Cambodia's stunning beaches

I last visited Cambodia some 6 years ago, when we toured Ankor Wat (my second time) and previous to that, I was backpacking in the country in 2003. Over Christmas we went down south and I got to see Sihanoukville ten years on, Koh Rong for the first time and the amazing Otres.

I remember I had stayed in a bungalow up on the hill, just past the Lion roundabout where you followed a gravel track to the beach. The place has changed beyond recognition and the beach is much cleaner. However the main Serendipity strip I wouldn't want to hang around too long. The scene is very much backpackers and old men;  the beach itself is dominated by government mandated promenade-front bars, all the same, all with the same furniture.

A night later and we headed to Koh Rong, a largish island off the coast. As our last trip was enhanced (or as Chi would say -  'ruined') by a very interesting boat trip to Battambang, I hoped this one might be better. A new half-million dollar catamaran would be our vessel cutting journey time from 2 hours to 30 minutes. As we sat aboard with the engine turning over I was still optimistic. As the Cambodian engineers disappeared into the engine compartment, half an hour went by and travelers started hopping off to drink beer at the jetty-side bar, my faith wavered. An hour later, chugging along the coast in a distinctly non-Koh-Rong direction, a Russian regular delivered the hilarious truth...they're taking us to the slow boat. Once deposited right back to square one and the best sunbathing spots had been bagged we were off again, this time to our destination.

I had no idea where Paradise Bungalows was, but we would be able to walk there along the path, which didn't exist, but at the least the tide was out aiding the dragging of unjustifiably heavy luggage through sand for 800 meters. Never presume anything travelling in this part of the world: hopefully you'd hop on the boat, be disembarked, checked in and ready for a swim before sunset cocktails - realistically, prepare for the fact that despite your destination being maddeningly close, you could end up there after dark and feeling like you've just been long hauling it across a continent.

Koh Rong is stunning. A small stretch of crowded cheap accomodation surround the pier but at the end of the beach is the much quieter Paradise Bungalows. The place is slightly stuck in a time-warp in terms of tending to guests, and our $60 a night beach front bungalow was basic, open to the elements with not a shelf or drawer in site, just two double beds with saggy mattresses and mosquito nets. Having had our food chewed through by a critter we soon disposed of anything aromatic to avoid more visitors. Other guests staying up in the hills talked of monkeys in their rooms! They were complaining in the nicest way possible, the staff just looked amused and shrugged their shoulders as if to say 'This is paradise, take it or leave it!'. The beach front water-buffalo added to the faraway feeling. One mesmerized tourist whispered to me in awe as she slowly raised a long-lens, : 'What is that...'. Newb.

Paradise Bungalows, Koh Rong

The mandatory jungle trek was the closet to a jungle trek I've seen on a tropical island, a moderate climb followed by a very steep descent over large boulders. As usual the flip flops I had weren't doing me any favors. We emerged from the foliage onto a long beach which had been named by the unimaginative beach naming committee of South East Asia (who seem to have a big influence in the region) 'Long Beach'.

Long Beach, Koh Rong

The catamaran had been repaired but on the 40 minute journey back to the mainland we wished it hadn't as we pitched and rolled as if entombed in a washing machine, my daughter proceeding to vomit everywhere garnering the sympathy of backpackers who were missing their cousins back home. I sat anxiously next to Chi who I knew specifically hated boat trips of this nature and was using every ounce of mental strength not to see her breakfast again. Conversation was out of the question.

A tuk-tuk down to Otres just 3 kms from town and an utterly amazing, largely deserted beach, with very limited accommodation. We rented a terraced garden shed and shared a 'bathroom' with the rest of the resort that bilged yellow water from the well out of its taps. Safe to say I let the hygine go a little those three days, even though it was Christmas, and maintained a decent alcoholic haze the whole time. One night our whole row of bungalows lay wide awake blinking at the ceiling at 3am listening to a drunken couple having a domestic in the row behind.

The garden shed

Otres Beach

A scenic two hour drive took us to to Kampot and 'The Mango Tree'. Traditional Khmer houses sit in a lush tropical garden by the river, the breeze swaying the palms and sheep grazing in the garden; all a welcome background as you sit on the veranda over the water and enjoy the sun setting behind Bokor mountain. Renting a three bedroom house on stilts for $60, the place had the atmosphere of a French summer camp: kids, swings and board games, kayaks and bicycles for hire. We took the night trip on the river to see fireflies in abundance and disturb the bioluminescent algae, the next day took the bikes and pedaled through a maze of grassy, single lane tracks bordered by the residences of smiling locals and shady banana trees. A lot of over-exuberant barking dogs too.

The Mango Tree, Kampot

Although its rough around the edges compared to the polished experiences available in Thailand and Malaysia, Cambodia has just as much beauty. The people are great, and one more thing, the food was fantastic.

Phnom Penh is still a good 5 hour trip from Saigon by bus/car, or a (relatively) expensive 40 minute flight. Car hire is reasonable (e.g $50 for a private car with driver Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, 4 hours).  

Another British Summer

Selecting a small, overpopulated island on the top of the world close to the north pole and with an awful climate doesn't seem like the sagest of choices for a summer holiday however, one can not change the origin of ones birth. Hence another visit to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland was undertaken. And the weather surpassed the stereotype of a British summer. It was living in a squall for two weeks. There were however sufficiently kind breaks in the squall to dash out of the house to somewhere pleasant. And Bournemouth beach. Here's Lou testing the 15 degree water.


Zip Slide


Practicing being English...toasted tea cake and a cup of tea.


With Louisa just over three and a half, it was a culturally awakening trip, perhaps the first time she took notice of the difference between where she lives and where she was born. The first confusion came at 'bed time'. I had just perfected the association of darkness with bedtime - a cunning plan in Vietnam because it gets dark between 6 and 6.40 all year round. Sat at 8.30 or 9.00pm with daylight still streaming through the bedroom window, those long summer nights were confusing to begin with. "No it's not bedtime Daddy, it's still sunny time...".

 It's amazing how you can find anything on YouTube. I should have shown this to Louisa before we left. As soon as the beeping started she ran off up the road in the wrong direction shouting 'Daddy what's that noise!'...

Notes from abroad

We are coming towards the end of our summer trip now having been out of Vietnam since the 10th of June. We've around England and Italy a little bit and also visited Chi's brother and family once again (story relayed here and here).

How is it doing all this travelling with a toddler you might ask. Well - the answer is - hard. BUT, as with all life's situations, you get on with it. Lou had already travelled from England to Vietnam, Malaysia, Greece and Thailand  experiencing aeroplanes and boats and buses and cars many times, so adding another cross continental trip to England, Italy, Switzerland and France shouldn't be a problem. We thought. Those baby memories of earlier trips were probably of blurred lights and weird faces as she was moved from one crib to another. Now, with a fully functioning pair of legs and a non stop mind, the excitement of the whole trip was like aphrodisiac to a rutting rhino. She did remarkably well to last until nearly 1.00am in Bangkok airport before falling asleep for 7 hours on the overnight flight to Bangkok.

Lou looking dishevelled trying to keep her eyes open about 10 mins before boarding the 1.10am to London.

Comfortably asleep in cattle class torture chair:




And once awake again, reading a magazine, one of many activities attempted to keep her still for 5 minutes. Others included the ipad, a puzzle book, eating, singing songs, playing with the seatbelt, jumping up and down, looking out of the window, walking up and down the aisles, and on her part - constant wriggling and an epic tantrum ending with lying on the floor under the seats and refusing to move.

 Once we landed the new country bought its first new experience, car seats. We do have one in Vietnam but only for long journeys and have not used it in a long time. A very tired, worn out toddler being asked to sit in a car seat when she is used to being cradled in mummy's lap in the back of a taxi = hard. She screamed for about an hour on the way home before passing out. It turned out to be a great lesson though, since that experience she has been as good as gold in that car seat.

So a few days in the UK having enormous fun with grandparents and uncle and auntie. Then it was off to Italy, more travelling but thankfully from our local airport 15 mins drive away. The outbound journey was relatively smooth.



Louisa attended to everything she had always wanted to do on her first visit to Italy, from visiting Florence, Pisa and Siena, sampling the local cuisine and puking all over herself and her seat in the hire car. Here she is at Ponte Vecchio: 

Surveying the beach at Marina di Pisa.




Having fun in Siena's Piazza Del Campo.



So all in all a great bit of travel for her, and us of course. We returned to England for a couple of days again and then set off once more for a weekend in Gex. Chi had a chance to catch up with her brother and his family once more and we all had a great time once again thanks to the wonderful hospitality of brother Dai (Jean-Baptiste's) family. 
Chi and brother, July 2011: 



Since then we've been in the UK exploring the delights of Dorset, as much as the weather might allow...and we have gotten the real value of such a long trip home that I was looking for - experiences for my daughter that can't be had in Vietnam and some real time with my family. Her English has had an amazing boost too. 
Activities have included trips the seaside with friends



Pony cart rides




Feeding all the swans at Abbotsbury 




Exploring the rock pools at Osmington Mills



I get quite a few emails from various people in similar situations to myself - getting married in Vietnam, living in Vietnam or thinking of making the move, and also people thinking of moving back the other way. All I can say is - the UK is great for kids, so much to do especially the outdoors, but it is of course expensive. I'm lucky enough to have a job where I can spend time back in England in the summers if I wish. Personally, as a father,  I'd like my daughter growing up with memories of England, similar memories to what I have, by doing these activities and more. It's important to me that she grows up with an equal knowledge of where I (and her) come from and that we instill a real sense of belonging and cultural identity in her, so that if she desires in the future, she can come to the UK and feel at home. For the time being she is growing up in Vietnam, but with a healthy dose of (my) home thrown in....

Langkawi and Penang, Malaysia

Langkawi is a short hop from the Thai border and a 1 hour flight from KLIA. Journeying from Ho Chi Minh City is very easy with Air Asia and having taken off from Tan Son Nhat at 9.00am we were in our beach-side accommodation by 4.00pm. After the two hour flight from HCM to KL we hopped off the plane and onto a domestic flight from the same terminal just two hours later..all worth considering for a short break from Vietnam. Langkawi was typical of those Andaman Sea Islands - lush, green and blessed with beaches. Due to the short length of our stay we didn't explore the island very much despite it being quite small, rather opting to stay by the main resort beach of Cenang. The beach itself reminded me of Phuket - georgeous really, long, wide, a good sunset view, good enough for swimming, not too busy and fun come dusk when the locals emerge. A huge range of accommodation as well, from plush high end resorts to 40 ringget a night fan rooms. We opted for the Beach Garden Resort, German managed, about $70 a night. We'd stay there again.





Although the beach is similar to Phuket, the beachside street isn't. It's a much quieter, laid back environment rather like Koh Lanta or Phu Quoc. The road that runs through Cenang has the usual plethora of restauratants and shops selling all kinds of crap - even red bull singlets...anyway, I was less impressed by the piles of rubbish that appeared for collection at sundown and also the waft from the drains of an evening - relatively minor things but I am trying to be critical here. Back by the beach everything is as you'd expect, a lingering sunset and cool breeze.

Some more pics





Lou enjoying another meal:



Once before have I had a boat ride as bad as we did from Langkawi to Penang, and it was also in Malaysia (Borneo). Three hours of the full washing machine treatment had Chi reaching for the black plastic bags ominously hung from the ceiling all over the boat. Little Lou seemed fine until with about 30 mins till landfall she erupted like Krakatoa - who'd have known her stomach could contain so much foul smelling goo. Let's just say there was a substantial pile of laundry to be done that evening.

Georgetown in Penang is famed for its hawker food and we were not disappointed, with my misses in a wonderland of Malay, Indian and Chinese cooking. Mix this with a lot of colonial history and architecture, and you have an interesting town. From Penang it was a 50 minute flight back to KL.

Some pics from Georgetown, Penang.

Kway Teow Goreng, $1 per plate.



The best chicken satay I ever had..about 60 cents for 4.



Early evening hawker stalls lined up ready for action:



And finally, the old boys in Saigon could learn a trick or two from these colourful cyclos:

Stunning Kefalonia

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Kefalonia is the largest of the Ionian Islands off the west coast of Greece. 90 kilometres from top to bottom, it is a stunning (and winning) combination of soaring rugged mountains that slope all the way to gorgeous beaches and picturesque villages that overlook coast and valley. With three other islands surrounding Kefalonia, the views given its own coastline as well are breathtaking. Vegetation comprises of a huge and surprising array of trees - some you would expect from an island in the vicinity of the Med and some you'd more likely find in Norway such as the black fir. Amongst the swathes of olive tree groves and sunburnt yellowing grass sit white villas with their terracotta roofs, every single one with a fantastic view of the shimmering true blue ocean and the hazy outline of islands distant. No one is stuck for a view in Kefalonia.







Roads were either ear popping mountain passes or chiselled into the rock to follow the sea. To the north of the capital Argostoli lies Myrtos Bay, an icon in beach terms. Just to the north lies the peninsular island of Assos.


Continuing north to the top of the island brings you to Fiscardo, the main yachting hangout and resident quaint-as-hell town on the island.





We stayed at Lourdas, a resort around 7km north of the airport and situated around a 2km walk from the stretch of beaches at the foot of the mountain. It was a big hill, a car was essential unless you are in training for some kind of gruelling physical challenge in the future. The area is famed for its gardens, and deservedly so. eg Tenderly manicured fruit and veg gardens reach literally down to the beach. The resort is still not developed so restaurant owners grow their produce right next door on their land.

Some pics from Lourdas:

Green chillies and lemon trees


Gardens at the beach, resorts on the hillside and the mountains behind.


Lucky House 13. If we go back, we are renting this thing.


Because this beach is a footstep away:


For beaches and swimming, I haven't been blown away like this since the islands of Thailand first smacked me in the mouth, for scenery I haven't been so dazed since seeing the Great Ocean Road in Australia. It's quite something, this island.

And what did we do? A lot of mincing and poncing around (on my part), drove, ate, drank, swam, the usual. This holiday was a little different as we had 'the pickle' in tow, and what a superstar she was. It isn't hard to meet people when you have this little monster slung over your shoulder. I spent hours, no, days coming up with this analogy so hear me out : taking a baby on holiday is like having babies in general. Bloody hard work but worth it.

British Summer (kind of)

Well we were lucky enough to have some nice days recently and headed out to enjoy part of Dorset's Jurassic Coastline. Which is just a 30 minutes drive from Bournemouth. Here's the beautiful Lulworth Cove..



Looking west along the Dorset coast...



The beach at Durdle Door:



Durdle Door itself:



During the summer months in this part of the world the chances of spotting some wildlife increase dramatically.



The little one is now 6.5 months and crawling. She is getting prepared for a little jaunt to Kefalonia, Greece before her long haul flight to Saigon to meet the other half of her family and get settled.





So very soon it's goodbye to England once more and hello to Vietnam, time to pick up my life of four years from where I left off. I've survived all manner of things including a horrific winter, a birth, three driving tests and a University course from hell. Time to get back to the tropics methinks!