Cambodia has been a country that’s always fascinated me. I visited more than a decade ago, but only saw the main sites in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. I returned recently and spent a month in Phnom Penh, but I was busy working, and didn’t gain any insights into the country.
After the success of my Bali-to-Flores-and-back scooter adventure in Indonesia, I’ve been dreaming of continuing my motorbike adventures in mainland South East Asia. After the freedom of my own bike, I can’t imagine going back to riding buses. And the buses don’t even go everywhere I want to go.
I spent my time in Vietnam preparing for this trip. I bought a bike, had a custom luggage rack made for it, and bought all the gear I will need. I also took a couple short shake-down trips near Saigon. Now I’m almost ready to go.
Cambodia is only about the size of the state of Kansas, but there are many places to visit. I plan to spend three weeks on my bike, and I can’t visit all of them.
- Trapaing Sre Border – not so far from Saigon, and it gets me into the remote East of the country.
- Kratie – riverside town
- Ban Lung – frontier town in the remote Northwest. There is lots of adventure to be had here, including traditional villages and a national park.
- Preah Vihear – Temple in a spectacular setting, claimed by Thailand, and a source of tensions between the two countries.
- Koh Ker – Ancient city predating Ankor Wat.
- Siem Reap – I saw Ankor Wat on my previous trip, and want to skip it this time. But Siem Reap is on the way, and serves as a good place to sleep. I may visit the interesting floating village again.
- Battambang – A town popular with backpackers.
- Koh Kong – Islands and wildlife sanctuaries.
- Chi Phat Village – Get off the beaten track again to explore this small town in the mountains.
- Kampot – Sleepy river town.
If all goes well, I plan to continue into Vietnam, and maybe Laos. So stay tuned.
