up to the boat and introduced themselves. 

I shared a bed in the dorm with a friend I've been traveling with for a while for $6 (you can also get a hammock for $3 or your own bungalow for $15). It was the best dorm I've been in yet - a big bungalow right on the ocean's edge. 

Beautiful. 

We trekked across the island one day (only 30mins on a pretty well-groomed path, although covered in centipedes) to a white sand beach with nothing and no one on it - no bungalows or people in sight. A rare and beautiful thing. 

We went snorkelling one morning at around 7am when the ocean was still quite calm in front of Coral Beach. Really impressive coral, although LOTS of sea urchins. Tons. Freak me out! 

We also rented kayaks - there were only three on the island, and four of us, so after failed attempts at trying to ride double, I let them head off. I expected them to come back soon, but got a bit worried when it started to get dark after the sunset. I almost got a boat to go out in search of them when they wandered in and said they had caught a ride on a boat after trying to go around the island. Turns out it's bigger than we thought ;)

The best part about my stay at Coral Beach wasn't just the amazing scenery or the surprising amount of activities, but it was the familial atmosphere. We would have breakfast whenever, but then everyone would order lunch after the boat arrived at around 12:30 and again at 7:30pm. 

There were always three amazing options - it helps when it's a French chef making the food(!!). We would all hater together in the cool tree house bar and just hang around afterwards in the candlelight at night after the generator gave way. (There was only power for cooking at night and no running water. Bucket showers for the win). 

There is only four places to stay on the island, and two of them were closed for Khmer New Year so there was tops 30-40 foreigners on the island. 

The staff was amazingly friendly and played this hilarious game where you would have to do ten push-ups whenever you said 'mine'. They were good at trapping me: 'Anna, whose bill should I put that on?' 'Mine, obvi'  'Adding another point to your scorecard - drop and give us ten'. 

So good. 

It was a friends birthday while we were on the island, so I made due with what I had and made a cake of Oreo cookies piled on a plate with a candle in the middle. I know, pure genius. 

It helped that we ate breakfast, lunch and dinner there - we only had to pay when we left. It ended up being just under $30 per day, which is pretty good considering island life is usually more expensive and we were getting gourmet meals and cocktails (real wine!). 

Although I have to admit that Cambodia as a whole has been a lot more expensive than I expected. Everyone always said that Cambodia was super cheap, but I guess prices have doubled or tripled in the last few years. Nothing totally crazy, but instead of $2 for a meal, now it's $4. Not bad, but it sure does add up! 

Anywho, I could go on forever about this place, but overall I loved it and would recommend it times a thousand. Only trick is that they close for the rainy season (May) so time your visit accordingly! 

Also, some Chinese businessmen have purchased the island recently and are planning to build huge resorts and a casino in the island, most likely displacing the fishing villages there, such a shame. So def go before construction changes it too much!