Beware of any tours, beware of buying ANYTHING; nothing is priced, and even if there is a listed price you will be told that the item or service is not available but an alternative is.
There is at least a 3 tiered pricing system: local pricing, pricing for ex-pats who speak some Khmer (50-100% higher), and special pricing for us dumb tourists (expect to pay double to quadruple the local price).
You will be offered by tuk tuk drivers, tours that seem very reasonably priced, but when you get to the destination you will be charged exorbitant prices. Additionally, Khmers want to be paid in $USD not in their own currency, Riels. Here's a tip: Don't exchange ANY Riels, the money changers not only rip you off but they also won't take them back when you exit Cambodia.
For this rip-off floating village tour, four of us were charged $80USD (consider that an average Cambodian family earns $80USD per month!)
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| Our friendly riverboat captain (happy to have caught some big fish...us!) |
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| Floating village: houses, schools, first aid, stores, fish pens, machinist shops, boat repairs, full sized basketball courts, gas stations... |
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| "Here comes $$$$$"...beware of friendly stranger shopkeepers waving |
We were dropped off at this store at the floating village. The shopkeeper pleaded with us to buy his products, the partial proceeds of which he would donate to the orphaned village kids at one of the floating schools.
We bought a 50 pack of instant noodles and a couple of cases of bottled drinking water which we took to a school and distributed to individual kids. To tell you the truth, the kids didn't look disadvantaged or orphaned.
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| Alligator "farm" promised on the tour consisted of 5 or 6 small gators in this pen. |
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| Khmers have a fascination with snakes |
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| These 2 Khmer boys drifted by with their snakes riding in wash basins |
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| Khmer fisherman preparing to cast his net |
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| Back in the city I decided to try the infamously repulsive smelling but supposedly delicious DURIAN...I LOVE DURIAN! |
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| Exotic tropical fruits galore at a local fruit stand, $2 per kilo |
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| Rambutan and mangosteen |
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| Rambutan, like a big, hairy lychee, similar texture but not as sweet |
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| Mangosteen when peeled back is segmented like uni gonads (which is one of my favorites) but are white like lychees however have a softer texture |
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