In case it’s not been obvious from my avatar or my signature line, I’m just making the official announcement that I’ve taken a job with Asia Adventures, a Cambodian tour operator that offers cycling, trekking, cruise and traditional tours in Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam & Laos. I make the big move on July 31.
It all started about a year and a half ago when I joined my partner’s company trip to Siem Reap. Since it was a typical, escorted group trip, I didn’t get to explore the place as much as I’d have liked. I did know, however, that I wanted to go back. For Chinese New Year this year, an American friend suggested we get out of the country, so we went back to Siem Reap, but independently this time. We had such a great time, we went back again in February, since that would be the only other long-weekend holiday this year.
After that, I started casually checking out the employment situation there and found an opportunity at Asia Adventures. Since my career prior to moving to Taiwan was in the travel industry (20 years worth), and since I love cycling and would love to help share Cambodia with people who haven’t experienced it yet (or even those who have and want more), it seemed like a good match. The company was looking for someone with some experience in international travel to help with sales and marketing, so it worked for them, too. Dontcha love it when things work out like that?
The main office is in the capital city of Phnom Penh. I’ll work there for a few months, then the plan is to open a branch office for them in Siem Reap. I’ll work on their sales and marketing program, and help them grow their presence in Siem Reap in addition to their regional and national tours.
They have a nice selection of tours. Maybe a little expensive for Cambodia but I would sign up for one of these since it’s within my budget and it’s always reassuring when you kind of know someone that works for the company.
As far as I could tell, for a fully supported bike tour, I thought it was competitive, comparatively inexpensive even… I’ll have to do more research when I get there.
As far as I could tell, for a fully supported bike tour, I thought it was competitive, comparatively inexpensive even… I’ll have to do more research when I get there.[/quote]
I’ve seen cheaper trekking (not in Cambodia) but usually they are cutting corners. So I usually don’t have a problem paying a little more to a better guiding service. Of course a lot of times you don’t know if you are getting better service for the extra money.
I am envious. I’ve spent my past 3 winter breaks trekking in Virachey National Park in Cambodia’s northeast, and I would love to live there. Love Phnom Penh, too. Congrats!
You should chat with our reservations supervisor, Piseth. He’s a trekking fanatic. He’s been all over the place. Some pretty cool pictures on his Facebook page.
And you’re the only person I’ve ever talked to that said they loved Phnom Penh. I love Siem Reap and I’m counting the days before we actually open our branch office there, but Phnom Penh was chaos. I will NEVER complain about Taipei traffic again. The National Museum and Royal Palace were nice, and Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields were deeply moving, but I will take Siem Reap any day.
I love Siem Reap, too, especially the surrounding countryside. One of the friends I made there took me to his village, about an hour outside of town. Amazing. Got invited to a wedding there. Also amazing. There are pictures of both in my gallery (link in the first post). Love the temples, the floating villages, the waterfalls, love it.
The city is getting a little over-developed. Too many hotels. The Old Market is a bit out of control. “Pub Street” is starting to feel like Bourbon Street , but without the character.
Craig, I LOVE Phnom Penh. Stay away from the immediate Riverside area, and the city will grow on you. I love how it has few -if any- “must see” attractions. There are, of course, plenty of things to look at, like crumbling old French mansions (particularly back on Norodom Blvd and some of the sidestreets nearby). I love having a $2 breakfast of fresh BBQ chicken on top of rice with an exquisite Vietnamese or Cambodian iced coffee. Give it time, you’ll love it too.
I will be returning to Cambodia in January 2012, to trek Virachey up in Ratanakiri for the 4th year in a row. This time, however, I have something like a mission, as I will be bringing motion-triggered camera traps in an effort to document endangered species. Your friend at the company might want to come along (PM me his email address, if that’s cool), as it will be a 16-day trek -our biggest yet- to an unsurveyed section of the park called the Yak Yeuk Grasslands. I describe the area in a recent interview that I did with the environmental Web site Mongabay.com: news.mongabay.com/2012/0503-hanc … rview.html
In fact, Virachey, really, really needs a better organized and better advertised ecotourism program in the park; the one the rangers currently run is basically in tatters. I wonder if they might be open to the idea of allowing a private company to cooperate with them. I don’t see why not.
