Koh Rong Samloem Island

Koh Rong Samloem, also spelt Sanloem and Saloem, is situated eighteen kilometres due west of Sihanoukville in the Gulf of Thailand and is reachable in about forty-five minutes by fast ferry or about two hours using one of  the slower converted fishing boats, depending on the conditions.

We paid $20 (off-season rate) for a trip that included snorkelling, a bugget lunch onboard and a couple of hours on the island.

White beaches with almost no litter, sadly a rare sight in South East Asia these days, but what a pleasure to walk on a pristine beach.

Take a slow walk along the beach - there is rustic island beauty everywhere you look.

Fresh water pool at the base of a waterfall - the round things in the water are tables.The top just sticks out of the water, so you can sit in the water with your drinks. Image you and twenty of your closest friends partying here!

Monks at Angkor Wat

Monks anywhere are beautiful but at Angkor Wat they are magical.

Attending a Khmer Wedding

 Weddings are done very differently in Cambodia. They are loud, flamboyant, colourful and a lot of fun if you get into the spirit of the occasion.

The bride gets married at home. A group of guys come and pitch a massive gazebo outside the house. It usually blocks three quarters of the road but the Khmers don't seem to mind at all. A wedding in the street is a wonderful event.

The street in Phnom Penh the day after the wedding, as if it never happened.

The monks arrived late in the afternoon on the eve of the wedding. The lounge room was decorated beautifully, with the bride and groom's name on the wall. The bride made at least fifteen outfit changes during the two day event. All of the outfits are rented and she has a ball playing dress-ups, with a hair, make-up and dressing team standing by.




The wedding started at the crack of dawn the next day, with all the guests dressed to the nines with perfect hair and make up, by 8am!
We walked down the street a little way and then walked back up the street, past the bridal entourage of bride, groom and three bridesmaids and groomsmen with a flower girl, carrying baskets of fruit, tea and other offerings. These were taken inside the house and offered to the bride's parents.

The day continued with several ceremonies, each more colourful than the last and each with a new bridal outfit. We took a break in the afternoon and then went into town for the reception. The street was full of wedding receptions, we counted at least ten in our street. This was our reception.

And this is the kitchen underneath the venue. And no, I didn't even get a hint of the Cambo Craps!

Heaven on Earth

Otres Beach - Our Heaven on Earth.

'Shroom Shake anyone?

When you get the munchies, they sell pizza! Sign on the street at Otres Beach, Sihanoukville.

Crazy Things you see on the Road in Cambodia

Rice drying on the side of the road.

Bird Hotels

Bird's nests are hugely valuable in South East Asia, one of the most expensive foods in the world.
The Khmers build bird hotels, which simuate the cave environment the birds are used to. They play bird calls all day but louder at dawn and dusk. There are several around Sihanoukville.

You can always recognise them by the lack of paint (it doesn't seem to bother the Khmers that the buildings look hideous) and the bird sized holes.