DAY 5: Southeast Asia: Wonders of Cambodia, Vietnam & the Mekong - Crossing Cambodia by Road and River
Good morning from Cambodia! Day five began a bit more slowly, with breakfast at the hotel and a sense that we were transitioning into the next chapter of our journey. At 10:30 a.m., we boarded the bus and said goodbye to Siem Reap and our hotel, heading toward our next destination, and eventually, the Mekong River.
During our bus ride we made a stop at the Kampong Kdei bridge. This 285’ long bridge built in the 12th century, was at one time the longest corbeled stone-arch bridge in the world. During the stop we said farewell to our guide Buth. From there, we transitioned to a new tour director named Sam, whose given name is Souk Rus. He was immediately entertaining, funny, and full of stories, keeping the long ride lively and lighthearted.
As we traveled, Sam shared phrases and reflections that felt both playful and meaningful: Cambodia — Kingdom of Wonder. Souk Rus — Sam — stay alive, and “Oh my Buddha!” We learned that Cambodia is roughly the same size as Colorado and that Buddhism here is understood less as a religion and more as a philosophy guiding daily life.
After another hour or two on the bus, we arrived at a newer, high-rise hotel in Kampong Thom in central Cambodia for lunch. The buffet featured Khmer-inspired dishes, not KFC, Khmer fried crickets, as Sam jokingly referred to it as. Dessert was a tapioca pudding with corn and fruit, unexpected but surprisingly good.
We made a quick stop at roadside shops selling carved Buddha statues in every position possible – there are 100 different poses that illustrate key moments in Budda’s life like praying, reclining, etc. all with different hand gestures, then boarded the bus again for another two-and-a-half-hour stretch. Eventually, we reached the boat dock in Prek K’Dam. After one last bathroom stop (here called the “happy room”), we were about thirty to forty minutes from boarding.
This stop is famous for its food stalls including fried tarantulas, grasshoppers, beetles, worms, and even chicken eggs (with the chicken embryo inside) which were available for purchase. Some insects are farm-raised, others gathered from the forest (tarantulas cannot be raised in captivity – they die). One brave member of our group tried both a spider and a grasshopper. We observed with curiosity and a healthy respect.
Then came the moment we’d been anticipating, we boarded the boat, Emerald Harmony.
Walking up the gangplank, locals watched from shore, perhaps seeing loved ones off who work onboard or maybe just curious about the arrival. Once aboard, we gathered in a spacious lounge filled with leather club chairs and couches, panoramic windows lining the walls. Glasses of sparkling wine were handed out as a warm welcome. The ship has four decks and a sundeck and can hold 84 passengers although there are only 53 on this voyage. There are 40 crew members from Cambodia, Vietnam, Myanmar, Germany and Thailand. There is a pool, fitness room, two bars, a restaurant, spa, library and multiple decks.
Soon we were shown to our room, 201, in the middle of three decks, just steps from the library. The room is beautiful and has a room-sized window that lowers and includes a King bed, built-in dresser, loveseat, chair, closet, and a bathroom with a waterfall showerhead. Pure bliss.
After unpacking a bit, we attended a mandatory safety meeting and met the staff. The ship’s tour director Merkel is engaging and originally from Germany, now living in Thailand. Dinner followed, and Chris and I enjoyed a quiet table for two. Everything was exceptional. I had a chef’s salad, pumpkin gnocchi, bread, and a passion fruit cheesecake. Chris enjoyed fish and vegetable tempura, soup, and chocolate ice cream. Nearly everything, including the ice cream and jams as well as all the bakery items, is made onboard, with wine, cheese, and dairy imported from Europe.
After dinner, we returned to our room, settled in, and prepared for the adventures awaiting tomorrow as we motored down the Tonle River to Kampong Tralach to reach the Mekong River.
Day 5 PHOTOS