Travelfish #337: Phnom Penh + Chi Phat

Everywhere is on the way to somewhere Hi all, This week we have a raft of new material for Phnom Penh on the site. Well all the sites and attractions anyway—food and accommodation will be coming tomorrow and the day after—hopefully in time for your trip there. [What a great smile. Near Orussey market. Photo: Stuart McDonald] What a great smile. Near Orussey market. Photo: Stuart McDonald Personal favourites: We’ve got a [6km walking tour]( (thankfully broken into three 2km legs) and we took a look at [three different food tours](. Also on the bar research front (always a taxing part of the trade), we put together [our collection of favourite bars with a view](. In this week’s Soapbox we consider how sometimes getting a new edition of a guidebook can pay dividends, while our interview is with Travelfish member amnicoll—talk about Chi Phat’s number one fan! Good travels, Stuart, Sam and the Travelfish crew Support Travelfish! If you'd like to chip in (if you haven’t already) for using the site, we'd love you to sign up for a year-long subscription for just A$35. [See more here](. Soapbox Growing up Vs going bad Thanks to a 7+ hour layover at KLIA2 on the way home from Cambodia (I booked the wrong connecting flight, I'm a travel writer, ask me anything), I was sitting at one of the outrageously priced airport bars when I got chatting to another passenger about travel. The guy had spent a decade backpacking in the 90s then “grew up” and is now doing well with a business job and still holidays regularly. When I ask how he does his travel planning, he says he uses his old guidebooks (from 90s) for stuff to do and online travel agents (like Agoda and Booking) for hotels. When I asked if he was concerned about the accuracy of using a guidebook some 20 years old, he replied “tell me somewhere that was great in 90s but is crap now.” [Count those cranes. Photo: Stuart McDonald] Count those cranes. Photo: Stuart McDonald I immediately got going into my hit list of places I think have suffered greatly over the years and he interrupts, saying “you’re confusing growing up with going bad & that’s a novice error. Do better.” Hmmmm. It had been some years since I had been to Phnom Penh, and it was with some trepidation when I left for there in early January. The advice I was given was “don’t look at it through the prism of what it was, rather see it as a new city”—that’s the approach I took and by and large I loved it. Sure traffic is worse than it was, and the bar scene is perhaps a bit too hipster for my taste, but at least for a casual traveller, it is an extremely worthwhile destination, with loads to see and do. It felt like there were a tonne more tourists than on previous visits and it certainly felt safer at night than it did over a decade ago when we lived there. Safer for tourists perhaps, but when I posted a series of photos on Facebook taken from Sora—the highest [view point bar]( in the city—a friend who lived there when we did, commented saying “It’s interesting, because at the same time that it’s gotten so hipster, it veers ever further toward authoritarian... the free press as we knew it has ceased to exist.” Growing up need not be a positive thing sadly, and while Phnom Penh may have its share of shiny glass shards (many of them empty), the authoritarian slide continues—and it is exactly in cases like these where a more up-to-date guidebook earns its keep. Good travels, Stuart Premium members only: Book a round the world with [roundtheworldflights.com]( (must travel from the UK via Asia, Australia, New Zealand AND the Americas) and get £30pp off your trip. Offer valid for departures to December 2019. Log in to the Member Centre on Travelfish now for your coupon code and [start designing your own round the world trip »]( Talking Travel Meet amnicoll Every week we publish a Q&A, this week with Travelfish member amnicoll. Please tell us a little about yourself. I’m now retired but started traveling to SEA first in 1979 and felt as if I was tied to a piece of elastic and just keep getting pulled back. Now at least I have more time for each trip. Have been to more than 50 countries and my philosophy is to travel slowly and never forget the country will still be there in 10 years time, so if I like somewhere then I will stop for a while if not get the next train or bus out. I know over the years you have been a frequent traveller to Narathiwat in far southern Thailand. The province has been the subject of embassy travel warnings for years due to ongoing violence related to the separatist issues there, and I wonder what thoughts you have about travelling in such an area. Are there precautions you take that you wouldn’t bother with else where in the country? I am a regular visitor to [Narathiwat]( in Thailand where one must be aware of the security situation. To date separatists are not targeting westerners and I’ve found the people to be incredibly friendly and hospitable. If you visit you should avoid going out in the countryside at night and avoid rural schools when the teachers arrive and leave as they are targets. Care should also be taken in and around markets. [Traditional fishing boat, Pattani. Photo: Stuart McDonald] Traditional fishing boat, Pattani. Photo: Stuart McDonald Cyclists should certainly take advice on the main roads, the back roads along the coast are very nice but once when I was with a friend traveling on these roads and needed a quick toilet stop he said I should wait as it was not safe to stop where we were. There is a very heavy army and police presence, but all are very friendly towards the few westerners who do venture there. The old Narathiwat Hotel by the river is a place you will either love or hate. Traveling through by train or bus is probably safe, there are armed police and army on the trains from Bangkok and check points all along the main road. As far as public transport goes, I would say if it runs then it should be safe as otherwise they would not run it. The minivan from Narathiwat to [Sungai Kolok]( for instance no longer takes the inland route via Sungai Padi, but follows the longer route down the coast to [Tak Bai]( and then inland to Sungai Kolok. The safety issue is perhaps most pertinent for motorcyclists and cyclists of which there are a few, particularly with regard to the main road from [Hat Yai]( to Narathiwat and the Malaysian border. The issue is also compounded by possible language barriers so the best I can say is to ask regularly as you progress and to perhaps prepare a translation along the lines of “is this road safe to travel on to...” and to do it in stages. [Budo-Sungai Padi Mountains National Park, Narathiwat province. Photo: Stuart McDonald] Budo-Sungai Padi Mountains National Park, Narathiwat province. Photo: Stuart McDonald The road north from Narathiwat along the coast up to Ban Ton and up past the army camp is regarded as safe but further north along some of the back roads towards [Pattani]( are not considered safe. Do not travel at night outside the towns and main roads, and be very careful when the teachers are going to and from school. Given that westerners have not been specifically targeted I would say don't be paranoid, ask and ask again, and if someone says it is not safe then follow their advice. It is also a good idea not to hang around the checkpoints on the minor roads but that is not to say don't stop and ask for advice. Travel breaks down barriers between different cultures. Agree or disagree? Why? Travel can break down the differences if you have the right attitude but in my time I have seen far too many who dread the thought of there being no fellow travellers somewhere and no chips and pizza. For me going where there are no other travellers means I spend my time with the locals and get to know them and if I don't see a fellow westerner for weeks it does not bother me. The further you get off the beaten track then the more rewarding the experience. Describe your perfect day of travel—can be a day in the past, or a wished for day in the future! For me the perfect day of travel is sitting on the train watching the hopefully wonderful scenery, eating the local snacks from vendors as they walk up and down on the train and communicating with the locals You’re a frequent visitor to (and major fan of) Chi Phat is southern Cambodia, what keeps dragging you back there? How has it changed over the years? One of its calling cards is as a community–based ecotourism project, would you say it fits the bill? Why? My first visit to [Chi Phat]( eight years ago where I intended to stay 3 or 4 days but fell in love with the place and stayed 3 weeks. The homestay (below) was fantastic and after dinner on the first night my host invited me to go with him to his mother for some beers. A lovely lovely family. [Chi Phat homestay. Photo: amnicoll] Chi Phat homestay. Photo: amnicoll His mother was a great cook and I used to eat there most days as my hosts wife works away from the village. It only took a few days to make friends all round the village. These days I am part of the village family and am invited for meals, drinks, weddings, parties housewarmings and unfortunately occasionally funerals. I come back for two separate month stays every year. For me this is paradise, even though I find it hard to play for hours with the local kids many of whom I have known since they were babies, as I’m lacking the energy. The biggest problems I have in the village is food diplomacy and keeping the families happy as they all want me to eat with them and the fact that sometimes it is impossible to walk round the village and not be invited in for a drink. I have lost count of the number of visitors I meet who say they wish they could spend longer in the village, but these days I meet people I have met there before returning for another visit. I have also met a number of families with kids visiting, and they all enjoy interacting with the local kids. Chi Phat was established by the [Wildlife Alliance]( as an eco tourism project to provide an alternative income for the locals and save the rain forest in about 2008. It is now regarded as a model example of Eco tourism and receives many official visits from other interested parties to see how it operates. One thing that never ceases to surprise me, is unlike many other places that have developed their tourism business, Chi Phat has hardly changed and the villagers are kind, friendly and welcoming and there are just the local bars and restaurants. [The river. Gorgeous. Photo: Nicky Sullivan] The river. Gorgeous. Photo: Nicky Sullivan There is now 24 hour electricity which means there are fridges, freezers and washing machines appearing in the village but as yet no air-con, although at least one of the bungalows is thinking about installing. There is a range of accommodation and the main change you see in the village are the bungalows, which are all of a high standard and in nice locations. They have a program of activities for visitors and the villagers share the jobs and rotate so that everyone gets a share. The community take a percentage of the income to spend on the community. Travel often highlights the chasm between the have– and have–nots. Can you tell us about some of the ways you try and give something back to the communities that you are travelling in? I visit schools and talk to the students or sometimes teach English in private evening schools as a guest of the owner and not taking work from locals. The big problem is having enough muscle to bring things from home and get them to where they are needed. In [Chi Phat]( to repay their hospitality I regularly treat the kids to gifts from the local market or buy them clothes. Bad travel days. Everyone has had one (or many!) of these. Please share one of your “best bad days”. Sure I have missed trains and buses and had uncomfortable trips but nothing that I would describe as a bad travel day. I once ended up stranded in a village in Laos with no traffic heading north all afternoon but the locals were so friendly and one family put me up and fed me and I was eventually able to get a lift on a lorry perched on the merchandise for a very uncomfortable seven hours to get up the 60 km of dirt road to complete the journey. But far from being a bad travel day it was a wonderful experience and one I will treasure. Travelfish partners [Browse the internet safely]( When we travel we always use TunnelBear VPN to secure our browsing. This reduces the risk from dodgy WiFi networks and idiotic ISPs who inject ads into our browsers. Use the internet safely with TunnelBear. TunnelBear offer a free 7-day trial or use it selectively and enjoy [500meg of data per month for free](. Ten things worth reading Vann Molyvann’s 1964 National Stadium While Cambodia’s rulers have busied themselves tearing down as much of Vann Malyvann’s legacy as they cane, the National Stadium (better known as the Olympic Stadium, the purpose for which is was actually built) still stands and is [arguably his masterpiece](. Molvann passed away in 2017 ([NYT obit here]( but thankfully some of his buildings still stand. Church hopping in Nam Dinh Just a short hop from the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, Nam Binh probably has more churches than it sees foreign tourists in a week, so if you’ve got some days up your sleeve and have a thing for churches, [Nam Dinh could be just the tonic you’re looking for](. Visit on a daytrip or make an overnight trip of it. Khao Sod heads to Nakhon Nayok One of Thailand’s smaller provinces, Nakhon Nayok has long been known as a bit of a back way into Khao Yai National Park, but this story finds plenty of other distractions to keep you busy. Take a boat trip on a dam, [visit a couple of waterfalls]( or (as is always the case in Thailand), plenty of places to stuff face. Underwater camping While we’ve hung up our diving boots for good, this new “underwater tent” makes for some pretty interesting ideas. Imagine being able to head out into the Indonesia archipelago and camp underwater. [How cool would that be?]( No details on if there is an underwater stove (nor toilet!) to go with it. Turning street kids into business owners We’re big fans of both Friends the Restaurant and Romdeng—two social enterprise restaurants operating in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. This story explains the back story to what is going on and how the organisation is working to [help those in abject need turn their life around](. Pack your walking shoes Sticking with Phnom Penh, we just the other day published a 6+km walking tour of the Khmer capital. People scoff at the suggestion of exploring the city on foot, but it is actually an excellent city for walking—just be sure to keep your eyes peeled—in every direction ... including up. Baulking at walking 6km in the midday heat? We kept that in mind and [broke it up into three segments](. Five star foodies While Australian focused, this 15 minute radio story on the two sides of restaurant reviewing is totally relevant to reviewing worldwide. First the amateur restaurant reviewers deftly illustrate exactly why we don’t do it their way at Travelfish. Free food, no anonymity. “She probably only pays her way once or twice a week”. Then, in the second part, they interview a professional, who values his anonymity and would never take a free meal—which is exactly how it should be done. [“You are not a tool of the restaurant industry.”]( A star called satar A delicacy of Kuala Terengganu in Peninsular Malaysia, [satar is more than just a delicious snack]( but also a window into how the intangible cultural heritage of traditional foods are often inseparable from the natural environment that surrounds them. Interesting stuff. RefillMyBottle Sometimes the simplest ideas are the best. A smartphone app (available for both iPhone and Android) that shows you where the closest location where you can refill your water bottle for free or for a minimum fee. No smartphone? Look for RefillMyBottle stickers in the windows. Refills are now available [at over 750 locations in more than nine countries!]( Kampot sunset boat cruises In Kampot? Want to get on a boat? [Start here](. What we’re reading How to Change Your Mind Michael Pollan, whose curiosity about our eating habits led to thoughtful, culturally transformative writing in The Omnivore’s Dilemma and, most recently, Food Rules, here explores the potential psilocybin and other psychedelics hold for transformation of the spiritual and emotional kind. [A different kind of travel book](. Travel shot [From Sora the views are not shabby. Photo: Stuart McDonald] From Sora the views are not shabby. Photo: Stuart McDonald Till next time [Sam and Stuart.] That’s it from us for now. As usual, enjoy the site’s new additions and drop us a line if there’s something in particular you’d like us to cover in Southeast Asia. Travel light! Stuart, Sam & the Travelfish team [( You're receiving the Travelfish newsletter because you signed up at Travelfish.org. Not interested anymore? [Unsubscribe Instantly](. Make sure you're getting our emails! 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