Phnom Penh (Quarter) Day Tour

We left Siem Reap that morning and arrived Phnom Penh hours after noon, late as scheduled. From our hotel (Asia Hotel), we just walked our way to the Independence Monument. It was about 30 minutes of leisurely walking and observing the things around us.

the Independence Monument rotunda

the main temple at the top of the Wat

I'm wondering what's inside of this, there's even no entrance

From the Independence Monument, you may walk roughly about 15 minutes to the Cambodia-Vietnam Friendship Monument's Park. Here you may take a rest and sit on one of their numerous seats. The park is huge and wide and clean as well.

Right just next to the park is the Royal Palace. Unfortunately we come short of time as the Palace is already closed to the public when we got there. 

We just traversed the outside of Palace' walls in order to get to Sisowath Quay or their famous River Front park. Here you may see a lot of restaurants across the road.

We just travelled the whole stretch of Sisowath Quay northward until we reach the street to where Wat Phnom is. It was roughly an hour of leisurely walking (again), picture taking and stops until we reach the Wat. From the entrance gate, you must pay USD1 as tourists, keep the ticket as the guards inside will constantly ask if you have paid already.

Full Backpacking Indochina Itinerary with budget computations

Asia Hotel, Phnom Penh

From Siem Reap, we dropped by Phnom Penh for a day before going to Ho Chi Minh City. It was the second week of November 2012 when we stayed in this hotel with only about Php500 budget per person a night. 

Here are some of the snapshots of the hotel:

view from the door entrance

single bed

TV, refrigerator and balcony door

comfort room

early morning view from the balcony

buffet breakfast

the reception and elevator

Some insights...

• Hotel location is great since it is near the Central Market and it is only along one of the main boulevard of the city
• Their alleys and corridors were clean and neat. (not to mention that it is also bare and simple)
• There is a KFC just down stairs.
• Buffet breakfast are also good and sumptuous enough.
• You may also purchase bus tickets or tours going nearby provinces and to Ho Chi Minh.
• The room was big enough and the beds are fluffy and big.
• The room's comfort room is a bit old, you can see it from the tiles and the make up of the bathroom.
• I'm not impressed tough with the balcony as the balcony door is steel and gets really hot during daytime.
• The air-conditioner cools the room longer than the usual.
• They have tile flooring so if you like to have carpeted rooms then you might not like here.
• We got cheap rooms so I guess the service just compensates for the price or exceeds to that.

Full Indochina Backpacking Itinerary

Backpacking Indochina Itinerary

Last November 6-13, 2012 I went for my first backpacking adventure. I left Manila and started my tour from Bangkok, Thailand then ended it with Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; travelling only by land from one country to the other. It was almost 6 months of planning and research with pre-booked hotel reservations before my trip. By the way, I was with my former office mate on this trip.

My trip summary:

Day 1: Bangkok City Tour

Day 2: Bangkok to Siem Reap

Day 3: Siem Reap's Short Tour Circuit

Day 4: Siem Reap's Grand Tour Circuit

Day 5: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh and Phnom Penh City Tour

Day 6: Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh and Ho Chi Minh City Tour

Day 7: Cu Chi Tunnels Day Tour

Sharing also my detailed trip itinerary with costings:

Pricing on the right-most part is in Philippine Pesos. Conversion rates used are: USD1=PHP42, THB1=PHP1.4, KMR1=PHP0.01, VND1=PHP0.002 Prices with asterisk (*) mean it was divided into two already, so the total price should be multiplied by two on the price shown.

This isn't the original plan/itinerary as well. It was just revised along the way as time permits and due to some delays. So completing this trip would add 4 cities and/or 3 countries to your travel map! Just let me know if you have any inputs. Cheers and happy travelling!