Finding your bearings in Cambodia

Hello there to all Expats,

Finding my way around Cambodia, while most of the apps are useful in general but to get to a specific place I some times still do resort to the old and time tested proven fashion by asking the locals, it really does help if you speak the language but if not have a partner who does if not its going to be really troublesome.

I have found most of the locals very friendly and willing to guide you along the path and some even take the effort to be your guide for a reasonable sum of fee but please do make sure of the amount before you agree or you will be ending up paying a big sum which will not be worth the guided tour.

In general I would say be prepared and have some one you trust to be your local guide and take them along as they will find the best deal and the best places to visit, again I emphasize "some one you believe and trust"

Ok then have a great holiday and be happy, warm regards from Sparkie69

Hi Priscilla.

Living in Phnom Penh there is no lack of friendly local people to help you find your way if needed.
I hardly need it as I use Google Maps to find restaurants, bars, places of interest and even shops like Japanese grocery.

I travel by PassApp rickshaw that has the direction in their software so no misunderstandings, the fare is known from the beginning so also no haggling necessary.

If I want to go to several places I ask a befriended tuktuk driver to get me there, I pay about $10 for half a day and he waits when I go shopping.

There are numerous guides on line to point out interesting spots.

When a foreign friend is over I ask one of my female friends to take a pretty female friend and show us interesting places, most of the time we start going at the mountain, a very nice place. On top with two cute girls the whole tour is fun.

I never get lost, I know where I am and where I want to go, if any doubt I have Google Maps where my home is accentuated so no way I could get lost.

Best regards.

Joe

I am a huge fan of google maps, & the passapp drivers all use it so I seldom get lost.  I like to just cycle in different areas & Phnom Penh is pretty easy to get to know, especially once you familiarise yourself with the main roads. The English communication here is pretty great, & learning some very basic Khmer has helped on occasions. If you're polite to them, they are actually such friendly & helpful people. I have been here almost a year, & really enjoy living in Cambodia.

It's beyond understanding for me that anybody still asks anything to locals anywhere in the world when Google clearly knows better than any of them.

Cindyb18 wrote:

I am a huge fan of google maps, & the passapp drivers all use it so I seldom get lost.  I like to just cycle in different areas...

Google Maps is great, I agree. Instead of a bunch of paper maps, all you need is a smartphone and maybe a powerbank, and it's almost impossible to get lost. I've traveled through Cambodia and Vietnam by scooter several times, and we had cellphone reception every time when we needed it. Plus you can download the maps to your phone, that way you don't even need to have a signal all the time.

Joe, with 2 cute girls who cares if you get lost, right!!!??!!!

I don't have a smartphone or any other type for that matter. I do have a Chromebook and I will seek out directions at home, jot them down and hit the road.(If the internet is working of course)   
Granted this does not always work out as one would hope but if it is not a really important matter it works great. There are times I never found the place I was looking for but ended up finding other things that I would never have if I had not been in search of a particular destination.   It's all good.   (And then as if by magic a few weeks later I may run into the place I had been looking for by complete accident.)

Great story , better attitude, this is what you need in cambodia, not get to upset if everything is not perfect , nice to hear you and I both do not have phones , only I pad for me but I would like to use pass app so I will get one soon

Sakuralin wrote:

There are times I never found the place I was looking for but ended up finding other things that I would never have if I had not been in search of a particular destination.

Love this, I'm so familiar with this. I have all modern equipment but not use it a lot for finding the way and I also had great experiences at places I would never have found if not lost.

Good write, thanks.

Joe