After three weeks in Vietnam, we were happy to change for another country: Cambodia! We had been especially looking forward to Cambodia as this is where we would meet again with our French friends from Nantes: Lola and Cyprien. As soon as we arrived in our hotel in Phnom Penh, we contacted them and gathered for a beer. One thing to point out was how hot it was! So hoottttt.... We would definitely suffer from the heat on the following days. Anyway, we were so happy to catch up with our friends. We celebrated and went to a very local restaurant, indulging with local specialties and lots of beers. We took the opportunity to plan the upcoming days together and within a few minutes, we agreed to go a South in order to reach the coast as we expected the temperatures to be a little more bearable. So the very next day, we took a bus for the city of Sianouhkville. It took us more or less 6 hours to reach our destination. By then, it was late afternoon so we looked for a hotel (which proved to be very unwelcoming - comfort close to none!) and had diner on a terrace overlooking the ocean. Can't tell whether the view was nice as it was already pitch dark when we got there. Anyway, the food was alright and it was all we were asking for. We booked our boat tickets for the next day and went to bed! The following morning, we were all excited to go to Koh Rong! We had heard lots of positive reviews about this little germ so we were looking forward to checking whether those good reviews were deserved... Or not. It took us quite a long time to reach our final destination as we ended up on a tour boat, meaning we had to stop on several occasions to let the day-trippers enjoy snorkeling sessions and lunch. We had paid the same amount but only asked for a direct transfer... But this was a tourist trap and trapped we were! So we had to bear with the situation... Ok the landscapes were amazing so it made the wait easier. However when it came to the lunch being provided to the day-trippers and not to us, direct commuters, we ended up in a verbal dispute with the organizers. They finally had no choice but to let us have some food too: fresh BBQ-grilled fish and vegetables. It was very good so we did well to complain! By 3pm, we got to Koh Rong (instead of 11am!) so we quickly looked and find a cheap homestay. The room was very basic but again, we were on a budget so we certainly couldn't afford the much more appealing bungalows located by the end of the beach. Our room was in a simple wooden-house located in the back street of the village, somewhere in between backyards and trash disposal areas. But hey, again we were on a budget. David was struggling at night as it was very hot in the room, and the fan was anything but inefficient.
There, we decided to stay for three full days, enjoying the beach, the restaurants and doing nothing. It was amazing!!!!! After that heavy program, we were ready to go back to the civilization! A few days in Phnom Penh, including a very nice day in the countryside with families of locals was enough to get a glimpse of the Cambodian lifestyle. Indeed, our minds were already focusing on our next destination and long-expected expedition: Angkor and it's world-famous temples! Eventually, all good things come to an end. We left Hoi An in order to reach Ho Chi Minh. However, given the distance was long, we had to make a full stop in Nha Trang, a city on the south coast of Vietnam where all Russians come for their holidays. It was really not a great stop. And it was so hooooooot. We waited for the bus to HCM on the second day... Our last very long ride. After a full night, we arrived in former Saigon and looked for a place where we could stay the following days. We visited the site of Cuchi and the War Museum to better understand the atrocities of the recent Vietnam war. Very interesting! But as we were already looking forward to catching up with our French friends in Cambodia, we took a last bus heading to Phnom Penh. Vietnam was a nice country to visit, certainly not the most memorable but overall, we like it. But now, we are craving for real discovery and "wow" feelings. Hopefully, Cambodia will be able amaze us! (Yes, we are getting picky!) :-) After another overnight bus ride from Hanoi, we arrived early morning in the city of HUE. Whilst we were hoping for a better weather, rain was still waiting for us when we exited the bus. Anyway, here we were and we had to cope with it. Upon our arrival, we were quickly "assaulted" by moto drivers who wanted to take us to our hotel. They put such a pressure on you (adding to the fact that you are already very tired due to the terrible night you just experienced) that one can get very angry in a couple seconds. Which sometimes leads to disputes. That was the case here and we couldn't figure out whether we could walk and find the guesthouse by ourselves or if we would be better off hiring the services of one of those drivers. Their prices were too high so we decided to walk instead... Even though this seemed like a bad idea to David. Anyway, after a long walk with our heavy bags, we made it to the hotel. All sweating we were, so we spent the morning in our bedroom, enjoying a fresh shower and a comfy bed. By the afternoon, we decided that it was time to visit the city. So we headed for the citadel. Under a pouring rain... To this very day, we still don't know what brings so many tourists in Hue. Were we still in a bad mood? Did the rain affect our perception of the city? Or was it simply not worth the visit? Long story short, we do not really recommend that city as a must-see when visiting Vietnam. After a couple of days in town, we were glad to take another bus for a short ride which would take us to Hoi An. Hoi An is a charming little town, built around a small harbor. Cars are not allowed in the city centre so the place is very quiet most of the times. We loved it. We spend 4 days overall, and even though we are Backapckers, we took the opportunity, whilst there, to get a few tailor made pieces of clothing. After checking out several places for samples, fabrics and affordable prices, we decided to pick one up and give it a try. Visually the end results look good but only time will tell whether we got good deals or not. Visits-wise, we took bikes available from our hostel and went to the countryside, up until the beach. It was a nice day in the fields, despite the high heat. But we would have to get used to it the further down south we went... But what we really like in Hoi An was the food. We had amazing times in local restaurants serving delicious Vietnamese cuisine as well as some foreign dishes, including Indian specialties and French quiches. It was delightful! It was good to stay in the same place for such a long time. We really had time to relax and get the vibe of the city. Hoi An is a very pleasant destination and one of our favorites places from the whole journey. True story! |