Comments on: Preah Vihear: My Trip To A War Zone, Part 3

By: Burnerphotography

Burnerphotography — Wed, 23 Feb 2011 03:46:00 +0000

It’s unfortunate that conflicts inhibit the healthy development of tourism in areas that could benefit greatly from it. You certainly have a story! I hope some day it will be easier see this significant site.

By: Recovering Vagabond

Recovering Vagabond — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 03:01:00 +0000

Great to read your story Gary. I haven’t been to Preah Vihear, but did visit several other remote temples in the region on a trip in early 2007. Instead of Siem Reap, I left from Kompong Thom. Rode five similarly painful hours on back of a motorbike over sandy jungle trails, passing the occasional ox-cart or amused villager and not much else. Didn’t see a single other non-Cambodian the entire trip. We visited Preah Khan temple the first day, then spent the night in a small village (don’t know the name). Stayed with a local family, with whom I ate dinner and drank plenty of palm wine (nasty stuff).

I was told we couldn’t visit Preah Vihear because of some trouble involving the Cambodian army. Adding ot the sense of danger, we passed an in-progress de-mining operation! Haad six more hours of riding the next day including a visit to Beng Mealea temple. Passed a handful of tourists who’d come from Siem Reap by 4WD (but couldn’t have accessed Preah Khan via the narrow paths we’d ridden. The soreness in my butt went away eventually but I can still see remnants of the red dust from that trip on my pack.

By: Lauren Quinn

Lauren Quinn — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 15:53:58 +0000

Man, what a story! Fascinating and well-written. I grew up with a lot of Southeast Asian immigrants/children of refugees, including many Cambodians, and have wanted to take a trip there for awhile. Thanks for sharing your daring trip and poignant observations.

By: Julie

Julie — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 16:28:19 +0000

You may have been and gone already but if not……I have friends that spent a year living in Siem Reap, they drove thier dirt bikes from SR up to PV and back and loved it. If you really want to experience it properly dont rush it by doing it in one day. Outside of the tourist areas you’ll get to meet and stay with, some really nice locals and see “real” Cambodia not just the tourist trap!

By: Ada

Ada — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 01:30:14 +0000

Too bad that you already publicized the tamer version of the story…. ;^)

By: DrManette

DrManette — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 21:45:28 +0000

Very cool trip and I laughed several times while reading. Seems pretty ironic that Cambodia wants the temple, but it's so much easier to reach from Thailand.

By: travelphilippines

travelphilippines — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 15:30:06 +0000

cambodia is such an amazing place….

By: Geoff

Geoff — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:02:20 +0000

What an amazing story…that's a really epic journey. And thanks for the advice too – I was hoping to do the trip from Siem Reap the way you did, I think now I will look for an alternative!

By: Francoise

Francoise — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 01:47:03 +0000

What an experience! Great Story.

…guess you've been cured of motorbike travel for a bit, non? ;-)