The Cambodian coast has been getting a lot of publicity lately, and we love all the options that are coming available. This region is still rather undeveloped, so traveling here will likely not be your typical beach vacation (unless you go ultra-luxury for a stay at Song Saa Private Island). One of our favorite hotels in this area, Knai Bang Chatt is offering some new tour options to spice up your time at the beach.
Photo Courtesy of Knai Bang Chatt
CAMBODIAN COOKING EXPERIENCE
Often overlooked in favor of its neighbors more popular Thai and Vietnamese cuisine, Cambodian food has recently garnered praise from chefs around the world for its use of fresh spices and unique blend of contrasting flavors and textures. Some of the favorite dishes include Fish Amok, Banana Blossom Salad, and Mango Salad. Your half-day cooking course starts with a visit to the famous Crab Market where the chefs will introduce and explain the various spices and local produce on offer. Here you will learn to identify local ingredients and understand the importance of seasonality in Khmer cooking. Once back at the resort, your private chef will assist you in preparing 3-4 traditional Cambodian dishes which you will enjoy together at the end of the class.
Photo Courtesy of Knai Bang Chatt
PRIVATE ROOFTOP DINNER
At 6:30pm this evening, you will be escorted to a private rooftop terrace overlooking the gardens to the sea where you will enjoy sunset with a glass of sparkling wine in your very own private location. Once the sun has set, your dining experience will begin as you are served a 4 course, wine paired meal by candle light.
Photo Courtesy of Knai Bang Chatt
SAILING CLUB FLOATING DINNER
You will be transferred to the Sailing Club Pier and escorted to your dining location at the end of the private jetty for your meal this evening. You will be greeted with a welcome cocktail and enjoy the sunset over the water as your 3 course meals is served in this stunning private location.
There are a plethora of other options in this area that we offer for our guests as well, including visits to the nearby national park, exploring the abandoned villas of the colonial period or a local cave, trying your hand at fishing in the local style, visiting the nearby villages and pepper farms or spending the day relaxing on an island with your own private BBQ.
For other unique beach options along the Cambodia coast, check out our blogs about Koh Rong Sanloem and Lazy Beach – Both locations were recently featured in National Geographic as being among the best beaches in the world!
With the expansion of their beach, the post-colonial town of Kep looks to become Cambodia’s newest beach destination …
Currently known for its fresh crab and sleepy, old world feel, Kep is looking to change its image. Using white sand from Sihanoukville’s Otres Beach, the government of Kep has extended the towns’s current beach in the hopes of attracting new clientele.
The beach in Kep is now six times wider than before, making it much more suited for sun bathing beach goers.
This move shows the beach-side town’s effort to re-brand itself as an upscale alternative to Sihanoukville’s crowds.
Located in the South of Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand, Kep is one of our favourite Cambodian locations for those guests looking to slow down and appreciate life’s simple pleasure.
Without the amenities or crowds of other ocean front towns, Keps beauty is in its simplicity. With a bigger beach, perhaps more people will be drawn to taking it slow.
Added bonus: Currently without an ATM to withdraw cash from, Acleda Bank confirmed that they will built an ATM in Kep, making the town more convenient than ever.… Read more »
For the final stop on our SE Asia tour, we asked Narla and Brandon about their favorite things in Cambodia. Keep checking back for the next few days to see all of the things they love about this country, and what’s happening here in 2011!
What are your top five places and things to do in 2011 in your country?
1. The temples. It’s the main reason people come to Cambodia and once you see them you will understand why. No matter how many times I see them I am still amazed at their size and the quality of the work that went into them. Anyone visiting Siem Reap needs to see Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (Bayon), and Ta Prohm. While these temples can be rushed through in a single day, it’s best to get the three-day temple pass and spend the time to really see the temples. The more you look the more you will see how much effort individual people must have put in so many years ago. Note that each Apsara in Angkor has a slightly different look, and that in the bas relief you can see scenes of war with Champa as well as people playing board games and a woman giving birth.
The intricate details of an Apsara at Angkor WatA tree takes over at Ta Prohm
2. Talking with people. People here are very open and they love to laugh and will smile at anyone. They are also very open to tell you about their lives and what they went through in the years of wars and how the country has rebuilt itself. From the guides that can teach you the country’s history, to the driver learning English and wanting to tell you about his family, they are all great to talk with and learn from.
One of the best ways to meet locals, volunteer in the JWOC Conversation Class and help students practice their English as you learn more about them and their culture
3. A trip down to Kep lets you see a quiet town by the sea and the French Colonial buildings that still stand. Kep is growing, but right now it is still not on most people’s must-see list, making it a good place to visit before it gets too busy. Also, Koh Kong is another great place that you need to see.
Seaside breakfast in Kep
4. Do you know how to grow rice? You should by the time you leave, as 85% of the country grows rice and most of the others have done so at some point in their life. Cambodians don’t ask if you have had breakfast or lunch, they ask if you have “had rice”, because they can not believe a meal could be had without it. On the way to a far off temple stop along the side of the road and watch the people planting or cutting rice. If you have time, set up a tour to go see a local village that lives off the rice trade. You don’t need to go far from downtown Siem Reap to visit a real farming village. During the time of Angkor, rice was the currency, and to this day rice isn’t just a food, it’s what shapes the culture of this country.
Some of the many rice fields in Cambodia
5. Visiting a local village is an experience that you will never forget. Cambodians love to wave at you when you are walking by their house or village. You get to see their life style and the real communities in Cambodia.
Visiting a village is a great way to see the traditional Khmer way of life
Brandon says when it comes to hotels I’m spoiled, and he’s right, I am, but I don’t think I’m a hotel snob. I’ll admit that nothing makes me happier than walking into a stunning hotel room that has every detail covered and a view to boot! With that said, I don’t demand five star accommodation, in fact some of my favorite hotels…4 Rivers Ecolodge, Koh Kong; Fern Resort, Mae Hong Son; and Topas Ecolodge, Sapa, definitely aren’t five star standard, but they are beautiful properties with views and ambiance to spare.
All this is to set up that I am not a complete snob and that I don’t need ridiculous amounts of luxury so when I say it’s bad…it is bad! And let me just tell you, Spring Valley Resort in Kep, Cambodia is bad!
The bizarre thing is that I didn’t book Spring Valley on a whim. In fact it was recommended by clients who stayed there. I thought since they liked it I should check it out and since the kids and I were heading down that way it was the perfect excuse. The booking process went fine and they were very understanding that we needed to have a room for two adults and four kids since we all needed to be together. The problems all started when we tried to get there.
We hadn’t been given great directions so we attempted to call when we arrived in Kep…no answer…to either number. A tuk-tuk driver pointed us in the right direction and after wandering around for a while we found it. We pulled into the driveway and a few construction workers gathered to watch us unpack.
At this point I must say that the hotel had warned us they were building another building on the property so there would be some construction during our stay, that was no problem at all with me. They also said that their restaurant wasn’t yet up and running so no breakfast, again, no problem, I came armed with cereal and milk.
So upon our arrival a young man did come out and show us to our room. I took one look at the bathroom and realized they had forgotten to clean it. I explained this to him and he sent in a construction worker with a dirty rag who wiped it around a little and left. There were no extra beds and only two towels. I explained that there were 6 of us and that we had been told that a mattress would be provided…one was brought up, I then asked for sheets for the mattress…they were brought up, I then asked for some extra pillows, those finally arrived. I was starting to get the idea…if you want it, you need to ask for it, nothing just shows up around here!
Right away my main pet peeve was the name. Branding 101 people, don’t call a pig a unicorn, you’ll disappoint people! Spring Valley Guesthouse would have prepared us much better for the room we were given! Drop the resort and call a spade a spade my friends!
Luckily the pool was completed so we all headed down for a swim. And what a show we were. Such a great show in fact that the construction workers stopped their work and sat along the wall watching us! Now I know that life can be boring and a bunch of Farang swimming in a pool is a good mid-day entertainment, but I had three young girls with me and it was highly uncomfortable and off-putting. We headed back to our room. Since there had been no towels at the pool we asked for some extra towels for the room, they brought us two and informed us that if they gave us more they wouldn’t have any for the other guests. Either these guests were ghosts or they just didn’t feel we were worthy of more towels because I never saw a single other guest on the premises!
The next day we headed out to Rabbit Island to enjoy the ocean. It was a long and fantastic day and when we got back to the hotel the kids were exhausted and ready for a little break in the cool of the room. Upon opening the door we realized that the room hadn’t been cleaned…not only that, but there were now ants all over the floor and wall because of a dead gecko and we were out of toilet paper. Needless to say, I was angry. All I think when things like this happen is what if this was our guests, not us! What if I had booked this for our travelers and THEY had received this kind of service! I stormed down to the main house/reception to figure out what was going on only to have reception be completely locked with not a soul around. I flagged down some construction workers and asked them for help, but they didn’t know the phone number for the boss and had no idea where anyone was either. Frustrated I got everyone showered and headed out to dinner, but not before leaving a note at reception asking someone to please clean our room and give us new toilet paper and towels.
Clearly, we had run out.
Thankfully on return from dinner we found a cleanish room and two clean towels (the “other” guests clearly were hogging the rest!), but no toilet paper and the dead gecko remained where he lay!
The next day the kid from the first day was at reception and I got a half-hearted apology for his not being there…I asked for some toilet paper and was given one roll, a small victory! We again went out for the day and on return at 4pm we pulled into the driveway and literally saw a few guys running to our room, when we got up there they were hurriedly cleaning it…I guess our return reminded them that they were supposed to get that done? We put on the swimming show for the construction workers again while they finished “cleaning”. Once we were back in the room Callie rightly stated, “Mommy, they didn’t really clean the bathroom, not like at our house.” Well said little one!
Our departure the next morning was uneventful, no apology, no explanation, just a wave goodbye as we thankfully headed home.
The bottom line is, nothing was stolen, no one was hurt and we all managed to sleep and swim, but we felt more like squatters than hotel guests.
I’m still waiting for an explanation from the hotel…a family emergency? They forgot we were there? They hated us?! In the end, it wasn’t a terrible experience because after the first day it was so bad it just got funny and thankfully, because I went through it, none of my guests will ever have to!
