Korean Job Discussion Forums

BoholDiver · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Canada

So many of my circle of friends are going to Cambodia or have been already. Most of them liked it.

I still don't understand why. What's the attraction to Cambodia?

neil537 · Joined: 15 Jan 2009 Location: Incheon, South Korea

I haven't been yet, but am going in June.

I mainly want to see:

Angkor Wat and surrounding area

Killing Fields/Tuol Sleng Museum

The river trip from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh.

On the route I am doing, it seems to be the logical choice that once I get to Ho Chi Minh, I keep going into Cambodia, as I'm eventually heading to Bangkok.

jmuns · Joined: 09 Sep 2009 Location: earth

moonapali · Joined: 17 Aug 2009

Khmere culture is very interesting. I like the beaches and the siplicity of life there. 2 weeks on Otres beach and all your tension sublimates away. Cool

Cerberus · Joined: 29 Oct 2009

canale226 · Joined: 23 Jan 2010

I don't get it either. I was there for a month last summer, and found it overpriced and altogether a massive waste of time/money. Angkor Wat is the Disney World of old ruins, and while impressive - not that spectacular. The beaches are below average (by SE Asian standards), and the food is not worth writing home about. Fish Amok is great, but aside from that - neighboring countries offer much more. Save your money and go to Vietnam/Thailand. Or if you enjoy beaches, Indonesia.

BoholDiver · Joined: 03 Oct 2009 Location: Canada

I might go someday. Not anytime soon, however.

A student of mine flew into Siem Reap and then drove to Pattaya. Other than Pattaya being scummy, that sounds like a cool vacation. Maybe Koh Samet instead.

runthegauntlet · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Location: the southlands.

I was in Cambodia two weeks ago in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and both my girlfriend and I really, really enjoyed it. It was quite hot but we had an amazing guesthouse n Siem Reap filled with amazing people that worked there, and everywhere we went everyone seemed so friendly and smiled.

Even Phnom Penh, with its Grand Palace and markets was a really good time. The museum and killing fields were a real kick to the gut, though, as expected.

In Thailand now and the people don't seem anywhere as friendly as in Cambodia. On the contrary, here it's just been fending off one attempted rip off after another.

DeMayonnaise · Joined: 02 Nov 2008

I really liked Siem Reap. The city was pretty fun, and the temples were great. Sihanoukville is a decent beach too. I don't know how anyone could say it's overpriced. It's about the cheapest place in Asia...

canale226 · Joined: 23 Jan 2010

Cheapest place in Asia? What? Not by a long shot. Both Vietnam and Thailand are much cheaper than Cambodia, with only Laos being right around the same prices. In fact, the only place I've been to in SE Asia more expensive than Cambodia was Malaysia - but thats apples to oranges, as Malaysia is a much cleaner and modern place. Indonesia and Philippines are miles cheaper. You can survive on 5 dollars a day very well in Sumatra - not possible in either Siam Reap or the capital. The beaches in Cambodia are very cheap however, but at what price.... they aren't close to the beaches in Thailand, Malaysia, Philippines or Indo.

runthegauntlet · Joined: 02 Dec 2007 Location: the southlands.

Been to Singapore? Way more expensive than most places in SE Asia.

I don't think anyone would say that Thailand is cheaper than Cambodia for similar comfort levels. If you're slumming it in some packing house eating streetfood all the time, then I guess it can be pretty cheap. But accommodation in Thailand is a bit more than Cambodia if you want AC or something.

Transport in Bangkok was pretty cheap. 245 baht (~7 USD) for an AC train ticket to Ayuthaya, but only 20 baht (~.60 USD) for third class on the return. Taxi rides across town for ~2USD, etc.

Oh, but the southern Thai isles?! Much more expensive than Cambodia. I was just on Koh Tao, Koh Pha Ngan, and Koh Phi Phi. Koh Pha Ngan's transport system basically amounts to extortion, with them trying to get the equivalent of 10 USD for a 40 minute ride in the back of a truck.

Koh Phi Phi is quite expensive for transport and accommodation, but that's to be expected for such a tourist draw, I guess. But I paid 550 in Bangkok for an A/C, shared bathroom with no amenities, 700 baht (~22 USD) for a nasty fan room on Koh Phi Phi that stunk of mold, and 15 USD for a beautiful A/C, hot water guesthouse with a massive garden and daily room cleaning in Siem Reap. Comparable? Not in the least.

Angkor Wat tickets in Cambodia are pricey. The visa and the exit fee also add a bit to the overall cost. But on the whole, I spent less in Cambodia and enjoyed a far greater comfort level.

This was in this last month.

SarahMarin · Joined: 06 Aug 2009

reactionary · Joined: 22 Oct 2006 Location: korreia

I was eating, and drinking, much MUCH cheaper in Siem Reap (the only place I went, admittedly) than in Bangkok. The food was about the same as in Chiang Mai (but I'll say on average cheaper in Siem Reap), but not the beer - much cheaper.

That was my experience...However, I will say that other than Angkor Wat, Siem Reap is a pretty boring town that has obviously grown solely around tourism. I despised that "Pub Street."

canale226 · Joined: 23 Jan 2010

I'm a backpacker first, teacher second - last year I spent 8 months roaming around SE Asia, and Cambodia was easily the 2nd most expensive place for me to stay (second to Malaysia, Tioman). I'm living the backpacker life, i.e. fan rooms and street food. I can't even fathom spending $20 a night on a room in Thailand, nor would I. I've been to Phangnan many times, as well as Ko Tao and Samui - and its STILL possible to find $5 a night rooms right on the beach (maybe not Samui).... world class beaches at that. Nothing in Cambodia (that I've seen) comes close to that. Indonesia is even cheaper, and for me prettier than even Thailand. It would appear our budgets/expectations and value for the dollar are vastly different. For $7-10 a day, the living in Cambodia is atrocious and no where near as fun as its neighboring countries - in my experience. To each his own though. I know many people who love the country and can't wait to get back. I have been to Singapore - several times in fact... but I consider Singapore as much a part of the "SE Asian backpacker trail" as Hong Kong. Meaning totally different animals.

megardi · Joined: 09 Jun 2009

Prices aside, the people are totally amazing. Angkor Wat is a bit overrated, but hanging out with Cambodians is one of the coolest experiences ever. My husband left his iPod on a tuktuk (because he's an idiot) and the freaking driver gave it to the tourist police, who turned it over to our guesthouse on request, so that they could mail it back to us in Korea. Their hospitality was absolutely unbelievable.

And ditto runthegauntlet's observations. We spent about $15 on an A/C room by the beach in Ko Chang, Thailand (east side of Thailand, closer to Cambodia), which was pretty decent, but it didn't have any electrical outlets and the food was pretty pricey for what it was (about $8 for breakfast for two). In Siem Reap, we splurged and spent $18 on a fancy schmancy guesthouse and ended up staying two extra nights because we loved it so much. The place was a definite splurge: we were greeted with mango juice in champagne glasses, and hot towels with tiger balm every time we came back to the guesthouse. The food was wonderful, too.

So, it depends on what you're doing, for sure. I'd guess the couchsurfing's better in Cambodia than in the island areas of Thailand, too.

I'd say try and visit Thailand & Cambodia, or Vietnam & Cambodia, or all three, and make your own decision.