Day 1: Singapore - Hatyai - Bangkok
Day 2: Bangkok - Aranyaprathet - Battambang
Day 3: Battambang - Siem Reap
Day 4: Siem Reap
Day 5: Siem Reap
Day 6: Siem Reap - Phnom Penh
Day 7: Phnom Penh
Day 8: Phnom Penh - Kep - Koh Tonsay
Day 9: Koh Tonsay
Day 10: Koh Tonsay - Kampot - Sihanoukville
Day 11: Sihanoukville - Koh Kong - Klaeng
Day 12: Klaeng - Bangkok
Day 13: Bangkok
Day 14: Bangkok - Hatyai
Day 15: Hatyai
Day 16: Hatyai - Singapore
TRIP PREPARATIONS
Bike Equipments:
Helmet, gloves, boots, knee guard, elbow guard, kidney belt, motorbike basic tools, spanner size 24, crow bar (x02), spare tyre tubes (x02), air pump, wooden side stand, cable ties, spark plug (x02), clutch lever, brake lever, gear shift lever, clutch cable, H4 headlight, tail-light bulb, tyre pressure gauge, black tape, pad lock, chain, chain lube, engine oil, tow rope, bicycle hook & net(x04), rain coat, GPS RAM Mount.
Electronics:
Camera, camera charger, handphone, handphone charger, GPS, portable harddisk, USB cable, electric shaver, 2-pin adapter, AA battery (x08), AAA battery (x02), USB card reader, M2 card adapter, MicroSD card adapter, torchlight.
Documentations:
Malaysia maps, Thailand maps, Cambodia maps, vehicle log card, vehicle insurance, personal insurance, passport, photocopy of passport, hotel confirmation slips.
Personal Equipments:
Wallet, cash, cashcard, keys, spare keys, sunglasses, pen, paper, tissue papers (x06), t-shirt (x04), bike jersey, cargo pants (x02), shorts (x02), underwear (x04), socks (x03), towel, slippers, laundy bag (x02), toiletries, waist pouch, jungle hat, 3M N95 face mask, toilet roll.
Miscellaneous:
Camera tripod, mini camera tripod, swiss army knife, mosquito repellant, clothes washing powder, comms cord, giant plastic bag (x02), first aid kit, diahhorea pills, cold tablets, Panadol tablets.
THE JOURNEY
It's been months since I started planning and preparing for this trip and the day has finally arrived. It's time to setoff to pursue my dream to visit the Angkor Wat. I left home at 2200hrs and head straight to Gelang Patah for top up.
I met some biker friends at Gelang Patah station who were on the way to Kulai for late night supper, and hence chatted with them for a while before I set off for my boring night ride towards Hatyai, Thailand.
DAY 1 (23 December 2006, Saturday)
I was cruising at an average speed of 100km/h throughout the North South Highway in Malaysia, with petrol stops at Pagoh, Dengkil, Tapah, Semmangul, Gurun and Bt Kayu Hitam. At Gurun RSA, I spent RM25 on a 19days, 3rd party insurance coverage for riding in Thailand.
When I reach Sadao, it was around 0900hrs Thailand time and a huge crowd greeted me at the Sadao border. There were long queues at every counter and I took almost an hour to clear the customs. After getting the paperwork done, I headed straight to the Hatyai Train Station.
At the train station, I spoke to the Thai guy handling cargo/goods and he mentioned that the train to Bangkok with availability to transport my bike is at 1805hrs. I bought a 2nd class upper sleeper train ticket at 835Baht, and then paid 1194Baht for my bike transportation on Train #38 from HDY to BKK. Click here for train schedule.
With about 5 hours to spare, I decided to take my motorbike seat to a nearby shop to fabricate a new 'skin'. It cost me just 300Baht for a nice new skin on my bike.
After that, I went around to recce some of the guesthouses to see if they have rooms available for 3hours. Few of the guesthouses told me that I will need to pay for a night's room charges even though I am using it for just 3hours. To pay 300Baht for a room for 3hours, I rather go for a relaxing traditional Thai massage. It cost the same amount, plus the bonus point is that you get massaged while you dozed off. And off I went. After a relaxing Thai massage, its almost 1700hrs.
I snap some pictures around town and then went back to the train station.
To my surprise, the Thai at the cargo/goods section tell me that they do not have any space to bring my bike onto the train and they have to put it on the next train. I made a fuss with him, but at the end of the day, there is nothing I can do. I have already paid for the train tickets, so I had no choice but to board the train and wait for my bike to arrive in Bangkok on the next train.
To begin the train journey with, the train was delayed for an hour, and it further dampened my mood. However, I made friend with the lady sitting across me as she helped me out with some of the Thai-English translations with the train steward when I need to order some food.
I had an egg omelette with rice and a soup for dinner. Shortly after dinner, the chambermaid came and setup our beds with new bedsheets, pillow case, and blankets. And off I went to bed...... at 2100hrs!
This is the chambermaid who does all the bed in the train cabin. His rank is 3-stars on the shoulder. Like some sort of General in the Army like that.
DAY 2 (24 December 2006, Sunday)
The train arrived at Bangkok Hualumphong Station at 1115hrs, and while I was walking towards the front of the train cabin, I saw my bike!!!! Filled with joy, I went over to collect it and paid the guys 100Baht as tips for helping me unload it from the train. So afterall, they managed to get my bike on the same train that I took!
I got my bike ready and rolled it out of the station and I am on my way into Cambodia! I had an easy ride out of Bangkok with the aid of my Garmin GPS and then I hit on Route 304 towards Chacheongsao and then Route 33 towards the Aranyaprathet border.
Managed to clear Aranyaprathet border in about 30mins and I am on my way to the Poipet border.
My surroundings seemed to be so disorganised after I left the Aranyaprathet border. People, beggars, non-motorised vehicles, wooden trucks pulled by human power, etc. were everywhere.
There were also about 5-6 casinos at the no-man's land between the borders. It took me just a minute to get my passport stamped at the Poipet border.
I put on my 3M-N95 face mask and continued my journey to Battambang at 1600hrs.
1st encounter is the round about just a short distance from the border. The country is driving on the right side and the round about is going anti-clockwise! I got stunned for a second, thinking which side should I enter from. Soon, I was riding from paved roads to dusty tracks to bumpy tracks with lots of huge potholes.
It took me an hour to ride from Poipet to Sisophon (51km) through the bad terrain with the sun setting against my direction of travel along Route 5.
After I made a turn off to Battambang at Sisiphon, the road is quite nicely paved. No more bumps but the ride is getting darker and darker. Soon, it was complete darkness by about 1820hrs. I rode in the dark with falling temperature and lots of insects hitting against my helmet/body.
When I reached Battambang town, I managed to get a nice hotel for US$15 with hotwater shower, air-con and safe parking for my motorbike - Banan Hotel.
The young lady at the reception even offered to buy me dinner and beer and got the bellboy to send it to my room. Battambang seemed to be quite dead at night, hence I didn't venture out to explore the town. I had a packet of fried Mama Mee and a bottle of Angkor Beer before hitting for a nice hot shower, and off to bed.
DAY 3 (25 December 2006, Monday)
Today I got up early so that I have time to explore the town before I depart. I went to Stung Sanker to capture some sunrise moments along the river, to Psar Nath to see the famous landmark and also ventured around town to snap some pictures of some of the 'French architecture' buildings.
At one of the corner shops facing the old iron bridge, I had an awesome French baguette with some meat fillings and bottle of soyabean milk for US$1.
After breakfast, I am on my way to Phnom Sampeau. It was an fun ride through the uneven terrains passing through lakes, villages and some local markets. The dirt track is dusty, no doubt about it, but well-worth the ride.
I reached the foot of Phnom Sampeau and took a long flight of stairs to the top of the hill.
I was fully exhausted by and I was perspiring all over by the time I arrived at the peak. Nevertheless, I was rewarded with a nice view of the surrounding towns.
There is a Killing Cave where it displays the bones and skulls of victims previously killed by the Khmer Rouges. It's an eye-opener!
At 12 noon, I got back to the hotel, packed my stuffs and checked out. Took a casual ride through the paved road on Route 5 to Sisophon and made a right turn towards Siem Reap at Route 6. It's back to the hell roads once again. I am bumping, dancing, hopping, jumping, sliding and shaking everywhere. Dusty and smokey roads made me go even faster to overtake the vehicle in front so that I can avoid the dust generated from the vehicle in front.
Stopping for gas at a manual pump
I maintained my speed and reached Siem Reap in about 3 hours. Thank god, its nicely paved roads in Siem Reap. I see a traffic light for the first time in Cambodia! It's a very commercialised place for tourist. There are franchise brands such as Nokia, Shiseido, Molly Malone's, etc. in Siem Reap.
I went straight to Golden Temple Villa Hotel to check in and unload my stuffs. It's a pretty clean and decent hotel with free Internet usage at just US$8 per night. I am impressed.
After a clean shower, I send some clothes to the laundry shop across the street and was charged at US$1/kg. Then off I went to venture around town and find something to eat.
I arrived at the old market and saw a stall selling fried mama-mee and I ordered it without hesitation. Mind you, that is the best fried mama-mee stall in my entire trip!!! I walked around town and find that there isn't a lot of things to see, so I went to the Pub Street and went for few draft beers at US$0.75 per mug at one of those pubs. In no time, I was again hungry and I settled for a plate of pasta with mushroom & cheese cream sauce at one of the pubs.
DAY 4 (26 December 2006, Tuesday)
Set my alarm to get up at 0500hrs to go to Angkor Wat to see sunrise. But when I arrived at Angkor Wat at 0600hrs, the sky was already brightly lit and I haven't even bought my entrance tickets yet. I went to the ticketing counter to get a 3-day pass for US$40 and was informed that I cannot ride my bike into the Angkor complex. I just nodded and agreed and I rode back to Siem Reap town.
In Siem Reap town, I had baguette and cheese for breakfast before I head back into the Angkor complex. Heard from my friend that there is a backdoor route to enter the Angkor complex and I decided to head into Angkor via that road. Wahla.... I am inside!
Angkor Wat
The first complex I decided to go, is the Angkor Wat temple. It is visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking. It is a massive three-tiered pyramid crowned by five beehive-like towers rising 65 meters from ground level. Angkor Wat is the centerpiece of any visit to the temples of Angkor. Some of the stairs going up to the higher levels are so steep that it makes climbing real scary.
Prasat Kravan
This is a reconstructed, unique brick towers containing large wall sculptures of Vishnu and Lakshmi in the brick. It is photographically better in the morning with the light on the front of the towers.
Banteay Kdei
This complex which has a very similar structure as Ta Prohm was built using an inferior grade of sandstone and using poor construction techniques. A restoration project is underway on many of the towers and corridors, and some areas are blocked off.
Srah Srang
Srah Srang is a baray that offers a pleasant, much less touristed, sunrise alternative to Angkor Wat.
Ta Prohm
This is probably the most impressive temple among the rest. It has massive fig and silk-cotton trees growing from the towers and corridors offering some of the best ‘tree-in-temple’ photo opportunities. A must-visit location!
This fella can draw/paint very well!
Ta Keo
Ta Keo is a tall structure known in its time as ‘the mountain with golden peaks.’ It is the first temple to be constructed wholly of sandstone.
Chau Say Thevoda
The temple is currently undergoing a restoration process.
Thommanon
It is a small temple with some fine carvings that are in excellent condition. The colors of the age-stained sandstone against the jungle are very photogenic.
Victory Gate at Angkor Thom
Victory Gate is the grand entrance leading to the Royal Palace area of the Angkor Thom.
Prasats Suor Prat
There are twelve nearly identical towers that stand opposite and parallel the Terrace of the Elephant. Nothing impressive about these towers I would say.
Bayon
This is another impressive temple you should not miss. Bayon portrays giant stone faces which has became the most recognizable images connected to classic Khmer art and architecture.
Baphuon
The main temple is undergoing extensive restoration.
Phimeanakas
Phimeanakas is the king’s temple aka royal temple. It is the tallest scalable temple in Angkor Thom, with a nice view from the top.
Terrace of the Elephants
There are carved elephants and giant garudas on the two and a half-meter tall wall in the heart of Angkor Thom.
Terrace of the Leper King
A double terrace with deeply carved nagas, demons and other mythological beings. The statue of the leper king on display is a replica, while the original is in the National Museum in Phnom Penh.
This is the first time in my life that I have visited so many temples. Thankfully, I had my bike with me, but nevertheless I had walked a hell lot of distance on foot inside the Angkor Thom. As I was pretty tired, I've decided to skip Preah Palilay and head for one of the few eateries in front of Baphuon for lunch. I had banana pancake with honey and cooled myself down with lots of fluid (not beer!).
After lunch, it is only 2.30pm. I realised that I am about 2 hours ahead of schedule, hence decided to wander to the West Mebon area. Taking the West Gate out of Angkor Thom, I hit the dirt road again. I carefully flanked around the West Baray, cutting through various kampongs, passing many curious villagers and I found myself on Route 6!!! It was a nice ride thought!
Heading East on Route 6, I got back to Siem Reap, enter Angkor are via the back entrance and went to Phnom Bakheng to get ready for sunset. I heard that it is the most popular sunset destination there at the top of the hill. I got to the top of Phnom Bakheng where many were already there, and some already had their DSLRs with the tripod all setup in place.
There were some Khmers dressed in traditional costumes and are willing to take a photo with you for a dollar. I had one with them too.
While the sun sets, the golden rays changed the tones of the structures, and there were hundreds of people snapping their cameras away. As soon as the entire fireball goes down the horizon, the crowed applauded and they began to decend the hill.
I was one of the few who stayed on and continued snapping pictures away with some of the remaining people, as sunset is best seen when the reddish-orange remains on the clouds forms a perfect picturesque over the horizon.
I went to collect my laundry and back to the hotel for a nice clean shower before I went out for dinner again. I had fried mama mee again! This time from one of the road side stalls near 'pub street'. Met a Dutch and a Japanese who were both like me, on a free-and-easy solo travel trip. During our dinner chat, I learned from the Dutch that his bus journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap took 8hours (I took 4hrs by bike), because the bus broke down 3 times and all the people have to get off the bus to push-start the bus!!!!!!!!!
After an interesting conversation, I went to the Central market which sells mostly costumes/clothes/fabric stuffs. As I find that nothing interest me there, I head straight to one of the pubs for some draft beers again.
DAY 5 (27 December 2006, Wednesday)
Today, I got up very early to ensure that I catch Angkor Wat at sunrise. I bought a French baguette as well as some snacks and got on my way. I arrived at Angkor Wat at 0545hrs and was surprise to see the crowd already there. Very quickly, I got into position at the northern pool and started snapping on my camera as the sun emerges slowly behind the Angkor Wat, providing a silhouette of Angkor’s 5-towers against a colored sunrise sky. Some of the best colors appear just before the sun breaks over the horizon. The water in the pool forms a mirror to the picturesque view of the silhouette and its the perfect location for photography.
After sunrise, I took out my baguette and had breakfast by the moat at Angkor Wat. There, I met a Dutch and American couple who actually rode their bicycle on a grand tour around Asia! They had the same idea as me - having baguette for breakfast at Angkor Wat. We chatted for a while before we push off to begin the day.
Banteay Srey
This temple is 37km away from Siem Reap and it displays some of the finest examples of classical Khmer art. The walls are densely covered with some of the most beautiful, deep and intricate carvings of any Angkorian temple. Although it's a little far, it's worth visiting.
Banteay Samre
Banteay Samre is a relatively flat temple about 3 km off of the grand circuit. The trip there is a nice little road excursion through villages and paddies.
Pre Rup
Architecturally and artistically superior temple-mountain. Beautifully carved false doors on upper level, with an excellent view of the surrounding countryside.
East Mebon
Another temple very similar to Pre Rup.
Ta Som
I love this small but classic temple, which consist of a relatively flat enclosure with towers much like Ta Prohm on a much smaller scale. There is a huge tree growing from the top of the east gopura which is destroying the gate, but definately a photo classic.
Krol Ko
A pretty small, untouristed and peaceful temple.
Nean Pean
The temple is faced by a statue of the horse, Balaha, believed to be saving drowning sailors during those days.
Banteay Prei
This temple has oddly small doors and windows in a pretty quiet location.
Preah Khan
A nice, huge, highly explorable monastic complex, with full of carvings, passages, doors and photo opportunities.
By 1430hrs, I had more or less completed my itinerary for the day, so I decided to visit some attractions around Siem Reap. I made my way to the Royal Residence, Wat Bo, Chong Khenas Floating Village and Les Artisans D'Angkor.
The ride to the Chong Khenas Floating Village is again dirt road with lots of photo oppurtunity on the living lifestyle of the locals. These Khmers live and grow up on the Tonle Sap River.
They have grocery shops, schools, police station, etc along the floating village. Interestingly, they even have billiard tables in the middle of nowhere! The only thing I don't like is the filthy smell of the entire village.
After returning to the hotel for a shower, I went out to an internet cafe to check my emails and to back up some photos on CD-ROMs before heading for dinner at the old market. No more fried mama mee... I think I am getting sick of it already. So I had beef soup with noodles.
DAY 6 (28 December 2006, Thursday)
I checked out of Golden Temple Villa Hotel at 0700hrs, had a quick petrol refill and breakfast before heading to Phnom Penh. Route 6 to Kg Thum is nicely paved, and from Kg Thum to Phnom Penh via Route 6, Route 6A, and Route 5 is pretty smooth too.
Arriving in Phnom Penh, I got a guesthouse at Dara Reang Sey for US$13. The place isn't fantastic, but has aircon and hotwater shower. Motorbike parking is on the pavement directly in front of the guest house's reception desk.
Soon, I was out riding around Phnom Penh to visit some of the attractions. Went to see the Independence Monument, followed by Wat Lanka and then got to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. Entrance ticket for me is US$3, but I need to pay another US$2 for my camera.
The Royal Palace is a complex of buildings which are the royal abode of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The Kings of Cambodia have occupied it since it was built in 1866, with a period of absence when the country came into turmoil during and after the reign of the Khmer Rouge.
The Silver Pagoda houses many national treasures such as gold and jeweled Buddha statues. Most notable is a small 17th century baccarat crystal Buddha and a near-life-size, Maitreya Buddha encrusted with 9,584 diamonds dressed in royal regalia commissioned by King Sisowath. During King Sihanouk's pre-Khmer Rouge reign, the Silver Pagoda was inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles.
Next to the Royal Palace, lies the National Museum. The museum houses the world's largest collection of Khmer art, although as a centre of Khmer historical commemoration it tends to be overshadowed by the great temple complex at Angkor. Tickets cost me US$3.
I took a short ride to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21). Heard that prior to 1975, Toul Sleng was a high school. When the Khmer Rouge came to power it was converted into the S-21 prison and interrogation facility. Inmates were tortured over a period of months, to extract confessions, after which they were executed at the killing fields of Choeung Ek. Of the 17,000 people being tortured, only seven survived.
The building now serves as a museum, a memorial and a testament to the madness of the Khmer Rouge regime. The prison kept extensive records, leaving thousands of photos of their victims, many of which are on display.
I had a walk around the nearby Russian Market and had dinner there. Looking for some local Khmer food, I pointed and described to the stall owner for a bowl of soupy Kway Teow. The kway teow soup came with lots of pig spare parts, not for the faint-hearted!
Traffic in Phnom Penh is insane..... simply crazy. Nobody seemed to follow traffic light rules, and the traffic flow is in all directions despite the road markings. It's somewhat like Shenzhen, China's traffic. If you can drive/ride in Phnom Penh, you can drive/ride in anywhere in the world.
Something I learnt on the roads in Cambodia: (1) If your vehicle is not as big as the other vehicle, you better give way to him. (2) Check all angles, like an owl, before you make any turn! (3) Press your honk several times when overtaking so that the slower vehicle is aware of your intentions.
DAY 7 (29 December 2006, Friday)
It's waking up early again to catch sunrise along the Mekong River and Tonle Sap. Air is especially fresh in the morning and joggers plentiful along Sisowath Quay. After capturing some beautiful shots, I had fried chicken rice for breakfast and continued my sightseeing journey.
I went to Wat Phnom, followed by a 15km journey to the countryside for a visit to the Choeung Ek Killing Fields. During the Khmer Rouge regime, it became one of the killing fields the site of the brutal executions of more than 17,000 individuals, most of whom first suffered through torture and deprivation in Toul Sleng Prison. Choeung Ek is now a group of mass graves and a memorial stupa containing thousands of skulls.
I rode a further 20km from Choeung Ek, through some dusty dirt track, onto Route 2, to get to Tonle Bati. The lake is a very popular picnic spot with the locals.
In another 17km, I arrived at Phnom Chisor. The temple being at the top of the hill, I have to take 503 steps to get to the top. The view is fantastic, coupled with chilling & breezy winds, its a great sight of the countryside and quite a relief to catch a breath.
By about 1600hrs, I was back at the hotel and I decided to go to the internet cafe to check my email and sort out some of my photos which I stored on a portable 40Gb HDD. Through email, I managed to link up with Paeng and Sonia from Dancing Roads. We exchanged several SMS-es and I was invited to join them for a 2-day trip to Koh Tonsay aka Rabbit Island for New Year Eve's party!
That evening, I ventured to Sharkys for dinner and a few rounds of pool. On the knock-out 9-ball pool table, it's US$0.50 per game and you play till you got knocked out by your challenger. Sharky has the largest bar area in town and I would say that it is very foreigner/expatriat-oriented. After Sharkys, I hopped over to Martini to check out on the local night scenes. It features a disco, a live band with outdoor seating area and a few pool tables.
DAY 8 (30 December 2006, Saturday)
I met Paeng & Sonia at Garden Cafe 2 on St 57 for breakfast. There are about 10 of them heading to Koh Tonsay and I was pretty excited as this will be my first New Year's party in Cambodia.
After breakfast, all of them loaded themselves onto a SUV, driven by Paeng, while David and his girlfriend rode an XR250 alongside with me. Along route 3, David's chain came off his bike and we had to stop to put it back. He managed to ride to a nearby bike shop to remove one of the links so that the chain becomes shorter.
We continued the journey from Route 3 to Route 31 to Route 33. In no time, we arrived in Krong Kep way ahead of the others, who were on the SUV. We stopped at the famous landmark in Kep for a few pictures, and unknowingly, David's bike key was stolen from the ignition.
Fortunately, he can start his bike by kick-starting without the keys, but unfortunately, he cannot top up gas without the key. With some time to spare, we went to a bikeshop and the intelligent mechanic improvised a plastic-bottled fuel tank that connects petrol direct to the carburetor, so that he can still ride back.
A visit to Kep would not be completed if you have not eaten their fresh seafood. I had a green pepper shrimp with rice for lunch and all I can say is that, its simply delicious.... it's one of the best shrimp dishes I have ever eaten!
After lunch, we took a long tail boat over to Rabbit Island and checked in to a guesthouse. Accomodation on Rabbit Island is very very basic, but budgeted at US$5 per room per night. It has just a mattress on the floor and a mosquito net. Toilet/bathroom is about 50m away, in a concrete building in the wild. And I heard that this is the only concrete building in the whole island!!!
Soon, it was sunset by the beach and followed by dinner shortly.
We had steamed crabs, fried home-grown morning glory (aka kang-kong) and few other dishes accompanied by beer. The bunch I was with, was rather entertaining. A 2-hour sit-down dinner by the beach, under the brightly lit moon, with the splashing sound of the seawater was relaxing. The the chilled beer tunes up the rest of the mood.
DAY 9 (31 December 2006, Sunday)
I think this is the first time in my entire trip, I get to wake up later than any other day. I got up at around 0900hrs and realised that most of them are still in bed. I got out of bed and ventured to the other end of the beach for a morning stroll.
A pretty simple island, very raw and undeveloped are words I can sum up with. I ended up at one of the stalls for breakfast and I had pepper crab & mama mee soup! What a breakfast to start my day with! The crab was deliciously fried with ground pepper and it cost just US$3!
For the rest of the day on Rabbit Island, I walked around to take pictures with the animals, and lazing around on the beach bench with the others, chilling out with some cool cool beer.
Lunch was steamed live crabs, fried kang kong and seasnail. The seasnail looks like a giant gong-gong, at about the size of a human palm. At every meal, food takes about an hour to arrive due to the fact that the locals use woodfire charcoal to cook.
On the dinner table, it was steamed crab and fried kang kong again!!!! Never in my life I've had crabs companied with beer for breakfast, lunch & dinner!!!! I simply couldn't figure out how many cans of beer I had in these 2 days on the island!
By this time, the sound system was already blasting disco music on the beach, getting the crowd to party into the new year. By 2330hrs, the crowd had filled the dance floor and everyone was ready to countdown. This is my first time on a beach party in Cambodia!
DAY 10 (01 January 2007, Monday)
It's a fresh new day on the new year. We had lunch on the island before taking the long tail boat back to Kep. Initially, I wanted to go to Bokor Mountains before I plan my night in Sihanoukville, but by the time I get back on mainland at Kep, it was already 1700hrs.
I had a quick top up at Kampot and made my way to Sihanoukville. Arriving at Sihanoukville at 1900hrs, I realised that most of the rooms are fully booked. But somehow I managed to find a US$10 room at Cobra Hotel on Ochheuteal Beach. Motorbike parking is directly infront of my unit, damm cool.
I had Khmer seafood soup with rice for dinner at Cool Banana at Serendipity Beach. Through playing pool with a few Aussies, I found out that the rooms there are not too bad, at just US$6 per room.
Then off I went to ride around downtown. But there isn't much to see at night after 2200hrs till I found a traditional Khmer massage centre and I went for it. It cost US$5 for an hour and I had a good rest that night after the soothing traditional Khmer massage.
DAY 11 (02 January 2007, Tuesay)
I got up in the morning and walked across the road to get to the beach for a morning stroll. What more could you ask for, to have a mushroom cheese omelete with black coffee breakfast on the beach chairs on the beach???
After breakfast, I took my bike for a spin and I rode to Otres Beach, cut through some dirt road at the far South, then made my way back and I got on Ochheuteal Beach, Sokha Beach, Independence Beach, Hawaii Beach, Victory Beach, Weather Station Hill, before heading to Cambrew Brewery, Wat Chotynieng and Sihanoukville Mountain.
All the beaches are very quiet and peaceful, except for the more touristic Serendipity and Occheauteal Beach. Cambrew Brewery is where the local beer 'Angkor Beer' and 'Bayon Beer' is brewed. If only I had come on a Wednesday, its "Beer Factory Day"! Going up the road from Cambrew Brewery leads you to the top of the 132m Sihanoukville Mountain, with a spectacular view of the city. Wat Chotynieng is also near the peak of the mountain.
Within a couple of hours, I realised that is all about Sihanoukville. Hence, I've decided to check out and get to Koh Kong. I left the hotel at 1130hrs, got a full tank of gas and got onto Route 4 on the nice paved roads, till I turned off into Sre Ambel at Route 48, where most of the dirt tracks are still under construction.
From Sre Ambel to 1st river crossing is made of hard compact soil/gravel. At the 1st river crossing, the platform is connected by 2 small boats and you ride onto a narrow plank to get onto the platform. Construction of the bridge looks like its more than 60% done. Road from the 1st river to the 2nd river has nice compact soil/gravel and the 2nd river crossing is on a similar platform like the 1st river crossing.
Here comes the fun part. The paths from the 2nd river to 3rd river is fun if you are on a dirt bike. Lots of road works along the way, with loose soil/mud along the way. Dusty red sand everywhere as well.
At the 3rd river crossing, it is on a big boat, where bikes cross with cars/trucks, and you need not balance on narrow planks to get on the boat. Similarly, the path from the 3rd to 4th river is a little challenging, with up/down slopes on loose soil/gravels. Can see that road works are on the way, and should complete by end of the year. Also, at the 4th river crossing, the big boat sends the bikes & cars/trucks together across.
After crossing the main bridge from Koh Kong to the Khlong Yai border, there is a toll plaza and bikes need to pay 1200 Riels. Its about a couple of minutes away from the border. With some Cambodian Riels to spare, I've decided to spend all of it on gas and drinks before I leave the country. Leaving Cambodia at Koh Kong is quick and straightforward. However, arrival at Klong Yai took me more than half an hour with quite a number of procedures that I need to comply with.
When all the paperwork has been settled, I left the border at 1730hrs and rode towards Bangkok. I passed through Route 318 to get to Trat, got on Route 3 to Chanthaburi, and decided to spend the night in Klaeng. I got a room in Klaeng Palace Hotel for 350Baht with secure parking at within the hotel's carpark premises.
After a clean shower, I got out of the hotel only to discover that Klaeng is a dead town. I got to the food centre next to the hotel and had a Thai fried rice and Tomyum Kung. To my surprise, that is the best Thai fried rice I have ever eaten. It's so fragrant that you can even taste the fish sauce on the egg-coated rice on each spoonful. The large prawns and squids in the tomyum is so fresh and delicious! At least my stay in Klaeng is rewarded with this great meal.
DAY 12 (03 January 2007, Wednesday)
I rode through the chilly morning breeze at 0700hrs in the morning and made my way to Bangkok. After days of budget hotel and guesthouse stay, I've decided to pamper myself in Bangkok with a room at the brand new Millenium Hilton Bangkok. The hotel offers a fresh perspective on life, with its location spectacularly located on the Chao Phraya River, where all the rooms has a sweeping view of Bangkok.
After checking-in, I got my bath tub setup and decided to spend sometime soaking myself in it. Only after few hours of lazing around in the room, that I decided to take a walk out to the Chao Phraya River. From the hotel's pier, I took the free river ferry to River City, and then a river taxi to the Grand Palace.
It's my first visit to the Grand Palace, and the Royal Monastery of the Emerald Buddha is quite impressive. I combined a visit of the Grand Palace with the Royal Residence and the temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) as they are quite close to one another.
Back at the hotel, I had a tour of the hotel, and looked around the F&B outlets and decided on the International buffet at the 'Flow' Restaurant for 1471Baht. Food selection is pretty wide, with oysters, sashimi, and lots more.
DAY 13 (04 January 2007, Thursday)
Today, I've had a half day tour to the Damnoen Saduak floating market for a package price os 700Baht. The mini van came to my hotel to pick me up at 0730hrs and off I went on the mini van. First stop after an hour's travel was the sugar palm plantation, where the van stopped there for a 10 minutes restroom break. Here, I see how they make sugar from the sap of coconut buds before it opens up. Palm sugar is an essential ingredient often added to thai cooking to give it a special sweetness.
I arrived at Damnoen Saduak Pier in about 15mins and was being transfered to a motorised boat that will ferry us to the main floating market. At the main floating market, I need to pay another 150Baht to hop onto the non-motorised canoe. The expedition took about 30mins where it goes through the dense canal crowded with hundreds of vendors and purchasers floating in their small rowing boats selling and buying goods.
At the end of the trip at the floating market, the van took us to the Thai cultural village, cobra show and the gem factory. It is purely a waste of time. I got myself detached from the group at the gem factory and took a cab back to the hotel on my own. In conclusion, a free and easy self-planned trip is still the best mode of sightseeing, in my opinion.
Back at the hotel, I went to the 'Beach' and relaxed on the beach chairs with a nice view of the Bangkok skyline overlooking the Chao Phraya River.
At night, I hoppped on a taxi to get to Lumphini Night Bazaar for a little shopping as I have not bought anything throughout the entire trip. It's quite a large complex but of course the size is nothing compared to the famous Chachuchak weekend market.
DAY 14 (05 January 2007, Friday)
It's time to return after 2 weeks of travelling. I rode to the Hualumphong Station to see if there is ticket availability for me and my bike. I managed to get a ticket on train #35 at 1445hrs for 855Baht and paid 1016Baht for my bike transportation to Hatyai. When everything at the railway station is settled, I went back to the hotel and laze around before I finally check-out at 1300hrs.
Back at Hualumphong station, I mananged to ensure that they load my bike onto the train.
I bought something to munch on the boring 16-hour train journey. This train seemed to have wider seats and a more spacious aisle. I only had a tomyum gai with rice for dinner and then off to bed at 2000hrs.
DAY 15 (06 January 2007, Saturday)
The train arrived in Hatyai on time at 0645hrs and I went straight to one of the travel agent to buy a ticket for a hotel room at Sakol Hotel for 660Baht. I could have taken a ride back after a good night's rest, but with a spare day remaining, I do not want to return home yet!
At the hotel, I got myself bathed and then came out for breakfast at one of the tim-sum stalls. Shopping at the market is on my next agenda. A visit to Hatyai would not be complete without a sharksfin soup with Thai fried rice at my favourite stall. Following which, I went for manicure(60Baht), pedicure(60 Baht), and traditional Thai massage(240Baht) at Lee Garden Plaza's massage centre.
In the evening, I took a tut-tut to the Asian Weekend Trade market for the best deals on shopping before ending the day with a yummy fried chicken and oyster omelette along the busy night market in front of Lee Garden Plaza.
DAY 16 (07 January 2007, Sunday)
It was a bad start to the day when I checked out of the hotel at 0600hrs. It was raining cats and dogs after I had been dry for the past 15 days. I had no choice but to put on my rain gear and continue my journey back.
I cleared Sadao and Bt Kayu Hitam pretty quickly as I was early. The journey on the boring North South Highway begins. Having stops at Bt Kayu Hitam, Semmangul, Tapah, Dengkil and Pagoh, I arrived back at Gelang Patah RSA at about 1830hrs Malaysia time.
After a Ramly burger 'Daging Special' at Gelang Patah RSA, I continued my way home. I would sum this journey up in two words - PRICELESS EXPERIENCE!
MORE PHOTOS
Photos Part I
Photos Part II
Photos Part III
FAST FACTS
Expenses in Malaysia: RM195
Expenses in Thailand: THB15,967
Expenses in Cambodia: USD368
---------------------
Accomodation: S$269
Petrol: S$185
Train tickets: S$169
Admission Fees: S$129
Shopping/Massage: S$156
Food/Drinks/Miscellaneous: S$441
TOTAL EXPENDITURE: S$1,349
Distance on bike: 4,111km
Distance on train: 1,880km
TOTAL TRIP DISTANCE: 5,991km
Distance on bike: 4,111km
Fuel consumed: 157ltrs
FUEL CONSUMPTION: 26km/ltr
TRAVEL GUIDES / NEWS / MAGAZINES
Tales of Asia - The most updated & comprehensive guide to Cambodia
http://www.talesofasia.com/
Travel Guides & Tourist Reviews
http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Asia/...e-Cambodia.html
Canby Publications Travel Guide
http://www.canbypublications.com/
Comprehensive Guide to the Angkor Temples
http://www.canbypublications.com/siemreap/srtemples.htm
Asia Planet
http://www.asia-planet.net/cambodia/introduction.htm
Bayon Pearnik - Cambodia's Tourism & Infomation Magazine
http://www.bayonpearnik.com/
Cambodia Travel Tips
http://www.garella.com/rich/travcam.htm
Cambodia Pocket Guide
http://www.cambodiapocketguide.com/
Cambodia Online - Cambodia's Gateway Portal
http://www.cambodianonline.net/
The Phnom Penh Guide
http://www.phnom-penh.biz/restonet/pp/annu...endocument&l=gb
Info on Sihanoukville
http://www.sihanoukville-info.com/
Best of Cambodia
http://www.bestofcambodia.com/
The Cambodian Scene Magazine:
http://www.cambodianscene.com/
Travel Agents in Cambodia
http://www.hobotraveler.com/ag_travelagentscambodia.php
MOTORBIKING IN CAMBODIA
Singapore Bikes Forum
http://www.singaporebikes.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=144127
Golden Triangle Riders
http://www.gt-rider.com/
Adventure Rider Forum
http://www.advrider.com/
Dancing Roads
http://www.dancingroads.com/index.html
Voyage Vietnam
http://www.voyagevietnam.net/eng/38.php
Hidden Cambodia Adventure Tours
http://www.hiddencambodia.com/
Cambodia Red Raid Motorcycle Tours
http://www.motorcycletourscambodia.com/
The Motorcycle Shop in Cambodia - Rental & Repair
http://www.motorcyclecambodia.com/
Angkor Dirt Bike Tours
http://www.toursintheextreme.com/
Cambodia Expeditions
http://www.cambodiaexpeditions.com/
Motorcycle And Motorbike Rental, Hire And Tours in Cambodia
http://www.ridetheworld.com/98_Cambodia.html
Cambodia Motorcycle Tours
http://www.ecosea.com/eco/HTM/Cambodia%20M...cle%20Tours.htm
TRIP REPORTS & BLOGS
http://cambodia.mellenthin.de/
http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/tstories/everett/
http://www.cafecaliforniaphnompenh.com/motorcycle.htm
http://trip-reports.blogspot.com//
http://xlhecymtravel.blogspot.com/
http://cardrona.spaces.live.com/
MAPS
http://www.canbypublications.com/maps/maphome.htm
http://www.cambodianonline.net/homemapsgallery.htm
GPS Coordinates
http://www.donalbain.de/Fotos/Cambodia/Cambodia_GPS.html
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