Why You Need To Visit Siem Reap, Cambodia

Angkor Wat is the main attraction of visitors to Siem Reap.

Siem Reap is one of the major cities in Cambodia with its main attraction is Angkor Wat. While not providing facilities like other major cities in Southeast Asia, it's urban development is actually quite impressive when compared to the situation which this country was just recovering from multiple crises that swept across Cambodia.

Given that development has just started here lots of things that you can learn from the way of life of local communities that are still strong encrusted with their original lifestyle. Flooded by tourists from around the world to see for themselves the magnificence of the buildings at Angkor, also help people here rebuild their lives through a variety of businesses in providing guests with the best service.

Wat Thmei, as a reminder of the history of old Cambodia.

Armed with old buildings that became the center of ancient government center, Siem Reap keep on visited by millions to see the remains of these historical remains. The visitors from diverse backgrounds and different purposes here reinstate the city as a center by the people such as how it was.

Despite not having attractions like any other big cities of other Southeast Asian cities, Siem Reap has a variety of interesting features that allow visitors to enjoy their vacation while they are here, important facilities such as transportation, food, markets/supermarket, and many recreational activities available here all at once and keep increasing over time.

Accommodation

Grand d'Angkor Hotel, the oldest hotel in Siem Reap.

Accommodation in the city includes the need for all the visitors of luxurious accommodation and hostel facilities and also the 'homestay'. Given that the tourism industry is booming here practically every hotels here has a relationship with leisure activities providers to help visitors make a reservation from their hotel respectively.

Transport

Among the peculiarities of this city is the transport system of its own. The flat land surface allowing the use of vehicles called “tuk-tuk” (motorcycle modified to carry more passengers comfortably). Transportation here is the same as any other cities with the domination by motorcycles on the main streets. But for the convenience of visitors, all forms of transport can be found here except train.

Food

The influx of tourists here allows various kinds of foods to be available for all people from around the world available here. It’s not only provided by the locals, but there are also restaurants runs by people from outside their own countries - perhaps they have become a permanent resident here!

Local food stalls can be found easily, while restaurants that serve customers with 'western foods' also found in most areas of the city. In fact, you might try exotic foods!

What make it easy for you to stays here is the “tuk-tuk” drivers and restaurant operators mostly can speak English well.

Activities

Visiting the silk farm, one of interesting thing to do.

Another majestic temple in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

You'll be happy if you get a chance to visit this temple.

Morning scene in front of the gate into the Bayon Temple complex.

While your main goal here is to visit Angkor Wat and the old temples around the area, Siem Reap provides a variety of other activities that you might not know. These activities includes land, water and air are all available at reasonable prices.

There are several museums that you need to visit to understand the history of ancient city of Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. While a visit to the handicraft centers mainly silk farms definitely add a bit of your knowledge. Likewise, if you are interested in deepening down the streets with cycling, a visit to the ‘water village’ or you just want to join 'cruise' around the Tonle Sap Lake. Air activities are also available if you are interested.

So if you're on vacation here only for a short period, you will not be able to do all of these activities. Make sure you come back.

A lot of things you can learn from the life of the people here. Given the condition of this city in the development stage, many things are still in a state of natural that might disappear in the nearest future.

For the purpose of transportation in Siem Reap you can contact; Mr. Salim & Mr. Nasir at; (+855) 9857 1840 “whatsapp” (+855) 7090 2910 “whatsapp” Email: threebrothers41@gmail.com; limangkor@yahoo.com; seangkor2011@hotmail.com; angkorlim@gmail.com; sekongangkor1@hotmail.com

The Beauty of Ha Long Bay, Hanoi, Vietnam

Ha Long Bay, which receives millions of unique visitors each year.

Ha Long Bay (Vietnam: Vinh Ha Long) sometimes also called Halong Bay is one of the unique places to visit in Southeast Asia. Named as one of UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 receiving millions of visitors each year, visit to Ha Long Bay is one of interesting note from MyRokan in 2016.

Ha Long Bay is located about 170 km east of Hanoi and takes 3 hours drive from main city of Hanoi. Every day thousands of tourists will be taken to Halong Bay by the tour operators with buses and minivans heading to the area to see the unique topography of Halong Bay.

The beauty of Halong Bay and Hanoi City's own uniqueness increase rapid tourism industry here. The rapid pace of development can be seen in a short period compared to the previous years where Vietnam engulfed by civil war and chaos. Today, the larger highways help smoothen the traffic between the two important places full with tourist attractions.

Halong Bay has a long history and has been inhabited since thousands of years BC. The study of history shows that it is inhabited by the Soi Nhu around 18,000 to 7000 years BC, Cái Bèo 7,000-5,000 BC and Ha Long from 5,000 to 3,500 earlier. It makes such historical areas of ​​Vietnam through the discoveries of artifacts in some areas of the Bai Tho Mountain, Cave Đầu go and Bai Chay.

Rows of local artwork on the journeys to Ha Long Bay. 

Views on the Ha Long Bay pier.

The rocks that form small islands in Ha Long Bay.

Along the way to Halong from Hanoi City you can also see the activity of the people in Vietnam actively farming with varieties of crops other than rice. Factories also established indicating gained of confidence by foreign investors to invest here. Locals people in Vietnam also has a variety of businesses from construction, electrical / electronics, small industries such as pottery, stone/marble carving, silks, pearls and so on. Be sure to open your eyes all along the journey to Halong Bay.

When approaching Halong Bay, the terrain seems to change; landform that at first seemed flat now change to hills of limestone from large numbers of limestone islands that make up Halong Bay areas. There are many oyster farms open for visitors when approaching to Halong Bay. Hang oysters can be seen clearly when the water receded during the midday.

You will be taken to the main pier (and this depends on the tour company you have chosen). Roughly, if you just want to see the uniqueness of Halong Bay, it is not so important. This is because there are so many piers operating here either for group tours or even individuals. So to assist your journey, the use of tour service is much easier.

At the entrance to the Thien Cung Cave (Attsuko and his colleagues - teachers from Japan).

The scenes in Thien Cung Cave.

One mistake I did when assuming that I can get the 'AA' batteries easily for the camera here at Hanoi and Halong Bay. In Hanoi there are no convenience stores like 7-Eleven, as in the other cities I visited. But I was lucky because there seems such shop during stopover at Halong Bay pier. Apparently the battery is rarely used (probably because of all the gadgets today using the rechargeable battery; Li-ion battery).

Among the most common activities here are cruising with small vessel while enjoying lunch of seafood. You will be taken to several locations to do some other activities such as kayaking, boating ( bamboo boat ) and visit several caves in addition to enjoying unique views of the entire topography of Halong Bay areas.

Activities in Ha Long Bay.

Among the interesting experiences in Ha Long Bay.

Although well recognized, water quality in Halong Bay does not allow you to plunge in and swimming in it. Anyway it is still one of great experiences that you get. Water quality is said to be affected by the uncontrolled activities of the villagers who’s live by the areas (water villages). It is however in the process of moving in stages by the Government of Vietnam in an effort to restore the environment in Halong Bay. However, tourism activities here also may be one factor contributing to the water situation.

A visit to the cave was a first experience for me to enter a cave. I only had the opportunity to enter the Thien Cung cave from which there are some other caves here includes Đầu Go, Sung Sot, Me Cung and other caves like Kim Quy, Tam Cung, Hoang Long, Lau Dai and so on. But it was a unique experience, because the cave was prepared accordingly to facilitate the tour purposes; so you're not worrying about your safety as well as the places you visit.

Halong Bay gives a great impact to the economic development of local communities in Vietnam. In only a short period of time the development in the surrounding area continuously increases as well as the local population. It is a destination that I may visit again.

How Pearl Created By Oyster

Pearl in the oyster.

Pearl is a substance that is produced not only by the oyster, but by most living things that are similar to oysters. The process of formation of a natural pearl is rare. So today pearls are produced mainly by the oyster farming industry learned thousands of years ago.

Pearls are actually produced from 'calcium carbonate' as well as materials to produce the shell of the oyster itself. This layer is used to coat materials that entered into the oyster shell that may consist of foreign objects such as sand and other materials. These foreign objects can cause injury to the soft parts of the oyster, so it needs to be overlaid with 'nacre' also known as 'mother of pearl'. This material can be seen on the inside of an oyster shell or other shellfish.

Various types of pearls produced by living things.

Pearls extracted from oysters.

Apart from used to make jewelries, pearls are also used in cosmetics, drugs and even paint. While the pearls available today are mostly produced through the oyster farming industry, to ensure that the oyster producing pearls, the foreign objects are inserted manually into the oyster to be plated with 'nacre' and producing the pearls.

For a long time pearl considered being among the precious materials, even today it can be found at cheaper price, it still requires an oyster to produce it.

Crown produced from natural pearls.

Black pearl and oyster.

The Unique Life of Coconut Crab

Coconut Crab size can reach up to 1 meter.

Coconut crab (Cancer crumentus) also known as coconut thief, not living in the sea as well as red crabs, but live near the beach to make sure it is not too far from the source of water - the sea.

Coconut crabs are of the same type of a hermit crab where during young its needs other protection such as snails shells to keep them from being eaten by other predators. This is because the adult female crabs will release the eggs on the beach and in the sea where the crab’s young will spend time until they become adult and live on land as well. But the crabs should ensure their body moisture remains to prevent them from dying.

The area where the Coconut Crab can be found.

The most interesting about coconut crab is also an advantage to this species to any other crabs is the ability of climbing the coconut tree. That is why he was given the title of 'Coconut Thieves Crab'. This is because the coconut crab climbs the tree when the day began to cool down and when the day is getting dark. So if you're on the beach at night under a palm tree maybe you should not be afraid if there is something on the tree. It maybe a coconut crab is enjoying his favorite food - the coconut.

Coconut Crabs color varies from red to blue.

The coconut crab habitat is in the coastal of small islands in East Africa up to the South Pacific. Coconut crab considered as delicacy by human so it is less common in areas inhabited by humans. Due to the slow growth rate, the number is decreasing day by day.

Size of an adult coconut crab can reach up to 1 meter (3 feet) from foot to foot with foot weight of 4.1 kg (9 lb). It also can achieve up to 60 years of age. If you recall sea animals such as giant clams that are also has a long life that can reach up to hundreds of years old.

Coconut crab and coconut that might be it's food.

Once the eggs are hatched at sea, crab larvae will live in shallow coastal areas about 3-4 weeks and then it will stay on the seabed using shells snails as protection. Crab reaches maturity when it’s reaching the age of 5 years old.

Given these, crabs require a long time to reach a maturity age and it takes few more years to reach suitable size to be eaten by human. It is not worth it, if it became a favorite food. Maybe people did not have much choice and the taste of crab meat is typical unless if it’s prepared with other ingredients and spices with suitable cooking methods.

Coconut crabs climb coconut trees.

Coconut crabs can still be found on certain Pacific Islands where today it is respected as one of the creatures that have the function to keep the balance of nature. What is important for us to recognize this unique crab that is not just live on the land but also can climb coconut trees that is impossible for the other crabs! Do you want to see this crab in their habitat someday?

Micro Post; Hermit Crab

Hermit crab walk on the beach.

Hermit Crab is very unique because it is a creature that resembles a crab but require home (usually empty snail shells) which will be taken here and there to protect the soft parts of their body.

Although resembling crab, hermit crab has its own species and consists of the 1100 species known. Although hermit crabs usually use snail shells to serve as 'home' for their protection, there is also a hermit crab using stones or empty timber as cover material.

Hermit crab body is too soft and become an easy prey for predators.

Hermit crabs inhabit the ocean at various depths, whether on the beach, or even in the shallow waters or deeper. In the tropics there are hermit crabs that live on land (as well as species of land crab and coconut crab). It is nevertheless going into the sea to lay their eggs and hatch their eggs. Besides, most of the hermit crab is out at night to find food.

The biggest problem for a hermit crab is when it’s getting bigger; it needs to get bigger shells to enable it to be comfortable. The narrow shells will cause stunted growth and the possibility of losing their very precious shelter. You may be surprised to see a competition between a hermit crab to grab the empty shells to be used as a shelter. This competition may cause a hermit crab kill each other.

Hermit crab with sea anemones.

For some larger species, the security measures are also using sea anemones to scare other predators. This is because sea anemones have poisonous tentacles that could have resulted in the deaths of these predators.  Sea anemones will benefit from a hermit crab food waste as one of the rewards of this partnership.

To give you a clearer picture about the fierce competition in the life of a hermit crab to get protection (shell), you may watch the video below for a better understanding.