Cambodia

South Asia is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world because of the area’s outstanding natural beauty, rich historical landmarks as well as unique culture. But taking a trip to South East Asia isn’t just about tasting the incredible local foods or lying on the sunny sandy beaches. Actually, there a number of fun-filled activities that you can do in South Asia that will make you active while on your trip. From kayaking and river rafting to rock climbing and scuba diving all through to trekking and motorcycle travelling. Motorcycle tours and adventures in South Asia will get your heart pumping.

Depending on the country you choose to visit, you can enjoy a combination of different activities when you travel.

Unique Activities to Engage In While On a Trip to South Asia

The adventures in South East Asia are endless, whether you’re a local or international tourist. You can decide to go on a trek adventure to the steaming volcano in Indonesia, scuba diving in the turquoise water of South Thailand or enjoy canyoning in Cebu Philippines. And how about taking motorcycle adventure trips when you visit Indonesia, Thailand, Laos or Myanmar? If you want a guided motorcycle tour motorcycle touring holiday, then there are plenty of things to enjoy in South Asia.

What Is Motorcycle Touring Holiday All About?

Motorcycle tours and holiday are perfect for travelling to the countries’ unseen places, old Buddhist temples, the local markets and experiencing the warm culture of the people around the Peninsula. To ensure you enjoy a well organized biking tour in Thailand, Burma, Laos, China or Cambodia, you need to work with a local motorcycle tour company. As a motorcycle traveler, you understand the joy and freedom that comes with riding through the midst of nature. But you should be aware that road conditions in these countries may vary from graded red dust highways all through to tarmac roads. Hence you should know what to carry along while on your trip.

Important Tips to Consider When Taking a Motorcycle Tour in South Asia

One of the most important tips you should remember as a motorcycle traveler is to have all your gear in place. Whether you’re travelling under the guide of a motorcycle travel agency or with a group of friends in the region, you should have essential gear such as a motorcycle helmet, motorcycle boots and wind jackets. The majority of motorcycle travel agencies carry out tours ranging from one day to 16 days tours, which most of the time requires planning. When planning to go on a motorcycle tour, it is important to consider working with a motorcycle tour agency because:

They’ll direct you to fun areas where there’s no traffic, no chaos and no trouble

You’ll receive special accommodations, meals and airport transport

Your travel motorcycle is fueled, oiled and fully insured

They make sure you see the real countryside, interact with indigenous local people and experience the real beauty of nature

A well-guided tour means you’ll avoid difficult off-road riding making the adventure less stressful

Visitor Pass to major historical sites like ancient temples, parks and other historical landmarks

Group motorcycle travelling which makes the experience even more fun

Excellent packaged motorcycle travelling adventures at reasonable rates

Sandboarding Adventures in Philippines and Vietnam

While you might have tried all the other adventures in your trip, you can endeavour to try something new. And sandboarding in Vietnam and the Philippines can just be the thing to set your mood high as you wind up your trip to Asia. Just like snowmobiling, where you need a snowmobile helmet, sandboarding requires some head gear for safety purposes. One of the best places to slide down is in the Laoag La Paz sand dunes in Philippine and the sand dunes of Mui Ne in Vietnam. Always remember to close your mouth while sliding down these areas! Sandboarding can be an exhilarating activity to engage in after a hefty hike or trek.

Conclusion

Motorcycle tours can be one of the best ways to get into the native villages and tropical forests of South Asia. It not only makes maneuvering through the dusty and sometimes bumpy terrains easier but it presents a cost-effective option of moving around the native markets and local historical sites. And with the help of motorcycle touring agencies, the tour can even be more fun because you’ll have many places to visit with a well-defined itinerary. And after you’re done with motorcycle touring, you might find sandboarding as a fun activity in your trip calendar. A trip to South Asia has just never been this fun!

Author Profile: Over the past 15 years, Laura Knight has been a motorcycle rider. She has built up an incredible passion for travelling by motorbike and always wishes to contribute to motorcyclist and traveler community. This is the reason why she created MotorManner.com where her passion is turned into useful and interesting information to the motorcyclists and travel lovers. Visit her blog to read more articles about motorcycle traveling gear reviews and helpful tips!

** Thanks to Ryan Gibson, the resident blogger at AsiaRooms for this brilliant guest post!

The Killing Fields are the execution grounds where millions of Cambodians were executed in the late 1970’s. The Killing Fields in Choeung Ek are just one of the many sites where people were killed. Their bodies were dumped in shallow graves, leaving behind a mass burial ground. This tragic graveyard has now become a big tourist attraction.

Those who seek something more from their holiday than just lying on a beach will appreciate this experience; it is guaranteed to be an eye opener. The Killing Fields have been converted into a sacred place to visit, in the hope that people will learn from this terrible event.

If you want an experience you will never forget and to get a real sense of the damage that man can do, then book a trip to Cambodia now. You will be guaranteed a life changing experience that will stay with you forever.

The History

In Cambodia there was a right wing military group called the Khmer Rouge. They were an extreme right wing terrorist army who opposed the government. Their general was Marshal Lon Nol; he made a right wing communist army and handed over control to Pol Pot. What he didn’t know was that Pol Pot was a ruthless tyrant, he has since been described as the Hitler of Cambodia. Their motto was ‘to keep you is no benefit – to destroy you is no loss’, showing their extremely low opinion of life.

Pol Pot decided to follow China’s communist regime, making everyone work in the fields. The Cambodian people were forced to live like peasants, working long days with little food or luxury. He didn’t want professionals such as lawyers, doctors and teachers, so he murdered them. Anybody who didn’t obey orders was killed. This was ethnic cleansing in its most extreme form. Not many well educated Cambodians survived this ordeal, and the country is still suffering because of this.

Some people were killed simply for knowing a foreign language or wearing glasses. Music was banned and radio sets were not allowed. Even children were taken from their parents to work on forced labour camps doing work on the fields. Religion wasn’t allowed in any sense or form and sadly a lot of Monks were killed.

There was no mercy, showing sadness or crying about the massacre of loved ones was punishable by death. This was not as quick as victims might have wished; as bullets were considered to be too precious people were bludgeoned to death by hand.

There were between 1.7 to 2.5 million deaths as a result, out of a population of 8 million. The genocide stopped in 1978 when Vietnam overthrew the Khmer Rouge. In 1979, after the Cambodian Vietnamese war, Pol Pot fled to the jungles of South West Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge government collapsed.

Cambodia has endured a turbulent history throughout much of the 20th century. It has seen conflict, political unrest, and worst of all, genocide. This dark history has attracted a great number of tourists who want to try and piece together the
history of Cambodia.

What is it Like to Visit?

Be prepared to hear some terrible stories, the devastation will humble you. It is a shocking representation of modern times but despite the deep sadness that dwells within the fields, some visitors say it is a very peaceful place. The site has been maintained respectfully in memory of those who lost their lives.

This experience is not for the faint hearted, there will be a few nasty shocks such as items of clothing buried in the dirt and even bones surfacing from the ground. It is not a place for children to visit. You will be able to hear personal stories from survivors, helping you to start to understand what they went through. This will be an emotional experience that will chill you to your bones. If you feel strong enough then there is a shrine with 8000 skulls on display, which demonstrates the magnitude of what happened.

Take your time as you look around and listen to the recordings, there is a lot of difficult information to absorb. There are a few quiet spots where you can sit and contemplate. You can listen to the recordings in English, at your own pace.

Visitors have described visiting the Killing Fields as both terrifying and fascinating at the same time. Many say the devastation is difficult to believe, even if the evidence is right in front of you. This will be an emotional experience that will shock you to your very core.

Why You Should Visit

Travel doesn’t always have to be a time to switch off and relax. It’s the perfect opportunity to discover the world and the history lost within it. Some people want to get something more from their holidays, where they take something away
with them.

If you truly want to understand the history of Cambodia then you must visit the killing fields, you won’t regret it. There are around 424 hotels in Cambodia, and it’s only twice the size of Scotland. Tourism is now an important part of the Cambodian economy, as it is helping to rebuild their country. Most of the population still survive on less than a dollar a day. There are still survivors, living just around the corner from the killing fields, trying to put their lives back together. It is vital we understand the magnitude of their suffering.

The Killing fields can be described as a form of ‘Dark Tourism’ which is catered to those interested in war, death camps and prisons. If you want something different on your next holiday, don’t miss out on visiting the Killing Fields.

How to Get There

Travellers can get a Tuk Tuk from the centre of Phnom Penh to the killing fields, which adds to the overall experience. Be aware that dirt from the roads can cause discomfort, so consider wearing a face mask to prevent you from breathing in any dust. Or if you fancy a quieter trip with air conditioning then you can always take a taxi. Choeung Ek is about 15km South West of the capital, Phnom Penh. Entry is around $5.

About the Author:

Ryan is the resident blogger at AsiaRooms. When Ryan is not working he spends his time travelling the globe, drawing on his travel experience and passion for travel to spread the good word. Ryan is also a social monkey and can be found lounging around on Twitter & Google+ and loves to interact with other travel bloggers.