Cambodia in August/September: recommendations?

[vacant]

Hi, firstly, great website and forum. I've spent hours and hours reading tips, stories and being inspired by trip reports. Hopefully I can add something once I return with first hand knowledge.

My gf and I are going to Cambodia for 17days in August/September (arrive 21 August). We arrive overland from Bangkok and then fly out of Phnom Penh. I have a few questions I hope can be answered here:

1. Is it possible to get a bus/taxi/whatever from Poipet to Battambang and then boat to Siem Reap at this time of year? If the boat is possible, any idea how long? (We will try to find someone to take us rather than a tourist boat, assuming this is possible.)
2. Is it possible at this time of year to boat to Phnom Penh? If so, any idea of how long? Again, we will try to hire a boat rather than take a tourist boat so that we can see things along the way.
3. We plan on hiring 2 Baja's in Phnom Penh and riding a circuit for 10 days. While there are lots of areas that look and sound spectacular, we're not sure what will be possible at this time of year and with the time we have. Possible trips we're thinking of are:
(a) Phnom Penh to Kep, overnight at rabbit island, Bokor hill station if possible (we'll hike up if the road is closed) and then on to the Cardamoms and back to Phnom Penh.
(b) Phnom Penh to Kratie (along small roads/tracks) and then over to Sen Monorom, north to Ban Lung, west to Stung Treng and back to Kratie (or another way back to Phnom Penh if possible).
(c) Some combination of both of these (e.g. south to Bokor and then back to Phnom Penh via highway 4 (well dirt road near to HW 4) then up to Kratie and surrounds).

Are any of these doable? Do you have any suggestions (particularly if these are not doable at the time of year or in the time we have)? We prefer to take small roads or tracks through villages etc, stopping a lot to take pics and walk around.

Also, is a GPS a must or is it possible to make our way with the Gecko Maps and a compass?

Thanks
vacant

 

[harrythefinn]

Have a look at Canby Publications web site, they have info on all the boats/buses/taxis/hotels, as it is wet seasons the boats to Battambang should be running.

I doubt you could get thru on the small tracks from Sen Monorom to Banlung in the wet, but then anything is possible, there a some reasonable size rivers there. As always ask the locals , they do that run on scooters, if they are getting ,thru it is a good bet.

The other routes are do able. Gecko map is pretty well indespenable, if you have some navigation skills a compass will suffice, it just doesn't tell you how much longer there is to go in the mud before you get to next town. All down to your level of confidence and self preservation. Most of the small tracks are not on the map or in the wrong place anyway.

Maybe a local rider in Cambo can add better info
Good luck :happy1:

 

[vacant]

thanks mate, useful info.

 

[shadow]

The boat trips you are talking about are really not that great and you dont see much from the river other than the banks. I would head straight to SR from Poipet then if you want to take a boat take it to PP to get your bikes then start your touring.

 

[alrikki]

the trak up east bank of the mekong through the villages to kratie was good but 3years ago

have a look at this, you'll want to check a few things
http://www.motorcyclenews.com/MCN/News/ ... re-part-4/