Angkor Wat guide and driver

[Baggy178]

We used a fantastic guide for our tour this year recommended to us by a friend.

Bunthin is a 24-year veteran guide with a fascinating backstory - his parents were killed by the Khmer Rouge, he hid with his siblings in a banyan tree for two months to evade capture, a child soldier at 12 and later a UN interpreter. He still suffers from tinnitus from firing hand-held rocket launchers as a kid.

He works with a driver and A/C SUV on tours of any length of the temples, the  surrounding area and indeed all over the country including journeying from Phnom Penh - a fisherman's village built entirely on stilts over the river was particularly fascinating.

These can be demanding especially in hot weather but he knows how to make them as comfortable as possible.

He's intelligent, knowledgeable about world politics and events and 100% trustworthy. He's an impressive individual considering his extraordinary life and great company.

We were so impressed with how he brought the temples alive with his stories that we took him and his wife out for dinner that evening.

He spends his spare time raising funds for impoverished rural schools to provide them with basic essentials such as paper and pens.

Most importantly his rates are very good.

Feel free to contact me privately for more details and contacts etc.

Edited September 6, 2023 by Baggy178

[alwayscruisetime]

Thanks for sharing, Baggy!  I'd love to get his contact info as we're looking to go there during a Christmas cruise.  What a fascinating personal history he brings to a tour!  Please send email to shop at pbaker dot net 

 

Thank you in advance!

[Baggy178]

6 hours ago, alwayscruisetime said:

Thanks for sharing, Baggy!  I'd love to get his contact info as we're looking to go there during a Christmas cruise.  What a fascinating personal history he brings to a tour!  Please send email to shop at pbaker dot net 

 

Thank you in advance!

 

Hi - thanks for making me aware that the Private Message facility doesn't work on here - what a strange concept to have this on the site but then to have it permanently disabled.

I don't post Bunthin's details for the same reason you have spelled out your email address - to circumvent the spamware that trawls the internet looking for them.

Should anyone require his information please don't hesitate to contact me the same way or to use one of the free temporary email facilities. I'll try to answer that day. You may wish to check your spam folder to see if my email has been directed there. It's all a bit complicated I know but it is what it is.

Bunthin also offers tours of any length anywhere in the country provided he has availability.

He knows some great restaurants off the beaten track too !

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Baggy178

[Baggy178]

Contact info of Bunthin emailed.

[hubofhockey]

We used Happy Angkor Tours  - Samath was our guide (right before Covid)  - Mony was our contact.  

info@happyangkortour.com

 

We stayed at the Grand Venus.

 

Tourists can do very well for the money at Siem Reap because it is third world.  There are great restaurants and prices of food and drink are very low.  It was truly a much different travel experience than I have ever had.  We spent a resort day at the Grand Venus as well.  Massages are incredibly cheap and the weather in October was amazing. 

 

Itinerary day 1

 

Starting the tour early, we leave from your accommodation (Hotel or Guest House) at 4:50am to watch the sunrise at Angkor Wat, then return to your hotel for breakfast. After breakfast we set out again to visit to the city of Angkor Thom and the Bayon temple. It’s the highlight temple in the centre of Angkor Thom city with 49 towers in which every tower has 4 faces, so that means there are 196 faces of Budhhistsatva Avalokestesvara. Then we walk to the next temple nearby called Baphoun which is a Hindu temple built before Angkor Wat in the 11th Century. The big Reclining Buddha behind it was built in 16th Century & we continue to Royal Enclosure Wall nearby with a visit to Elephant & Leper King Terrace , still within the complex of Angkor Thom. Then we continue to outside Angkor Thom complex to visit Ta Prohm temple on the small circuit road. This temple is one with a lot of gigantic tree roots over the temple and is the place where Hollywood made the movie "Tomb Raider". After a busy couple of hours in the morning around 12:30 pm we’ll have lunch at a local restaurant. After lunch approximately 1:30pm or 2:00pm we’ll visit the world famous Angkor Wat temple. It really is amazing! Our tour will conclude when we return you to your hotel around 4:00pm.

 

Day 2 - 1/2 day We tour Banteay Srei and Preah Khan at Angkor.

 

Enjoy!

 

 

[Baggy178]

 

By popular demand I can refer people to Bunthin's Facebook page for more details.

 

www.facebook.com/people/Bunthins-Angkor-TOURS/100063692107732/

Edited September 14, 2023 by Baggy178