Buzz
Exploring the bustling food markets and witnessing the sunrise at Angkor is an exciting experience in the land of Temples.
How to Travel?
From Ho Chi Minh City, reputable bus companies like Mai Linh, Sapaco, or Kumho busline operate. The journey takes approximately 2 hours to Moc Bai border gate, then another 4 hours to Phnom Penh. At the border, staff from the bus company assist with immigration procedures. You can explore Phnom Penh first before taking a night bus to Siem Reap or proceed directly to Siem Reap and visit Phnom Penh on your return.
Ticket prices from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh are around 11 USD, and from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap are approximately 20 USD.
Where to Stay?
For budget travelers, staying in guesthouses or budget hotels is the most economical option, costing around $10 or less for a double room.
In Phnom Penh: it's advisable to choose hotels/guesthouses around Central Market as it's a central area (similar to Ben Thanh Market in Ho Chi Minh City), making transportation and shopping very convenient.
In Siem Reap, the central area is Pub Street, right next to the Old Market. The evenings here are lively and bustling. Therefore, booking a room around this area is the best option.
What to eat?
Food expenses in Cambodia are generally quite cheap, averaging around $2 per meal. However, in smaller restaurants, prices may be slightly higher, around $2.5 - $4 per dish.
Insect dishes: from fried crickets, ant eggs to water bugs, spiders in stir-fries, sautés, mixed with peanuts or steamed with rice vinegar, are all delicious. Almost every Vietnamese tourist visiting Cambodia tries insect dishes at least once for the experience.
Pohok (fermented fish): made from the finest young fish, gutted, salted, and left in a sealed container for several months before being consumed.
Nam Vang noodles originated from Cambodia but are prepared by the Chinese. The main ingredients include dry noodles, minced meat, and pork offal cooked in broth.
Num Pang sandwich is a type of sandwich filled with pâté, butter, or mayonnaise, along with pickled green papaya, carrots, sausage, and a dash of spicy chili sauce for a perfect meal.
Nom Banh Chok noodles are dubbed the 'national dish' of Cambodia. The noodles, made from fine rice flour, are soaked in a rich fish curry sauce infused with lemongrass, lime leaves, and turmeric.
Num Plae Ai is made from finely ground rice flour, molded into round shapes and then dropped into a pot of sweet caramel fragrance, topped with strands of fresh coconut for an appetizing sight.
Bai Sach Chrouk is a type of grilled pork rice dish. Thinly sliced pork marinated in coconut milk and garlic is grilled until fragrant and golden, served with slices of cucumber and a bit of chili sauce.
Where to eat?
Some places in Phnom Penh:
- Night market (Phsa Reatrey) and Kanda market located in the new Western street area (Sisowath Quay area) both have food stalls similar to those in Vietnam. Here, tourists will have the opportunity to enjoy authentic Cambodian dishes.
- Veng Nguon restaurant in Sankat Phsar Kandal 1 is also located in the heart of the new Western street area (Sisowath Quay area), specializing in Nam Vang noodles. The restaurant is quite crowded in the morning, sometimes requiring a wait for a table.
- Kiwi Bakery and Restaurant is located at the corner of Sisowath Boulevard and 130th Street, Phnom Penh.
- Street food stalls along the road opposite Naga World hotel (near the diamond bridge). Instead of sitting at tables and chairs like in Vietnam, tourists will sit on mats and enjoy dishes such as balut, fried fish balls, beer, soft drinks...
Some addresses in Siem Reap:
- Khmer House restaurant in the Old Market area, where you can find hundreds of traditional Cambodian dishes. For just $3, you can choose a dish that suits your taste.
- Soup Dragon restaurant is located in the middle of the Old Market, serving Khmer and European dishes, but the most popular are Vietnamese dishes like pho, sour soup with snakehead fish, caramelized pork... This is a destination favored by many Vietnamese tourists.
- Budget-friendly family-style eateries where you serve yourself. The food here is quite delicious and prices range from $1.5 to $3 per serving.
- Khmer Kitchen restaurant offers dishes like Tom Yum, Tom Kha, curry, grilled rib bones... quite enticing with prices ranging from $2 to $5 per serving.
- Temple restaurant in the Western street area (Pub street) offers a variety of Khmer dishes to explore.
Where to go for fun?
In Phnom Penh:
You can take a tuk-tuk to visit various places such as Wat Phnom temple, Tuol Sleng prison, central market, Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, or Tonle Sap river. Remember to negotiate the price before getting on the tuk-tuk, typically around $1 for 1 km.
In the evening, you can stroll around the night market to explore and find some souvenirs for your loved ones or friends.
In Siem Reap:
A visit to Siem Reap wouldn't be complete without exploring the Angkor complex. Admission fee for Angkor: $20/day, $40/2 days. When you hire a tuk-tuk, the driver will take you to the ticket booth for Angkor, so you don't have to worry about where to buy tickets. The tuk-tuk fee for one day is $12 per person. You can negotiate down to $10 for 2 people, and if there are more people, it's usually between $12 and $15.
This complex is very vast; you don't need to explore it all, just visit 3 key points: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Bayon temple within Angkor Thom. Visiting Angkor at sunrise or sunset is the ideal and most magnificent time to visit.
In the evening, you can stroll around the Western street area (Pub Street), get a foot massage for $1 for 15 minutes. Then, you can head to the night market area for entertainment and shopping. Remember to haggle before buying; the buying and selling here are no different from Vietnam. It's advisable to visit the Old Market area for cheaper items than the New Market area.
If you're in the mood, you can visit 2 clubs also located in the Western street area: Temple Club and Angkor What. These clubs are grand, with loud music, and attract many Westerners, but the prices are quite reasonable.
When to visit?
You can visit Cambodia at any time of the year, but the ideal time is from November to March when the weather is coolest and there is less rain. Additionally, if you visit in April, you'll have the chance to experience the traditional Khmer New Year, which is very interesting.
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Source: Travel guide from Mytour – Via: ngoisao.net
MytourNovember 23, 2015
