Dolphins of Kratie

Boats waiting for passengers

Back in January, we took a roadtrip to Kratie: a town on the east side of the Mekong River.  We went for a friend's wedding, but thought we'd spend an extra day to see the rare Irrawaddy dolphins.

We rented a moto from our guesthouse and drove north for about 45 minutes to Kampi, the home of the dolphins.  Our entrance fee got us our own private boat and driver and 60 minutes out on the water.  (Actually, our driver was really nice and let us stay out almost 2 hours.)

The ride involved a lot of moto-ing around the river, then sitting with the engine off, staring at the water, and waiting.  But, we did get to see several dolphins during our time on the water!  Very cool and definitely worth the trip.

Here's just 2 videos from our boat ride - and they're not great quality.  But! maybe that will convince you to come to Kratie and see the dolphins in person.

Our boat and driver

 

Waiting...and waiting...and waiting...and...Dolphins!

The Temples of Angkor

Everyone must go to the Temples of Angkor, outside of Siem Reap, Cambodia.

There are plenty of great guidebooks and useful websites about the Temples, already, so we won't write much about them here.  But, one thing we have learned - after having plenty of family and friends visit - is that, if possible, you should spread your visit to the Temples out over 2 days.  One day is just too exhausting for most people.  (Remember, it's always hot, too!)  The extra $20 (for a 2-day visit) is definitely worth it.

Bayon

Apsara Dancers

Bayon

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm

Angkor Wat

Best Beach at Sihanoukville

Sokha Beach

Sihanoukville, Cambodia has several beaches.  By doing a quick image search on google, you may be led to believe that all Sihanoukville beaches are breathtaking.  However, some are much better than others.

If you want to go to a pristine beach, with great views, and few people, head to the Sokha Beach Resort in Sihanoukville.  This might be one of Asia's best.  Yes, it's private, so you have to pay $10, but this is actually a fantastic deal.

• You get a lounge chair and umbrella with towel.
• You get a free drink from the bar.
• You can use the hotel's pool (with swim-up bar).
• You can use the hotel's clean bathrooms.
• The beach is always empty, so you don't have to worry about your belongings.
• The sand is perfect.  It even continues out into the water.  (No rocks to stub your toe on!)
• There's no litter.
• Speedboats and Jet-skis are not allowed to enter the cove.
• The view is amazing.

Occidental Beach

Compare this to the craziness of Sihanoukville's other beaches.  Not to say you shouldn't visit Occidental or Serendipity Beaches; you need to experience them.  But, make sure to plan one day on your vacation at Sokha Beach Resort.

Street Food in Phnom Penh

There’s a lot written about street food in Bangkok, and it’s very much deserved; street food in Thailand is delicious!  However, this leads people to discredit street food in the neighboring countries.  And so, we dedicate this blog post to the less-frequently discovered – yet tasty – street food of Phnom Penh.

We decided the best way to discover the food of Phnom Penh streets was to dedicate a day, driving around the city, tasting food.  While most visitors will hit up the Russian Market for their street food kicks, we’ve never been that impressed.  Instead, we traveled along some of the main arteries of Phnom Penh and found the following:

• On Norodom Blvd we had “Bok Lahung.”  This papaya salad with ground peanuts, dried shrimp, and some lime juice is the best!  Our favorite.
• In Hun Sen Park we ate “Satch Baitong” (Green Meat).  Contrary to the name (and look), it’s actually quite tasty, especially when dipped in spicy sauce!
• Behind the National Museum we had bright red Grilled Chicken Wings with lime and pepper sauce.  Very delicious, but – unfortunately – very little meat on the bones.
• Near St 278 (the Golden Mile) we tasted a Khmer beef sausage.  Kind of terrible, so it was left on the road for the dogs.  Maybe we just chose the wrong one…
• Near the Chinese Embassy we regularly eat “Low Chaa” for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner!  Short, flour noodles are fried with oyster sauce, morning glory (Cambodian greens), and a little bit of meat, topped by a fried duck egg.
• Behind the Phnom Penh Sports Club, near the Dike Road, is “Pork and Rice.”  A Cambodian dish we wish was served for more than just breakfast, this dish consists of double-grilled pork, pickled vegetables, scrambled eggs, and chili sauce over rice.  Really, it’s the Cambodian version of huevos rancheros.
• Also near the Chinese Embassy are “Fried Bananas.”  Fried in a batter made of sugar, coconut milk and rice flour, these snacks are served with sugar – excellent!
• We did find one delicious snack at the Russian Market: Pineapple Shake.  Ask for it without sugar and sweetened condensed milk, if you want a healthier version.

There’s even more delicious street food to be had all over Phnom Penh.  However, we’ll leave you to explore on your own!