Category Archives: Cambodia

Day 213 – Stats 107 Cambodia

Well, let’s face it, I was sick – therefore this post is up for grabs? We had one thing going that was not blobbing and sleeping: We went out to a very nice restaurant and had a very nice dinner before hitting the road again the next day. I was feeling better and better and was pretty sure it would be ok to ride again, come tomorrow. The restaurant was on the other side of the Nam Khan, reached via a rickety dry season only bamboo bridge. Nina was not convinced, but the bridge held – both ways. The food at Dyen Sabai was outstanding – easily the best fusion food in Asia so far.

Alright, so now, Cambodia. Why Cambodia and not Thailand? Well, since we are going back to Thailand once more, I thought of doing that one as a single post.

Country data #7: Cambodia

Full screen version of the map

  • 2030 km traveled (1993 km of GPS tracked)
  • 9 travel days, 19 days total
  • $17.19 Average cost per night (18x room, no invitation)
  • 111l of standard fuel for $  126.52 (6 l / 100km)
  • ~$34.30 for food every day, always eating out with no invitations
  • ~$1.850 in total

All $ values are converted to NZD.

Day 200 – Mekong’s different faces

Looking out of the guest house first thing in the morning...we had cow visitors on the other side of the road

Looking out of the guest house first thing in the morning…we had cow visitors on the other side of the road

We got up early, packed all our things in a way that would let us get to passports and carnet easily at the border and went off in search for breakfast. The same restaurant where we’ve had lunch yesterday was open so we had more baguette and muesli. 🙂 The other two tables were filled with employees of an NGO and their kids who talked to us about motorcycle travels and the like. In the end, they were even able to give us direction to a printing place so we could print something off that we needed for the Iranian visa.

Having done that, we made sure to have exactly the right amount of US dollars before heading north. From Stung Treng, it is another 60km to the border. The Lonely Planet warns that it is in the middle of nowhere but we hadn’t expected that much nowhere to be honest. First of all, it was the worst road we have been on in Cambodia. Big chunks of it are missing, at stretches the seal has created mountains in the middle of the road and there was literally NOTHING around so we even stopped and checked if this was really the road or if we had taken a wrong turn without noticing. Nope, this was the road. Leading to the only border crossing between Cambodia and Laos. Continue reading

Day 199 – The far East

Newly sealed, great views, literally no traffic

Newly sealed, great views, literally no traffic

There was only a brief debate, but the rustic charms of our “shack” had worn off and I did not feel like needing another full day to recuperate. Thus, we hit the road again. Baring due north. Until very recently, there was no road, let alone a sealed one, connecting the eastern regional capitals of Sen Monorom and Ban Lung directly. Travelers would genuinely get lost trying to navigate a vast maze of cart and oxen tracks and some payed a handsome “thank you”-fee to a local guide getting them out again.

Huge areas have been transformed to palm plantations made possible and accessible by the new road

Huge areas have been transformed to palm plantations made possible and accessible by the new road

None of this anymore – a fully sealed road winds gently down the plateau and through the Lumphat Wildlife Sanctuary connecting the provinces of Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri. But other than this one black strip of tarmac and some trappings that come with such infrastructure, there was still not much else out here. Especially now in the dry, it all is one long savanna / light forest as far as the eye can see. During the whole 150 km journey, we encountered maybe 30 other vehicles. It reminded us at times of the Australian outback. Only the 110cc bikes and rice tractors underscored that is was not that.

Crossing one of many tributaries to the Mekong

Crossing one of many tributaries to the Mekong

We enjoyed the ride, the solitude and the encounters with the hardy Cambodians living out here. We also made immensely good pace – so good that we hit the turn off to Ban Lung a good time before lunch time. With only 100 km to go and such easy riding, we decided to skip Ban Lung and go directly to Strung Treng. Another provincial capital of the province baring the same name, the Mekong town of Strung Treng is the launch pad for early border crossings into Laos.

One of many fires we've seen in Cambodia

One of many fires we’ve seen in Cambodia

We booked into a brand new Chinese (as in ethnicity, not nationality) owned guest house a kilometer out of the town center. It was cheap and we could book via Agoda. The room was lovely, clean and, best of all, motel-style on the ground floor with direct motorcycle access! The only downside really was the lack of a restaurant, but the ride to town was short enough.

We went to town that night to a forgettable Chinese restaurant and headed home early to get everything in order for the border crossing tomorrow. We even found a post office to drop off Nina’s next batch of post cards.