The Mekong Delta
From Kampot to Phu Quoc island in Vietnam I had a smooth journey. Two days wasn’t enough, three neither… In the end I stayed a week. I don’t know what it is, but this island has some magic making you never want to leave that island. Rewarding sunsets, good & cheap accomodation, nice food, and very friendly island people make this place a paradise straight away. Put a massive rainforest full of (easy-to-spot) wildlife (porcupines, monkeys, snakes, lizards, iguana, toucans, and loads of other bird species) also in your imagination and the puzzle is complete. I have some photos to make some people to change their travel plans 🙂
With pain in my heart I left the island and went to the Mekong Delta, in the place Can Tho. The full day boat trip was the best and most enjoyable way to grasp the delta life. Busy (Vietnam has too many people), fruity (loads of fruits grow here), watery (it’s a delta), and lively (floating markets, floating houses, houses on stilts). My visit to Vietnam came to an end in Ho Chi Min. The jumping off point to get to Angkor Wat.
Angkor Wat
Mind blowing! Massive temples emerge when I cycle through the rain forest. It seems that there is no end of temple 1, 2 km further tempel 3. By the time I started with the first one, Bayan, it was still cool. When I got to Ta Keo tempel it was already bloody hot with a burning sun on my skin. And that at 11 am. But then I climbed the tempel stairs and arrived even more sweaty at the top. The reward? A incredible view on this former empire in Asia while cooled down by a welcoming breeze. Day 2 and 3 where as cool (not temperature wise) as day 1. The sunset and sunrise in Angkor Wat (the main temple) were fantastic. this building changes colours during these times which are the best opportunity to fill up the memorycard with snap shots. I realized that I had to book my bus ticket to Bangkok from where I will travel further south to the islands.
Travel plan
It’s time to explore South Thailand: beaches, islands, snorkling and a national park to visit. After this I make my way further down south to Malaysia.
Stage 3: Bangkok (10 Oct) – Ko Chang – Koh Kong (C) – Sihanoukville – Kampot – Kep – Rach Ria (V) – Phu Coc – Can Tho – My Tho – Saigon – Phnom Penh – Siem Reap – Bangkok (T) – Ko Tau – Krabi (13 Nov)
Stage 4: Krabi (T) – Pulau Penang (M) – Khota Bura – Taman Negara – Kuala Lumpur – Borneo – Brunei – Melakka (M) – Singapore (14 Nov – 21 dec)
Stage 5: Singapore – Jakarta (22 Dec – 19 Jan)
Stage 6: Bali – Perth (20 Jan)
Note: Click here to read the Ecopod news letter about Islands and paradises in Asia