Something spontaneous. That’s how hubby plans his trips so this is no longer a surprise. Last week he just came up with the idea of going to the beach coz Phnom Penh is too hot. So okay, we packed some swimming gear, called our usual hotel for a bungalow and set off early Saturday. We usually take Capitol Bus (near Orussey Market), RT to Sihanoukville costs just about 30,000 Riels (about $8).  We left around 7:15 am, stopped one time somewhere in between for some snacks, and before 12 noon we were already settling in nicely at our hotel.

Orchidee.. Popular with expats. Good value hotel, really friendly service and just a few hundred meters from the beach and dining options, and yes they do have a lot of orchids..

a major reason why we always book with Orchidee.. the pool!

 

After a quick lunch, the kiddo was all excited to swim already so we just walked over to nearby Ochheuteal Beach. This beach is really popular and could get really crowded but I prefer swimming here as the water is shallow, the sand oh-so-fine and there are lots of seaside bars you can order drinks from. I plopped down on one cushioned recliner (rent it for just a dollar) with a huge shady umbrella while the kiddo and hubby frolicked in the waves.

seaside bars..

a stretch of the beach…

I was not yet even seated for 5 minutes and a couple of beach vendors began asking me to buy this and that. This used to annoy me but I learned that a firm NO they can easily understand. But I gave in to one lady asking if I wanted to clean my toe nails. I haven’t had a pedicure for ages so I said yes. So I got a little foot pedicure complete with scrub.

the pedicure lady…and she favors multi-colored nails!

 

the bead girl I had fun talking with..

A child sauntered near and asked me to buy some of her beads jewelry, I said no, but I can’t help but engage her in a conversation. She’s 12, goes to school in the morning, afternoon she spends her time selling accessories on the beach and also she said she practices her English with barangs and in the evenings she does her homework. I had a really interesting conversation with her and I found it admirable she speaks an almost perfect English.

After a few hours of swimming, we had to drag kiddo out of the water lol! and went back to the hotel, but I guess the few hours swimming wasn’t enough for her coz she went right into the swimming pool for another hour. Then we had a quick snack of pizza then met up with hubby’s colleagues for dinner.

We got up early the next day. Had our free breakfast buffet and headed over to where else but the beach again. This is the best time for me to swim, early morning till about 8 or 9 am. Then we moved to the pool.. Then it was time for lunch, I was too exhausted I just opted to have a tuna sandwich. Then it was time to head back to Phnom Penh. Hmmm, I wonder I feel so tired but relaxed at the same time..

too much swimming and this happens… hehe that’s the kiddo playing around.

 

Capitol Tours

14AEo, Street 182

beside Capitol Guesthouse

+(855) (0)23-217627

 

Orchidee Guesthouse

#23 Tola St Ochheuteal Beach, Sihanoukville

+(855) (0) 34 933 639 | +(855) (0)12 380 300

www.orchidee-guesthouse.com

email: orchidee@camintel.com

 

Here’s just quick buzz for those watching out for some airfare sales. Of course, from two budget airlines  Cebu Pacific and Air Asia. Both are having promos so if you have plans to travel, check out the promo dates and get yourself some savings.

CEBU PACIFIC AIR FARE PROMOS

Sa-BAI Tayo Seat Sale

• Domestic Seat Sale - Sale Period: Up to Mar. 2, 2011 or until seats last   | Travel Period: Apr. 1 – Jun. 30, 2011 | Cebu to Bacolod, Clark, Iloilo, Ozamiz, Tacloban or Zamboanga |  Davao to Cagayan de Oro or Zamboanga – Php299

• International Seat Sale – Sale Period: Up to Mar. 2, 2011 or until seats last  |  Travel Period: Apr. 1 – Jun. 30, 2011 | Manila to Brunei or Ho Chi Minh | Cebu to Hong Kong – Php 1499

 

Just dropping this off for everyone on the lookout for cheap airfares. This is like the cheapest Cebu Pacific airfare’s can get.  Half till you drop – domestic and international seat sale. All domestic and international destinations – 50% OFF! More than 1 Million seats available.

Booking Period: Up to Feb. 20, 2011 or until seats last

Travel Period:  Jun. 1 – Dec. 31, 2011

Hurry, visit Cebu Pacific website now.

I just sooo love budget airfares. Specially if you’re just hopping someplace near. Why not grab the big savings? At least you can use the spare money you have to shop or get pampered or book a really fab hotel. I’m pretty sure a lot of you would understand my near obsession  passion for scouring air fare promos.

Here’s the latest from Air Asia. They fly from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap to Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok and that is the main reason I really like featuring their air fare promos. I’m sure a lot of travelers would want to grab these big savings..

Booking can be done on Air Asia website.

Mid Year Break Sale – sale period: February 8-13, 2011. travel period: May 4 – July 31, 2011.

• Siem Reap or Phnom Penh – Kuala Lumpur or Bangkok – all in fare $15
• onwards to Kota Kinabalu, Singapore, Hong Kong, Penang and Darwin – all in fare $14

Explore Borneo – book till February 14, 2011; travel period: May 4 – July 31, 2011.

• Hotel deals – from $9
• Fly & Stay ( return flights + 2N stay + taxes) – from $35

I Love Low Fares – booking period: February 7-21, 2011; travel period: April 1 – July 31, 2011

• Kuala Lumpur -Tianjin – all in fare $150
• Kuala Lumpur – Gold Coast – all in fare $174
• Kuala Lumpur – London (Stansted) – all in fare $150

I totally forgot to post this update, but still you guys still have a day more to grab these seats on Cebu Pacific..Visit Cebu Pacific‘s website to book.

I know a lot of  Filipinos tour Cambodia and usually pass by Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam and just travel overland to Cambodia so this is a great deal to grab:

• Manila to Ho Chi Minh or Brunei – sale period: up to February 12 2011 or until seats last.  Travel period: April 1-June30 2011 – Php1499 (OW)

Also a sale of airfares to Korea:

• Manila | Cebu to Busan | Incheon – sale period: up to February 12, 2011 or until seats last. Travel period: Sept 1-November 30, 2011 – Php 999

And for domestic travelers:

• Have a halfy trip sale – 50% off all domestic destinations. sale period: up to February 12 2011 or until seats last.  Travel period: April 1-June30 2011

Hope you guys can grab a great travel deal.

**Pinaywifespeaks has no affiliations with Cebu Pacific. The blogger simply has a thing about budget airfare and getting good savings. =)**

Cambodia has  a sizable Chinese population and their influence in the Khmer culture is really evident. From their food, language and also their traditions and rituals. It’s hardly surprising that Chinese New Year is celebrated here in a more festive manner than the International New Years.

The Lunar New Year is not an official holiday here in Cambodia but even non-Chinese Khmers look forward to this occasion. Most shops and business are closed for a few days. Everything is quiet and majority just stay home, making offerings and praying, while the rest hightail it to the provinces.

Hubby’s family stays home mostly and observe a lot of rituals. They cook a lot of food (seriously a lot..and can last a few days..), make offerings, visit relatives, give gifts, on the first two days. Then the following days are usually rest days. All in all the celebration-holiday lasts for about 5 days.

Anyway, after we were done with offerings and prayers for the first day, we had nothing else to do. Most businesses were closed so Hi-ace decided we go visit the Chinese temple in Takhmao. So off we went. But it was soooooo crowded. I just ended up taking photos of the temple entrance.

A lot of people – Chinese and non-Chinese alike, were lining up the streets buying sugar cane stalks, pomegranate fruits and leaves and mien fruit which they will take inside the temple to be blessed. They believe sugar cane to bring in good luck, help foster harmonious relationships, the pomegranate they believe to ward off bad luck and evil, and the mien/longgan bring in prosperity and wealth.

We did not go inside the temple but instead went to another Chinese temple a few hundred meters from the first one. I love this temple and regularly visit. It’s pretty colorful, ornate, and not so crowded. There was mini-dragon dance and Chinks loves looking at their turtle pond..