GUEST ARTICLE: After visiting Phnom Penh we rented a car and driver and drove 300kms to Siem Reap. Getting out of the city was a bit slow going at first because of the traffic but fortunately it thinned out as we entered the countryside.

About 70kms out of Siem Reap we came upon a town called Skuon and stopped at “Tarantulaville.”

I’m not the biggest arachnid fan but considering this very unique tourist attraction my curiosity soon took over. Before I knew it I had a very big hairy new friend walking up my arm. Luckily they de-fang those big boys beforehand as they are quite poisonous. Amongst a throng of other terrified and curious tourists there were big white buckets full of live tarantulas ready for the deep fryer, and then laid out on platters to be sold to any takers. I chickened out on the taste testing but got some great shots of others enjoying these deep fried morsels ~ eek!!!

After that rather interesting experience we were back on the road gazing at the beautiful countryside. Along the way we passed small bamboo huts and ladies raking out rice on driveways to dry in the sun. There were plenty of smiley faced children pedalling home from school and local farmers with little stands set up alongside the road. About 5 hours later we reached the picturesque city of Siem Reap.

We checked into a great little boutique hotel we found on Tripadvisor called Pavillon D’Orient. So far the accommodations we’d stayed at had been excellent and very beautifully done in Cambodian style. This one was particularly good because of the price and also because we had at our disposal our own personal car and driver during the day and a tuk tuk and driver at night. That was an especially nice perk and the drivers were excellent guides to all the must see and do’s.

Dining in Siem Reap was a great experience. Downtown there is a network of cosy little alleyways boasting all types of restaurants and cuisines. After dinner we wandered over to the local Night Market and scoped out the shops. Once we had our fill of shopping we partook in a massage. I love Cambodian massages and the price is the lowest we’ve ever seen at $3/hr! We also tried a Dr.Fish massage but the whole feeling of thousands of little fish attached to my skin gave me the willies.

The last two days of our trip we spent touring all of the fascinating surrounding Temples (which of course is the main reason everyone goes to Siem Reap). We found an excellent guide called Vanny and he took us to a series of different temples found just outside of Siem Reap. The weather was stifling hot so it was always best to do these tours as early as we could to try and beat the heat. We wound our way through a labyrinth of the most beautifully carved temples we had ever seen.

Our fist temple was the Bayon Temple. The architecture and intricate carvings were mesmerising and learning about the history from Vanny was very interesting. All of these temples were built between the 11th and 12th centuries. There are many stories depicted on the walls of these temples and tell of the daily life, tragedies and victories that occurred over the centuries of different rule.

One very unique temple was the Lady Temple. This particular temple was definitely worth a look since it is the only temple with all of its carvings done into brick. The colour of the temple is warm rosy pink and when the sun is just right it looks really beautiful. We learned that carving into brick was very delicate and timely work but the result is nothing short of amazing.

The Angkor Wat Temple is really majestic and massive. The long cobblestone walkway to the temple is impressive and once we passed the outer gates we got a really good look at the grandeur of the temple in all its glory. Huge carved columns jutted out and a maze of lengthy intricately carved stonewalls within were absolutely breathtaking.

One Temple that really stood out to us and I have to say was our favourite was the ‘Tomb Raider’ Temple. They called it this because this is where Angelina Jolie made her film Tomb Raider back in 2001. The people really love her and all the publicity it produced for the area.

Giant Silk Cotton trees grow throughout the temple snaking themselves amongst the stone and hugging it in all the right places. We loved this place it was like stepping into some kind of fairytale land. Luckily for us there weren’t that many tourists that day so we got to spend quite a bit of time there exploring and taking it all in.

There were a few temples that we didn’t get to but that just means we’ll have to return again one day – no problem!! We were absolutely taken with Cambodia, with its culture, wonderful people and history. It is an amazing country and we fully enjoyed our trip. This is one of our favourites by far, make sure to put this one on your hit list its not to be missed

Rob Gowers Siem Reap Cambodia photos

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

GUEST ARTICLE: This was our first time to Cambodia and oh what a time we had! We arrived in early March just at the end of dry season. The temperature was still pretty hot but still made for some great days and beautiful warm nights. We caught a cab from the airport to our hotel The Pavilion located in the historical centre.

The streets were packed with anywhere from 1-5, yes 5 people per motorbike! Along with your typical barrage of vehicles crowding the streets. Say goodbye to lanes and hello to a symphony of chaotic driving. It’s actually not all that bad once you get used to the rhythm of it all.

An hour later we were warmly greeted at our beautiful little boutique hotel. Our room was great and we even had our own private pool, not bad for $90AUD eh! Phnom Penh has quite a bit of French influence (a result of French Indochina) from the beautiful architecture to the delectable food.

American currency is mainly used but there is still some Riel used as well. The price of things are really cheap, we had quite a few dinners for two for only $20. A pint of Angkor beer only costs about 0.75 and a good glass of vino for $3 ~ perfect! Cambodian food is really good and we particularly liked a local dish called Chicken Amok.

The local Tuk-Tuks are a great way to get around and I have to say they have to be the comfiest we’ve ever been in and conveniently there’s no shortage of them. They don’t cost much and you can always do a bit of friendly haggling to get where you want. Although if you are going on a big excursion a taxi would probably be more comfortable especially in the heat.

There is a nice strip along the waterfront with restaurants boasting all types of cuisines and nightlife (The Riverfront Area). There are also heaps of cheap massage shops nestled among the local shops. When dusk settles you can find the locals along the riverfront doing group exercises and local vendors selling all types of treats. There are also plenty of boats for hire if you feel like a cruise on the river (also very nice – a one hour private boat trip in a very big boat with crew cost just $20).

There is plenty of shopping to do in Phnom Penh. We went to the Russian and Central Markets which are both really big and full of lots of goodies. Make sure you give yourself some time though and do some price comparison shopping. I noticed that prices varied quite a bit especially when it came to jewellery. Don’t fall for the ‘weigh scale,’ trick (as if the metal used is precious).

After we finished with all of the city touring we settled in for the night before our visit to S21 and The Killing Fields the next day.

Our first stop was to S21 (Tuol Sleng, Cambodia Genocide Museum). We recommend you go there first in order to learn the history before going to the Killing Fields. S21 used to be a high school but later acted as a notorious security prison used by the Khmer Rouge during the Pol Pot regime from 1975-1979. After paying our small entrance fee we hired ourselves a guide, something that is a definite must.

Our guide was excellent and being a survivor of Pol Pot’s atrocities she made the experience even more moving. She told us of the unspeakable torture that went on in the prison. From 1975-79 thousands of people were rounded up and brought to this prison to be ‘interrogated.’ Intellectuals, young children and elders were mainly targeted. If they weren’t executed right away they were sent out to the fields to work in horrific conditions.

Our guide was only 14 when the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh, her whole family was executed and she was sent to work in the rice fields under the watchful eye of cruel farmers who had sided with the regime. She showed us deep scars on her legs from being beaten with bamboo sticks and she still has trouble sleeping at night.

During our tour she pointed out some ex-Khmer Rouge soldiers who were also visiting the museum that day. Every one of the Khmer Rouge besides a few that were involved in Pol Pot’s regime have all been exonerated. Obviously it’s difficult for her to see them but even more so when she is asked to be their guide. I can’t even imagine how it must make her feel…

After brutal interrogation techniques were used on thousands of prisoners at S21, they were herded into the back of trucks and taken to a place called Choeung Ek. It used to be an orchard and a Chinese graveyard but it would later be known as the infamous “Killing Fields.” Prisoners were taken there and horribly executed and then placed in mass graves.

After S21 we drove to see these Killing Fields and were shocked by the giant memorial building, a Buddhist Shrine full of over 5,000 victims skulls. We hired a guide there as well and not surprisingly he was also an unfortunate victim of the regime. Behind the shrine are the Killing Fields, deep pits overgrown with grass but sadly fragments of clothing and bones were still clearly visible. Our guide told us this was one of the biggest burial sites with about 20,000 victims.

There’s a sign showing us where they played music from a loud speaker from a tree they dubbed ‘The Magic Tree.’ This was a common technique used to help cover up the screams from the victims. After the killings D.D.T was used to cover up the smell of the bodies. The terrible genocide of nearly 3 million people that occurred over Pol Pot’s 4-year regime is absolutely horrific and the destruction caused is still present to this day.

Visiting these sights was heartbreaking, it’s so hard to believe that this happened and not so long ago. I can’t even fathom what these poor people went through but I think it’s very important that we learn from it and never forget. We really loved the warm hospitality of the Cambodian people. After everything they’ve been through it’s amazing how resilient and amiable they are. The city itself was a nice surprise – clean, full of life, lots to do and very cheap.

After 3 nights, we headed off on the next step on our Cambodian adventure – a drive to Siem Reap.

Rob Gower’s Phnom Penh, Cambodia Photo Gallery

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

After spending 48 hours in Darwin, I was a guest of Air Asia on a very brief tour of Bali. Air Asia is a Malaysian owned Airline that has a fleet of Airbus A320 jets covering South East Asia and has won the Skytrax award for Worlds Best Low-Cost Airline in 2009, 2010 and 2011. In Mid 2011 Air Asia agreed to purchase 200 more Airbus A320neo jets which the BBC reported is the “largest single order of commercial aircraft in history”.

Bali Airport – Entry/Exit Fees/Taxes

Do not let porters at the airport wearing grey/blue shirts wheel your luggage. They will want payment before they give the luggage back.

The first thing you have to do at Bali’s Denpasar International Airport is to pay a $US25 entry visa. You can pay in Australian dollars upon arrival in Indonesia and they will give you change at a good rate if you pay them with a $50 or $100 Australian note.

You’ll get a far better currency conversion rate at money changers located at Bali Airport than you will at the Travelex foreign exchange booth at Darwin Airport

On departure you need to pay 150,000 Rupiah exactly in local currency before you can fly home. I suggest using the 28 Degrees Credit Card whenever overseas to save on bank fees and get a good foreign exchange rate.

Accommodation and General Advice

The heat, humidity and smells of Asia signal that you’re in a very different part of the world even though the flight from Darwin only takes about 2 and a half hours. The sun is harsh so sunscreen a hat and drinking *lots* of water is a must. I don’t generally like buying bottled water because it is so wasteful but don’t drink the Bali tap water which tastes horrible and might give you “Bali belly”.

Different Indonesian islands/regions can have very different cultures and languages although Bahasa is the common over arching language spoken by everyone. Ma Ca Si is slang for thank you.

It must be said that unfortunately the tropical weather and affordable prices offered by Bali attracts a certain kind of Australian, namely “Bogan” in droves. Stay away from Kuta, Legian and parts of Seminyak frequented by these people if you’re the kind of traveller who is polite to locals, wants to learn their culture, view the scenery and not just get smashed drinking the local beer.

Places like Nusa Dua or Ubud are far better places to visit and it’s not just me saying that. An article in the Jakarta Globe newspaper addressed this exact topic just a few days ago:

“To give you a quick rundown, in Australia the term bogan denotes an individual who comes from a lower class of society with limited education. The term is usually used in a pejorative manner in daily conversation. The bogan is similar to America’s redneck”

“The image of Bali as Indonesia’s main tourist attraction soon lost its appeal as I strolled the streets of Legian-Kuta. It was as if I was back in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, like Dandenong or Chadstone. There were the tribes of bogan males everywhere sporting the ubiquitous Bintang singlets, shorts and thongs with tattoos covering their pale, hairy arms.”
- Jakarta Globe

I was a guest of Oasis Beach Benoa Hotel but unfortunately as the trip was so short (about 36 hours) I didn’t really get to use any of it’s facilities.

Transport

If you arrive/depart Bali on the weekend you’ll be less affected by the road traffic which can be quite congested.

While it might seem fun to ride a scooter or motorbike it is really unsafe as accidents occur often and road rules are treated as an option to follow or not.

Scooters/Motorbikes are a popular form of transport for local Balinese because they can’t afford cars. It is common to see families of mum+dad+child on one scooter as you can see below and also mobile shops cunningly designed to fit around the scooter. Poorer entrepreneurial Balinese work as “Jockeys”, hiring themselves out to sit in someones car so it qualifies to drive in faster lanes meant to reduce congestion.

Food & Religion

The Hindu religion is prominent in Bali. A large proportion of people’s income and time is spent on ceremonies. Ceremonial offerings can be seen everywhere outside shops and homes and in vehicles. Tanah Lot (land on the sea) built in the 11th century and extended in 16th century is one of the 6 main temples in Bali.

Rice is the staple food in Bali and subsistence farming is a common occupation. A temple dedicated to the goddess of agriculture on the edge of the rice field is placed there by the farmer to help the crop succeed.

Beach Bars

Ku De Ta beach bar and the Potato Head Beach Club are popular places for Australians and other Western tourists to relax.

The Potato Head Beach Club has a unique look with a facade of 18th century teak shutters collected from across the Indonesia.

Ku De Ta has live DJ’s playing Chillout music (my favourite). You can can listen to Ku De Ta radio syndicated on some days in Australia via the KOFFEE digital/online radio station.

Batik – Local Souvenir

My recommendation for a good quality local souvenir is a Batik scarf or other clothing. Batik is a cloth that traditionally uses a manual wax-resist dyeing technique.

Photo Highlights – Brief Glimpse of Bali Indonesia

Some of my Bali highlights photos have been displayed in this article but you can view all of them here or in a slideshow below:

DISCLAIMER: Almost all expenses for this trip were covered by Air Asia and it was organised by Bali Plus who arranged for a great guide called Sedana. I have full editorial control over the topics I want to write about on this trip and what I say.

GUEST ARTICLE: It was a beautiful day in March when we flew into Tawau Airport in Borneo. Our destination was an island called Pom Pom which is located off the east coast of Sabah, Malaysia. It is one of the few unique islands found on the South China Sea. When I think of Borneo the first thing to come to mind is lush jungle but unfortunately the majority of what we saw along the way were endless fields of Oil Palms. I understand the pros and cons on this subject but it’s still sad to think of all the acres of rich jungle habitat and its inhabitants that were lost.

Once we arrived in Semporna we went to the local harbour and hopped on a private boat that was waiting to take us to the island. Along the way we saw a number of homes on stilts situated amongst the tranquil Celebes Sea. About 45 minutes later we arrived at the very charming Pom Pom Island.

We stayed at the Pom Pom Island Resort. The resort had organised a driver and van to pick us up at the airport upon arrival. After loading up our luggage we drove for an hour across the Sabah countryside to a town called Semporna.

We had never seen anything so beautiful. The atmosphere felt like magic. Besides our wonderful warm welcome from the resort staff we were also met with serene crystal clear waters, a soft white sand beach and picturesque thatched-roof huts. After docking alongside a long jetty we walked to the main island. The water around us was so vivid and you could see tropical fish and sleeping turtles below.

The main greeting and dining hut was beautifully done. After checking in and having a nice refreshing drink we were taken to our home for the next 3 days – Beach Villa Hut #2. We loved the solitude of this place and the resort was really lovely and relaxing. They had all of the comforts of home even WiFi which we thought was pretty good for being way out in the middle of nowhere.

The resort was all-inclusive and meals were served in buffet style. Every day we had fresh local fruits, homemade breads and the catch of the day – yum. They also had a pretty good selection of vinos and brewskies and the price was reasonable too.

On our first day we just hung out in front of our hut enjoying the beautiful warm water. We went for a little snorkel around the jetty and saw schools of brightly coloured fish, starfish and a few giant sleeping Sea Turtles. We also saw a few Lionfish, which are such incredible looking creatures (although deadly). There wasn’t a thriving coral population there but we hear they are in the process of building it back up.

The weather was perfect and had that distinct warm tropical feel. We awoke to clear blue skies every morning but as afternoon approached big fluffy clouds swept across the sky. This made for some incredible looking sunsets. We usually watched these sitting in the tranquil warm water in front of our hut with vinos in hand – magic I tell ya.

The next day we went on our long awaited snorkelling trip to Sipadan. We had booked in several months beforehand for a permit that everyone must have in order to Snorkel or Dive there. Since 2008 they allow only 120 permits day, so it’s really important that you book way ahead of time to secure your spot.

We had a boat pick us up that had a few other guests from the neighbouring resorts on board. They turned out to be a crew from a top diving magazine in Korea. It took us almost an hour to get to Sipadan. The view of the surrounding little islands and more little makeshift homes on stilts made for some great sightseeing.

Before we knew it we were suiting up and parting ways from our new diving friends (we were snorkelling). We had our own Snorkel Guide accompany us during our adventure. Luckily all of the spots we went to were great for both of us Snorkelers and Divers.

Nothing could have prepared us for what we were about to experience. A plethora of marine life surrounded us. We couldn’t believe the vibrant colours around us and the clarity of the water was awesome. Pure exhilaration coursed through our veins as we came upon a school of Giant Bumphead Parrotfish.

We were completely blown away when we saw a massive silver wall of Barracuda. Our guide took us fairly close to them. They looked pretty fierce up close with their big steely eyes and massive jagged teeth. They all easily ranged from 4-6ft in length. After swimming with them for quite some time we really got up close and personal and would take turns diving down and then up through entire school.

Now that was an experience we’ll never forget. Unfortunately we didn’t have our underwater camera then

You can view 3 photos below taken at the same location: Barracuda School – Sipadan by Jared Kelly, Barracudas de Metal by festeban, Into the whirl by danielguip

Afterwards we all piled back on the boat and went to the island for some lunch. Our diving friends were envious of our adventures since they had missed the Bumpheads and Barracuda. That’s actually one of the reasons why we personally prefer to snorkel, it gives us the freedom to roam and hang as long as we want. Often we see more than the divers.

While we were having lunch we noticed an area nearby that was wired off and had a group of military soldiers sitting about. We had forgotten that this was the island where in 2000 a group of Abu Sayyaf guerrillas from the Philippines kidnapped the occupants at a dive resort that used to be on Sipadan. Now days the resort is gone and they have constant military protection.

After lunch we headed back out for some more snorkelling. Again our visual senses were bombarded with the magnificent marine life there. The coral was so colourful and abundant and we saw more sea turtles and giant schools of fish. This snorkelling experience was by far one of the best we’ve ever been on. It is the best place to go if you want to swim with big fish. We definitely got our money’s worth there and after hours of snorkelling we headed back home – all of us exhausted but wearing permagrins.

On our final day we decided to take an introductory diving course given by the resorts diving instructor – the lovely Sally. She was great and took us out to the jetty and before we knew it we were experiencing our first dive. The breathing was a cinch and we felt right at home in the water. Looks like we might have to take up diving too.

We had the most incredible time during our stay. The whole journey was absolutely amazing and so worth the effort. We loved our stay at Pom Pom and found all of the staff really accommodating. This trip is definitely a do over for us, without a doubt.

Rob Gower’s Sipadan Borneo Photo Gallery

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution

I’m flying to Japan today for a short business trip to Osaka, Kobe and Tokyo, including a bullet train ride on the Nozomi Shinkansen (bullet train). Have you also been asked by your company to head over to Japan and are worried that you’ll make a bad impression?

The number one thing you should keep in mind is don’t worry, you’re not Japanese. As such you won’t be expected to know the right way of doing things. That said, it is always nice to be seen to be making an effort.

To help you out here are five useful tips for first time business travellers to Japan from my friend James Fridley who has lived in Japan and worked in the Japanese government.

GUEST ARTICLE: Holy Hotness!! Abu Dhabi was a scorching +42C when we arrived and +45C when we left. The air was dry as a bone and the sun absolutely scorching. You really couldn’t stand out in the open for very long before you literally started to self-bathe and sprout a Rudolf nose. ‘Parched’ took on a whole new meaning for us that’s for sure!

My wife being Canadian had to get a special visa to enter the UAE. We’re not sure what the squabble between the two countries is exactly but a not so funny $180 later we were in. To add insult to injury, to get the visa (without being in Canada) we had to book our hotel at inflated prices through a travel agency. In the end it all worked out and we had a decent room at the Mercure Abu Dhabi with nice amenities.

Taxis are dirt-cheap in Abu Dhabi and thank goodness for that since the airport is located about 35kms out of the city. It only cost us about $12AUD to get to our hotel. We passed lines of palms and pale stone colored homes on the way in and some incredible looking buildings. One of the things to do in Abu Dhabi is to simply look at the buildings – some of the architecture is like none we’ve ever seen, unique and creative.

The temperature at night was really nice and it usually got down to a balmy +30C. The gentle night breezes with wafts of Hubbly Bubbly every now and again in the air was really nice. A warm glow bathed the city at sunset and everything seemed to come to life…especially the gigantic shopping malls.

We only stayed a few days in Abu Dhabi and found ourselves strolling two of their main shopping malls during the day. The Marina and Abu Dhabi Malls are both massive and can take up most of your day and moolah if one is not careful. There are quite a few cafés and fast food venues and some really good frozen yogurt places. And if you’re a coffee junkie they never seemed to be short of a Starbucks.

The perfumeries we found were very opulent. Grand window designs and elaborate doors welcomed you in. Beautiful glass perfume bottles decorated with gold lined the shelves and there seemed like hundreds of delectable scents to choose from. Actually with all of those scents in one area it was a bit overwhelming at times but definitely worth a look and a try.

For our first sightsee we went to the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque. We hired a driver for $29AUD/hr. Normally we would have just taken a taxi but for this particular excursion but we heard it was good to have a car waiting for you since there are no taxi stands at the mosque.

The Mosque design has Arab, Mughal and Moorish influence and can hold up to 40,000 worshipers. It also has the world’s largest carpet and chandelier. The Mosque is made up of beautiful white Italian marble, crystals, stone, ceramics, gold and semi-precious stones.

The lush green grasses surrounding the Mosque against its stark white marble was absolutely brilliant. Sheikh Zayed’s Tomb was located just before the entrance but you weren’t allowed to take any pictures of that. Otherwise we were free to take as many photos as we wanted. There was no entry fee, which we thought was really nice (and rare these days). Before we entered my wife had to go and put on a traditional Abaya that was provided. I wore long pants that day so I didn’t have to wear a Dishdasha. Just like in any mosque we had to take off our shoes before entering out of respect.

The inner courtyard of the mosque was amazing. It had a vast white marble floor decorated with inlaid stones to form pictures of swirling flowers and vines.

Striking glass mosaics adorned all the windows to the main hall, sparkling with semi-precious stones and crystals and when the sun hit them they lit up the room.

The inside of the mosque was extraordinary. Giant marble columns were situated around the room surrounding giant bejeweled chandeliers. The carpet was super soft on the tootsies and had the most exquisite designs. Another plus was this whole area was air-conditioned…so nice!

Afterwards we went to see the Emirates Palace Hotel. It is said to be the 2nd most expensively built hotel in the world, costing about 11.02billion Dirhams. It certainly looked the part with giant foyers elaborately decorated throughout. Because we were just visitors we weren’t allowed in many parts of the hotel which is a shame because I heard they have 2 very beautiful pools worth seeing. In any case we got a good enough look.

We had a really great stay in Abu Dhabi. We found the people to be very nice, even though we didn’t actually deal with hardly any locals. Most of the people we dealt with were expats / foreign workers. One thing we didn’t do but wished we would have was gone to the beach. It was just too darn hot. The deep azure waters against the white sand looked really appealing. Looks like we’re going to have to leave that one until next time.

Abu Dhabi isn’t a destination in itself but it makes a great stopover for those travelling on to Europe. Don’t just stay overnight. We stayed for 3 nights and that was perfect. Best of all, for the first time in my recollection, the UAE is a deal – hotels, cabs, food etc are cheap.

Rob Gower’s Abu Dhabi Photo Gallery

This travel diary has been written by Rob Gower, a traveler who works part-time for a bus hire company and enjoys traveling along roads less traveled!

If you’ve travelled somewhere off the beaten track, can write well and have good quality photos I encourage you to contact me and I’ll consider publishing your travel diary here including generous attribution and links back to your website as thanks for your contribution