Aventuras De Viaje's Blog, page 13
January 25, 2017
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk Review, Sydney, Australia
This post is a Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk review.
After the Chinese Friendship Garden we headed to the beach and on the way decided to do the Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk.
The Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk is a beautiful 6km hike along the east coast of Sydney.
This is actually a segment of the Maroubra walk which I think is about 8km in total.
In any case, we decided to start at Coogee so we could finish by having lunch at the world famous Bondi Beach.
Featured Image: Looking towards the cemetery from Bondi.
Cost(s): Free.
Address: Arden Street, Coogee NSW 2031, Australia. BondiToCoogeeWalk.com.au.
Bondi to Coogee Coastal Walk Review
Unlike the previous two days, it was cool and cloudy. Perfect walking conditions, but not so great for pictures.
We started at Coogee Beach. A classic white sand beach.
Coogee Beach.
Most of the pathway along the walk was quite nice in its own right.
A section of the pathway along the walk.
The next cove was Gordon’s bay. Lots of little fishing boats but didn’t look to great for swimming.
Gordon’s Bay.
Its a bit hard to see in this picture, but Cloverly pool is a lap pool in the ocean. The are some rocks further out which protect the inlet from waves. There where quite a few people swimming laps despite the cool weather.
You can swim laps in Cloverly pool.
The next thing we came across neither of us were expecting. A massive cemetery.
Apparently there where some big storms mid 2016 walking along the cost in front of the cemetery was under repair. Instead, you walk through the middle of it, just a slight detour.
Walking through the cemetery.
On the other side of the cemetery is Bronte park and it beach which looked kind of choppy.
The beach at Bronte Park. Some surfers in the choppy water.
And less than 1km futher on was Tamarama. It is the far cove in the picture below and seemed to be quite a good place for surfing.
Tamarama in the distance.
Finally we got to the famous Bondi Beach which was much emptier than I expected. I guess due to the cool weather.
Looking towards Bondi. Looks like my panorama messed up 
Chinese Garden of Friendship, Sydney, Australia
One afternoon in Sydney we stumbled across the Chinese Garden of Friendship. It was closed at the time so the next morning we went to check it out.
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is located just SSE of Darling Harbour.
Inside showcases a large garden based on the style during the Chinese Ming Dynasty.
Cost(s): $6aud per adult.
Address: Pier St, Sydney NSW 2000. DarlingHarbour.com.
Chinese Garden of Friendship Review
The Chinese Garden of Friendship wasn’t a huge place, but had quite a few little areas to look at.
Lots of rocks, many of which were specifically chosen because of their likeness to animals.
There where are couple of small waterfalls. You can’t swim in them, but very tranquil.
No Chinese garden would be complete without a bamboo forest. If I ever have a garden, this is definitely something I would grow.
We also spotted a bit of wildlife. There was a lizard just warming up on a rock and lots of birds in the trees.
Can you see them?
On one side there was a teahouse with some photos and poems which I think where still shots from a play, and there was also some bonzai, although it is called something else in Chinese.
Need somewhere to sleep while visiting the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney? Find your perfect accommodation in Sydney no matter what your budget.
Getting to the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is in a very conveinient location, just next to Darling Harbour. You can catch a ferry, bus, or train to within easy walking distance.
Have you ever been to the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney? Feel free to leave your own Chinese Garden of Friendship review (and anything else you want to say) in the comments 
Chinese Garden of Friendship Review, Sydney, Australia
This post is a Chinese Garden of Friendship review.
One afternoon in Sydney we stumbled across the Chinese Garden of Friendship. It was closed at the time so the next morning we went to check it out.
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is located just SSE of Darling Harbour.
Inside showcases a large garden based on the style during the Chinese Ming Dynasty.
Featured Image: Looking over the large pond with the city of Sydney in the background.
Cost(s): $6aud per adult.
Address: Pier St, Sydney NSW 2000. DarlingHarbour.com.
Chinese Garden of Friendship Review
The Chinese Garden of Friendship wasn’t a huge place, but had quite a few little areas to look at.
Lots of rocks, many of which were specifically chosen because of their likeness to animals.
There where are couple of small waterfalls. You can’t swim in them, but very tranquil.
No Chinese garden would be complete without a bamboo forest. If I ever have a garden, this is definitely something I would grow.
We also spotted a bit of wildlife. There was a lizard just warming up on a rock and lots of birds in the trees.
Can you see them?
On one side there was a teahouse with some photos and poems which I think where still shots from a play, and there was also some bonzai, although it is called something else in Chinese.
Need somewhere to sleep while visiting the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney? Find your perfect accommodation in Sydney no matter what your budget.
Getting to the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney
The Chinese Garden of Friendship is in a very conveinient location, just next to Darling Harbour. You can catch a ferry, bus, or train to within easy walking distance.
Do you agree with this Chinese Garden of Friendship review? Feel free to leave your own Chinese Garden of Friendship review (and anything else you want to say) in the comments
January 19, 2017
25 Delicious Cambodian Foods
Discover 25 delicious Cambodian foods.
I had kept hearing that Cambodian food wasn’t that good so I didn’t have very high expectations. Luckily for me, I was mistaken.
Apparently it is just not that good in comparison to other places in South East Asia. I can agree with this, but places like Thailand, Malaysia, and Vietnam set the bar so high that even if Cambodian food isn’t half as good as these places, it is still pretty good.
This list of delicious Cambodian foods includes pictures, costs and other useful information, but I just made up most of the names.
Cambodia uses both the USD and their local money (riel). 4000KHR is 1usd.
Featured Picture: Street vendor in Phnom Penh.
25 Delicious Cambodian Foods
1. Noodle Soup
It seems that no matter where you go in Asia you can rely upon noodle soup to be cheap, tasty, filling, and since it is with boiling hot broth it is probably the safest street food to eat.
I chose well, beef, but Ayase got pork and liver. Also nice, but neither of us like liver. Also got my favorite type of noodle, flat rice noodle. Of course you can choose other noodle types and different vendors have slightly different ingredients.
2,500KHR per bowl.
Beef noodle soup. Probably the dish I ate the most while in Cambodia.
2. BBQ Bread
This was a pretty amazing dish. Toasted French bread with quail egg, sausage, Chinese style “floss” (sweet shredded meat), some other random stuff, and topped with mayonnaise and a sweet but kinda spicy sauce.
4000KHR
“BBQ” bread.
3. Bahn Mi
I’m calling this Bahn Mi because it is basically the same as Vietnamese Bahn Mi. Some pickled vegetables, a few different meats, in crispy French bread with some sauces. Absolutely delicious.
4000 – 8000KHR depending on whether you get it, if it comes on a plate, etc.
Bahn Mi.
4. BBQ Banana
This is a common snack. A few small bananas straight on the BBQ. 1000KHR. Unlike in the Philippines, they don’t coat it with sugar, so not as sweet but much healthier.
I don’t know what the other thing is made of but it was a little sweet. I thought maybe tapioca or sweet potato. Ayase said it might be white bean which is similar to what they have in Japan. Also 1000KHR.
BBQ’d bananas in a plastic bag.
5. Crispy Flat Bread
I’m calling this crispy flat bread for lack of a better name. I don’t think it was even bread. Maybe it’s made of rice. Has the texture of a popadom, but a plain taste. Good little snack. 1000KHR.
Some kind of popodum type bread.
6. Fried Noodles
Another staple dish of all Asian countries. The Cambodian street-food version is pretty good. Personally I like the flat rice noodles the best but they are all good.
About 4000KHR on the street, $1.50+ in a sit down restaurant.
Fried noodles. A standard asian dish.
7. Sour Chicken Soup
Despite the name, this dish wasn’t very sour, but it was delicious. With rice in a local restaurant it cost $2.50usd. Me and Ayase could have shared it and it would have been enough for lunch (with the rice) but we didn’t realize this before ordering.
Sour chicken soup.
8. Tom Yum Soup
While I ate Sour Chicken Soup, Ayase went at the Tom Yum. Same idea as Tom Yum in other countries but with a bit of a Cambodian twist. I liked the sour chicken soup better, but this was also very good, and had many more vegetables which is always a good thing.
$2.50usd.
Cambodian Tom Yam Soup.
9. Cambodian Omelette
Our first meal in Siem Reap was a good one at a local restaurant. Ayase picked this awesome omelette type dish. Really tasty and only $1.75usd with rice or bread.
Cambodian Omelette.
10. Lok Lak
The following night, after a big day at Angkor Wat, I got this from a sidewalk eatery. Somewhat of a beef casserole. Very good although adding a bit of chilli was more to my liking.
It was also available in pork or chicken.
$2.00usd.
Lok lak. A signature Cambodian dish.
11. Fried Corn
This is exactly what it sounds like. Corn that is fried. They added some spices. It was actually pretty tasty. $1.50usd.
Fried corn.
12. Fruit Shakes/Juices
These little stands are very common and are much the same as in Thailand. Personally, I’d rather just get a fresh coconut since they use a lot of condensed milk in the fruit shakes – though you can ask them to omit it.
$1usd.
Guy making fruit shakes.
13. Cambodian Pancake
Another item which is very similar to the Thai version. Actually it is pretty much the same apart from the presentation. In Thailand they put it on a plate and cut it into squares. In Cambodia they roll it up. Either way, it tastes delicious.
$1usd.
Lady making pancakes.
14. Amok
This is like a Khmer style coconut curry. It is really good. I got this as part of a set meal with rice, salad, spring rolls, and fruit, all for around $5.00usd. It was a ridiculous amount of food for the price.
Amok is another signature Cambodian dish. Very tasty.
15. Beef Stew and Rice Porridge
This dish was absolutely amazing and it is exactly what the title describes. It also came with a sauce which we guess is miso.
$2.50usd.
This restaurant served beef stew and rice porridge as a set, but usually you just order one or the other.
16. Fried Morning Glory
This doesn’t look too interesting but morning glory is one of my favorite vegetables. It is called Kan Kong in other Asian countries (China, Indonesia, Malaysia, etc.).
It usually comes with rice and sometimes has some type of meat mixed in.
$2.00usd.
Morning glory, a.k.a., kan kong.
17. Fried Rice
You can’t go into an Asian country without there being fried rice on the menu. A good staple for travelers and locals alike.
$1.50usd.
Fried rice – A staple all over Asia.
18. Curry Pasted Chicken
We got this from a small restaurant in Sihanoukville. We actually got quite few good dishes from this restaurant but the pictures didn’t turn out so good. Don’t worry, I got the same dishes again and they are later on in the list.
It is pretty much as the name described. They coat the chicken (or whatever meat you want) in curry paste and pan fry it. Pretty tasty.
Curry pasted chicken.
19. Kep Blue Crab
I don’t like seafood but thought since Kep is famous for it I should give it a go. Besides, I like to re-try things every few years just in case my tastes change. They hadn’t.
Kep is famous for fresh crab.
20. Fresh Spring Rolls
I guess being so close to Vietnam it is not surprising there are Vietnamese rice paper spring rolls in Cambodia. These cost about $2.00usd from Kampot.
Fresh spring rolls.
21. Tofu Cream Soup
Kampot had lots of good little restaurants and I managed to find this little gem. I don’t think it is a very common Cambodian dish as I only saw it once.
$2.50usd.
Tofu cream soup.
22. BBQ and Hotpot
Cambodian Hotpot is pretty similiar to Chinese Hotpot. A boiling broth and cook it yourself meats and vegetables.
One night we ordered BBQ beef and vegetables. We were a bit surprised the vegetables were raw but it turned out to be a very nice meal.
$4.50usd with rice.
BBQ beef and vegetables.
23. Spicy Rib Soup
This dish wasn’t actually spicy, but it was delicious, and I was happy that there was a good amount of vegetables in it.
7000KMR with rice.
Spicy rib soup. Not really spicy, but very delicious.
24. Ginger Chicken
Probably my favorite meat-based dish in Cambodia. It is exactly as you would think… chicken cooked with ginger. Also available with pork or beef. It was really good and seems easy enough to replicate.
7000KMR with rice.
Ginger chicken.
25. Seaweed Soup
The last item in this list of delicious Cambodian Foods is this seaweed and vegetable soup. We didn’t really know what we were gonna get when we ordered it (the name was Cambodian) but were pleasantly surprised when it arrived.
7000KMR with rice.
One of the last things I ate in Cambodia – Seaweed soup.
Overall, I really enjoyed Cambodian food. It’s true they don’t use as many spices and flavors as some of their neighbors but most restaurants give you chilli, pepper, soy sauce, etc. on the side so you can just add it to taste. Also, it is ridiculously cheap. I don’t think we ever paid more than $7usd for a meal, for two of us, and I think that time even included a couple of drinks.
Do you know of any other Cambodian foods that should be on this list? We’d love to hear about them or anything else you want to say in the comments
January 18, 2017
8 of the Best Things to do in Cambodia
Discover 8 of the best things to do in Cambodia.
I had wanted to check out Cambodia for quite a while so when Ayase contacted me to go I was really happy. Originally she wanted to do Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar all in one month, but I like to travel slow these days so I convinced her that just doing Cambodia would be best.
During our 25 day long visit to Cambodia we only went to 5 different cities/towns. We saw some amazing things, and had a minimal stress and very flexible itinerary.
This list of 8 of the best things to do in Cambodia gives a short review of each of the things to do in Cambodia as well as links to more detailed reviews (where applicable) and a photo slideshow at the end.
Featured Picture: View from inside Bokor National Park in Cambodia.
8 Best Things to do in Cambodia
1. Angkor Wat
The first thing on this list is also the most famous thing. Angkor Wat – the worlds biggest religious site. A must see while in Cambodia.
Inside Angkor Wat.
2. Siem Reap
Siem Reap is the gateway to Angkor Wat, but is also a great place to visit in its own right. Well catered to tourists with lots of markets, bars, and restaurants.
Pub street in Siem Reap on New Years Eve.
3. Learn about the Genocide.
Although quite distressing, the political time of the Khmer Rouge is an important part of Cambodia’s recent history. Learn about it in Phnom Penh at the Tuol Sleng Genocide museum as well as at the Choeung Ek Genocidal Center, a.k.a. the Killing Fields.
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum.
4. Beach
There are a couple of beach towns in Cambodia. Sihanoukville is probably the most popular, but our favorite was Kep.
Kep Beach.
5. Underwater Cave
Near Kep are the caves of Kompong Trach. The main cave is nice to look in but the real winner is the “secret” underwater cave where you can have a refreshing dip.
Inside the underwater cave of Kompong Trach.
6. Kep National Park
Another great thing to do in Kep is to take a stroll through the National Park. Inside it you can take a detour to the Kep butterfly garden, whcih was actually one of my favorite things to do in all of Cambodia.
View from inside Kep National Park.
7. Kampot
The somewhat sleepy town of Kampot is quiet, clean, with lots of good little restaurants. I think it has quite a pronounced Expat community considering it it a fairly small town.
Kampot River.
8. Bokor National Park
Kampot is also the gateway to Bokor National Park. Hire a motorbike for under $5 and spend the day there. Inside is the tranquil Popokvil Waterfall.
Popokvil Waterfall inside Bokor National Park.
Get the Cheapest Flights to Cambodia from Anywhere in the World!
Got anything to add to this list of best things to do in Cambodia? Let us know them (or anything else you want to say) in the comments
January 17, 2017
5 Cool Things to do in Kampot, Cambodia
Discover 5 cool things to do in Kampot.
After our time at the beach we decided to spend the last week of our time in Cambodia in the lazy riverside town of Kampot.
Kampot is very close to Kep (only a 30 minute drive) so many of the things to do there we had already done. This meant we spent most of our time just chilling by the pool (Ayase) and catching up on work (me).
This list of 5 cool things to do in Kampot gives a short review of each of the things to do in Kampot as well as links to more detailed reviews (where applicable). It also has other useful information about Kampot such as accommodation in Kampot and how to get to Kampot.
Featured Picture: Kampot River.
5 Cool Things to do in Kampot1. Night MarketTake a stroll to the night market any day of the week. There are some small amusement rides, cheap local food, and the usual market type stuff for sale.
Looking into the night market.
2. RiverfrontAlong the river front is lined with small restaurants serving Western, Asian, and Khmer foods. Most are reasonably priced with an “expensive” main costing less than $5.
Further along, beyond the restaurants (heading south) is just nice for a walk.
Play 9 holes of mini golf for free at the Magic Sponge. Pool table, restaurant, and accommodation also available.
Also hosts a quiz night on Fridays with 50c beers and double shots, and, on Monday night you can get a free beer with every $1usd spent on food!
Mini golf at the Magic Sponge.
4. Bokor National Mountain ParkHire a motorbike and go for a ride through the Bokor National Park. You can easily spend the better part of a day there.
Popokvil waterfall in the Bokor National Park.
5. The PondAll week we saw advertisements for a party at “the pond”. Finally the day arrived so we went to check it out. Apparently “the Pond” is a bar, or restaurant, or something a rather. I think it was just a place for the local ex-pats to get together and try sell stuff. We didn’t stay long.
Near this location was the actual pond. Quite nice to walk around.
The pond.
And thus concludes our time in Kampot. Not an overly exiting town but has a nice vibe, is very clean (in comparison to other places in Cambodia) and plenty of good food.
Getting to KampotCatch a bus.
From Kep it cost us 3usd per person and took 30minutes on a mini-van. You could also get a big bus for $2, which I assume would take closer to an hour.
Getting to Phnom Penh cost us $6usd each and took about 4hrs 30mins including a couple of stops. I assume it is the same in reverse.
Accommodation in KampotWhilst doing all these cool things to do in Kampot we stayed at the Vibola Guesthouse.
Cost: 19usd/night.
Address: Krong Kampot, Cambodia.
The Vibola Guesthouse was a great place to stay. Nice comfortable double bed, air-conditioner, cable TV, pool, great location, clean, and nice staff.
Hot water was a bit temperamental.
Hires motorbikes for $4/day. Also has push bikes. I think they are $1.50/day.
No restaurant but lots of good food close by. The whole town is walkable.
Book your stay at the Vibola Guesthouse or some other accommodation in Kampot.
Getting to Vibola Guesthouse
We just walked from where our bus from Kep dropped us.
You can take a tuk-tuk for $1.
Got anything to add to this list of cool things to do in Kampot? Let us know them (or anything else you want to say) in the comments
January 14, 2017
Bokor National Park Review, Kampot, Cambodia
This post is a Bokor National Park review.
After a few lazy days in Kampot we decided to hire a motorbike and go for a look inside Bokor National Park.
We started with about 3/4 of a tank of fuel and I figured it would be more than enough to get us in, around, and back home.
I was wrong.
This Bokor National Park review also contains costs, directions, pictures, and other useful information.
Featured Image: View from inside Bokor National Park.
Cost(s): 2000KMR per motorbike. More for cars, busses, etc.
Address: National Hwy 3, Near Kampot, Cambodia.
Bokor National Park ReviewGetting to the entry road to Bokor National Park didn’t take very long.
Unfortunately I didn’t take into account that the Bokor National Park is a mountain and we used almost all our fuel just getting to the top!
The entry road to Bokor National Park.
We took a couple of stops on the way up to admire the awesome views.
View from halfway up.
The first “attraction” we came across was this big Buddha. There is music playing and a nice view. Actually, I am not sure it is Buddha. She has breasts, and I’m pretty sure Buddha was a man.
A big Buddha (maybe).
Across the road from the Buddha are a couple of run-down houses. They looked like they would have been amazing had they been maintained, with spectacular views.
Some graph art in the old houses.
There are a few random things inside Bokor National Park. A Japanese farm, an organic farm, and this animal farm, which was just chicken and geese.
The animal farm.
After the animal farm I realised that our fuel situation was getting a bit dire. I mentally decided to just check out the waterfall and then go back, but saw this sign for rice fields so took a little detour.
It was not what I expected. Maybe they are old rice fields. It looked nicer in real life though – poor lighting I guess.
After the 5km detour we went to the Popokvil Waterfall. It cost 50c per person to get in. There is a reasonably priced restaurant in there also so we got a feed.
Popokvil Waterfall, top level.
There we a few people there (it was a Saturday), but they all seemed to stay at the top.
We went along a little path to get to the lower levels and it was just us and one other guy.
There is no place to swim in Popokvil Waterfall but it is very nice anyway. I quite enjoyed the little trek down. Reminded me of trekking to this one waterfall in Camiguin.
There are other things to see in Bokor National Park and we would have loved to spend another hour or so riding around but we were already in the red zone for fuel. Luckily we pretty much just rolled all the way down the mountain to the front gate where we bought $1 worth of fuel. More than enough to get us back to Kampot.
Need somewhere to sleep while visiting Bokor National Park in Kampot? Find your perfect accommodation in Kampot no matter what your budget.
Getting to Bokor National Park in KampotYou can get a tour. There are plenty advertised in Kampot.
We hired a motorbike from the Vinola Gueshouse (our accommodation) for only $4.
Do you agree with this Bokor National Park review? Feel free to leave your own Bokor National Park review (and anything else you want to say) in the comments
January 11, 2017
11 Incredible Things to do in Kep, Cambodia
Discover 11 incredible things to do in Kep.
After Sihanukville we decided to give a “less famous” beach town a go and waltzed on over to Kep. Apparently Kep was the beach resort town of Cambodia before Shanoukville was “discovered.”
We booked a hotel across the road from the beach and stayed there five nights.
It was great.
This list of 11 incredible things to do in Kep gives a short review of each of the things to do in Kep as well as links to more detailed reviews (where applicable). It also has other useful information about Kep such as accommodation in Kep and how to get to Kep.
Featured Picture: Looking out from Kep beach.
11 Incredible Things to do in Kep1. Crab MarketOn the night we arrived we went for a walk to the beach viewpoint and then just kept going to the Crab Market.
Obviously there is a lot of crab and other seafood for sale, but there is also other stuff.
There are a few restaurants and bars as well.
Inside the Crab Market.
2. French Era Ghost TownWe decided to go for a walk to see the French Era Ghost town. There was nothing there. Not sure what I expected though.
Anyway, I took this picture of the monument nearby so thought I may as well include it.
The Kep museum was there also but it was closed. Not sure if it is always closed or closed on weekends (it was a Saturday). I didn’t bother going back later to see if it opened during the week.
This is an obvious one and is probably the main draw for going to Kep in the first place. The beach is actually quite nice and although rather busy on the weekends, is pretty chilled the rest of the time.
Kep Beach.
4. Caves of Kompong TrachOn our second full day in Kep we hired a motorbike ($5usd) and headed to the Caves of Kompng Trach. The main caves were interesting enough to walk around, but it was the “secret” one another ten minutes up the road that done it for me. A swimming hole in a cave.
The main cave is $1 entry and you can hire a “guide” for a dollar or so (they’re kids).
Inside of the main caves of Kompong Trach.
5. Salt FieldsAfter the caves we went to the salt fields. I was expecting vast areas of white, but I guess I don’t know what salt fields are supposed to look like.
Salt fields near Kep. Not the glaring white I imagined.
6. Angkul BeachFurther past the salt fields is Angkul Beach. Not really anything spectacular but if you are in the area anyway then may as well stop in. Lots of trash.
Angkul Beach.
7. Kep Butterfly FarmOn the way home we came across a sign pointing us to the butterfly farm. This was one of my favorite events of the day. It was a lovely property and although quite small, probably the best butterfly farms I’ve ever been to.
I read on the internet that there are three pieces of artwork on some abandoned building by a famous street artist so we went to try find them.
We did see three pieces, but I think only two of them were the ones described.
The first one had squatters in the building and the second one was locked up, but you could see it from the street. Unfortunately I didn’t get any good pictures.
Here is where they are located. VisitKep.com/page.php?id=6#Old_Kep_Villas
One of the pieces of street art on an abandoned house.
9. Rabbit IslandHere’s something I intended to do but I got a bad stomach one day so we skipped it. Actually, I’m not a fan of going to islands anyway, but I heard there is illuminescent ocean at night – but I think you would have to stay there overnight to see it.
I think this is Rabbit Island.
10. Pepper FarmAnother thing we didn’t actually do was go to the Pepper Farm. Kep and Kampot are world famous for pepper and there are a few pepper farms dotted around the area, some of which will give you a free tour such as Sothy’s Pepper Farm.
Pepper. Image sourced from Google images.
11. Kep National ParkThe last thing on this list of incredible things to do in Kep is to go to the Kep National Park. It is a nice few km hike if you just stick to the main path. We saw some monkeys and a few spectacular views.
There are a few side tracks you can take also.
View from inside Kep National Park.
Getting to KepFrom Sihanoukville it costs $7usd to get a bus there. The journey should only take 2 and a half hours but we messed up and didn’t get a direct bus. It stopped in Kampot for about an hour and we had to swap bus. I think it ended up taking about 3 and a half to 4 hours in the end.
Once in Kep you get dropped off at the bus station. Our accommodation was right there, but the actual town is a couple of km away. Maybe $3 on a tuk-tuk to get in, although there is not much there.
Accommodation in KepWhilst doing all these incredible things to do in Kep we stayed at the Hotel de la Plage.
Cost: $15usd/night, except on Saturday night. I think it is $20/night on Saturday.
Address: Kep Beach – Bus station, Kep, Cambodia.
The Hotel de la Plage was good value. Right across the road from the beach which is also the bus station. It was a really good location.
We got a double fan room with a sea view which ended up being a bit of a mistake. It got really hot. I imagine the rooms not facing the sun are at least a few degrees cooler.
Hotel de la Plage is owned by a nice French lady. Rooms are clean with cable TV and very spacious. No hot water, but that could just be because ours didn’t work for whatever reason – it had the hot water machine.
Bed was comfortable and the rooms have a terrace with a table.
Book your stay at the Hotel de la Plage or some other accommodation in Kep.
Got anything to add to this list of incredible things to do in Kep? Let us know them (or anything else you want to say) in the comments
January 10, 2017
Kep National Park Review, Cambodia
This post is a Kep National Park review.
After suffering food poisoning I was pleasantly surprised I felt well enough to go exploring again just one day later, so we went hiking in the Kep National Park.
We got a late start and it was already pretty hot by the time we got started, but once we were under the shade of the trees it wasn’t too bad.
This Kep National Park review also contains costs, directions, pictures, and other useful information.
Featured Image: Amazing view from Kep National Park.
Cost(s): $1usd per person.
Address: Kep, Cambodia.
Kep National Park ReviewThe main reason for us to go to Kep National Park was because I heard there was a waterfall inside. We were happy to go swimming, but when we got there we discovered it was too small to swim in, and 100% dry.
There were other things to see inside the park though, such as monkeys and this “incredible tree”. It was actually signposted as the incredible tree (or something along those lines).
[image error]I think it is an oak tree.
There were quite a few stunning views also.
I’m pretty sure it is the salt fields in the distance.
We stuck to the main path but there were plenty of side trails you could take, including one to the Kep Butterfly Park.
One of the many side paths. The main path was a gravel road big enough for a car.
A couple of hours later we came out on the other side which placed us a couple of km away from the beach along a hot road.
[image error]Long hot walk back.
Need somewhere to sleep while visiting Kep National Park? Find your perfect accommodation in Kep no matter what your budget.
Getting to Kep National ParkWe walked there from our accommodation which was across the road from the beach. It took about ten minutes.
We saw a few people on motorbikes and tuk-tuks inside also.
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Kep Butterfly Garden Review, Cambodia
This post is a Kep Butterfly Garden review.
After a long(ish) day on the motorbike we decided to check out some “street-art” I found out about on the internet. Along the way we stumbled across the Kep Butterfly Garden.
I love butterfly gardens. So peaceful. And this one may be the best one I’ve ever been to.
This Kep Butterfly Garden review also contains costs, directions, pictures, and other useful information.
Featured Image: The best butterfly shot I got.
Cost(s): By donation. We gave $1usd each.
Address: Kep, Cambodia. Near Kep National Park (south-east side).
Kep Butterfly Garden ReviewThe first thing I noticed walking into the Kep Butterfly Gardens was the beautiful house. I didn’t go inside but it seemed like it had a moderate sized living area and it was on stilts so there was a good amount of space underneath. First thing that came to my mind… I could build a parkour gym under that.
They give you an information card (available in French or English) and you just tour yourself around.
The information card was the basic butterfly stuff they tell you at any butterfly garden.
There are also some other informational signs around specific to the area, e.g., what species are in the garden.
Inside the butterfly garden.
I’ve come to learn that even when in a butterfly garden, getting a good shot of a butterfly is pretty difficult. Especially if you camera equipment is just an average smart-phone.
The rest of the grounds were very nice also. It was a very serene property. They took good care of it and had many swings and places to sit.
The small river on the property with huts to chill in.
Afterwards we even found the street art we were looking for in the first place.
One of the pieces of street art on an abandoned house.
Need somewhere to sleep while visiting Kep Butterfly Garden in Kep? Find your perfect accommodation in Kep no matter what your budget.
Getting to Kep Butterfly GardenIt may be a little far for some but you can walk there from the beach area, and can also be gone to as part of a detour from with the Kep National Park.
We hired a motorbike. Expect to pay $5usd+ per day.
You could take a tuk tuk. Maybe it will be $5 round trip.
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