I was unsure of what to expect when I decided to visit Siem Reap, a small laid-back town in Cambodia and gateway to the exquisite Angkor Wat temples. Although a naturally beautiful country blessed with a rich heritage, Cambodia’s extremely troubled past is well-documented. The death of the brutal dictator Pol Pot in 1998 and the fall of deadly Khmer Rouge Regime have now thankfully closed the chapter on Cambodia’s darkest days. In this new chapter, many curious tourists are drawn to this mystical and now peaceful country.

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When researching Cambodia you may come across disturbing tales of muggers, sex-tourists and unexploded landmines. These things do exist and a degree of common sense is certainly recommended but I personally found the majority of Cambodians just want to live a peaceful life after suffering three decades of civil war. It’s also a charming and charismatic place where I guarantee you will see lots of smiles.

Accommodation

Siem Reap has a wide range guest-houses and hotels to suit many budgets. They range from basic at 10-20 US$, mid-range 30-50 US$ and high-end 70 US$ – 200 US$ or more. We stayed at the Rosy Guest-house. Here you can get a budget room for $8 or a twin/double for $20 with private bathroom and a hot shower. The Rosy Guest-house is clean and serves good food which is available most times of the day and night. A very friendly British couple owns the guesthouse and they employ young, cheerful, friendly and helpful Cambodians. It’s in a great location close to the centre and most attractions.

I also found this website very useful when searching for hotels near Angkor Wat.

Getting around

Tuk Tuks are the best way to travel around Siem Reap. They are cheap, allow you to photograph on the go and they are also great fun! You can hail a Tuk Tuk from anywhere but make sure you negotiate the price before boarding, although please remember when bartering for anything (tuk tuks or otherwise) a small amount to you might make a big difference to a local and his/her family. I would recommend bringing sunglasses and a scarf because of the dust.

Many hotels also have their own Tuk Tuk drivers, we used the same driver each day. This was great as he was very friendly and after he got to know us he would take us off the tourist trails if we desired. Tuk Tuk drivers can be hired for around £8-£10 for a full day, payable at the end of your day/journey.

Angkor Wat

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Obviously the main attraction in Siem Reap are the temples at Angkor Wat. You can buy a 1 day ticket $20, 3 day ticket $40 or a 7 day ticket $60. I bought a 3 day ticket but only spent a day and half at the temples, I was able to see many of the main temples before being templed out! Although one day is certainly not enough for hardcore temple enthusiasts.

Visiting hours are 5am -5:30pm and the ticket booth is approx. 2 km from Angkor Wat. (you must keep your ticket with you at all times and in good condition!) Your ticket allows you to come and go freely during opening hours. Many visitors start early to catch the sunrise from the top of a temple and finish their long day heading back up the temples to view the sunset.

Other sites

Aside from Angkor Wat, Siem Reap has many other interesting places to visit. Here are a few:

• Landmine Museum – Entry is $1. This is a fascinating place and they also educate people about the dangers of UXO (Unexploded Ordnance) that still exist in Cambodia. Most of the young guides here are orphans or victims of landmines and the money raised goes back into supporting and educating victims of UXO.
• The markets – I recommend a visit to at least one of the markets. The oldest and the biggest is the busy Phsar Chas but the newer markets are also worth a visit. The Angkor Night Market is also a great for a relaxing stroll in the evening.

Photo by Carly

• Floating Village – This was my favourite place! Visiting the village of unique stilt housing along the Tonle Sap Lake is a great opportunity to see daily Cambodian village life and one that shouldn’t be missed. Getting there is an adventure itself and if it’s anything like my experience it will involve a Tuk Tuk ride through villages, a dirt-track motorbike drive and then a peaceful and relaxing boat cruise. When walking through the village you will pass the local school, on our trip we received a warm welcome from smiling laughing children and teachers. Make sure you take gifts like pens/pencils/rice to donate to the villagers and their children.

My tips for a trouble-free stay

• Beggars here are hard to say no to, especially the children. Most charity organisations the world over ask that you don’t give money as it keeps people on the streets and rarely goes to good use. Everyone’s opinion is different on this, I personally give to amputees and recognised organisations.
• Beware of scammers! Here they mainly try to trick you into believing they are collecting money for the temple upkeep or various charities. Always be certain that your money is going where you want it to!
• Also beware of the mosquitoes-there are plenty! Make sure you bring repellent with lots of DEET and some kind of cream to treat the itching.
• Souvenirs are cheap. In Siem Reap you will only pay a few pounds for a T-shirt, Cambodian scarf or temple rubbing.
• Don’t go off the main trails on your own-unexploded mines are still a problem in Cambodia although they are not such a problem in and around tourist areas.
• There are Internet cafes in the centre of Siem Reap just don’t expect a fast connection!
• I recommend that you use transportation when out and about at night, tuk tuks are the best and cheapest method of travel.
• Taking photographs is not a problem here as long as you are respectful.
• And lastly when ordering a pizza, watch out for the ‘Happy Pizzas’ – they are laced with marijuana. The ‘happier’ the pizza the stronger the marijuana!

I have many unforgettable memories and stories from my visit to Cambodia and I was particularly struck by the optimism and welcoming kindness of people who are still recovering from years of suffering and brutality. Travelling through Cambodia is a journey of ever-changing emotions and I’m sure most will enjoy the traditional streets, beautiful temples, the endlessly friendly locals and the chance to recreate a scene from ‘Tomb Raider’ at the Angkor Wat. You could even try a tasty fried spider or two-if you’re feeling brave enough!

Carly Henderson is a talented travel photographer, please check out her website: www.whereforartnow.com

Photo by Carly

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It seems that after a while on the road you will discover certain things about yourself, about the people you meet, and about the world around you. Exactly the kind of things you probably hoped you would learn about when you set off from home with nothing but a guidebook and sense of wide-eyed adventure weighing you down.

I know that during my years on the road, I came across some recurring motifs, eventualities, and idiosyncrasies of fellow travellers. This is what I have come to call my 10 Commandments of Backpacking.

1. Thou shalt not listen endlessly to Red Hot Chilli Peppers, Tracey Chapman, or some form of reggae.

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All I know is that despite not owning a single album by RHCP or Tracey Chapman I know more words to their songs than I do to a lot of the albums I’ve bought myself.

2. Thou shalt meet your ideal soul mate or life partner while on the road.

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Unfortunately, while there is an element of truth to this one, you are most likely to meet them for a fleeting few hours just as they have arrived at your hostel / beach hut / on your bus, just as you are about to leave in a completely different direction.

3. Thou shalt only remember the swear words of another language, despite repeated attempts to learn something a bit more useful, or at least a bit less offensive.

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Just at the point when you’re really lost and want to ask how to find the bus station all that you’ll be able to remember is how to insult someone’s mother in a foreign tongue.

4. Thou shalt not only visit world-famous attractions.

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Some famous places are well worth going to – and many are completely unmissable. But some are a bit of a disappointment, if we’re totally honest. Which is fine, as it would be unnatural for everyone in the world to all like the same thing. The good news is that for every slightly underwhelming major attraction, city, monument etc there is nearly always another smaller, lesser known one just around the corner.

5. Thou shalt not carry Traveller’s Cheques.

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Unless you are going to certain parts of Africa. Other than that, I think everyone else stopped around 1986. My experience of getting them replaced was about as far removed as possible from that American Express advert in the 80’s where the guy has them delivered on a silver tray by a waiter while he lounges by a pool. Mine involved me having to cross Tanzania!

6. Thou shalt not become a travel bore.

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At some point everyone comes across one of these. No matter how many places you’ve been to, how cheaply you’ve done it, how dangerous or unusual or interesting it was, the travel bore always has a story to trump it. As soon as you realise you’re cornered with one, you have two choices – invent impossible-to-beat tales, or leg it.

7. Thou shalt cultivate an “alternative” look.

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So “alternative”, in fact, that everyone else will also want to emulate it. Wristbands, tattoos, going barefoot, a head either shaved or covered in dreadlocks, and a necklace. Always a necklace – of sandalwood, beads, yin/yang etc. Oh, and men wearing skirts.

8. Thou shalt have to answer the same questions over and over again.

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You will hear an untold amount of fascinating stories on the road, get enough tips on places to go to last you a lifetime, and discover personalities you never knew existed. However, you will also have to go through the Backpackers Stock Questions roughly 300,000 times – Where you from? Where have you been? How long have you been away? What do you do at home? Where are you going?
Unavoidable, and pleasant enough ice breakers, but after the first few hundred times of replying you might want to consider handing each new person a piece of paper with the answers on.

9. Thou shalt get ill at some point.

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Sorry, but it’s true. In fact, if you don’t get something at some point then you’re clearly not trying hard enough! Travelling is so fraught with health hazards – seasickness, Delhi belly, sunburn, malarial mosquitoes, Japanese Encephalitis, altitude sickness – it’s a real wonder anyone ever leaves their sofa at home.

10. Thou shalt become a better person.

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You’ll probably become more tolerant; a bit more willing to do things you previously wouldn’t; become more knowledgeable about different cultures; widen your food palate; and learn what is really important. Now you can’t get that from TV or the Internet. At least, not yet…

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So, when I tell people I spent part of my summer this year travelling to a remote part (on a peninsula) of a remote state (Western Australia) in one of the furthest countries it’s possible to go to from London, in order to snorkel face to face with a 5 metre whale shark, the look on people’s faces falls somewhere between shock and intrigue. Is it a whale, or is it a shark?

In truth, these enormous creatures are the gentle giants of the sea – big enough that they have no natural predators, yet feeding on nothing larger than tiny plankton, and certainly not concerned with trying to eat a ginger-bearded English backpacker. After months of research and preparation, I pre-booked a trip with King’s Ningaloo Reef Tours, and the research proved invaluable – for a true once-in-a-lifetime experience like this you want to make sure you’re going out with a professional crew, and King’s were fantastic.

I chose to go from Exmouth, though other companies also go from Coral Bay on the same peninsula, an even sleepier town than Exmouth. Although Australia’s west coast isn’t as developed or as visited as it’s east coast, for natural beauty it has many trump cards. I was also happy for the hordes to remain on the east while I enjoyed arguably the country’s greatest asset, Ningaloo Reef.

A morning “practice” snorkel on the reef shows it to be the wonder it truly is. Warm turquoise waters, abundant fish, healthy coral and the stunning whale sharks themselves – there is little to compare to snorkelling with such a massive but peaceful mammal, making me feel like an insignificant blot on the face of evolution. Our boat carried a maximum of 20 people, and only 10 of us were allowed in the water at any one time, 5 each side of the Dive Master – the theory being she would spot it and the whale shark would swim between us.

At the cry of “whale shark!” though, 10 of us jump in and there is a commotion of flippers and bubbles, while I try to look for the Dive Master, the whale shark and the boat all at the same time. Out of the blue, it appears (how something this big appears to sneak up on me is a great unsolved mystery), and bizarrely I felt calm, not panicked, and utterly in awe. It swims fast, and I try to keep up – even though the total time I spend with the whale shark is barely a few minutes, and I’ve travelled thousands of miles to do so, it feels genuinely like a highlight of my entire life. Now, how often does anyone get to say that?

See Lee’s underwater video footage on YouTube

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