Phnom Penh

[QUOTE=Wendella]What PP really has to work on, which is a serious turnoff to tourists, is the streets hygiene. Actually it's a problem across the country, the piles of trash everywhere. Another big one is the lack of street lighting.[/QUOTE]Well they are making progress. As recently as the mid-90s there was essentially no street lighting. You'd step out at night and the whole town was pitch black. Also no sealing on most of the smaller roads. They were often just a morass of mud. So I've been impressed by the pace of change, but I can understand how someone arriving fresh from the West might be taken aback. People from elsewhere in Asia -- Vietnamese are now the #1 international arrivals, followed by Koreans -- seem to take it more in stride.

[QUOTE=Betong]Well they are making progress. As recently as the mid-90s there was essentially no street lighting. You'd step out at night and the whole town was pitch black. Also no sealing on most of the smaller roads. They were often just a morass of mud. So I've been impressed by the pace of change, but I can understand how someone arriving fresh from the West might be taken aback. .[/QUOTE]


Yes, I've also seen the progress but mostly on the major streets. The smaller side/ connecting streets are still mostly morass of mud.
Another major problem is their almost non-existant drainage system. After a typical Cambodian thunderstorm most streets (including the major ones ) turns into a small lake--with the only thing missing is the fishes. I'm not taken aback because this is still a true 3rd world country in almost every sense, but thats one of the appeals to me coming from a major city in the West--IMO.

Shark

[QUOTE=Roguesta]Phnom Penh has more than you realize. It has cruises along the Mekong, as well as many markets. Mainly, though, Phnom Penh is a hub..[/QUOTE]


Actually, this is somewhat true as the big major shopping markets in Cambo are in PP, along with all the connections (hub) to almost anywhere in Cambo and beyond. Depending on where I'm coming from I often have to fly to PP before getting the connections to other places I frequent in Cambo.
But PP is still not what I like to call a "family friendly" destination I'd recomend to families with kids. Bringing kids??-maybe not--IMO

Shark

[QUOTE=Sharka]But PP is still not what I like to call a "family friendly" destination I'd recomend to families with kids. Bringing kids??-maybe not--IMO

Shark[/QUOTE]The place is never going to be fucking disneyland, you seems to have a very narrow idea of what tourism is.

The rivers are the best things about phnom penh.

One can to go to okneatay island of koh daich or cruise down to kien svay.

Kien svay is great,no tourists ever-hope they never go.

The old floating brothel/ restaurants are full of character.

[QUOTE=Sharka]this is still a true 3rd world country in almost every sense[/QUOTE]

Well, it's one where the leaders are accumulating vast wealth and there's no viable multi-party system. It's de facto one-party rule, and unlike Singapore where the one party made an effort to improve the place, this bunch is mainly seeking to improve only the insides of their compounds, not the outsides. Vietnam had a long war and then strict Communist rule to blame for its lagging behind. What's Cambodia's excuse. It's been stable there for a long time now. I mean, yeah, I see the changes, but it's a pretty pathetically slow rate of progress. There's side streets in downtown central PP that are pitch black at night. Meanwhile all the homes of these ruling families are lit up like Yankee Stadium 24-7.

[QUOTE=Phil Istine]The rivers are the best things about phnom penh.

One can to go to okneatay island of koh daich or cruise down to kien svay.

Kien svay is great,no tourists ever-hope they never go.

The old floating brothel/ restaurants are full of character.[/QUOTE]

Sounds pretty cool. What is it that's special abouot these places? And where would we go to catch the boats to get there? Assume speaking some Khmer would come in handy at that point. (which is ok, us tourist types could get our hotel staff to help us write it out)

Look the whole Kien Svay area from the river inland is good. If one turns right off highway one there is a road with several khmer restaurants in gardens with big lakes, where onbe swings on the hammock over the lake and eats and drinks. I went to one that had lots of tame animals, turkeys, doves, a bloody big deer etc fishing too in the ponds but the floating places are good for us, some massa rooms have even come back but just to go and drink beer and eat pork ribs and mango salad is magnificent. Boats were ten bucks an hour, so three hours with waiting time.$25 big bill at the restaurant, maybe ten people like last time-$50 maybe, I forget anyway a great experience but possisibly now fucked up boat operators must now have a licence and pay fees and accept the same tarrif it won't last long.

[QUOTE=Phil Istine]Look the whole Kien Svay area from the river inland is good. .[/QUOTE]
We just talked about this by PM but thought I'd mention in the thread about what we discussed: when I was at Candy Bar a couple weeks ago, a girl handed me a flier for a day-trip offered by the bar. Go out on a boat to an island along with 60 girls for the day. Not sure if it's the same island you mentioned. The flier I saw was for the 21st Feb, but maybe they do it again and again. Price was $25, which included food and bev for the day, which I presume was beer.

Phil was telling me about how recent law changes might have had an impact on these cheap boats going out (the ones you could hire solo), that they were forcibly moved down to where Naga casino is, a bit far from the main tourist area.

Hey theres an idea, create your own Candy bar trip. Go to Martini or somewhere and hand out invites to all the girls for your own boat trip, have them all show up the next morning. ;)

My 1. St trip to Cambodia.

Did the route that is mostly suggested at this page.

Walkabout: nothing of interest.

Sharkeys: mostly to old.

Martini: A few lookers, but most girls with mobile phone in one hand, and a cigarette in the other.

Streetwalkers: Didn't look for it, but observed some action in the park around what Phnom at daytime.

Stayed at California2, crappy place, if this reflects standard of lodging in PP the price level must be the double of Thailand.

Always wondered about the guys at this site that mentions the "walk of shame". 1. St time I understood them was at California2, every time I brought a girl to the room a group of guys in the bar made comments to the girls like: nice to see you again, Hi back again already or have you moved here now.

None of the girls liked the comments, and the guys started to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] me off to. Avoid this place.

My conclusion is either is Cambodia "over the hill" or I did not find the right places.

If nobody enlightens me, I will stay away in the future.

[size=-2][b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size]

[QUOTE=Wendella] Vietnam had a long war and then strict Communist rule to blame for its lagging behind. What's Cambodia's excuse..[/QUOTE]


Truth is that the long Vietnam war also dragged poor Cambodia into the gutters as the Ho Chi Minh supply trail into S. Vietnam was mainly thru Cambodia. And if I'm not mistaken, I heard more bombs were actually dropped in Cambo trying to stop the supplies than in Vietnam itself (yet, it was suppose to be the "Vietnam War".

Following the long war it only got worse as Pol Pot (Khmer Rouge) took power and exterminated their best 1/3 of their population and almost everyone with an education in Cambodia, leaving the country in the hands of mostly unskilled, uneducated peasants and practically thrown into the dark ages.
So, yes, poor Cambodia does have an excuse and it's a very sad one.

Shark

[QUOTE=Nerdynomad]The place is never going to be fucking disneyland, you seems to have a very narrow idea of what tourism is.[/QUOTE]


Why the hostile responses? We are here to help with information for a better time for everyone.
I've NEVER said PP will be another Disneyland or even a family resort. I posted before that I didn't even think this is a place to bring a family (kids).
I merely stated PP was a central transport hub for me to get to other places (or arrival from other places) and a fairly good shopping place compared to other places in Cambodia.
And yes, I do know what tourism is all about as I've been a world well traveled tourist all my life. It's only being a monger that is newer to me.

Friendly advise:
Best to chill out if you expect others to help you when you go to other threads with question in places you've never been to. You may be an expert here in PP and being an expert you are suppose to help others that require some help as other experts will surely try to help you in the same situation.

Remember, being a newbie, many will often check on your previous past posts to see if you are even worthy of a reply and having a bad attitude over simple questions/answers is not the way to go. So best to tread lightly.--IMO

Shark

[QUOTE=Javel]My 1. St trip to Cambodia.

Did the route that is mostly suggested at this page.

Walkabout: nothing of interest.

Sharkeys: mostly to old.

Martini: A few lookers, but most girls with mobile phone in one hand, and a cigarette in the other.

Streetwalkers: Didn't look for it, but observed some action in the park around what Phnom at daytime.

Stayed at California2, crappy place, if this reflects standard of lodging in PP the price level must be the double of Thailand.

Always wondered about the guys at this site that mentions the "walk of shame". 1. St time I understood them was at California2, every time I brought a girl to the room a group of guys in the bar made comments to the girls like: nice to see you again, Hi back again already or have you moved here now.

None of the girls liked the comments, and the guys started to [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord140][CodeWord140][/url] me off to. Avoid this place.

My conclusion is either is Cambodia "over the hill" or I did not find the right places.

If nobody enlightens me, I will stay away in the future.

[size=-2][b][u]EDITOR'S NOTE[/u]:[/b] [blue]I would suggest that the author or another Forum Member consider posting a link to this report in the Reports of Distinction thread. Please [url=http://www.internationalsexguide.info/forum/announcement-reportsofdistinction.php]Click Here[/url] for more information.[/blue][/size][/QUOTE]


Hard to say for sure as I don't really know what your requirements are.
I've never stayed at the California 2 so can't comment on that place. But in general, if you are taking ladies back it is best to stay in places that were recommended here on this thread and avoid the smaller family owned "guesthouses"--it's not because they are not lady friendly but they often locked their doors early (as early as 10pm) and that will kill the mood for me being locked out with my lady in tow.

Bars and lady hangouts changes day to day and often hour to hour as some of the best talent may have just taken out 5min before you arrive. But this is typical of almost ALL places in any country, not just Cambo.
Lady hunting is like fishing, there will be days when you are lucky and days when you may turn out empty. But the more places you visit, the better your odds.

Shark

[QUOTE=Sharka]Friendly advise:
Best to chill out if you expect others to help you when you go to other threads with question in places you've never been to. You may be an expert here in PP and being an expert you are suppose to help others that require some help as other experts will surely try to help you in the same situation.

Remember, being a newbie, many will often check on your previous past posts to see if you are even worthy of a reply and having a bad attitude over simple questions/answers is not the way to go. So best to tread lightly.--IMO

Shark[/QUOTE]

Absolutely agree with this.
This is good advise and a friendly advise at that. Many other seniors may not be as friendly as Sharka in his replies to answers with obvious hostile tones.
Lucky that Shark is a very friendly and nice guy.
I agree that you will get the most help if you are nice to other members, and have contributed to the forum in positive ways with helpful post to others, regardless of being a newbie or a senior. And that is not an opinion but a fact.

PT

[quote=sharka]truth is that the long vietnam war also dragged poor cambodia into the gutters as the ho chi minh supply trail into s. vietnam was mainly thru cambodia. [/quote]
i guess, for me, cambodia has had a good long time to bounce back, and a hell of a lot of help, but i think its fair to say the govt there is one of the most corrupt in the world, from top to bottom, with no sign of improvement, and every sign of it only getting worse. at some point, they need to take some responsbility for what they do and be held accountable for what they do, stop with the lame excuses, and do what's right (for a start, obey their own laws -- i'm sure expats here could tell you some doozies of stories about the offspring of certain leaders commiting crimes that would have them in o.j. type scandals back in our countries, only to get off with no charges at all pressed against them... then there's the land confirep001ion/bulldozing of shanty ghettoes... the illegal logging and mining... the trumped up charges against political foes... the list goes on). anyway, i think anyone who's paid any attention knows there will never be good governance there as long as hun sen is alive. and the behavior of the offspring doesn't leave much room for hope for the future.