Mekong River

Riding The Mekong to Cambodia

RIDING up the Mekong River is like watching an exhibition of human habitats co-existing with water. Rusty iron warehouses spring from river banks and jut out into the muddy, swirling waters - easy access for passing freight boats and ships to load and unload. Children hang out windows or balconies as if ready to plunge into the rapid, muddy, crocodile-infested torrent. It's all water, iron and bamboo on these shores. 

Billboards advertise crocodile farms. Where? Beneath the dilapidated house built only a meter above water. You can make out a type of wire netting protruding from the water, attached to the bamboo-thatched floor. An eerie feeling creeps up your spine. Imagine sleeping on that bamboo floor while croc eyes blink patiently beneath, waiting for that floor to collapse.... Unlikely to happen though - bamboo is a strong timber. 

As we move closer to the Cambodian border the river seems to spread to the horizon. Pulling up at customs, which is also a substitute temple, the river widens to about 3km. 

Customs itself is a welcoming introduction to Cambodia. Dingoes lay around the garden of the customs building while people admire the golden Buddhist statues. Once passports are stamped, onwards travel abounds. 

Throughout Cambodia the banks of the Mekong are covered with rain forest, a few crops, cows and next to no industry. Temples stand tall in the distance. A contrast with Vietnam's Mekong emerges. Little industry, just agriculture and religion predominate in this politically-fractured country. In fact, the only major infrastructure project I saw in all of Cambodia was on that river too. A giant bridge linking both sides of this small nation is being built. Not even the nation's capital, Phnom Penh (PP), can boast a bridge across this intimidating river. 

PP finally looms in the distance. Unlike most Asian cities you can only make out three high rise buildings in this urban sprawl. Coming in to dock, flags of the world stand tall along the banks. The exciting buzz of restaurants emits from an open-panned building, filled with customers. Old-school cruise ships with French names are docked at the harbor with tourists lounging about getting a deep sun tan. 

Upon arrival at the dock, a small bike taxi which can seat 4 people, picks you up and takes you to your hotel. There is no taxi vehicles in Cambodia, mostly its private rental car and driver - or the cheap and fun option - a bike taxi.  Just as my friends and I arrived at our hostel, a deluge of rain came down, and within 5 minutes the entire street looked like a raging creek. Such are the storms in this part of the world: fast and furious. About 30 minutes later we walked though the shin-high water to have a drink at the nearby bar. 

Food in Cambodia is diverse. You can eat whatever you want there and generally the prices and food quality are good. From local to French, PP has got you covered. The only thing that doesn't taste up to scratch is the local beer. It leaves an overly bitter taste in your mouth, like a chemical residue. Not so refreshing in copious amounts - even if you can get through the first glass to begin with! 

Typically in Asia, there is a sense of compactness and residential areas generally pop up next to places of industry. However, in this quiet country, forests abound and water stretches naturally over the flats, often filled with palm trees and rice fields. Cambodia is mostly undeveloped outside its major tourist attractions and it offers natural sights for sore eyes. Lush green fields and rolling hills straddled with temples are jewels in a continent of factories and cities.