Destination: East of Tonle Sap Lake

After my solo adventure in Northern Thailand, it was time to join a couple of friends for a ride in eastern Cambodia. Just last year I did the west side of the Tonle Sap Lake “Like the locals do” and now it was time for the eastern side.

Now We Were Three Starting from Rayong

For this ride we were now three guys starting from Rayong in Thailand. It is always nice to ride solo but it is also great to ride with good company.

Our starting point will be Rayong by the Siam bay, just under 200 km south-east from Bangkok. The distance from Rayong to Khlong Yai Border checkpoint / Koh Kong in Cambodia is some 260 km. To get to our starting point in Rayong, I flew from Chiang Mai to Suvarnabhumi airport, where I met one of my buddies, Petri, whose plane from Finland landed roughly the same time as mine from Chiang Mai. From the airport we continued by taxi to Rayong to meet the third adventurer, Severi, at his condo.

Yamaha FZ1 1000cc

Things started to look interesting when we decided that I would ride Severi’s spare bike, a Yamaha FZ1 1000 cc. To me FZ1 is a really feisty, high revving plastic bullet. This is a bike I would deem not suitable for the expected circumstances in Cambodia at all! I was thinking more like CRF 300 would be better there. My mind was more in Myanmar and Laos jungle roads and previous year’s Cambodian slippery dirt roads. The bike had also been standing for a good number of covid-years years and we were not sure how it would perform on the road again.

If I were to end up on the red clay roads in the rain with the FZ1, the prospects were daunting. We had no idea what the roads would be like and the plan was to ride along the infamous Death road in the east. Severi knew the old roads well form the past, but those memories were about a decade ago, and as we all know, Asia is developing at warp-speed! The development in Cambodia is so fast that it is virtually futile asking anyone about the conditions unless they have actually been on the road within the last month.

Starting off on two bikes

The plan was to take two bikes across to Cambodia and to hire a third bike from Phnom Penh. Severi had a Honda 500x and I had Petri on the pillion to start with on the FZ1.

Both bikes were owned by Severi and he collected all conceivable documents for the border crossing. Land borders are known to be tricky here.

It was going to be an adventure on all accounts!

“One passport, one bike” Trough the bureaucratic loops

Riding to the border was easy on the smooth Thai roads and we reached the border early enough for crossing to Cambodia. Bringing two bikes through the border check point took some creativity, patience and two hours.

We  had a very eager fixer – plenty of those around at the border – who helped us with all the red tape. The challenge was that both bikes were Severi’s bikes but he could only bring one bike through the border. “One passport, one bike”. The border officials were not very keen on giving any advice or alternatives how to manage the situation apart from this “one passport, one bike -policy”. Basically we were told that it was not possible to cross the border as we had planned with the two bikes.

Not put off by the challenge, we did not turn back but kept on talking with the officials and the fixers, exploring the options. Several creative ideas were aired, but were also quickly shot down by the officials. Things progressed however, and eventually the solution was for one border official to go to “head office” elsewhere in town to see his superiors and to prepare the documents that would officially transfer the FZ1 from Severi to me. So transferring one bike to me for the import solved the “one passport, one bike” -situation, but took some doing. But now we had the official documents that we could show if asked for, duty stamps and all included! In the process we even got Cambodian driver’s licenses which included the bikes – the driving license has photos of the driver and the Thai license plate of the bike.

Needless to say, the fixers expected to get a hefty tip, which they also did.

It was time for the first Cambodian beer in Koh Kong!

Koh Kong to Phnom Penh

In November 2023 the road from Koh Kong was in really challenging repair and under construction from Koh Kong until about Srae Ambel. It is difficult to say anything about the pace of the roadworks but it did not seem very fast. As we were right after the rainy season, there were some wet spots and the red clay mixed with water is plain scary now that I was riding the Yamaha FZ1 1000cc two-up. Petri will get his bike in Phnom Penh and he is now my pillion passenger.

The traffic intensified towards Sihanoukville on road 48 and by the time we were approaching PP on road 4, the traffic was horrendous and the extreme heat added to the ordeal. The road also had some surprises in the form of potholes and pools of water – plus plenty of erratic and unpredictable drivers on all conceivable vehicles. The weight of traffic was heavy and one had to be alert. But again, it was GREAT!

In Phonm Penh we stayed at Poulo Wai hotel, which has a nice rooftop bar, pool and secure underground parking.

A challenging and fun day with a reward at the end. It was nice to relax by the poolside enjoying the PP skyline with another well deserved beer 😃

Looping around the North

After two good nights in PP and having picked up the bike for Petri, we headed north from PP. Riding out of PP the roads were good, traffic was again heavy and there was lots to see in terms of vehicles, road side markets and vendors of all kind.

A must stop place is Skun and the Skun market, the spider capital on Cambodia. The food is often very different for a Westerner in many Asian countryside markets. Skun again is a step up in the food scare factor with the palm sized spiders as the local delicates!

As this was the tour of the east side of the lake, we rode straight up north from PP to Preah Vihear, then east to Ban Bung on rd 64 and 78 to Banlung. There we turned down south on rd 76 to Sen Monorom.

The more east we got, the less there really was to see apart from the changing landscape. Death road was just a memory and we were now riding on good tarmac. I am sure however, that if you wish to do some more challenging off-roading, there will be plenty of opportunities around. In any case, the main roads are rather good these days for touring.

Generally we were surprised with the good roads and how the area had developed. In terms of riding in Asia, this was easy and leisurely riding, enjoying the scenery and wondering how it used to be, not so long ago. More about the road conditions here.

Further east from Preah Vihear are Ban lung and Yak Lom Lake. Yak Lom Lake is a vuncanic crater filled with fresh water. There is a public park where you can swim in the lake and sample some local dried meat, grilled on demand. Now this was a local delicates I enjoyed! The place is quite popular and there is an entrance fee of around €1,5, which included parking space.

 

The FZ1 was working well until rd 76…

Gremlins on the road

Riding down rd 76 it felt the bike was losing power and eventually I had to stop completely. The reason for the bike’s unwillingness to move was obvious. Somehow the rear wheel was jammed with brakes not releasing at all.

Some issues were expected with a bike that had been standing for a few years and thus far the only issue was both front forks leaking on the brake discs in the front, which did not really help stopping with the front brake

With the rear brake jammed, we had a few goes trying to release them with brute force and a screwdriver but this only allowed to ride a few km before stopping again. Eventually we had to dismantle the whole brake saddle completely and remove the brake pads altogether. Luckily, I put the fist-full of small bits that fell out as loose parts, into my pocket. Later, this turned out to be the right thing to do.

Now I had a 1000cc sports bike with no rear brake and with oily front brakes. I was concerned that this is how it would be for the rest of the ride. There is no service for big Yamahas in Cambodia, not in this area! What a daunting prospect!

We still had a way to ride on our tour around eastern and southern Cambodia when we settled in a very nice Pidoma resort near Senmonorom.

 

The thought of riding the stricken bike with no brakes through the cities in the south and back to Thailand was not very appealing. Finding a workshop to fix the bike in Cambodia also seemed very unlikely, perhaps apart from the leak in the front suspension. There simply were no spare parts available.

I could not sleep from thinking about the daunting ride ahead and at night, some internet searches later I found a promising bike shop in the nearby town, Senmonorom. They had photos of dirt bikes, front end fixes and had over 10k followers. With that many followers, this had to be more than an average corner shop. As a minimum, they might be able to deal with the leak in the front, I thought. The name of the shop was 98 Motor Parts and this is where we headed the next day.

98 Motor Parts – The Wizards of Senmonorom

Despite its name this was not just a parts dealer and there was a steady flow of small scooters coming in and out for small repair work. By the looks of it, this was a small family business.

I do not speak Khmer but my problems did not need words. I first pointed at my front forks and the issue with the leaks was clear. The mechanics said very little but got to the job without hesitation. This was probably a welcome change from their normal bike fixes with a 1000cc FZ1 rolling in. They took the front completely apart, somehow found fitting parts and changed the seals, completely fixing the leaks.

I was delighted by this turn of events! Now I had front suspension that was working properly and even more importantly, working front brakes! Success!

The mechanics were clearly also satisfied. Encouraged by their good work, I decided to present them with another challenge by showing them the empty rear brake saddle and my pocket full of loose parts.

Again, not many words were spoken and the guys just started to delve into the problem. It was clear they did not have the Yamaha spares and time was spent rummaging through some jars of odds and ends on the workshop shelves (yes really!) comparing what they had with what they thought was was needed.

Brake pads were found which were reasonably close to the originals and all it took was some clever metal work to produce the fittings for having the new brake pads installed! Another major success! Now I had both brakes working!

Little did I know… the gremlins…

I only got a few km from the shop and the issue with jammed rear brakes returned. The guys from 98 Motor Parts came for rescue and we took the bike back to the shop.

The issue  now was the sediment that had gathered in the system over the years when the bike was standing idle. The sediment started shifting during the ride and eventually blocked the flow on brake fluid and the piston could not retract. The system had to be completely disassembled, washed and blown clear with compressed air before new fluid being added.

Amazing how the three guys worked in unison without saying much even to each other, took the whole assembly apart, washed everything and even created some new parts to make everything fit. I am pretty sure no FZ1 has ever stopped here before. With limited resources, the guys clearly seem to know what they’re doing.

Had someone told me this yesterday, I would not have believed! The difference was huge to the previous night with a bike with no brakes, and in my mind, no prospect of having it fixed.

I was elated! Great job 98 Motor Parts!

Time to head south and for the coast

By now I was used to riding the FZ1 and with a properly working bike, the ride souths and to the coast was again something to look forward to.

The program now was  Kep – Bokor mountain – Kampot – Sihanoukville. Highlights included a traditional Patio pepper farm near Kep, waterfalls, Bokor mountain, beaches and city life of the more touristy kind.

The roads got progressively worse when we got further south but they were still the main roads and manageable with some negotiating. Some quite bad stretches  under construction (I’d like to think, though nobody was working). Also wide, brand new roads and new land reclaimed from the sea for entertainment complexes and resorts near Sihanoukville.

Kampot and Kep are known for their quality pepper and visiting a farm for some pepper was a must.

Mixed feelings particularly about Sihanoukville and the massive building boom, presumably halted by covid in the last few years. Skeletons of massive buildings everywhere unfinished. It is becoming a very Chinese city, with signs sometimes only in Chinese but often also in Thai, Khmer and English.

Beaches are beautiful and people are friendly and welcoming. Plenty of good beach restaurants to enjoy the evenings. Sihanoukville is also a good base for riding the nearby areas. There is a lot of areas which are built in the sea, or rather, new reclaimed land, where new resorts and recreation complexes are being built – go-carting tracks, water sports, party spots, etc.

There still are an occasional old school family business serving the travelers. We had our lunch and a leisurely nap in their hammocks.

 

Kbal Chhay Waterfalls

Another spot where the locals appear to enjoy their picnic by Prek Tuk Sap River. Very little water when we visited but still enough for a swim.

Bokor Mountain

There is a new, nicely curvy road up to the Bokor Hill Station and the Buddha statue on top of Bokor mountain at around 1000m elevation.

The mountain with its French colonial historical buildings and great views are now attracting elderly tourists coming on busses and youngsters on pic-up trucks and scooters.

Bokor has some large – even huge – hotels that may or may not be open. Perhaps they were mainly for Chinese groups?

The Le Bokor Palace has an interesting history, first built in 1920’s had once fallen into ruins but is now rebuilt. The hotels, like other buildings there need fixing regularly and the climate seems harsh and wears their appearances quickly. Many historical buildings and ranger’s cottage had fallen in total dismay.

Ride up to the Buddha on top of Bokor mountain here.

Nesat “hippie” village

On the way back to Thailand, we stopped for two nights at Nesat Village at Srae Ambel. I found this charming “hippie” village the previous year and decided to pay a visit  again.

Nesat village is an international group of people who used to live at Otres beach in Sihanoukville but have now settled here after a complex chain of events.

We stayed at the Cocoon with Sybil for two nights. Apart from the very nice people, Nesat village also has several restaurants and the evening was spent chilling at the Klub Haus with a few drinks and chatting.

Go there to hear their story!

End of the tour – Crossing back to Thailand

All we had left was a night at Koh Kong and to cross back to Thailand. Formalities were simple this time with all the documentation having been prepared earlier on our way in.

All that was left was to have the bike washed.

In conclusion

Riding in Cambodia today is easy and the roads are good with only a few notable exceptions mainly in the south. Even those are being fixed as I write this.

A big thank you to everyone who we met on the road and who helped us to keep on riding. You all know who you are!🙏