Monday, January 23, 2017

Cambodia with Backpack

“I would Gladly live out of a Backpack, if it Meant I could see the World.” If you want to get away from the daily monotonous life and head out to somewhere relaxing on your own, backpacking can be an option you should consider. It’s not a planned trip where everything gets decided beforehand, but an adventure where you uncover new things about a place on the move. Leaving your day to day life and associated comforts behind, head out to a trip alone or with other fellow backpackers to discover the wonders of nature or different places that you might not be able to visit on a regular planned trip. Carrying only the minimum life’s essentials on your back during the backpacking trip is not only physically challenging, but liberating for the mind as well as the soul. Backpacking is all about getting away from your normal life with a group of people to spend quality time discovering the best and worst of any place you travel to, and enjoy life as it happens.

Backpacking to Cambodia is a definite adventure that you cannot miss. Cambodia has its own pace to life and gives the backpacker an opportunity to get into photographer’s mode with its abundance of beautiful nature, culture, and way of life. The cost of adventure for a backpacker is cheaper in Cambodia as compared to other parts of Asia. Being in Cambodia is great fun with visit to the historic Angkor Wat, Yoga and Meditation retreats in Siem Reap, enjoying hippie living in Kampot, Dolphin watching, night markets, Cambodian food, Bamboo trains, and finally visit to Phnom Penh, and Cambodian Islands. Cambodia as a country offers a lot to the fun loving backpacker with cheap food, accommodation and adventure that is stress free and reliable. Phnom Penh as a city must be on your list of places to visit.

Phnom Penh is one of the difficult Asian cities to adjust to since it is extremely congested and hot. Its dusty streets reflecting the part of Asia that is trying to recover from a difficult past. For a backpacker who is new to this part of the world, Phnom Penh definitely provides a huge challenge.  However, in this challenge lies the beauty associated with this place. You can witness saffron robed monks, children playing in front of elegant colonial buildings having French architecture, and colorful market stalls all around that sell almost everything from fruits to worn out Levis jeans.  The best thing to do here is to hit the food markets either during the day or night. For a backpacker who enjoys the hustle bustle of daily life, this place definitely provides that through its markets. At the central night market, you can catch on to some of the good and inexpensive food that Cambodia has to offer. Phnom Penh is one place in Southeast Asia where you can enjoy the food sitting on a blanket in the market. This typically presents a picnic like atmosphere while you interact with the locals and have fun with your traveler friends.

There are a lot of marveling city attractions, and some of which are a must watch. The Royal Palace with its classic Khmer roofs and ornate gilding, is a striking structure near the riverfront. Visitors are allowed to visit the throne hall, a cluster of buildings surrounding it and the astonishing Silver Pagoda complex. Wat Ounalom is the headquarters of Cambodian Buddhism. The main attraction here is a stupa containing an eyebrow hair of Buddha with an inscription in Pali (an ancient Indian language) over the entrance. The Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocidal Crimes is a depressing site to visit but still a famous tourist spot. Khmer Rouge leaders were meticulous in keeping records of their barbarism. Each prisoner who passed through S-21 was photographed, sometimes before and after torture. You can view the photographs on the wall and some instruments of torture. 35km south of Phnom Pehn, peaceful Tonle Bati is set on the banks of the Bati River in a well-tended grove of coconut and mango trees, where you can swim and picnic as well as seeing the two small but appealing temples.  A perfect, relaxing getaway after some serious sightseeing. If your backpacking stay allows you to stick around Phnom Penh for a while, then you can find charming cafes, French colonial buildings, beautiful tree lined boulevards, and at night buzzing pubs to enjoy the night life.  Also visit the Killing fields and S21 prison which is very much an important part of Cambodian history.

In terms of accommodation, there are numerous guest houses and hostels that provide cheap accommodation as you try and enjoy the buzz and atmosphere of this place. If you are on a tight budget, then plan a stay in the hostels to help cut down costs. The most well-known area in Phnom Penh for backpackers is Golden Street located on Street 278 and very close to the Independence monument. This area is filled with budget hostels and guesthouses, pubs, tours and activities that is extremely appealing to backpackers. If you want to stay a little away from this area, then look at budget hostels and guest houses near to riverside. Mid-range accommodations are located in the central part of Phnom Penh in the BKK1 district. This area provides maximum comfort accommodation with an active bar scene for the backpackers. The Boeung Kak Lake area is filled with rooms overlooking the lake having basic facilities.

Serendipity is synonymous to backpacking travel. The satisfaction and happiness associated with backpacking cannot be explained, only felt. Cambodia provides million such opportunities where you will create the most memorable moments of your life. So stop planning and get your backpack on. “Let your Memory be your Travel bag.”

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