September in Thailand and Cambodia: Tips?

[ggobkk]

Chinese app Blued works great in China and outside of China will quickly link to visiting Chinese.  Seems that the Thai money boys also populate Blued.

[DivineMadman]

Blued has been advertising heavily in Thailand.

[Guest ryanasia]

Getting there late also seems successful for avoiding the crowds. Perhaps the Tuk Tuk drivers follow a similar circuit.

 

Apologies for the loser comment, must have been too much wine.

 

 

As for fake GPS apps, there are many of them on the google app store. Just pick one with a reasonable customer rating. I have tried 2 or 3 of them. Currently I use Fake GPS, which allows users to store up to 6 fake locations for free.

 

Thanks for the tip about grindr being popular. Travelling around, I see different apps are popular in different countries.

Not using Grindr might have explained the quiet time on the apps last time I was in Cambodia.

Clearly it makes sense to try several different ones, to find out where all the boys are.

 

Planet Romeo might be fine in Pattaya, but in (say) Portugal, it is very quiet & Grindr is much more popular.

In the part of England where I am, there are clearly a lot more people on the newer apps. Current filter OFF stats for other people within a 10 km range of me are:

Planet Romeo 1

Jack D 9

Hornet 13

Grindr 64

 

 

I suppose it is now necessary to know all the apps which stand a chance of being popular, so we can try them in other SE Asian countries. Not just the usual suspects, but what about the Chinese app Blued ? Or something more obscure.

 

I went straight from the bar at 4 am and showed up before sunrise. You could see the buses on the road behind me. There were already tour groups but luckily they read every sign on the way in. I had the main temple basically to myself for around 30 minutes and was able to stay ahead of the groups for the next temples. 

[Brummbaer]

Only problem in REP I can foresee is "NAFTA" after a couple of days. That's the Not-Another-Fu**ing-Temple-Affliction. After 2-4 days climbing up and down temple ruins you just don't want to see any more broken stones.

[vinapu]

Only problem in REP I can foresee is "NAFTA" after a couple of days. That's the Not-Another-Fu**ing-Temple-Affliction. After 2-4 days climbing up and down temple ruins you just don't want to see any more broken stones.

that's why handy break on the lake will help. It's not that one will not get dinner served if doesn't prove visiting 5 temples a day.

 

But certainly you made good point specially if one is not big fan of crumbling structures.    

[Brummbaer]

Oh, I did enjoy seeing Angkor Wat, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing and then it's not fun any more.

[Moses]

Oh, I did enjoy seeing Angkor Wat, but sometimes you can have too much of a good thing and then it's not fun any more.

 

That why is good planning is important

 

Tips: 

1. Start your daily trip to Angkor as early as it is possible. Best time is 7 - 7:30, you will be after crowd watched sunrise and before main caravan of buses with groups

2. Hire AC car, not tuk-tuk: you will have relax in car btw temples - usually such trip takes 5-10 min and this time you will be cooled by AC, also you will find yourself and clothes clean after travel (red dust from roads is hard to wash out), also good car companies supply cars with cooled complimentary water and cold towels.

3. Don't waste your time in Angkor to lunch: food is overpriced, low quality, poisoning is possible, bring with you bottle of water 1-2 apples/bananas, 

4. Don't hurry up. Better to have 4-5 days of wonderful vacation than 2-3 days of maraphone. Daily start at 7AM, return to hotel at 1-2PM, chill body in pool at peak of heat and take a lunch after, then short nap and you will be fresh again to sunset.

5. Sunrise and sunsets in Cambodia are whole year almost at the same time - about 6/18 +/- 20min. 

6. Don't spend time at "sunrise in Angkor" show - it is overcrowded, no, OVERCROWDED. You will find yourself in noisy crowd of excited people instead of romantic silence of the great show of Nature.

7. Don't miss sunset at Tonle Sap (lake) - sunsets there is colorful and sometimes is much colorful than most known sunsets in Kenya. Bring your lovely boy with you and make as many pictures as you can - light at time of sunset is magical for best photography. 

8. Woman's temple Beantey Srei is a MUST. It is 30 km from Siem Rap, but only Angkor Wat can compete with it. On the way back you can visit land mine museum.

9. Best folk dance Apsara show is on the second floor in restaurant (sic!) next (to right) to Khmer Soup restaurant at Pub Street. It is free if you take a table and ordering meals. Don't agree to far tables - better to reserve first row table at next day. Restaurant has a group of good trained artists, they make good quality show daily. Most other places with "Apsara show" in town - overpriced traps for tourists.

10. Siem Reap has real European quality gay bar since past year - Barcode, show is so so, but interior, atmosphere and drinks are super, best time is after 9PM, but better to come early - to take a seats and table.

11. Best dinners with local cusine and reasonable prices - already mentioned Khmer Soup (Pub street, right side if you are going from Blue Pumpkin)

12. Khmer have no idea what mean word "coffee". The only place in town with good coffee - Blue Pumpkin and it's branches. 

13. Don't forget to visit Cultural Village in town - you will see silk farm and art crafting.

14. All moneyboys are mostly straight and lazy. The best place to meet really willing boy is Men's sauna btw 6pm and 8pm, it has dark room and labirinth with cabins. There are bar and kitchen also in Mens, but kitchen is so so (very so so).

 

Please feel free to ask questions, but only about Siem Reap - I don't like PP.

[a447a]

A trip to Tonle Sap lake to see Kampong Phluck is definitely worthwhile and a totally different experience from all those temples. As a bonus you get to see hot, hot shirtless Cambodian guys frolicking in the river or even taking showers on their boats.

 

But don't do what I did. Normally I'd take a comfortable car but for some reason I decided to go by tuk-tuk. (Probably because the driver was drop-dead gorgeous). I wasn't prepared for the appalling road conditions - it was one huge pothole after the other, all the way there and back. And it is quite a long way from central SR. I still don't know how I survived, but my back was aching for days afterwards. I never realised that the tuk-tuks don't have any suspension.

 

There are a few massage places along the street leading to the night market in the centre of town. You'll get lots of come-ons from the guys wanting to give you a private message upstairs.

[Brummbaer]

Sunset on Tonle Sap lake was brilliant. My friend took a local boy out on the lake, I had my BF to cuddle with. Just us four plus the youngish captain on the boat. And yes, we did get there by remok (colonial influence raising it's head, "remorque" meaning trailer)  . Funny how different countries have different kinds of tuk tuks. Cambodia the trailer behind a mocy, Laos two benches like on a songthaew...

 

Coffee and cake at any of the Blue Pumpkin branches were good. Coffee, cocktails and ice cream at the french style Le Grand Café between Old Market and Hospital was good too. That's on 2 Thnou Street between Street 09 and 08. 08 is the one leading to Barcode, if I remember right.

[Guest whall]

Keep them coming! The suggestions are great!

[Guest]

A lot of good advice earlier, although I think the Tuk Tuks are taking some unfair criticism.

 

I've found the suspension to be adequate and not had a problem with excess dust either (September). I find them to be quite fun.

 

 

I'm also quite fussy about coffee, but still managed to get a nice morning coffee at one of the bars near the centre. Getting a decent coffee in Siem Reap & PP is not that difficult. Compare with Burma, where it can be really difficult to find a tidy coffee.

When I say morning coffee, it's most definitely AFTER 9:00 am. I'm not an early riser on holiday.

[DivineMadman]

A lot of good advice earlier, although I think the Tuk Tuks are taking some unfair criticism.

 

I've found the suspension to be adequate and not had a problem with excess dust either (September). I find them to be quite fun.

 

 

I'm also quite fussy about coffee, but still managed to get a nice morning coffee at one of the bars near the centre. Getting a decent coffee in Siem Reap & PP is not that difficult. Compare with Burma, where it can be really difficult to find a tidy coffee.

When I say morning coffee, it's most definitely AFTER 9:00 am. I'm not an early riser on holiday.

I like the idea of tuktuks more than the reality.  I am tall-ish, so the process of folding me into the tuktuk, and then unfolding me to get out, is not a pretty one.  More important, because my head is jammed up against the roof I can't really see out the sides at all, so end up just looking at the traffic following behind.

 

Having said that, I took a tuktuk from Vientiane out to the sculpture garden (name forgotten), and had a great, spine-re-aligning, time.  

 

But I agree Siem Reap can be very dusty out as you go exploring.  Plus you're guide will probably really appreciate an air-conditioned car also.

[musgrave]

I went to SR a few years ago and did a day tour out to Tonle Sap - included a boat ride out to the floating village.  Did not start well with the boatman asking for additional money above the ticket I had already purchased. The boat ride was enjoyable and the boatman and his offsider turned out fine.  We did pull in to the floating store where I was asked if I wanted to buy some supplies to take to the floating school - the prices for the stationery were exhorbitant.  My suggestion is if you intend to do a trip on Tonle SAp and visit the school buy some supplies in SR.

[Guest]

Actually, money boys from  Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia go to Thailand to earn money.

You don't have to go to these countries for sex other than tourism.

Thailand is the central hub for sex. Vietnam would be different.

We might not go to these countries for sex, but after a day of viewing temples, there are still many hours left in the evening. If spending 2 weeks in Cambodia or Vietnam, a little fun in the evening can be good.

That's a long time to go without, even if the purpose of our visit is for other sightseeing activities.

After Thailand, Cambodia used to be the next best, but Siem Reap is certainly not what it used to be. I presume the working boys have gone to Thailand. .

 

In Vietnam, I didn't get a single lad to my hotel room in 10 days, but there were a few very exciting massages.

[numazu]

 

I think it's called Fake GPS. Lol

 

Yup it's literally called "Fake GPS". It's only on Android devices with Google Play though, I don't think you can do that on iOS on an Iphone. I could be wrong. All your apps will point to the geolocation that Fake GPS is set to.

 

 

Thanks for the tip about grindr being popular. Travelling around, I see different apps are popular in different countries.

Not using Grindr might have explained the quiet time on the apps last time I was in Cambodia.

Clearly it makes sense to try several different ones, to find out where all the boys are.

 

 

I suppose it is now necessary to know all the apps which stand a chance of being popular, so we can try them in other SE Asian countries. Not just the usual suspects, but what about the Chinese app Blued ? Or something more obscure.

 

 

I do have almost all the apps on my phone in case one or two apps are more popular in a particular country or city. I open all of them at least once to push my profile in the location, and gravitate towards the one that gets the more hits. Invariably, Grindr works best for me for some reason. Not always, but often enough for me to preferential check it.

 

 

 

That why is good planning is important 

 

Tips: 

1. Start your daily trip to Angkor as early as it is possible. Best time is 7 - 7:30, you will be after crowd watched sunrise and before main caravan of buses with groups

2. Hire AC car, not tuk-tuk: you will have relax in car btw temples - usually such trip takes 5-10 min and this time you will be cooled by AC, also you will find yourself and clothes clean after travel (red dust from roads is hard to wash out), also good car companies supply cars with cooled complimentary water and cold towels.

3. Don't waste your time in Angkor to lunch: food is overpriced, low quality, poisoning is possible, bring with you bottle of water 1-2 apples/bananas, 

4. Don't hurry up. Better to have 4-5 days of wonderful vacation than 2-3 days of maraphone. Daily start at 7AM, return to hotel at 1-2PM, chill body in pool at peak of heat and take a lunch after, then short nap and you will be fresh again to sunset.

5. Sunrise and sunsets in Cambodia are whole year almost at the same time - about 6/18 +/- 20min. 

6. Don't spend time at "sunrise in Angkor" show - it is overcrowded, no, OVERCROWDED. You will find yourself in noisy crowd of excited people instead of romantic silence of the great show of Nature.

7. Don't miss sunset at Tonle Sap (lake) - sunsets there is colorful and sometimes is much colorful than most known sunsets in Kenya. Bring your lovely boy with you and make as many pictures as you can - light at time of sunset is magical for best photography. 

8. Woman's temple Beantey Srei is a MUST. It is 30 km from Siem Rap, but only Angkor Wat can compete with it. On the way back you can visit land mine museum.

9. Best folk dance Apsara show is on the second floor in restaurant (sic!) next (to right) to Khmer Soup restaurant at Pub Street. It is free if you take a table and ordering meals. Don't agree to far tables - better to reserve first row table at next day. Restaurant has a group of good trained artists, they make good quality show daily. Most other places with "Apsara show" in town - overpriced traps for tourists.

10. Siem Reap has real European quality gay bar since past year - Barcode, show is so so, but interior, atmosphere and drinks are super, best time is after 9PM, but better to come early - to take a seats and table.

11. Best dinners with local cusine and reasonable prices - already mentioned Khmer Soup (Pub street, right side if you are going from Blue Pumpkin)

12. Khmer have no idea what mean word "coffee". The only place in town with good coffee - Blue Pumpkin and it's branches. 

13. Don't forget to visit Cultural Village in town - you will see silk farm and art crafting.

14. All moneyboys are mostly straight and lazy. The best place to meet really willing boy is Men's sauna btw 6pm and 8pm, it has dark room and labirinth with cabins. There are bar and kitchen also in Mens, but kitchen is so so (very so so).

 

Please feel free to ask questions, but only about Siem Reap - I don't like PP.

 

 

 

Amazing tips, thanks Moses. I saved this in my notes in my phone .  THANK YOU.

 

 

A trip to Tonle Sap lake to see Kampong Phluck is definitely worthwhile and a totally different experience from all those temples. As a bonus you get to see hot, hot shirtless Cambodian guys frolicking in the river or even taking showers on their boats.

 

But don't do what I did. Normally I'd take a comfortable car but for some reason I decided to go by tuk-tuk. 

 

 

Sunset on Tonle Sap lake was brilliant. My friend took a local boy out on the lake, I had my BF to cuddle with. Just us four plus the youngish captain on the boat. And yes, we did get there by remok (colonial influence raising it's head, "remorque" meaning trailer)  . Funny how different countries have different kinds of tuk tuks. Cambodia the trailer behind a mocy, Laos two benches like on a songthaew...

 

Coffee and cake at any of the Blue Pumpkin branches were good. Coffee, cocktails and ice cream at the french style Le Grand Café between Old Market and Hospital was good too. That's on 2 Thnou Street between Street 09 and 08. 08 is the one leading to Barcode, if I remember right.

 

OK, you guys have convinced to go to Tonle Sap. I asked Gareth if it is possible to squeeze it in. I am waiting for his reply. Great advice about the car vs. Tuk Tuk. Car all the way i guess.

 

Coffee to me is important, so Brummbaer, these are brilliant suggestions, thanks!

 

 

Actually, money boys from  Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia go to Thailand to earn money.

 

You don't have to go to these countries for sex other than tourism.

 

Thailand is the central hub for sex. Vietnam would be different.

 

We might not go to these countries for sex, but after a day of viewing temples, there are still many hours left in the evening. If spending 2 weeks in Cambodia or Vietnam, a little fun in the evening can be good.

That's a long time to go without, even if the purpose of our visit is for other sightseeing activities.

After Thailand, Cambodia used to be the next best, but Siem Reap is certainly not what it used to be. I presume the working boys have gone to Thailand. .

 

Yes, sightseeing is the primary goal to go to Cambodia. But any working boys I encounter, even if they are inferior to their more seasoned exports in BKK and Pattaya, will be welcome. Grindr may yield me some free boys as well. If all else fails, I am importing my Khmer friend from Pattaya and he will be there for any horniness that may happen.

 

THANKS for the tips. Again, keep them coming, and maybe again some more for Phnom Penh!

[Guest whall]

I just created a spreadsheet and saved all this. So you guys know you are not wasting your time sharing all these good tips. Very valuable!

[firecat69]

I had no problem on Hornet.

[Guest]

Maybe I was using the wrong app in Vietnam, but it just didn't work out there.

 

The only Vietnamese guy I clearly recall going with was in Singapore, although I'm not quite sure if there was also one in Thailand.

[Alexx]

From my experience, but mostly limited to HCMC where I go frequently, both Grindr and Hornet work well in Vietnam. GayRomeo, not so much.

[DivineMadman]

I found Hornet was pretty active in HCHC, Hanoi and to a lesser extent Da Nang (but still worthwhile).  Other places not so much.

[numazu]

I made it to Phnom Penh!

 

Tonle Sap, the sunset, and some shirtless soccer.

 

[captainmick]

Where are you staying Numazu? I'm sure you will have an amazing time. Looking forward to your trip reports when he permits.

[NIrishGuy]

I went to SR a few years ago and did a day tour out to Tonle Sap - included a boat ride out to the floating village.  Did not start well with the boatman asking for additional money above the ticket I had already purchased. The boat ride was enjoyable and the boatman and his offsider turned out fine.  We did pull in to the floating store where I was asked if I wanted to buy some supplies to take to the floating school - the prices for the stationery were exhorbitant.  My suggestion is if you intend to do a trip on Tonle SAp and visit the school buy some supplies in SR.

 

Ha, I too went on that same trip and got the same story re would I like to buy stuff for the school etc and of course like a newbie sucker I said yes  - so away we went to the school ( next door to the shop from what I can recall) and duly handed over the stuff i'd bought to the teacher right in front of all the politely lined up young pupils - only for her to instantly turn and hand them back to some guy, who then proceeded to take them right back out the back door again and back into the shop, all ready to be re-sold to the next sucker who came along lol.

 

At the time I thought "well fuck that, I've just been well scammed" however the more I thought about it I came to the conclusion that it was just a very efficient way of ( hopefully the school) making some much needed funds as I'm guessing there's only so many actual books and pencils that they need, DID they DO also need money just to pay their teacher etc so the revolving school items trick was just a good way for them to generate cash!

 

So, being the positive thinking person I am I decided to give them the benefit of the doubt and have always since assumed that my money did in deed go to a good cause - OR someone went to a LOT of trouble setting up a fake school and roping in a few kids to sit and look like pupils to really coin it in from us idiot tourists ( probably the more likely story :-)  but either way for all the little amount I'm sure I spent was it was was very worth it just to learn that little bit more of life experience.

[firecat69]

Fabulous sunset photo!!!!

[Brummbaer]

I'm really looking forward to a trip report, as I'll be in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville last week of october with my Thai boyfriend.