Siem Reap- Day 1

After taking the bus to/from Sihanoukville and hating it, we decided to travel to Siem Reap by river ferry instead--the best idea we've ever had!!! A one way ticket cost $35/person vs. $10/person on the bus, but it was totally worth it!! The inside of the ferry was air-conditioned and had big comfy leather seats and a bathroom, you also had the option to sit on the top of the boat, which is where most of the passengers sat(we didn't cause it looked super sketchy/cold/loud!). 

Inside the boat

Outside/the top of the boat

They served fresh baguettes 2/$1 and had soda and beer for sale at $1 a piece. We left from Phnom Penh at 7:30a heading north up the Tonle Sap river, we hit the lake around 11am, then it was another 3 hours before we arrived at the Siem Reap port.

The scenery was absolutely gorgeous the whole way! It was great to have the chance to see a different side of Cambodia, other then the roadside villages. We saw hundreds of fishermen out on the water reeling in their morning catch, many floating villages, and tons of traditional Khmer stilt houses along the river banks. 

Fishing boat

Floating village

Stilt houses

Even though the lake was at one of its lowest levels of the year, it was HUGE, at times you couldn't see any land and it seemed as though we were in the middle of the ocean! We were told that after the rainy season the lake will triple in size!

Random patches of land due to the low water level

In the middle of the lake, also what the view looked like from all sides!

When we arrived at the port, there was a tuk-tuk driver waiting for us and for $3 he took us 16km into town and to our hotel. In true Cambodian fashion, our hotel was over booked so the guy at the reception desk sent us to his uncles hotel just down the street for no charge! We dropped off our gear and headed down to pub-street(the most touristy area in the whole city but the only place Sam and Mackenzie knew had cheap food and drinks). We ate some delicious Khmer food, then headed towards the market to browse the shops. Sam and Mackenzie bought two beautiful Cambodian Pashminas, a pair of(what we call) mosquito pants, and a jade bracelet for only $15! We then headed back to pub-street for some drinks and hungout playing cards. Our waiter struck up a conversation with us and invited us to go out drinking with him at his favorite local joint after he got off work at midnight. We stayed out WAY past our bedtime drinking and talking, it was so nice to meet a local our age that wanted to talk about Cambodia, politics and philosophy!

Our friend Viboh

Our friend Pope arrives today and this weekend we will be visiting the ancient temples of Angkor Wat! More updates and pictures to come!

Cheers!