Going To Cambodia

Barbara

Level 2
Swordsman
Wanderer
I'll be in Cambodia at the end of this year to first week of next. Quick question. How's the transportation there? Can I rent a car? I heard when you rent a car you get a driver too and you have to also pay for his food and lodging.
My uncle didn't rent any car. He used their taxi cap that motorcycle on the front. It has a name for it. It will cost you about $20 for a whole day but he said that you can negotiate the price too. He didn't he thought $20 a day it is very affordable.
 

lovepink

Commoner
i'm going to cambodia early next year....for the first time in my life.

does anyone here have suggestions on what to do, where to go, what to avoid, how to effectively get around, how to deal with snobby khmers, and any other things that could help me??

I have been there only once. I will never go back. My parents have been there dozens of time for family and still have difficulties when they go to Cambodia .

One thing is always go in a group. Don't wear any jewelleries. Try to blend in and not look like a tourist. Rent a car while you are staying there. Always drink bottled water or at least boiled water. Try not to eat any unfamiliar foods. If your driving somewhere far away like on the highway or through villages - use the bathroom first they don't have toilets you have to squat in some bush shed. Also really dangerous at night when you are driving through the forest bcuz tons of robbers.
 

lovepink

Commoner
I'll be in Cambodia at the end of this year to first week of next. Quick question. How's the transportation there? Can I rent a car? I heard when you rent a car you get a driver too and you have to also pay for his food and lodging.

Yes that is true. It is better to rent a car if you are planning to stay there for awhile. I think those motorcycles and vehicles where you sit in a buggy??? Can't remember the name but ppl sit in them and the bicyclist bring them around. It Is $10 each going back and fourth so that is $20 in total. I can't recall the exact total for renting a whole month. I think it is $350-500 but I would need to double check on that. All I know is the car rental is cheaper.
 

lovepink

Commoner
Cambodia is not all that bad. But the first thing they know is your accent. They will know you come from the states. When I went to visit. I stay with my parents side. I dont people to be stealing from me. But if you visit go siem reap and angkor watt. you love it there.

That's true. I didnt realized I had an accent until someone told me. They said I have an English accent when I speak khmer.
 

lovepink

Commoner
Oh bring lots of toilet paper. For some reason the hotels washroom and many washrooms don't have toilet paper. They have a mini water sprinkler for cleaning. Lots of little green lizards with yellow eyes even in the nicest hotels. They are so tiny they can fit into the cracks of the walls. I had to sleep in the middle of the bed and try to keep my eyes open at all times. If you bring some kind of spray they will run away.
 

Barbara

Level 2
Swordsman
Wanderer
Oh bring lots of toilet paper. For some reason the hotels washroom and many washrooms don't have toilet paper. They have a mini water sprinkler for cleaning. Lots of little green lizards with yellow eyes even in the nicest hotels. They are so tiny they can fit into the cracks of the walls. I had to sleep in the middle of the bed and try to keep my eyes open at all times. If you bring some kind of spray they will run away.
That sound so disgusting. I have no regret for turning down the trip
 

lovepink

Commoner
That sound so disgusting. I have no regret for turning down the trip

Lol they have toilet paper there too. You just have to buy it from the store. It's like little expandable shower heads next to the toilet. I don't know if every hotel has that kind of system. I know I have been to 3 different hotels and they have that. The hotels were all in Phnom Penh. But when I went to stay over at my other family's house (middle-upper class) they used the sprinkler shower head too.
 

Barbara

Level 2
Swordsman
Wanderer
I don't want to discourage you from going to Cambodia. Most people like it there. But for me it wasn't a pleasant trip. It was hard adjusting to their lifestyle. I'm very picky.
Me too. Especially to be in a country I never have been or live there before. I am sorry but I don't want to sound like a snob. But when I travel I like to be in high end place and luxury a little bit.
 

lovepink

Commoner
Me too. Especially to be in a country I never have been or live there before. I am sorry but I don't want to sound like a snob. But when I travel I like to be in high end place and luxury a little bit.

Yes I am like that too. I'm kind of a snobbish princess when things are not to my liking. The relatives that we visited in Cambodia all laughed at me because I'm not used to squatting in the bushes, running away and being screamish when I see mice and lizards popping up everywhere.
 

pocketkiriyama

Commoner
I have been there only once. I will never go back. My parents have been there dozens of time for family and still have difficulties when they go to Cambodia .

One thing is always go in a group. Don't wear any jewelleries. Try to blend in and not look like a tourist. Rent a car while you are staying there. Always drink bottled water or at least boiled water. Try not to eat any unfamiliar foods. If your driving somewhere far away like on the highway or through villages - use the bathroom first they don't have toilets you have to squat in some bush shed. Also really dangerous at night when you are driving through the forest bcuz tons of robbers.

Aside from my necklace and pendant with buddha that I've worn for 21 years I don't really wear anything of value....well maybe my Seiko kinetic watch but I can leave that back home. Most people use their phone to tell time but I've always loved using the wrist watch. I will still need to carry around my camera but it's very compact so they won't know it's expensive since it's not a DSLR. I can't really blend in because my mannerism give me away and my Khmer is not very fluent. I can't really walk in groups as I'm going with my parents. Most likely they will stay at the hotel at night if I'm to walk around. I'm a picky eater so I won't be eating anything I'm not familiar with. I'd rather go 3 days without doing my number 2 business than squat in the bushes.

Yes that is true. It is better to rent a car if you are planning to stay there for awhile. I think those motorcycles and vehicles where you sit in a buggy??? Can't remember the name but ppl sit in them and the bicyclist bring them around. It Is $10 each going back and fourth so that is $20 in total. I can't recall the exact total for renting a whole month. I think it is $350-500 but I would need to double check on that. All I know is the car rental is cheaper.

I'm taking a tour around Cambodia in a counter clock wise path starting from Phnom Penh. Half way into it my mom and dad will visit relatives that I've never talk to or even seen before. I'll be there for over 19 days so I'm going to be renting a car for that length of time.

Lol they have toilet paper there too. You just have to buy it from the store. It's like little expandable shower heads next to the toilet. I don't know if every hotel has that kind of system. I know I have been to 3 different hotels and they have that. The hotels were all in Phnom Penh. But when I went to stay over at my other family's house (middle-upper class) they used the sprinkler shower head too.

That's why I'm booking hotels that have western style bathrooms. I'm not very fond of spraying my buttocks and getting the floor wet. One of the things I hated when relatives come visit my home is they always dirty my bathroom and wet my floors. We have 4 bathroom but I just can't understand why they keep using mine's....it must be all the expensive shampoo and body wash I have. Yes I do use good face wash and moisturizers daily so those are coming with me.

Yes I am like that too. I'm kind of a snobbish princess when things are not to my liking. The relatives that we visited in Cambodia all laughed at me because I'm not used to squatting in the bushes, running away and being screamish when I see mice and lizards popping up everywhere.

You sound a lot like my sister but what we have in common is that we love to hike and explore so some times a little discomfort is well worth the view and boy do we travel a lot these days. I took so much pictures I started investing in more expensive cameras. I'm not a fan of DSLR so I'm very into those full frame digital cameras that looks like the old 35mm ones.
 

Hamster

Level 2
Swordsman
Wanderer
Thanks pocket. Another question, were you guys able to use your cell phone in Cambodia or do you have to get a special type of phone? Or buy phone card? Excuse my ignorance, I need to know for my future travel. My phone carrier wants to charge an arm and a leg for global usage.
 

pocketkiriyama

Commoner
Thanks pocket. Another question, were you guys able to use your cell phone in Cambodia or do you have to get a special type of phone? Or buy phone card? Excuse my ignorance, I need to know for my future travel. My phone carrier wants to charge an arm and a leg for global usage.

You can get a pre-paid phone there for about 20 to 30 dollars. My dad bought one so he can use to contact people living there. I was the only one who brought my own phone there. I only use it for listening to music but a week into my 3 week stay, I found out that even though I have my data turned off to avoid roaming charges as long as I have my location on, google maps still works. I wish I new about it in advance before buying maps.
 

ami

Commoner
You can get a pre-paid phone there for about 20 to 30 dollars. My dad bought one so he can use to contact people living there. I was the only one who brought my own phone there. I only use it for listening to music but a week into my 3 week stay, I found out that even though I have my data turned off to avoid roaming charges as long as I have my location on, google maps still works. I wish I new about it in advance before buying maps.
lol u sound like indian jone in the movie purchase a maps in Cambodia... :p
 
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