TripToThai.Com

If you are considering traveling to Southeast Asia, doing the Thailand-Cambodia trip is a favorite of many. The trip from Thailand to Sihanoukville, Cambodia can be a bit startling, however. It need not be.

Southeast Asia is a hugely popular travel destination with millions. This is particularly true now given the brutal economic climate and the fact that most of Southeast Asia is incredibly cheap. A common trip involves flying into Bangkok, putting around Thailand for a bit and then heading over to Cambodia for a bit of rest and relaxation.

If you take this trip, you need to be warned about something. The roads in Cambodia are legendary for their pot holes and the like. As a result, a lot of people cross the boarder at the Cambodian border town of Krong Kaoh Kong and then take a ferry down to the beach town of Sihanoukville. The warning has to do with first impressions.

Krong Kaoh Kong is a border town and not really a nice one. It is very scruffy and there is a feel of tension in the air. I’ve never had problems there, but it isn’t really a place you feel all that comfortable. The town also closes down as soon as it gets dark, so plan on it just being a way station on the way to Sihanoukville.

You might be wondering about the wisdom of coming to Cambodia after getting a look at Krong Kaoh Kong. After a relaxing ferry ride, you are going to start wondering again when you pull into Sihanoukville. We are talking rusted out boats and what looks like a shanty town. Basically, it looks pretty bad.

Do not freak out when you see this. For some bizarre reason, the ferry docs in the middle of the commercial port for Sihanoukville instead of in a nicer area. There are no beautiful, relaxing beaches to be found on this side of the town. Instead, jump on the back of one of the mopeds being offered up as cabs and hold on. You will go up and over a hill and down into paradise Cambodian style. As you come over the hill, you’ll drop through typical Asian neighborhoods and end up on idyllic beach locations where it is nearly impossible to be stressed out.

Sihanoukville and Cambodia are both great destinations. The border areas can be a bit rough, but don’t let them put you off. An inexpensive paradise awaits, so don’t hesitate to give the Thailand – Cambodia trip a try.

Rick Chapo is with NomadJournals.com – makers of travel writing journals that make great travel gifts.

When the first of the Asian adventure travelers first discovered the Kingdom of Cambodia using the term roads was merely an easy way for saying improved tracks of endless quagmire in the rainy season, and axel snapping, oil pan crushing track for the rest of the year.

Voted 10 years in a row the worst road in the world, the path between Bangkok and the Temples of Angkor Wat today carries large 48 seat buses under passable conditions for the better part of the way, but then the back wrenching, pitching, lurching and stomach emptying for many begins and continues for 100 kilometers to the Thai border, where you will find and really appreciate, western standard roads for the rest of the trip.

Going into the provinces of Cambodia is now possible with many options including share taxis and mini buses. The main routes between Phnom Penh & Siem Reap and Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville you can now find buses that would be rated first class in Thailand, with the definition of first class being air con with a small water closet. Some of the legacy carriers will assault you with Khmer karaoke classics at painful volume; Mekong Express being the exception which shows previews of the temples, and on the other routes you will be able to keep up to date with all of the Mr. Been adventures, which like chocolates, has everyone smiling regardless of where on the blue marble they come from.

Dining can be a real culinary adventure on most of the routes, expect to be wined and dined with mongrel flea ridden dogs, lactating cats and bugs that go whir in the night, sometimes they are begging for your food, other times they are featured on your plate! The fare using the term in its loses meaning, is mostly passed over by all but the most hardy of travelers unless of course you are partial to things like chicken embryo’s and 1000 year old eggs. You need to do your shopping before you go to the bus stations as the choices are very limited if you want western snacks. They sometimes will have fresh fruit for sale, pineapple and bananas being found most often. The soft drinks they offer are Cokes and beer and all sorts of Asian drinks that you probably not familiar with like green jelly or soy milk soda. The coffee and tea that they have is generally horrible tasting which is a kind understatement unfortunately.

The fares are very comparable to distances in Thailand or Vietnam for the cheap buses. You can get from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville for $6, Phnom Penh to Siem Reap under $10, and to Bangkok or Saigon for right around $20 give or take from most parts of Cambodia.

Fred’s new project http://www.CheapCharliesHotels.com/ where he reviews Asian cheap hotels , budget guesthouses, discount accommodations and cheap international flights, but is really an excuse to go scuba diving on vacation more, Fred is in Phnom Penh Cambodia planning his next adventure travel tourto Pattay and Phukett in Thailand. Keep up to date with Fred and to view some great pictures go to [http://www.cheapcharlieshotels.com/blog/Cheapcharlieshotelsasiadiscountflightsvisa]

Fred Tittle has lived and worked in holiday vacation resorts his entire life, from Lake Geneva’s Playboy Club, as a rock jock for KSPN FM in Aspen Colorado, he became a PADI Pro Scuba Diver in Hawaii, diving on Maui, Kauai, Kona on the big island, and Waikiki on Oahu. He founded Eco Adventures South East Asia in Sihanoukville Cambodia. he still teaches SSI and PADI scuba diving courses and runs liveaboards in the gulf of Thailand and Asia adventure tours, http://www.ecosea.com/