Monday, 16 February 2015

2015 Cambodia Solo Ride

"When you travel well, you come closer together..."


Date: 6 – 16 February 2015
Route: KL – Surat Thani – Samut Songkhram – Koh Kong – Sihanoukville – Koh Chang – Pattaya – Chumphon – Hatyai - KL
Total distance: 4,060 km

I am behind time in updating my travel blog. With planned overseas travelling, biking trips and my weekly nurse routine I have a million other things that came in between.

On 6 February 2015, hubby and I packed the saddle boxes of our KTM and started a 11-day journey towards Cambodia stopping at the towns of Surat Thani and Samut Songkhram travelling at a maximum of 800 km/day. After staying for two nights in Koh Kong and Sihanoukville in Cambodia, we crossed back to Thailand and retraced our journey, detouring to Koh Chang island for two nights then to Pattaya to join the bikers from all over the globe at the Pattaya Bike Week.

On the way back to KL we stopped for the night in Chumphon and Hatyai and reached KL on the 16 February 2015.

Alhamdulillah...



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Solo Cambodia Ride 2015: Day 01 - Surat Thani

"If you don't design your own life plan, chances are you'll fall into someone else's plan..." - Jim Rohn

(Shiny polished boots at the beginning of the ride)

Wet Day 01: 6 February 2015
Route: KL – Surat Thani
Hotel: Princess Park Hotel
Distance: 847 km

(Drying our riding pants after riding in humid weather)

I just recovered from a serious bout of fever and sore throat.

It was a most challenging ride ever. We know that with this type of weather condition, we would be sweating buckets. And we made a point to drink bottles of fruit juice and water to keep us hydrated during our journey.

It was already dark when we arrived in Surat Thani so we decided to have our dinner at one of the Muslim restaurant before we checked in Princess Park Hotel. This is our favorite Muslim hotel and it cost us B700/night inclusive of breakfast.


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Solo Cambodia Ride 2015: Day 02 - Samut Songkhram

"The greatest evil that can befall a man is that he should come to think ill of himself." - Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe

(A fisherman with his son, checking their catch)

Day 02: 7 February 2015
Route: Surat Thani – Samut Songkhram
Distance: 577 km
Hotel: Smile House Hotel

(After breakfast at Princess Park Hotel, Surat Thani)

Samut Songkhram province is also known as Mae Klong. The name of the province literally means War Ocean. 

We arrived early afternoon in Samut Songkhram and headed towards Amphawa to search for lodging. The floating market area was busy with tourists, local and foreign, and we couldn’t find any guesthouses or hotels nearby so we decided to stay in a small boutique hotel on the main road to the floating market.

(Visiting the famous Amphawa Floating Market)
(Local delicacies on boats)

Amphawa Floating Market is on a bustling canal. Its banks are lined with attractive teak shop-houses that open to the water. Visitors enjoy seafood lunches or dinner that are cooked on boats and handed up to diners on the bank.

Amphawa offers a glimpse of how Bangkok looked when canals outnumbered the roads and people travelled by boat. This is where the Mae Klong River meets the Gulf of Thailand and ancient canals irrigate the region. People still live on the canals but it’s only on the weekends that the market boats come out.

(Preparing for the firefly expedition on the Mae Klong River)

We had an evening boat trip to see Amphawa’s famous fireflies that flit around the canals. The mating insects put on an enchanting show, lighting the trees like Christmas decorations.


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Solo Cambodia Ride 2015: Day 03 - Koh Kong

"Every accomplishment starts with the decision to try..." - Gail Devers

(By the waterfront watching the sunset in Koh Kong, Cambodia)

Day 03: 8 February 2015
Route: Samut Songkhram – Koh Kong
Distance: 479 km
Hotel: Koh Kong City Hotel 

(Feeling fresh, ready to ride to the border)
(A clean boutique hotel by the main road in Samut Songkhram)
(Unavoidable route, motorbikes are prohibited to enter)
(Stuck in a massive traffic jam in South Bangkok, CNY festivities in the air)
(A simple lunch of halal BBQ chicken and tuna pie at the Amazon Cafe)
(Passing through the town of Trat)
(Heading towards Hat Lek, Thailand/Cambodia border town)
(A must stop at the narrowest part of Thailand)
(Immigration and Custom formalities at the border)

Koh Kong has long had a reputation as a “Wild West” frontier town. Until recently, access to the town from Cambodia was mostly by sea or air due to the poor road conditions. However, with the building of the Thai-Cambodian bridge across the river and the upgrading of the road to the national highway, industry and investment has increased and the town is becoming a modest tourist destination.

Koh Kong town is accessible by road via Had Lek. In 2002, the Koh Kong bridge was completed linking the town of Koh Kong with the border crossing to Thailand. The bridge is 1.9 km long, making it the longest bridge in Cambodia. From the border it is 10 km to the town. 

With the opening of the Thai-Cambodian bridge across the river and the building of several casinos near the border post, the town has become an increasingly popular tourist destination. Aside from the casinos, other attractions include boat tours to Koh Kong Island and trekking in the Cardamon Mountains.

(A prominent landmark after border crossing)
(Riding on the right side of the road on the bridge crossing the Koh Poi River)
(A nice view of the bridge from Koh Kong City Hotel)
(Having dinner at one Muslim stall at the pier)


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Solo Cambodia Ride 2015: Day 04 - Sihanoukville

"Joyfulness keeps the heart and face young..." - Orison Swett Marden

(Watching tour boats ferrying tourists for islands hopping)

Day 04: 9 February 2015
Route: Koh Kong – Sihanoukville
Distance: 234 km
Hotel: GBT Guesthouse

(Waiting for the tuk-tuk to the bus terminal)
(Boarding the express bus to Sihanoukville, a sea-side resort town)
(Arriving at Sihanoukville after a 4-hour bus ride)
(A pair of golden lions at the round-about in the center of town)

Sihanoukville is also known as Kompong Som. It is a coastal city in Cambodia and the capital city of Sihanoukville province, located at the tip of an elevated peninsular in the Gulf of Thailand. The city is flanked by an almost uninterrupted string of beaches along its entire coastline and coastal marshlands bordering the Ream National Park in the East.

The city named in honor of former king Norodom Sihanouk, is popular for back-packers. Its many beaches and nearby islands make it Cambodia's premier Seaside resort with steadily rising numbers of tourists.
 
(Contemplating of going for a day tour)
(Our humble lodging for the night) 
(Ready to explore Sihanoukville on a rented motorbike)

We stayed a night at O’Chheuteal Beach. The beach is a 3.3 km long strip of white sand beach lined with Casuarina and Tamarisk trees, grass umbrellas, rental chairs and around 30 standardized beach huts which serve meals and drinks, some serve also as night-time party spot. The Southern half of the beach remains undeveloped.

(One of the many pristine sandy beaches) 
(A hot sunny day for a snorkeling adventure)
(Tourists boarding a party boat for islands hopping)


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Solo Cambodia Ride 2015: Day 05 - Koh Chang

"Wealth is the ability to fully experience life..." - Henry David Thoreau

(An antique ferry to the island of Koh Chang)

Day 05: 10 February 2015
Route: Sihanoukville – Koh Chang
Distance: 387 km
Hotel: Gold Beach Guesthouse

(Waiting for the 9 o'clock express bus to Koh Kong)
(The many express buses heading to different destinations)
(Meeting fellow bikers from Russia in Koh Kong)
(Crossing the bridge back to the Thailand border)
(Another prominent landmark before the border)
(We crossed the Cambodia/Thailand border with no hassle)
(Arriving at the Pier to board the ferry to Koh Chang, the Island of Elephants)
(A half-hour ferry ride from the main land)
(A lone bike on the late afternoon ferry)
(Arriving at Koh Chang ferry terminal)

Ko Chang is located on the Gulf of Thailand's eastern seaboard, 310 km from Bangkok and near the border with Cambodia. It is Thailand’s third largest island, after Phuket and Ko Samui, and the largest island in the Mu Ko Chang National Park archipelago.

The name means Elephant Island, and comes from the elephant shape of its headland. Despite the presence of elephants on the island, they are not indigenous to the island. The island is known for several waterfalls, thriving coral reefs and rain forests.

(Our cozy lodging at Gold Beach Guesthouse)


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Solo Cambodia Ride 2015: Day 06 - Koh Chang

"All dreams come true if we have the courage to pursue them..."

(End of the Walking Street at Bang Bao Pier) 

Day 06: 11 February 2015
Route: Koh Chang island tour
Hotel: Gold Sand Guesthouse

(Nan tandoori for brunch at India Hut Restaurant)

White Sand Beach is the first beach after about 15 minutes ride from the ferry piers. It is a very long beach with powdery white sand and by far, the most developed beach on the island.

(Visiting one of the many waterfalls) 
(The lack of water because of the drought season)
(Taking a rest after a kilometer jungle trekking)
(Elephant ride is available for visitors)

Klong Plu is the principal waterfall on the island. We have to pay an entrance fee to enter the area. There is a one kilometre path that follows the river to the huge plunge pool and the falls. The pool has small cliffs and rocks on its edges from where one can dive. The park has recently added a nature walk through the canopy with clear signages along the main path and this is well worth taking as a diversion on the way back.

(Riding the twisties to the many beautiful beaches)
(One of the many resorts away from the crowd)
(A secluded beach for picnicking and swimming) 
(Taking a rest at a vantage view point)
(Cool iced-blended mango at a hippy hang-out)
(A nice view of the jetty and the light house)
(A hospital on stilts at Bang Bao Pier)
(Guesthouses on stilts)
(A nice place to stay with many seafood eateries)
(Boats for scuba diving trips)
(Small huts on stilts for rent)
(A light house at the end of the pier)
(Walking streets for tourists and shoppers)

Bang Bao Koh Chang is the original fishing village which now serves as the departure point for diving and island hopping. There is a 700-metre-long concrete pier that stretches into the bay. Until about halfway out, it's lined with private houses, shops selling touristy trinkets and beach towels, seafood restaurants and guesthouses, all on stilts. Beyond that, the pier is used for boat parking, and it gets noisy when double-decker scuba and snorkel boats disembark in the mornings and return in the late afternoons.

(Koh Chang rocket post box, fast mail delivery)
(Watching the sunset from the old jetty)
(One couple picture for the album)
(Grilled king prawns for dinner at White Beach)


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