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Southeast Asian Adventure
  • Marina Neyer

Southeast Asian Adventure

Marina discovering Southeast Asia - let’s get the adventure started 🛫 Read more
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  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    🇰🇭Cambodia here I am

    Jan 25–27, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 32 °C

    The next morning I set off early on the ferry to Ha Tien, where I am persuaded to cross the border into Cambodia with a "guide" (seemed to be the more convenient option). First by scooter to the border crossing and then by bus directly to the center of Kampot. 🛵🚐

    Unfortunately, the eVisa I got in advance is not accepted at this border crossing (my bad) and I have to pay again for the visa. 🥲Nobody knows exactly where the exact price comes from, the officials there try to get more everywhere - be it 1$ for a photo or a different price is charged instead of the tourist visa. The best thing to do is just pay and don't argue 🤷🏼‍♀️

    After a long wait and a somewhat bumpy bus ride, I arrive at my first destination in Cambodia - Kampot.    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    Kampot

    January 26, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 33 °C

    Kampot, globally known for its pepper, is actually not that touristy yet, but is becoming an increasingly popular destination, especially for backpackers. However, on the very first evening I notice that sex tourism is quite present in this small town, which gives the whole thing a negative aftertaste - but well, I try to avoid this notorious area. 🙃

    🚲To see more of the area, I decide to go on a bike tour the next day (Jason's Bike Tour - highly recommended!). The four of us explore the area while Jason tells us a lot about the culture, history and religion in Cambodia.

    🍲We have lunch with the locals and are lucky enough to see how palm sugar is produced in a "factory".

    Cambodia is known to be a very poor country, but the people are very welcoming. I learn that spirits and ghosts are very important to the Khmer people. Alcoholism is a big problem and many people in the larger cities are exploited by the Chinese.

    🏠The old wooden houses in rural areas often stand on pillars. Why? Because on the one hand it is much cooler underneath and the wind blows through. On the other hand, livestock used to be kept there. The higher the pillars, the larger the animals that belonged to the family and the wealthier the family was. From chickens and pigs to cows and even elephants, which were owned by very wealthy families.

    🐦What is also very noticeable - birdsong - everywhere! However, most tourists don't know that these are not real birds, but just recordings. In the upper floors of some houses, birds are attracted by the chirping and then build nests there. These are then sold to China as a delicacy. (birds nest soup)

    Kampot is famous for its pepper.
    Now I also know where you are really sent when you say "go where the pepper grows" 😂

    💦There is also a pond in almost every village/town, which was or is still partly used for water supply - or for swimming.

    🙏🏼5% of the population is Muslim, but more than 80% of the total population is Buddhist. Nowadays, the predominant form and state religion is Theravada Buddhism. Being a monk is commonplace in Cambodia, with many young men joining a monastery, even temporarily.    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    Koh Rong

    Jan 27–30, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☀️ 29 °C

    After two nights in Kampot, I take the train and ferry to the white sand beach paradise Koh Rong together with the Swiss girl Corinne, who I met on the bike tour.

    Once there, we quickly realize that we have arrived on the party side of the island 🥲

    The mobile reception here is relatively poor and blackouts are the order of the day - good for relaxing, anyway.
    I'm almost attacked by monkeys and we plan a snorkeling trip for the next day.

    After snorkeling and seeing lots of different sea creatures, including squid and nudibranchs - a type of sea snail - we explore the other side of the island. 🦑🐚🐠

    I then head on to Koh Rong Sanloem for a night - where things are definitely more relaxed than on the main island. 🏝️    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    The capital

    Jan 30–31, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ☁️ 33 °C

    Initially not planned, I make a stop in Cambodia's capital Phnom Penh because it's on the way to Siem Reap anyway and I really want to visit the Genocide Museum.
    Apart from the S21 Museum and the Royal Palace, which in my opinion is not really worth seeing, the city doesn't really have much to offer apart from a few other temples.

    But the Tuol Sleng S21 is definitely worth a visit! In the Cambodian genocide between 1975 and 1979, around 20% of the total population was killed - 1.5-2 million people.
    In S21, which was previously a school and then turned into a prison, around 20,000 people were held, tortured and mostly murdered on the so-called killing fields.
    Some of the original cells still exist today.    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler
    1

    Khmer Empire 🛕

    Jan 31–Feb 3, 2024 in Cambodia ⋅ ⛅ 34 °C

    After a somewhat bumpy 6-hour bus journey, I arrive in Siem Reap.
    The city is probably Cambodia's best-known tourist destination due to its huge temple complexes.

    I plan a city walking tour for the first day and then a cooking class - unplanned, I get a private class - but that leaves more food for me 🤷🏼‍♀️ There's fish amok (a kind of curry), pineapple fried rice, mango salad and banana in coconut milk.

    After various struggles with my credit card 🥴 I arrive at Phnom Bakheng, which is part of the Angkor Wat temple complex, just in time for sunset. With the 1-day pass, you get free entry from 17:30 the day before. I'm greeted by crowds of people there - but it's still a beautiful sunset.

    The next day starts at 5.00 a.m., when I am picked up by tuk tuk for the Angkor Wat tour together with Corinne, who has just arrived on the night bus.

    Angkor was once the capital of the Khmer empire, which flourished from the 9th to the 15th century. Today, the city is home to Cambodia's most popular attraction - the temple of Angkor Wat, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
    The Angkor Archaeological Park covers 163 hectares and is home to 72 temples and other buildings. Of course, it is impossible to visit them all in one day - and at 36 degrees - not necessarily pleasant either.

    🛕The temple complex of Angkor Wat was initially built as a Hindu temple complex for the god Vishnu during the Khmer Empire rule. However, it was gradually converted into a Buddhist temple in the late 12th century.

    Conclusion: definitely worth seeing, impressive, huge and highly recommended with a tour guide!    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler
    banana flower (they make salad out of it)

    Yogyakarta

    Feb 3–6, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Cambodia to Indonesia. After a stopover in Kuala Lumpur, I arrive in Yogyakarta, Java, in the late afternoon.

    I stay here for 3 nights and recover from the lack of sleep of the last few days. Yogyakarta is a lively city, known for street art, crafts and batik clothes - everywhere. I quickly realise that this part of Indonesia is very Muslim and I don't really know whether it's ok to walk around here in shorts and without my shoulders covered 🤷🏼‍♀️🥴
    Also, the presidential election is about to take place, which is why the whole city is full of election adverts, i.e. posters and flags.

    Although I've actually had enough of temples for now, I visit another Hindu temple. I reach Prambanan by train just in time for the rain shower 🥲 (It's still the rainy season in Indonesia - it can rain from time to time throughout the day, even in torrents - but this usually passes quickly).
    There I met Sadie from China and Maria from Germany, who happened to be on the same flight as me.    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    Mount Bromo

    Feb 7–8, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Together with Maria and Sadie, we take the train to Malang in the evening, from where we set off an hour later, at 00:30, for the sunrise tour to the Bromo volcano. 🌋🌅
    I quickly realise that my plan to sleep on the bus is not going to work. Instead of the bus, we are travelling by jeep on an absolutely bumpy route to the highest point next to the volcano. We are joined by 1000 other jeeps.

    Luckily, we are right at the front and wait (& freeze) for an hour until the sun rises.
    In any case, not sleeping was once again well worth it! 🤩

    Afterwards we have the opportunity to walk up the crater.

    I arrive back in Malang at lunchtime and have a look round the area. Malang is actually quite a nice little town with colourful houses. But I'm really looking forward to going to bed - I have an early start to the airport the next morning 🛫    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    Komodo boat tour ⛵️

    Feb 8–11, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 29 °C

    After a night in Labuan Bajo, I plan a 3-day boat trip around Komodo.

    Unfortunately, there are mainly families and couples on the boat and I feel quite out of place.

    While snorkelling we see manta rays, Komodo Dragons in the Komodo National Park and hundreds of bats that start their journey from A to B at sunset.

    This boat tour is probably the most touristy thing I have ever done, but we still see extremely beautiful spots in Indonesia and wonderful sunrises and sunsets!

    Back at the harbour in Labuan Bajo, I head straight to the airport and Bali to meet Maria and Sadie again.    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    🏝️Nusa Penida

    Feb 12–14, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    When I arrive in Bali, I head straight to Sanur where I stay for one night.
    From there, I take a speedboat to Nusa Penida - a neighbouring island of Bali - together with Maria and Sadie the next day. 🚤

    We decide to explore the island ourselves by scooter (despite the fact that our host really advises us against it because the roads are catastrophic in places) 🫠
    Well, what can I say.
    Unfortunately, the exploration tour ends far too quickly with an accident.
    Sadie is crashed by a minivan on a narrow bend and has to go to hospital, where she is then taken to another hospital in Denpasar on the same day (and from there, a week later, back to her home country where she will hopefully be able to go through surgery soon 😕🤞🏼)

    As Maria is travelling to Denpasar with Sadie, I decide to go on a tour the next day to the most famous and of course extremely crowded places in Nusa Penida. From Diamond Beach, we continue to Broken Beach and Klingking Beach and finally to Cristal Bay for a swim. We see dolphins, rays and a turtle from the cliff. 🐬🐢

    On my last day here on the island, I relax in a beach club and make my way back to Bali, where I visit Sadie in hospital straight away.    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    Kuta & Uluwatu

    Feb 14–17, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    Back in Bali I spend 3 nights in Kuta near the hospital.

    Kuta itself somehow reminds me of the Ballermann. There's not too much for me to do here.
    I book a surf class and spend a day in Uluwatu, where the beaches are unfortunately also very crowded. 🏄🏼‍♀️⛱️

    The traffic here in Bali is crazy. Sometimes you're stuck in a traffic jam for longer than you drive.
    In any case, I'm glad that I no longer drive around on a scooter myself (especially
    after the accident, I've become much
    more cautious 🙃)

    On the last day, I take the speed boat to Lombok early in the morning. 🚤    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    Lombok 🏄🏼‍♀️🌊

    Feb 17–21, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 31 °C

    What I was really looking forward to - my long-awaited surf camp in Lombok! 🏄🏼‍♀️
    Lombok was also recommended to me by some friends who liked the island much better than Bali. I'm really looking forward to it!

    Sadie actually wanted to be there too, but unfortunately that's not possible due to the circumstances. 🏥😕

    I arrive at the harbor in Lombok at noon and then drive another 2 hours to the other end - to Kuta. On the way, we are greeted by hundreds of monkeys. And I can already tell that I'm going to love Lombok! 🐒

    As soon as we arrive at the camp, we have a surf briefing and the first surf class starts the next morning.
    Over the next four days, we spent a lot of time on the board paddling and catching waves 🌊 (or at least trying to 😂), in the pool at the camp or in the various restaurants in the area.

    I would have loved to stay longer, but unfortunately the camp was fully booked and I'm also really looking forward to my next destination and hope that I can relax a bit here!    Read more

  • Marina NeyerSoutheast Asian AdventureTraveler

    Gili Air 🏝️

    Feb 21–23, 2024 in Indonesia ⋅ ☁️ 30 °C

    After the exhausting but super cool last 4 days, I'm looking forward to relaxing on Gili Air.

    Gili Air is super quiet, there are no cars here, only a few e-scooters, bicycles and carriages. You can easily walk around the island in an hour. 🚲🐴

    Unfortunately, my hotel is right next to a mosque and I am kept awake for what feels like an eternity by the chanting (screaming??) of prayers at 4 in the morning.

    But another highlight of my trip - I see turtles while snorkeling on my snorkeling tour between the three Gili islands. 🐢

    Yoga is also very popular here on the island and I decide to start my last morning here with a vinyasa flow at the H2O yoga studio. 🧘🏼‍♀️    Read more

    Trip end
    February 29, 2024
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