It happened at last after all the hard work of arranging logistics and finding value deals on airlines and acco. This would be our first budget vacation and as it unturned, it had put many of our luxury ones to shame. Cambodia quickly came up on top of my todo list after I did my Scuba OW in Thailand. Though diving was the main objective there but side fling on vacation are inevitable and thus happened Ayutthya and Bangkok's Royal Palace. No one with a taste in archeology can resist the temptation to see Angkor after seeing its miniature replica at Grand Palace.
This blog will be more of travel report rather than a travelogue as endless literature exists about Angkor and history of Cambodia. Anyone wishing to travel to Malaysia, Cambodia or Singapore on budget can draw examples form it. Since Cambodia is difficult(read expensive) to access directly from India, myself and my better half, Parul decided to make it a mixed vacation of shopping, fun and ofcourse archeology. Shopping=Kualalumpur(KL), Archeology=Siem Reap(SR), Fun=Singapore(SP).
Air Tickets was the most difficult part of planning. Add to it the confusion of "Point to Point Carrrier" tag of all available budget airlines. For Indian nationals, Singapore clearly needs pre stamped visa and Cambodia clearly gives visa on arrival but Malaysia was confusing. If we plan to skip Malaysia, is it possible to avail transit without visa or does "Point to Point" answers "no" to it. I still don't have a definite answer but its safe to assume "no". From my experience it seems, there is a mix of factors which influence it : airlines, airport & visa. The other factor was number of entries we will be granted. It would have been more economical to get a return ticket to SP and do KL by road/rail and SR by another return ticket from SP. I was little skeptical so I planned so as we'll need only a single entry to each nation. Later it turns out that both SP and Malaysia grants multiple entry visa. SP gave it for one month and Malaysia for a year(now that leaves us with a greed to do another trip before it exipres:). The itinerary was :
Chennai-KL : Bangalore-KL tkts are expensive and there are no budget airlines from either Bangalore or Chennai to KL. Air Aisa flys Trichi-KL but we got Air India tkts for Chennai-KL almost at the same price. Bangalore-Chennai shatabdi starts at around 4:30 in the evening and you will be at Chennai airport just about the right time for most of KL bound flghts.
KL-SR : Air Asia. They fly from a dedicated terminal for budget carriers(LCCT). Tiger airways also uses same terminal.
SR-SP : Jetstar Asia. Even SP has a budget terminal but for some reason this one is priviliged to use the regular terminal.
SP-Bangalore : Tiger Airways from budget terminal. There is a free shuttle from MRT station to this terminal.
Kualalumpur: (26-Mar-2008 to 30-Mar-2008)
WHERE WE STAYED
We statyed at 2 different hotels in KL.
Hotel Chinatown Inn (2 days, 100 ringit/day for double AC room): Bang into the middle of Petaling Street(Chinatown). It was a chaotic street but our room was nice and silent with a small window which gave us a partil view of Petronas as well as KL Tower. What more can you ask for from a budget acco. Heritage Station Hotel (Old KL Station, 2 Days, 95 ringit/day for double AC room): We booked it thinking it is same as KL Sentral station from where we were to catch wee hour bus to airport for our flight to SR. Though KL Sentral is just 10 minutes walk from here but we were skeptical to walk at 3 AM with luggage. We indeed walked at 3 AM and the road was traffic busy for any apparent safet concern. When I called a city taxi , the operator asserted that the place is too near for us to ask for taxi. After walking a third of our way, we got a taxi. Apart from this, hotel was absolute value for money. It was colonial style and you had the KL heritage station along with an open museum at your backyard. KL metro does use this station but its mostly haunted with tastefully preserved heritage. There is an Indian chaai shop adjacent. Ask for a room which is back(station) facing as the road facing ones are traffic noisy. We had to switch in the middle of night
WHAT WE DID
KL was our shopping destination though few tourist points were also on agenda. Petronas Twin Tower was surely to be done but not a big treat to me after mounting Taipei101. Taipei 101 actually takes you on 101st floor whereas Petronas will take you on 42nd floor connecting bridge. Taipei 101 is professionally managed above the cloud experience with audio guide and all.
You must reach early to take your tickets as they issue limited numbers. Nice part is that the entry is free only on the expense of watching a Petronas promotion video. When will Reliance and Tatas do something similar???
Besides, we also initially planned for Batu Caves which could not happen.
Shopping was the highlight of this place. Mrs Singh was not willing to stop. Chinatown for replica handbags/belts/shoes/watches/apparels. GME Factory outlet at KL Sentral for branded, Mid Valley mall and guess it was only our confirmed SR ticket which force stopped it.
I also tried Kenko Fish spa in Pavallion mall, which was tinkling experience for a reasonable price compared to same in Singapore or even in India.
WHAT WE MISSED
Batu caves. We could have done it but somehow I was not too enthusiastic as we were already heading to SR.
EATING
We lay our trust mostly on McD & Burger King though for vegeterians, even they could provide only french fries and salad.
Thanks god I am a non-vegeterian.
Just along the Central Market (another place to be at near Chinatown), there is a lane running with our Dhaba kind outlets, owned by perhaps Indians/Bangaladeshi/Pakastanis. I had a sumptuous beef curry rice at one of them.
TIPS
-Beer is expensive.
-Vegeterian food is hard to find.
-If you do chose to buy a replica watch, buy a battery one and not ottomatic.
Siem Reap, Angkor Wat: (30-Mar-2008 to 02-Apr-2008)
WHERE WE STAYED
BouSavy Guesthouse(3 days, 15USD/day for AC double bed room). The guest house was exactly as we pictured. A small cozy family villa converted into a business venture. Owner family takes good care of their guests and so does their affiliated tuktuk drivers.
Our driver turned out to be a little slow and laid back but all in all the package was nice.
WHAT WE DID
What we thought was that there will be little to do in SR other than exploring temples. But there was atleast one more thing : roam around and have drinks in chick pubs and restaurants of Pub Street. We thoroughly enjoyed both : temples & pubs. Number of temples which can be visited depends on number of days you plan to be here but per my experience, one should be in SR for atleast 5 days. Take 3 days pass for temples(USD 40 per head) and plan rest two in town and Tonle Sap lake.
The temple guides (human ones) are obviously expensive though I discovered a text guide which can enlighten you much more than a human one : Ancient Angkor by Micael Freeman & Claude Jacques. You can easily find pirated cheap copies being sold by hawkers. Grab the one at the start of your tour and the text will guide you step by step and turn by turn to every timple. Freeman and Jacques, both are Angkor experts and spent their lives studying Cambodian history.
If you have knack for art, watch artists sitting and sketching Angkor temples. They do sell it but I find hard to tag value to a pair of jeans so art is far fetched.
WHAT WE MISSED
Tonle Sap will be on top of this list. net is loaded with the rich info on this catchment.
Though there are innumberable temples but we couldn't do some on the tourist map. The far distant ones towards north. It seems some of them have their hindu artifacts in much better shape.
EATING
For a place where acco is for USD 15, food doesn't come in matching price. Though there are ample options of cuisine. I can recommend Khmer Kitchen at Pub Street but there is load of lists and rankings available for foodies.
TIPS
Roaming around temples in tropical sun is draining. Carry sports drinks, water and if possible wet towels to freshen up at intervals.Angkor Cafe just opposite Angkor Wat has a USP : Complimentary aromatic Wet Towels :- Take my words, it will be such a divine experience using them that few in your past will match it.
Singapore: (02-Apr-2008 to 05-Apr-2008)
A small big country. Yes, that is actually what it is. We did it length by breadth in 3 days. Glad that we are not the citizen there else my passport pages will always be running out.
WHERE WE STAYED
Finding a right hotel in Singapore for a need like ours was a big challenge. And I accomplished it. Strategically located, descently priced and with a roof top pool(which we could not find time to use). We lay our bet on Hotel Fragrance Selegie on Selegie Road. Hotel 81 Selegie is just adjacent.There was a backpacker's hostel too just few steps towards MRT. The place is 5 minutes walk to Little India MRT, 15 minutes to Orchard Road, 15 minutes to Little India/ Mustafa 24hour mall and 95 SGD per night for a tiny miny double AC room. There is a peculiar thing about Singapore hotels which may well be the case with hotels in other countries too. The same hotel will be listed on vastly different prices on different travel sites so do your google diligently.
WHAT WE DID
Shopping at Orchard. "This Fashion" appealed to Mrs Singh and our credit card was put to its stress test here. We got some things from Carrefour which we will later regret after comapring prices with "Fair Price" malls situated near major MRTs.
Ofcourse no one will miss Sentosa and Zoo but we also did what could have been missed : Night Safari.
Jurong Bird Park is a treat for a little ornithologist in me. Rain made those Birds of Paradise squeeze into a ball but it was worth it. It’s hard to chose from an expensive souvniers here but we managed to trace a hornbill pair.
WHAT WE MISSED
Its difficult to miss anything here even if you intend to :)
EATING
Ample options. Being a melting pot of asia, you can find any cuisine. We mostly landed up in Little India to secure the vegeterian seats.
TIPS
http://www.asiatravel.com/
