Pattaya vs Cambodia

[Prof99]

I have read many posts on the forum here and wonder why some of you stay in Cambodia. I can understand a visa run, but it seems the stays are more long term. My question is why do some of you spend so much time in Cambodia?

I have never been to Cambodia but have been thinking about a trip there even before joining this forum. My reason would be to make a visa run due to a longer term stay in Thailand. I may consider a longer stay in Cambodia, but yet don’t understand the allure. I have read that the ladies are more friendly than the ones in Pattaya, but don’t know much about the ladyboys. Also the life style is more laid back and the traffic is nothing like Pattaya.

Here are some of the reasons I go to Pattaya. There is an abundance of ladies or LB’s and at cheap prices. The selection is exceptional. You can find a wide variety of food and at reasonable prices. There are hotels, apartments and condos all over Pattaya and at very affordable prices. Transportation with the baht bus is convenient and cheap. You can walk almost anywhere and at any time of the night and not have to worry about being mugged.

I know there are problems with Pattaya, but it is one of the best values considering what I have listed here. I know you know that. Also and especially for you guys, Pattaya is ladyboy paradise, so why Cambodia?

[dixon cox]

A city versus a country, is that fair?

You won't like Cambodia, it is boring, poverty stricken and getting laid with whoever you choose is not a given. You wont like it so do a border run on the day only.

In Pattaya anything in a skirt fucks for money, easy peasy, stick with it.

[pdogg]

My question is why do some of you spend so much time in Cambodia?

My reason would be to make a visa run due to a longer term stay in Thailand.

My reason was that It's much easier to get a teaching gig in Phnom Penh than Pattaya.

Re visa runs, I believe if coming in to Thailand by land from Cambodia you only get 15 days.

By air you get 30 days but you can also easily arrange a 60 day visa.

It's hard to predict if you'll like Phnom Penh. I'd recommend that you keep your stay in Phnom Penh open ended so if you do like it you can stay longer.

You might also consider doing a Bangkok-Phnom Penh-Siem Reap-Bangkok triangle to see Angkor Wat.

[Prof99]

A city versus a country, is that fair?

You won't like Cambodia, it is boring, poverty stricken and getting laid with whoever you choose is not a given. You wont like it so do a border run on the day only.

In Pattaya anything in a skirt fucks for money, easy peasy, stick with it.

Thanks. I am even more interested now. I will have to ckeck it out and see for myself.

[Prof99]

My reason was that It's much easier to get a teaching gig in Phnom Penh than Pattaya

Re visa runs, I believe if coming in to Thailand by land from Cambodia you only get 15 days.

By air you get 30 days but you can also easily arrange a 60 day visa.

It's hard to predict if you'll like Phnom Penh. I'd recommend that you keep your stay in Phnom Penh open ended so if you do like it you can stay longer.

You might also consider doing a Bangkok-Siem Reap-Bangkok triangle to see Angkor Wat.

Having work there makes it easy to understand. I have often thought about working in a foriegn country but now I am retired, so work is something I hope to avoid from now on.

Keeping my trip open ended is good advice. I will plan to do that. Siem Reap is another area I may visit.

Thanks for your response.

[xyzzy]

IMO a majority of mongers would not like Cambodia. I happen to be one that does. The GG scene is much smaller and different in a way that would be somewhat hard to explain. Just because a GG works in a hostess bar doesn't mean she will go with a customer. It can be irritating/confusing getting a understanding of who is available until you get the hang of things. And then on occasion one can still misfire. Also not all are experienced in what a western man likes from a girl on a "date".

The LB scene is way, way smaller and LBs are seriously less accepted in Cambo than Thailand. You will likely have to work a bit to find available attractive LBs in any quantity.

Cambo seems backward compared to LOS but I find that kind of nice. If you want to monger PP plan a 3-4 days trip, get as educated beforehand as possible and try it out. You can always go back longer next time or learn you prefer the sex on demand, full on party that is Pattaya. Most all of my friends that have been have not returned or returned one more time. They had the experience and moved on. One friend decided to move to PP. Different strokes for different folks and all that stuff.

[SiamSam]

Xyxxy,

I think that sums it up well. I've been and will go again. Not because it is the same same as LOS but the contrary. I find it interesting.

Prof99,

Read KenW reports on PP. There is lots on this forum reported on Cambodia.

[williethepimp]

Prof 99.....gg's in Cambo definitely not as good,less inhibited,less choice,nowhere near as sexy as thai women IMO,LB's are much scarcer on the ground and not in the same calibre as their thai counterparts,saying that,there are quite a few exceptions to that rule.

And yet.....I love the place

[randiuno]

@Prof99

I am about to make my first trip to Thailand in Oct/Nov, almost exactly one year after my first trip to South East Asia and specifically Cambodia one year ago in November/December. I chose Cambodia over thailand for my first trip to S.E. Asia because I was told that Cambodia is what Thailand was like 30 or more years ago. I am very glad that my first experience was in Cambodia, and in the cities in following order - Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Sihanoukville.

Siem Reap is really the perfect small managable and accessible little tourist town outside of the monuments of Ankor Wat...The town at this point is made for foreign tourists and is about the easiest place I have ever traveled outside of the US, including Europe. I found getting laid in Siem Reap with GG's and Ladyboys was a piece of cake. For GG's I just walked down the street from my hotel the Mikey's Night Bar, and sat around with a soda, and I had a girl to take out for the night...However, I did have to enlist the aid of a moto driver later that same night to find the initial ladyboys in Siem Reap, but I soon discovered they were at the Blue Sand's Disco at that time.

Phnom Penh...I loved this City. The restaurants on the Tonle Sap riverfront reminded me of being on the left bank of Paris. I stayed at the infamous Flamingo Hotel in Phnom Pehn. The hotel has an outdoor sitting area at the entrance to the hotel where us guys would sit, share stories, have a drink or cup of coffee or food. I'm am not kidding when I say freelancers would let you know they were available as they walked by the sitting area at the entrance of the hotel in the afternoon. Also, if you liked sloppy seconds, it seemed like every girl leaving the hotel after a date would let you know that they would go back up to your room right then if you asked. I don't think it gets much easier than that!...Although I didn't interact with any LB's in PP, since I was travelling with one I found in Siem Reap, I can say finding Cambo GG's at the bars, especially the Walkabout was too easy...and at only $15 to $25 for short-time...it is crazy cheap. Also, I still think the Heart of Darkness disco is the best I have been to for the mix of foreigners, locals, gays and straights....

Sihanoukville...If I had more time on my trip to Thailand this Oct/Nov, I would definitely go back. Real laid back beach scene...with some ladyboys (mostly femmeboys) at the discos. The Victory Hill section of the city is a hard core mongers scene (dirt road and bars lining both sides...real third world mongers feel to it), but only 10 to 15 ladyboys available in total...but just the same...they are there. However, I will say this...after now taking two trips to Philipines, there is far, far less acceptance of ladyboys in Cambodia than in the Philippines from my observation, and you will get more comments and ribbing if you are seen publicly hanging out with one...be prepared for this.

Finally, going to Koh Rong Island off the coast of Sihanouville, and staying in a beach bungalow on empty white sand beaches was the highlight of my trip...I understood why Thailand (Phuket, Ko Phi Phi, etc) became the international jet set vacation destinations of choice....Cambodia is the Thailand of 30+ years ago.

As far as lodging...I paid far too much in Siem Reap for the first week ($66) per night, plus an additional $5 per night(this was the standard rate for double occupancy, not a joinder fee) once my LB traveling companion started staying with me....but after that i never paid more that $30 per night, and many nights it was only 15-$18. Food...crazy cheap...never paid more than $5 for a meal...

So, Go to Cambo...and say to yourself...this is the Thailand that everybody romanticized....

Here is a link to my tribute video from my trip last year. Hopefully, this gives you a feel for the place.

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Enjoy,

Randi.

[dixon cox]

Thanks. I am even more interested now. I will have to ckeck it out and see for myself.

Somehow I knew my post would pique your interest, the thick people would have simply taken it at face value

I'm back to Cambodia myself in around 3 weeks for another month. It will be nice to get out of Pattaya for a while whilst the November brigade trample all over the place.

[Prof99]

Thanks guys. Very interesting...

Randi, nice video and pics.

I am not sure when I will go there since I have travel plans for several other countries, which is coming up soon. I am thinking of sometime in the spring.