The Accommodation
There was accommodation for every budget from $5 dorms to $200 five-star resorts. We didn’t book anything aside from the first one in Siem Reap and just rocked up on spec. In mid-March nowhere was that busy (aside from SR).
With accommodation you get what you pay for, a priority for me was some kind of terrace or balcony outside the room where you can sit and watch shit go by with a cold one. The best place we stayed in cost just over 1,300 THB per night and you’d pay double for the equivalent in Thailand.
The big difference was the level of service which was way better than here where it is often an effort to get staff to help you. In Cambodia you’re made to feel welcome, in Thailand you feel like you’re in their way!
The Environment
Yes, there was a lot of trash and plastic about. More so in the rural areas where the locals just throw it on the floor or burn it. This appears to be a problem endemic to Asia where governments have higher priorities than keeping the country clean and people just don’t care.
We didn’t see that many feral dogs either. There were also no plagues of roosters because they are food. Noise levels seem to be a lot higher in Thailand, though maybe it wasn’t something I was conscious of over there. The heat was oppressive though, it just felt hotter there even though temperatures are similar. Cambodia is a lot poorer than Thailand, there are more beggars and crime is probably a bit higher though we saw little evidence of it.
Tourist visas are expensive but they are very easy to extend in country with no hassles, time limits, intrusive demands, or financial scrutiny … and you can work legally without fearing police shakedowns and entrapment.
Living There
Would I live there? That is a tough question since I already have everything here and would need to start from scratch.
But if there comes a stage when living in Thailand becomes no longer practical or enjoyable due to bullshit bureaucracy, rules, regulations, crackdowns, dual pricing, animosity against foreigners, and a high cost of living, then yes I think I could. If anything, it reminded me a lot of Thailand in the late 1990s and the freedoms and sanuk we had back then before the ‘ban brigade’ took over.
Medical services are rapidly improving, as are transport links, hospitality is much better, long-term visas are way easier, all imported food is available in tourist areas, and the general cost of living is far lower than in Thailand on all levels. If I had to pick between the two countries from the beginning, it would be a no-brainer.
Well, that's all folks, hope I've inspired a few to travel. Until the next road trip!
- Angkor Wat circa 1999
- ankor99.jpg (108.22 KiB) Viewed 1014 times