Having experienced the queues for customs in Hoi Chi Minh City airport twice I was glad I was not flying into Phnom Penn, but taking a speed boat along the Mekong River in order to cross the Vietnam/Cambodia border. It also meant I was able to see much more of the south Asian countryside.
My fellow travellers and I left Chau Doc in Vietnam early in the morning, although I am sure the fishermen and women we saw casting their nets as we journeyed past had been up since before sunrise. To my surprise the river was awash with foliage that had fallen in the night. This clears as the day progresses and the river widens.
There is plenty of industry along the Mekong: forestry, fishing, brick making to name only a few and the river provides jobs for thousands of people. Boats with cranes, laden with heavy loads of sand and cement, were leaving some of the factories dotted along the shoreline.
But his modern industry contrasts starkly with the more traditional brightly coloured sheds and single storey houses on stilts.
The boats are decorated with “eyes” on the bow. This is to deter predators such as crocodiles, but I was told they did not reside in the area of the delta along which we were travelling. The custom of painting the bow remains however and does give the inanimate boat a menacing appearance, likely to make any beast look twice and move out of the way.
We stopped at the immigration office on the Vietnam border where our passports were dutifully stamped to show we had exited the country, then travelled a kilometre or so to the immigration office in Cambodia. Both are unassuming buildings and to my surprise there was no-one but ourselves there. A far cry from the crowds in the airports!
I’m highlighting the next few sentences or so as this is really important when going into Cambodia. The local money is pretty useless. At the time of writing (August 2024) Cambodians much prefer the American dollar. There is a fee has to be paid to receive a visa to enter the country and we were advised to pay cash, in dollars.
No problem. We had American dollars. BUT the dollars have to be PRISTINE, and I mean perfect! No tiny tear, no stain, not even crumpled. If the note doesn’t live up to the scrutiny of the Cambodian receiving it, then it was not accepted. Fortunately between us all we had enough ‘perfect dollars’ to be awarded our visas. Therefore if you are thinking of going to Cambodia be advised to inspect your dollars very carefully or bring notes straight out of the ATM! AND bring small denomination notes. One dollar or five dollar bills will go a very long way in Cambodia.
Once across the border the boat picked up speed as the river widened and became busier with large boats bearing heavy cargo. On the riverbanks there was a hive of activity as fishermen tended their nets and water buffalo could be seen quenching their thirst and cooling off in the baking sunshine.
Suddenly lying on the riverbank I spotted a huge sleeping Buddha. The startling gold, blacks and reds shone vibrantly in the sunshine as do the red roofs of the temples and it became apparent the Cambodians, who are mainly Buddhists, are far more religious than their Vietnamese neighbours.
However, both countries remain communist, but the mighty dollar is also revered with people ready to work long hours to earn a living wage. Economically Cambodia is a democracy, politically a one party state.
After a four hour boat trip we arrived in the busy capital of Phnom Penn, which is typical of any city in the world. The port was busy with a variety of ships and boats unloading their cargo and high rise buildings make up the cityscape. Several skyscrapers were colourfully decorated and the streets teemed with scooters, tuk-tuks and people going about their daily business.
We had the good fortune to stay in the Sokha Hotel, one frequented by President Joe Biden, and it was a real treat to have a relatively early night in a luxurious hotel. My visit to Cambodia was off to a very good start.
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My journey to Vietnam was amazing. The trip was packed full of interesting places to see and there was a tremendous amount to do. Find out more by clicking on the links.
Once I arrived in Cambodia there was plenty to see. Please click on the links to discover more.
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