The Siem Reap-Battambang boat trip


While many people consider the floating village tours on the Tonle Sap to be a rip-off, the Siem Reap-Battambang boat service, at least for now, is a real authentic experience. Although most of the people who take the boat are foreign visitors, it is a local service and there were a few local people as well on the day I took it. More importantly, the service serves as a cargo run and various items are sent with the boat between the two cities and villages along the way. Taking the boat one passes many floating villages, complete with shops, restaurants, schools, places of worship, and all that is part of life. Maybe one day they will have enough of being photographed like animals on a safari tour, but for now the people in the villages are all smiles and all the kids are happily waving at the foreigners. You can sit on the roof of the boat as well, which makes the trip so much more fun. When the water level is low, the last stretch of the trip is by car. When we arrived at the shore on the other end, it seemed certain there were not enough vehicles, but the operators managed to cram everyone in the pickups and the van. Maybe a bit uncomfortable, it was also fun and an authentic experience.








































































































































Popular posts from this blog

Countries

Image
     The world is yours. Where do you want to go next? Featured: Those countries are featured where posts with useful information are available—such as maps, practical details, guides, instructions, etc.—in addition to the many accompanying photos. 
More »

Avatar Mountains, Zhangjiajie National Forest Park - Day 1: Yuanjiajie & Golden Whip Stream

Image
  Located about 30 kilometers from the city of Zhangjiajie, near the town of Wulingyuan, is China’s oldest national park: Zhangjiajie National Forest Park. This is the place that inspired the floating mountains in the movie Avatar, earning it the popular nickname "Avatar Mountains". The park covers a large area, with shuttle buses, cable cars, and even lifts operating inside to connect the main scenic spots. (Shuttle buses are free with the ticket; the rest are at an additional cost.) There are popular cliff-edge paths as well as quieter hiking trails. The national park is divided into 4 main areas, and the entrance ticket is valid for four consecutive days, which is useful if you want to explore each earea to some extent. It's not likely that you can hike every trail in four days unless you’re an extreme walker. The four main areas consist of Tianzi Mountain, Yuanjiajie, Yangjiajie, and Huangshi Village (Huangshizhai), and between them are other locations such as the Gol...
More »

Leshan (very basic) tourist information with map

Image
  Many visitors come for just a few hours on a day trip from Chengdu—but that’s a mistake. You need a full day to properly visit the Leshan Giant Buddha , see it from the river, and explore the nearby Oriental Buddha Park and Wuyou Temple hill. At a leisurely pace, it could easily take two days. You can also do a day trip to Emeishan from Leshan by public bus, but in my opinion, it's better to stay overnight there—perhaps in a monastery below the Golden Summit. So, for Leshan alone, you’ll need at least one night, preferably two. The city itself is quite sprawling, modern, and tidy, but it doesn't offer many attractions. The train station is a bit far from the center, but public transport is a good option to reach both the city center and the Leshan Giant Buddha. Below are the tourist basics. 
More »

Leshan Giant Buddha - Walking tour and boat ride

Image
  Located near Chengdu, Leshan is home to the tallest stone Buddha statue in the world. Carved out of a cliff face, the 71 meters tall statue overlooks the junction of the Min and Dadu Rivers. You can walk up to the statue’s head and look down, walk down to its feet and look up, and view it from a boat. The area also offers distant but nice city views. You could do the walk and the boat ride easily in a short day, along with a visit to the Mahao Cliff Tombs and Wuyou Temple, both located between the Giant Buddha and the cruise port. In a longer day's program you can also include a visit to the Oriental Buddha Park, a separate and fairly large attraction (separate ticket required) that is well worth seeing — see the post about the Oriental Buddha Park . 
More »