Kampot, Cambodia to Vietnam by bicycle
Kampot, Cambodia to Vietnam by bicycle
Cambodia to Vietnam by bicycle. Easier than it sounds... Today let's go a bit back in time a few years to when the time to go had come. I tried to live in Kampot, Cambodia but life just wasn't working for me there. Without my friend @justinparke life would have much more difficult for sure! Life was ok without any great problems but as always there's something more out there and I wanted to find out... Vietnam. In all the 20 years off and on I'd been kicking around Asia I'd never made it to Vietnam. In 2000, my first time in Asia as a backpacker I was on my way. But in Laos I got robbed (another story for another time) and had to return to Thailand to replace my travelers checks. Yes we used them back them haha. So after that, I went another direction (India) and now almost 20 years later, I'm ready to give another go to Vietnam.
Cambodia is a lovely country with friendly people. But as a vegetarian, there is few reasonably priced choices outside of Phnom Phen and I wasn't inspired to cook for myself in those days. I'd been told Vietnam has a similar vegan tradition as Thailand and I was looking forward to it. So off I went.
The border is only 35km or so from Kampot on a road I knew well. The border crossing was smooth as butter with the Vietnamese officer asking me for a dollar for a medical card which I just laughed at and him too in response.
I'm not much of a planner as far as cycling and even considering that I was grossly unprepared for Vietnam. Usually I at least have some destination for the day in mind... I reached Ha Tien easily and looked around for a vegan restaurant. I came across a very helpful travel agent that spoke great English and directed me to a local vegan restaurant and then after told me about a temple in a cave named Hang Pagoda not far away. So after a wonderful lunch off I went to find the temple. Little did I know how wonderful it would be... After looking around for a bit I found a Khmer temple to sleep in and stayed for two days...
Vietnam has wonderful cafes along the road for people to stop and relax in hammocks. No time limits. I reckon you could sleep in the night there as well... Sugarcane juice is so refreshing and gives you some natural energy as well.
I made it just in time for sunset...
The rocks were surprisingly large. That is a tourist boat to give perspective.
Another sunset view. Great after a rather hot day.
Inside the cave are some various Buddhas. Later on I realized this is a mix of Cambodian and Chinese religious styles.
Inside the cave. Kwan Im is the goddess of compassion and her followers normally eat vegan food when at her temple.
A Chinese temple in the rocks. Would be a great rock climbing area...
Gives you some perspective of the height of the rocks.
The youngest monk in the Cambodian temple where I slept two nights. South Vietnam was part of the Angkor Empire. I found the locals spoke Khmer.
The shrine in the room where I slept. In many Buddhist temples the monks would tell me to sleep in the main hall with the Buddhas. Always a peaceful sleep.
Thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed. See you next time!
As always feel free to comment below and....
I remember your journey and you telling us met lots of Khmer Krom there. Nice to see the pictures.
⋆ ᴀ ʜɪᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ ғᴏʀ sᴏᴜᴛʜᴇᴀsᴛ ᴀsɪᴀɴ ᴄᴏɴᴛᴇɴᴛ
⋆ ғᴏᴏᴅ, ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟ, ᴘʜᴏᴛᴏɢʀᴀᴘʜʏ, ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄs, ᴀʀᴛ, ᴍᴏᴠɪᴇ ʀᴇᴠɪᴇᴡs & ᴍᴏʀᴇ
⋆ sᴜʙsᴄʀɪʙᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴀsᴇᴀɴ ʜɪᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ ʜᴇʀᴇ
⋆ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡ ᴏᴜʀ ᴀsᴇᴀɴ ʜɪᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴍᴜɴɪᴛʏ ᴠᴏᴛɪɴɢ ᴛʀᴀɪʟ
Yes it was a remarkable place. I'll try to add the video someday :)
Great shots. That sounds like a fantastic place to visit! 😊
Thanks. That is a really special place.
What a great trip ! And as a dutchie on a bike is sure the best thing you made some beautiful pictures and that young monk has a journey ahead. Loved that you tools us readers on a journey !
Have a great Monday
Thanks. Yes all the monks were very friendly. He was quite sad to see me go though... Life goes on! Thanks for commenting :) Cycling is a great way to travel!
ASEAN Hive Daily Top 3️ 📅 August 2, 2020 🌏.
You are 10% beneficiary of the post.Thanks again for the feature!