• Home
• About Us
  • Meet Our Crews
  • Responsible Travel
• Cycling Tours
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
  • Multi-Countries
    • Angkor to Saigon
    • Angkor to Pakse
    • Bangkok to Saigon
    • Bangkok to Angkor
    • Bangkok to Vientiane
    • Cycling Challenge
    • Hanoi to Luang Prabang
• Dirt Bike Tours
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
• Classic Tours
  • Cambodia
  • Laos
  • Thailand
  • Vietnam
• Trekking Tours
  • Cambodia
• Bird Watching
• Guest Books

Cambodia Cycling Guest Book (Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos)

Cambodia Cycling aims to provide once in a life time adventure tours with real life experience. You will enjoy local food, experience Cambodia at its most authentic with combination of our culture and history. Below are some of the comments we have received from our guests. In order to improve our services, we appreciate all the feedbacks.

Names: Mark and Allison Wilkins (New Zealand)
Date: 02-22 January, 2012 (Luang Prabang to Angkor)

Hi

We are very happy to provide feedback. We had the most amazing trip. The cycling was much harder than we expected but very satisfying as we managed all those hills and we are much stronger and fitter now. we believe from our guides that the tourists won't usually do those hills so we felt quite pleased with ourselves and never gave up and even did extra kilometres.

Our first guide in Laos - Sang Vien was generally very good. He had alot of information that he shared with us and he was fun to be with. However, he did seem tired alot of the time and would have liked us sometimes to give in on the hills and take the van. However, he did not pressure us to go in the van and let us do the cycling we wanted to and what was on the itineray. He looked after us well and always made sure we were safe and very well fed. Our driver was also very good.

Our next guide - the young lady - I don't know how to spell here name was more than excellent. We just loved her. She loved the biking as much as we did. Again she had a wealth of information and always watching out for us and helping us if we needed help when buying items. She also was fun to be with and taught us so much. Another very good driver.

And finally in Cambodia we were excited to meet up with Sam again. He must be the best guide there is. We loved our time with him. He is a real character, full of fun but also full of information and never afraid to take us and show us things along the way. We often stopped as there would be something else Sam would want to explain to us that he saw. We learnt so much from him about everyday life in Cambodia. we certainly got in alot of cycling with Sam and he seemed pleased that finally someone wanted to cycle the difficult areas - even in the rain. We had so much fun.

The people are just wonderful in both countries - very friendly and welcoming. The food is fantastic. Both countries are very beautiful in different ways. We loved the experience of staying in the mountain village with quite sparse facilities and shared toilet and shower with cold water but all part of the trip - but they had the best food there.

Our driver in cambodia was the best you could have. He had a wonderful sense of humour and had us laughing alot. He was also very encouraging with the cycling the hard parts, as was Sam. The driver was also a wealth of knowledge and taught us so much. He looked after us exceptionally well - always on the ready with food and water. The driver seemed to know what we wanted before we did. We were very lucky to have him.

We could not have asked for a better trip or itineray. Everything was perfect.

Thank you so much for running such a great company, organising such wonderful trips. You are very much appreciated as are your guides and drivers. It was great how everything was organised for us and all we really had to do was cycle and enjoy - which we did.

Many thanks again and we hope one day we can do another trip with your company. We spoke to others on cycle trips with different companies and they do not cycle nearly as much as what we did and did not see and do nearly as much. we love the cycling part and like to do as many km as we can.

Thank you again

Regards
Allison and Mark

Names: Ollie and Glenda Galante (Australia)
Date: 01-12 January, 2012 (Cambodia Adventure)

Dear Hun

We loved cycling around Cambodia and have already mentioned your company to many bike riders over here in Australia. The driver and all of our guides were wonderful, friendly and very helpful. We will remember them fondly.

We were impressed with the quality of all the accommodation, especially the Somedevi Hotel and Champey Inn in Kep and the food was plentiful, varied and delicious.

The route we took from Siem Reap round to the coast and then to Phnom Phen was really good with the lovely boat ride in the middle. At times we found all the gravel roads hard work.

Could we just suggest that it's a good idea to stop every 10 or 12 kms to re-hydrate with water only because it was a little hard to drink as you ride with the screw top water bottles. (That's probably something to do with our age!)
There was certainly plenty of water on hand.

Overall, the trip was interesting and challenging (in a good way) and Ollie and I both thought it was very well-organised and excellent value! We really enjoyed your country and would love to return another time.

Thanks for everything

Best wishes
Glenda and Ollie

Happy New Year to you as well!

We had the best time on our trip.  Your company did a fantastic job with all the arrangements.  The restaurants were fabulous and in out of the way places that we would have never found if traveling on our own.  Overall, the experience was phenomenal.  Our guides in each location were also amazing, especially Tung Pham in the Mekong Delta region.  He was very personable and enjoyable.  His English (as was true of all the guides) was impeccable.  All of the guides and drivers were very friendly, they were all flexible and accomodating.  All of the guides were very knowledgeable and really brought the history of both countries to life:

Mei  in Ho Chi Minh City

Tung Pham in Mekong Delta

Loch Kea in Sieme Reap

Sophia in Phnom Penh

I will certainly return to Southeast Asia again and will absolutely contact you for our arrangements. I have already highly recommended your company to others interested in traveling to Cambodia and Vietnam.  We could not have made a better choice in a travel company. Thank you for everything.

Mary 

Dear Mr Hun,

You may recall that my wife and I completed the cycle tour from Ho Chi Minh City to Paxse in December.

We wished to endorse the quality of the trip and especially give feedback on the delightful guides that your company provided.

All the three guides and three drivers (Vietnam, Cambodia & Laos) were excellent but we especially wished to mention Boeun and the Cambodian driver Choreck (unsure of the spelling) who we spent most time with.

They were both particularly attentive, helpful and friendly and we enjoyed their company immensely. Whenever we stopped, we were immediately supplied with refreshing cold drinks and water, food, fruit and nibbles. They did everything to make the journey enjoyable and it was reassuring to have their support at all times. They both spoke very good English, had a great sense of humour and were full of information about the regions through which we were travelling and the historical areas we visited. Their professionalism contributed to the trip being very successful and something we enjoyed greatly. 

We highly recommend them and would like you to pass on our thanks once again to both of them.

Kind Regards,

Peter & Kim Cook

Names: Giulio Pitton (Italy)
Date: 06-13 December, 2011 (Bangkok to Angkor)

Good afternoon Hun,
I'm back to Thailand right now, after the tour finished.

Let me thank you personally for the incredible adventure I had in
Cambodia. It's probably one of the best trips I have ever done, under
all aspects. Organization was perfect, Pheap was a wonderful guide and
very kind person. All drivers were very gentle and helpful. And all
hotels were very high level!

And I can tell you that I discovered a wonderful country named Cambodia,
with wonderful places and wonderful people to.

I am trying to advertise Cambodia with all its magnificent features to
all of my friends and I already started to send them the link of your
agency.
I hope I will have the chance to join your tours again in the future,
for the moment just 2 words: THANK YOU!

Ciao

Giulio

Name: Mr. Murray Coates (Canada)
Date: 26 to 30 November, 2011 (Southern Adventure)

Name: Nicola Bristow (Australia)
Date: 15 to 30 November, 2011 (Cambodia Explorer)

I just completed the 'Cambodian Explorer' cycling trip run by Cambodia Cycling. 
Cycling is a great way to see a country like Cambodia - good weather, not many hills, friendly locals. This trip was well organised, the accommodation was good and the food excellent. Everything is included in the cost, so you just need pocket change for beer and souvenirs. 16 days was a great amount of time to hit all of the highlights of Cambodia - from the border of Thailand to Battambang, to Siem Reap, to Phnom Pehn, to Takeo, Kep, Kampot, and on to Sihanoukville. We did and saw everything, from eating tarantulas to seeing the temples at sunrise, from a bamboo train to a floating village, from swimming under a waterfall to cycling over rickety bridges and through small villages. It was fabulous!

Pheap our guide was great, and always there for us to ask questions. Mr D (our driver) was always not far behind in the van, with cold drinks, food and support.

I would recommend this trip for anyone who loves riding bikes, trying new things, and getting up close with locals.
Make sure you bring a pair of bike shorts, cos it's not fun riding 70km in the heat along a dusty road without 'em!

Name: Mr. Mike Firth & Party (U.K) 12pax
Date: 14 to 18 November, 2011 (Cycling Mekong Delta Vietnam)

FROM : Mike Firth 

I booked a cycling tour of the Mekong Delta with Hun and his team . It was a wonderful experience for our party of 12 'senior citizens'.

Advance communication was excellent at all times and Hun took care of hotel and other arrangements for us outside of the 5 day cycling .

The actual cycling was well planned through very interesting areas which gave us a unique insight into rural life off the beaten track. Hun and Thach cycled with us covering the front and rear of our group with a support team and bus for the few who couldn' t quite manage a full day's riding.

Hotel accommodation along the route was very comfortable and all our needs were catered for . All we had to do was ride and enjoy.

Hun , thank you for all you did to give us a memorable trip.I would be very happy to talk to any potential customers who might need a personal report and please feel free to pass on my mobile .

Mike Firth  m             0044 (0)7710 018858      



Name: Mr. Mark Vidler 
Date: 20 November, 2011 (Full Day Dirt Bike Tour)

Dear Mr Hun

I had a fantastic day with Tin

One of my best ever, the bike was great, we even had a puncture but Tin had it all fixed in 10 minutes

We saw many temples, had great lunch and Tin took me many varied roads for a great experience

Thanks again, I will recommend you to my friends and I hope I will see again soon, maybe Siam Reap or Sinoukville next!

Best wishes



Names: Mr. Lazzaro Amanzio (Italy) x 2pax
Date: 05 to 12 November, 2012 (Bangkok to Angkor)

Names: Juan Piposola & Party (Spain) x 6pax
Date: 13 to 23 September, 2011 (Cycling Pakse, Laos to Angkor)

hello Hun. I am sorry for the delay,but i have been operated on the hip last october and now i am OK.

Speaking about the trip,Every thing vas perfect quides,hotels,and in general all the organization
we enjoy cycling very much and we hope we can do another holidays with you.

I sen you some pictures  in 3 or 4 e-mails

best regards

Names: Ashik Kabir (USA)
Date: 10 to 22 August, 2011 (Cambodia Dirt Bike Tour)

Cambodia

The riding experience of a lifetime!

This dirt bike tour in Cambodia is by far the most difficult endeavor I've ever pursued. The roads can be treacherous!  The difficulty can be extreme, but the beauty of the country side and villages far outweigh any of the potential dangers.  From the awe inspiring Ang Kor Wat site, to remote temples where you feel like Lara Craft or Indiana Jones running around long forgotten ruins;  between the chaotic streets of Phnom Penh and the small provinces where the local people are warm and welcoming; to the beautiful sunsets along the Mekong river resting beside bustling villages and thriving fishing towns;  or to the travesties visited and uncovered by the genocide committed by the Khmer Rouge; Dirt biking in Cambodia will expand your mind on what you thought was possible from a culture so rich in history, yet it’s people are humble enough to make the country accessible to their guests visiting from far and distant shores.

The basic setup and logistics required for a safe tour begins with your gear.  I purchased a pair of boots and a fitted jersey for decent prices in America and had them shipped to Cambodia Cycling using FedEx(shipping was around $70).  The rest of the gear including armor, goggles, and a helmet can be rented for less than $10/day in Cambodia.  It’s a necessary investment!  Secondly, to ensure a safe ride that visits a wide range of locations included the makeup of a tour group.  I decided to go with Cambodia Cycling from four other companies since Hun Socheat was the most responsive in his emails and had the most in depth itinerary for the longest tour possible of 13 days.  Also, his price was the best and in no way did I feel this dampened the riding experience.   Hun managed to place me in very comfortable hotels and introduced me to local experiences, such as interesting types of food,  that you wouldn’t get with any other tour guide.  The team count required for this trip is at least two, but for the first half of the trip, we continued on with me as the solo tourist along with Hun as the tour guide and Tin as our trusty mechanic.  The tour guide rides in front while the mechanic rides in the back, with me riding in the middle.  For the first few days, this riding position made me feel safe and gave me the confidence to blast ahead.  Hun takes care of the planning, but the arrangement seemed to be the best possible way to efficiently ride around the country.    

Timing is another factor and I couldn’t be happier that I did this tour near the end of monsoon season.  Though the rain and mud can be frustrating at times, the challenge of the road, the pools of mud, and hours of cloudy conditions, actually made for a far more interesting and challenging adventure.  Dry days meant dustier conditions and though getting stuck in six inches of mud can be infuriating, it’s a lot better than crashing into mud-turned-concrete during dry season.  We certainly had to take more ferries and side roads since some paths were flooded, but the sun and rain made the country side that much more majestic.

An interesting point is that the 250cc dirt bike is the road king out there.  You’ll experience jeers and cheers and looks that make you feel completely awesome.   Children will smile and shop keepers will go out of your way to make you feel at home.  There were a very few vehicles that could go as fast as us off-road.  We averaged 90kmh on dirt roads, 100kmh on paved roads, and a frighteningly fast 50kmh off road.  I tended to keep it in 2nd or 3rd gear unless we were in the open where I let the throttle rip.   I had very little dirt biking experience, but the tour guide will find roads for you that suit your ability.  Also, if the roads became too difficult, I just took it slow and got thorough sure enough.

Expect to fall, often.  I sunk my bike a few times and took a bit of a beating, but nothing I couldn’t walk away from and luckily, no major damage was done to the bike.  Hun and Tin were always there to pick me up from a hard fall and we took as many rests as needed.  Being the sole member of the tour group meant I could take a day or two off to explore a city, as I did in Battambang, Siam Riep, and Preah Vehear, while cutting other cities or routes short to maximize my time in the places I enjoyed.  Of course, expect to pay for day offs, but it’s well worth it when you’re doing a 2 week tour.  Plan accordingly, but also expect the unexpected.  An 11 hour riding day followed by shorter 4-5 hour riding days just means that you’ll have that much more time to explore a new location.  Walk around and say hello to local people and you’ll often be asked to join them in a beer, or a meal, or a pleasant conversation.

As far as the riding experience is concerned, there are some things you learn as soon as you hit the road.  I realized that though you may have a 20 foot wide road, there are only 4 inches that are really good to ride on.  You have to point your front steering wheel like a gun...to save your back and knees from all of the bumping and grinding.  And when I mean precision steering, remember that most of the roads are built along sides of canals, mud plains, or fully irrigated rice fields.   I found it easier to ride standing.  So in an 8 hour session of riding, I found myself standing for 70% of it.  I encountered countless narrow bridges, steep inclines, and unforgettable mud flats.  In some cases, you’ll ride a few hundred meters through flooded patty fields which are quickly contrasted by busy shopping towns and rough, but highly congested, village roads.  Zig zagging through herds of cows, running dogs, sleeping oxen, and scurrying chicken becomes normal after your first day of riding.

The tour guide had an HD camera so I came away with some awesome videos.  He also took some of the better pictures during the tour, so I recommend bringing a large thumb drive or small hard drive to store all of the captured images.

The country is gorgeous, the people are lovely, and I couldn't have picked a better place to spend two weeks.  We covered over 3,000 kilometers in 12 days of riding, with roughly 80% of it off road.  I did some of my own exploring and covered approximately 150 kilometers on some of our off days.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Gisela and Gerhard Blädel, Susane and Oeistein B. Lundeby (German) 4pax
Date: 05 to 14 September, 2011 (Vietnam & Cambodia Explorer) Calssic Tour

Dear Mr. Hun Socheat,

We would like to thank you for the amazing effort made by all concerned ensuring that our tour of Vietnam and Cambodia was a huge success. All four of us in the group benefitted immensely from the very knowledgeable tour guides at our disposal, the great choices of hotels (some better than others) and meal plans.

The Mekong River trip was very educational, vibrant and colorful especially the floating markets. We all remarked how the inhabitants of both countries were so calm and always welcoming with their smiles despite the language barrier. A special mention for our Vietnamese guide Dara Son and the Cambodian guide Uy Channa whom we would like to recommend with high praises as they acted even beyond their duties to make us feel welcome and comfortable. We will definitely recommend these two to act as tour guides again when we send our friends over to visit.

Despite the weather challenges in Cambodia, we had fun frolicking in the high waters on the streets of Siem Riep during our evening walks after dinner. The mouth watering soups of both countries have definitely left a huge impression on all of us – and which will therefore have to be repeated.

Wishing you all the best and success in your business.

Kind regards
Gisela and Gerhard Blädel
Susane and Oeistein B. Lundeby

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Jodie, Joe, Dave, Sigrid and Don Coopers (Australian) 5pax
Date: 30 August to 13 September, 2011 (Cycling Bangkok to Saigon)

Dear Socheat,

We are responding to your request for feedback on our recent trip with your company. On Sunday we had a get together (debrief) with everyone (Jodie, Joe, Dave, Sigrid & Don)and discussed the merits of the trip. We all agreed it was a great experience and that we were very well looked after. The trip was well organised, had a variety of scenery, interesting back roads, satisfactory bikes, friendly and knowledgeable guides and was fun.

Once again we had a thoroughly enjoyable adventure and would like to thank you and Peap for your guidance and care. We particularly enjoyed the after ride evening at the markets in Sien Riep where we were able to meet local people over a beer and interesting food.
We will not hesitate to suggest your company to friends for future trips.

Kind regards
Don & Sigrid Cooper

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guest Names: Mitchell Rech and party (Australia)
Date: 15 to 30 August, 2011 (Saigon to Hanoi)

Good morning Hun,

I just completed your vietnam cycling trip and it was a fabulous experience. I would like to provide feedback on Hai and Liem who was our guide and driver from Saigon to Hue. They both did an exceptional job. Hai was very knowledgeable and made the trip alot of fun and he was excellent guide and really looked after us. Liem was great driver he was very safe and took us to some magic spots for coffee with ice and made some excellent lunches. I just wished they could have come the whole way through with us.

The accommodation and food was excellent and the trip well planned.

Thanks
Mitchell Rech

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guest Names: Mr. Manuel Del Rio (U.S.A)
Date: 11 to 16 August, 2011 (Cycling Phnom Penh & Angkor)

Hello mr. Socheat:

It was such a wonderful experience. Your country is gorgious. The people warm and generous. Poleak was a excellent and warm guide. Very funny too.! Seriously considering coming back with an addition of Vietnam. I would like to so Indonesia including Borneo .
Do you cover this country or know of a company who might? I am thinking about January or Feb.
Please keep me informed. Again wonderful experience..

Oh , I almost forgot. It was magnificent your group helping me get my Chinese visa. Too few words of gratitude.

Thanx
M. Del Rio

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guest Names: Ms. Clark Deborah & Stuart Davidson (United Arab Emirates)
Date: 11 to 16 August, 2011 (Cycling Angkor to Sihanouk Ville)

Dear Hun

Many thanks for your e-mail.   We had a wonderful holiday and felt that we really did get to see the remote parts of the real Cambodia.  If we were to provide any negative feedback it would be that a set lunch every day was unnecessary and far too much food.   People will benefit from just choosing one dish of a limited menu instead.  

Sam and the Driver were excellent and really worked hard.  The commitment and dedication by them was impressive and you are lucky to have them on your team of staff.

Kind regards
Clark Deborah

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guest Names: Ms. Belinda, Helena & Brad Sheehan (Australia & U.K)
Date: 05 to 16 August, 2011 (Cambodia Adventure)

Dear Mr. Hun,

We had a wonderful time on the cycling tour, was such a fantastic way to see cambodia!  The guides were wonderful, Mr Peip our cycling guide was great & mr D our driver was a very funny man, both doing whatever they could to make our tour enjoyable. 
Authentic good great, really appreciated all the cold drinks & beautiful fruits at the cycling breaks.

Please send our regards to Mr piep & Mr d

Helena & brad

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Guest Names: Dirk Teckenburg and party (Hong Kong)
Date: 23 to 30 July, 2011 (Cambodia Trekking)

Dear Hun Socheat,

Generally said we were very fine and happy with the trip, the team and the accommodations.

SanBath was a very good and kind guide. He always had some stories to tell and was explaining us the attractions as well as the Cambodian Culture with a lot of knowledge and background. He was able to adjust the trip in short to accommodate some of our special requests such as having more local food rather than being in tourist places. Striking was also his friendly and kind manner and great smile.

For the temples it was great to include Liam (?) to the trip as apparently he has a knowledge about the temples, history and culture. Very appreciated and valuable approach.

The driver was always driving with care and making sure we would be safe. He made sure everybody was very well on time whenever we had to go somewhere ore in the mornings. Also he somewhat somehow organized somewhere a little snack or local dish which made it very interesting. Also he had a very open and friendly personality.

Last but not least we appreciated the yummy food from the cook as we were able to discover some local Khmer cuisine. Therefore we also were happy when we were able to change our food plans to get more freshly prepared dishes from her.

Overall a very great and interesting trip I would refer to friends. Everything worked out very seamless and well organized.

One thing I would possibly consider is to ask up-front a bit more in detail whether the customer would like to explore a bit more local culture or are comfortable with a more tourist program. For us for example the local dishes were very nice and it can be simple but should be authentic while we do not like too much typical tourist places, neither for food nor shopping.  Luckely your team was flexible enough to change some of the itinerary according to our preferences.

The last day trekking was a bit too short and could have been a bit more challenging - but I think this is difficult to assess from a distance which fitness level the customer might have.

Thanks again for the organization of this memorable trip.
We might get back to you and ask for a more tailor made program in a bit more remote areas of Cambodia if you offer such.

Please pass on our very best regards to everybody we met of your team.

My Best regards,
Dirk

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Names: Gone Cyclin Charity Saigon to Angkor (Singapore, Australia, Canada, Netherland) 11pax
Date: 19 to 24 June, 2011 (Saigon to Angkor)

During our charity cycling expedition, Cambodia Cycling showed a high degree of professionalism, flexibility, expertise in cultural knowledge and provided great catering. They're even helping us achieving our fundraising target! They made a tremendous positive difference in our cycling experience. Highly recommended!

Gone Cyclin Team

It was an awesoem trip Mr Hun! Thanks to you Sam and Soujit for doing a great job taking us around and showing us the real side of Vietnam and Cambodia.

Kimble Ngo

Thank you Mr Hun for making our trip so remarkable! We all enjoyed your guidance and efforts!

Laurens Koppellaar

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: CUFA Leadership Cycling Challenge 2011 (Australia)
Date: 05 to 11 June (2011)

Dear Mr Hun,

Thank you again to the whole team for a wonderful program this year. We very much enjoyed the challenge and your care and special attention to each member of the team.

CUFA would like to use your services again next year for a similar program. Can you confirm at this stage that you would be available from the 05/06/2012-11/06/2012? We could then discuss the itinerary and costs at a later stage, but we would like Cambodia Cycling Company to cycle to one or two of the schools with us and see what we do next year, so perhaps that is something we can add in.

Thanks again and I hope to hear from you soon.

Warmest Regards
Anne

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Ms. Dianne, Julie & Kerry Belinda Purvis (Australia) 4 people
Date: 2 to 18 March, 2011 (Cycling Saigon to Hanoi)


Dear Mr Hun

Thank you  for your email.
We had an amazing  holiday, cycling Saigon to Hanoi. The whole trip was very well organized, the 2 star accommodation surprisingly good, the bikes satisfactory.

We would like to thank our  guide Hai, a very well informed, enthusiastic and ‘good fun’ young man. Hai really looked after us, ensuring we had a true Vietnamese experience. We rode through many villages that would not see busloads of tourists and ate with the locals at Vietnamese restaurants, Hai helping us with the menu. Thank you also to the driver, Dung, he took great care of our luggage and patiently followed up and down the hills, always having drinks and snacks ready. Each one of us felt genuinely sad to say goodbye to Hai & Dung at the train station.

We plan to visit Vietnam & Cambodia in 2013 for another cycling adventure, we will be in contact.

We unreservedly recommend your company Mr Hun. Congratulations.

Best regards
Belinda, Dianne, Julie & Kerry

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Team Alameda (California, USA) 11 people
Date: 13 to 22 March, 2011 (Bangkok to Angkor)

Dear Socheat,
  
We returned home safely yesterday, but coming back to our real world lives is a hard thing to do after spending so many wonderful days with you.  
  
This is my third cycling trip in South East Asia (I used a different tour group for the other two) and by far the best one.  You and your team managed our group very well.  From keeping us all together while riding (not an easy thing to do with a group of 11 riders), keeping the bikes in good shape cleaning and oiling the chains often, making sure we where happy with our hotel accommodations to every day needs such as which fruit we like to have for snacks. I don’t think there was time when I filled my own water bottle; there was always someone there to assist. 
  
There where many highlight to this trip: the rural farms, the children waving from the side of the road, the 1000s of years of history and the monuments left behind, watching the sunsets in the evening, but for me the best moment was the picnic by the lake outside of Siem Reap.  It was such an honor to have your wife cook a lunch for us.  Just sitting by the lake with no other tourist around really made us feel like we got a taste of Cambodian life.  It is clear that having picnics is a something you and your family do with some regularity.   Thank you for arranging this for us.
  
We are already talking about our next cycling adventure and will be in contact with you soon.
  
Regards,
  
Harold Hart

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Andrew Cross & Mr. Terry Smith (Australia & Canada)
Date: 22 February to 08 March, 2011 (Cambodia Adventure)

Hi Hun Socheat,

I write to thank you for your organization of the Cambodia Adventure tour Feb 2011. The tour was fantastic, it really allows people to SEE, FEEL and TASTE the real Cambodia.

I think it is very hard to travel through Cambodia and not be affected by the wonderful people.

Andrew Cross
Melbourne, Australia

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Beth Berk (American) 5 people
Date: 21 to 25 February, 2011 (Cycling Mekong Delta) 

Hi Hun,
  
I wanted to say that overall the bike trip was very enjoyable and a great way to see the Mekong Delta area. Daily itineraries were good and fun too, great food, driver great, Sari was great also despite his English skills. The hotels, could be a bit improved. The hotels in Chau Doc and Can Tho were great. Sari knows his way around and between him and Nam the driver, all worked out well. 

Also, Lavender Hotel was a great recommendation....and great location too, thank you!
  
Again, thank you!
  
Beth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Babara Ilett (Australia)
Date: 13 to 22 February, 2011 (Cycling Saigon to Angkor)

Name: Thomas Thomson (America) 
Date: 07 to 24 February, 2011 (Unknown Cambodia Classic Tour)

Hello Mr. Hun Socheat,

Second,  the hotels were okay.  I did not expect anything fancy, and they were not,  but I always had a good nights sleep and the hotel manger was always polite and helpful. 

Because you did such a good job for me,  when I return to Asia I will use your company again.  Do I remember correctly from past emails that you also do tours in Laos, Viet Nam and Thailand?  Do you also do tours in Malaysia?   I take a vacation every February - and sometimes in September or October.  I again would want a private tour with a private guide.

Your friend,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Judy Harman (Singapore)
Date: 03 to 11 January, 2011 (Cycling Phnom Penh to Angkor) 5 Stars

I have been meaning to send this email to you for several weeks.

Names: Robin Martin (Canada, Sweden) 5 people 
Date: 04 to 09 January, 2011 (Cycling Phnom Penh to Angkor)

Dear Mr Hun,

Thank you so much for an AMAZING trip!!! I wasn’t sure about doing this tour, because I thought I could do Cambodia more cheaply, but it was worth every penny for a totally stress-free and authentic experience.  

Sam was fantastic in Phnom Penh and getting us to Siem Reap, and sorted out my VN Visa seamlessly. It was such a blessing. Too bad he got sick (hope he’s feeling better soon!).

Aki was a most excellent replacement. We got to spend so much time off-road because he knows the area like the back of his hand! We even got to pass through the village where he grew up, and see authentic rice noodles being made. The highlight was getting to meet and play with some of the local children (I was on the bus waiting for the other real cyclists!). I cried when I left Siem Reap.

These guys know everything and everyone – it made it the best trip I’ve had in ages...

I’ll be back again – probably even next year. I found my soul and left my heart in Cambodia. Next time I’ll actually be in shape for cycling! This was the best way to see the real country...

Thanks again!!!
Robin

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Michelle Burge (South African Cycling Club) 11 people

Guides: WOW, friendly, helpful always willing and truly made the trip fun! Sam is a real asset to your team, and you knowledge and enthusiasm was encouraging. Thank you.

Bike: was very surprised that the Trek bikes were so comfortable to ride, was great, even the bike in Vietnam was perfect - I had no arguments with any of the bicycles as they served their prurpose for what we were using them for. 

Hotel: Shjew - i felt very spoilt, had never stayed in such fancy hotels before, so it was a real treat for me. I can not complain about anything, I enjoyed everywhere we stayed. Thank you.

food: I LOVE THE FOOD, and am going on a Thai/Asian cooking course after tasting the delicious food we ate. There was ALOT of it, I am not used to eating so much so was worried about the left overs being wasted. Portions could be smaller. The food was a highlight. Thank you

The trip was a dream come true for me.

THANK YOU to you and all involved who made it so special,

Michelle Burge

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Alex and Sunshine Weiss (02 pax) U.S.A
Dates: 23 to 28 November, 2010 (Cambodia Trekking Tour)

Hi Hun,

I enjoyed the trip very much and Aki was a great guide and I loved the food.  It would have been nice to have the option to save $100 or more by staying in cheap hotels that were only $15 a night, or at a hostel for $5, or even better to camp for $0.  But I liked the trip and would probably take a bike trip next time if I come back.  The waterfalls were great!  

Thank you so much and happy new year!
Alex

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Lydia Santa Olalla (09 people) U.K
Dates: 23-31 October, 2010 (Cycling Tour Angkor to Siahanouk Ville)

Sorry, for the delay in writing, since we have been back it has been very busy indeed. We all had a wonderful trip. Special thanks to you, Sam, Aki and the whole support team for looking after us so well and helping organizing such a good itinerary.

We particularly enjoyed the food which was a very welcome surprise. The accommodation was really nice, especially in Phnom Penh & Siem Reap.

I will certainly recommend you to friends looking to do a similar trip and I am sure if we look to do another trip like this in Thailand or Vietnam, we will certainly be in touch.

Best regards,

Lydia

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Warren & Kym Hubner (07 people) Australia
Dates: 23 Sep - 11 Oct, 2010 (Mekong Delta Cycling) & (Cycling Tour Saigon to Hanoi)

We had a wonderful holiday in Vietnam with your Tour "Saigon to Hanoi". We found the tour well balanced which allowed us to cycle through spectacular rural scenery and to experience the adventure of dealing with the urban traffic in the  major cities. To experience the culture and learn of the history of Vietnam from the grass roots perspective on a bicycle was truly an experience that we will never forget.
  
It is difficult to name a section of the tour that stands out because it was the whole experience put together that was special. The 24hrs sailing on Halong Bay was amazing, the experience of Dalat and the Central Highlands was great and the coastal areas had their own touch of beauty.
  
The accommodation provided was of a very high standard and better than expected. The food provided certainly provided us with a broad taste of the local cuisine. 
  
We wanted to make special mention of Hai who was a fantastic guide and certainly showed his obvious experience . He not only had an extensive knowledge of the local customs and history but he also displayed excellent people skills and always had the interest and the safety of those of us on his tour foremost in his thoughts.  From the moment he met us at the airport, we felt comfortable and thoroughly enjoyed all the days we had with him as our guide!  
  
All Drivers were excellent in the provision of their services to the tour.
   
Socheat, we also felt priviledged to have you on the tour with us.  We appreciated your assistance (particularly Kym who benefited from your help when climbing the mountains!) and your attention to detail in making sure all of our needs were being met throughout the tour. 
  
Over all, we congratulate you on the excellent tour services that you provide and we hope that our circumstances in the future will allow us the opportunity to take part in one of your other tours.
  
Best Wishes
  
Warren & Kym 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Karren O'Neill (07 people) New Zealand
Dates: 25 Sep - 11 Oct, 2010 (Cycling Tour Saigon to Hanoi)

Thanks for your email. As for the trip, it was excellent! I thought it was very well organised and we were looked after extremely well, in fact I would say “too well” when it came to some of the restaurants we were taken to - I don’t eat at such fancy places or as near as well when I am at home. The cycling route from my perspective was perfect, a nice mix of terrain with some superb views of the countryside and I just loved cycling through the villages – definitely the only way to see Vietnam is on a bike! Hai (is that how you spell his name?) is extremely good and worth his weight in gold, Trung (spelling is probably wrong again) and Tony were both nice guys. I think having you on the trip more than made up for this. We felt very privileged and fortunate to have had you on the tour as well. All in all it was a great experience and I would highly recommend your company to anyone looking to do a cycling tour in Indochina. Again thank you for a very memorable experience.

Kind regards
Karren

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Robyn McDonald (07 people) New Zealand
Dates: 25 Sep - 11 Oct, 2010 (Cycling Tour Saigon to Hanoi)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Gemma Byrne (2pax) U.K
Dates: 03 to 06 May 2010 (Angkor Cycling & Trekking) 


The tour was very well organised and excellent value for money. We found our guide to be extremely informative throughout the trip - his English and knowledge of the sites was brilliant. The general support crew were all very helpful. 
  
The accommodation exceeded expectations and we were very happy with our stay. In particular, the food that we were given at meal times was excellent - a good choice of restaurants.
  
The quality of the bikes were good. The holiday as a whole was fantastic.
  
We hope to be able to come out there again and enjoy further bicycle tours.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Mandy & Nathan Cornish (Australia), Donal Carrol (America), Emily Grenman (Norway)
Dates: 27 April - 06 May, 2010 (Cycling Angkor to Saigon)

We had a fantastic time with you and your staff on the trip. We really enjoyed having local guides who shared the Cambodian history and also their life experiences. We had no troubles with the bikes or the accommodation.

We were very impressed with the high standard of accommodation and food, however it would be good to also get a mix of more 'local' restaurants too e.g. the 'hawker'/night markets that we saw in Phnom Penh.

Overall, we had a great time and learnt a lot about your country's culture.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Rick and Lily Whitehouse (2pax) Australia
Dates: 07 to 13 April 2010 (Cycling from Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu)

Trip was fantastic! Guide was great. 

Thank-you

Rick and Lily

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Katja Kung & Party (4 people) German
Dates: 26 March to 03 April 2010 (Cycling Saigon to Hanoi)

Vietnam is a fantastic country! Beautiful nature/landscape, great French influenced architecture, absolute friendly people, delicious food! Especially the southern part was very impressive.

Also the tour in the south was perfectly organized. We were more than happy with our guide Hai and his driver Xing, who really did a fantastic job!!! We can’t say anything than positive things about Hai- he was really, really great with everything! The cycling itself, the entertainment, the food.. He made us feel comfortable ANYTIME!

The night in the National Park was good. Next morning, we went to Halong Bay. The Halong Bay trip was also great! Everything well organized on the boat.

Finally we made it, the hotel was good.

All in all, we were all happy with the trip- thanks to Hai, who is mainly responsible for this! The impression we have from Hai and the time we spend together.

Something general: The bikes we had were in good condition and the hotels chosen exceeded our expectations (since we booked 2*).

Thank you for the great trip, Hun Socheat, we will never forget our cycling tour in Vietnam!

I have already recommended you as an organizer for trips in Indochina.

Best rgds,

Katja

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Georgina and David Staley (Australia) 
Dates: 14 to 25 March 2010 (Cambodia Adventures)

Georgie and I both enjoyed our trip. It was well organised and fun. Thanks to everyone again.

Thanks
Dave

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Jonathan Sadler (U.K)
Date: 22 February 2010 to 03 March 2010  (Cycling Angkor to Pakse - Laos)

Dear Hun
  
Good to hear from you.
  
We had a great trip so thanks again for organising.
  
Pheap and Dea were great on the Cambodia stretch (if a little quick at times!) and likewise Son was a great guide in Laos. All 3 were very friendly, spoke good English and were good company along the way.
  
A great trip with happy memories for both of us.
  
Kind regards
  
Jonathan

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Stephen Fairbanks and Deborah Manning (American)
Date: 22 February 2010 to 08 March 2010 (Cambodia Mekong Trekking) 

Socheat,

Thank you for giving Debra and I an awesome vacation before I leave for a year long deployment in Iraq.  It was a perfect ending and helped us cement our relationship into something more before I leave.  Plus, we are already talking about another trip there in the future. 

Anyway, both of us have been showing our pictures to our coworkers and several have expressed interest in going there to visit.  I have a few Japenese firefighters who wanted to know if you have translators there that speak Japanese.  The guys speak great English but their wife's do not.  Can you design vacation packages for 7 days because they usually don't take more than 7 days at a time.  Let me know when you get a chance.

Take care and we'll send you pictures of you guys later.

Steve

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Karen Feng (Australia)
Date: 22 to 26 February 2010 (Cycling Phnom Penh to Angkor)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. CHAD REX AUSBURN (2pax) - Package 4 days 3 nights in SIEM REAP
Date: 14 to 17 February 2010

Kudos on a fantastic holiday in Cambodia! I wanted to send you a quick email to provide some feedback on our recent trip that you assisted with.  First, the guide you arranged for us in Siem Reap was EXCELLENT!  He was knowledgeable, polite, dependable, flexible, and represented Cambodia very well.  I would absolutely recommend him as a guide for any English speaking tour group.  Please pass along my highest thanks to your colleauges in Siem Reap so they know what an excellent job Mr. Chamnan did during our visit.

Regarding the Angkor Village hotel/resort, it was a very good resort.  In reality, both properties were good and I would recommend either of them. 

Thanks for a good trip.  You guys did a great job on this one!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: John Hood (Australia x 5pax)
Date: 30 January to 08 February 2010 (Cycling Tour Angkor to Saigon)

Dear Hun Socheat

I am sending this email firstly to say how much I enjoyed the bike trip I recently completed with your company. I was on the bike trip from Seam Reap to Siagon which commenced on the 30/01/2010. The trip was better than I could have expected and I particularly would like to thank both the guides and the other staff on the trip whose services went well beyond what would normally be expected. I am already thinking about doing another trip this time maybe in Laos / Northern Vietnam so if you can suggest a suitable trip please let me know. I may not be able to do this trip until later this year or early next year depending on what would be a suitable time, weather wise. 

Thanks again, I hope I can go on another of your trips.  

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tim & Marika McGettigan (American & German)
Date: 19 January to 11 February 2010 (Indochina Bike Tour) & Vung Tau Beach Extension

Hello Socheat,

Yes, the weather is cold here, and from what we have heard we missed a lot of colder weather when we were in Cambodia.

We both agree that our trip was excellent.  The hotels and food was better that we expected.  I think that Cambodia has a great future as a cycling destination.  There was really nothing that we would like to have had differently.  Maybe, just a few tips:

-        Offer the cold beers at the end of the day as part of the service.  Customer pays for the beer, of course.  A lot of people will not use that service, but the ones that like a cold beer at the end of the day, before a shower, will really appreciate it.
-        Mention that free wireless Internet is available in almost all hotels.  That is more & more important, and just might induce some unsure people to go.
-        If the weather is always as good as it was on our trip, then I would emphasize that in your web site.  That is probable the most important reason why Europeans go to SE Asia in the winter.
-        Also highlight how many  people in Cambodia speak English.  That is a big advantage over Thailand & Vietnam.

It is a little early now, but when we plan our trip next winter, we will certainly think of Cambodia and your company as an alternative.

Hope you have a good season and thanks for all of the effort that you put into making our trip so enjoyable.  It is really good that you can enjoy a beer with your clients.  That makes for a good atmosphere.

Tim

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Garry and Nikki Stones (U.K)
Date: 14 to 21 January 2010 (Laos Northern Adventure)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ms. Stephanie Haag & Eric Aulicino (Germany & America)
Date: 22 December 2009 to 05 January 2010 (Bangkok to Saigon Reversed Trip)

We recently cycled with you and we wanted to thank you very much for this wonderful experience… We had a fantastic time with you and were very impressed with the professionalism of what your company offers. We felt very safe and well taken care off during our time with you.

Thank you so very much for showing us the beauty of your country,

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Hilton and Mrs. Shanee SANDARS (U.K)
Date: 05 to 19 December 2009 (Bangkok to Saigon)

Hi Socheat,

Thanks for a fantastic trip; we had an absolutely wonderful time. We look forward to cycling with you again.

Kindest regards

Hilton

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Chris and Clare Hozack (Australia)
Date: 25 to 30 November 2009 (Angkor Cycling Back Road)

I just thought i'd quickly let you know that Sam Boeun (sorry i know i've spelt his name wrong) is such a great guide. i have never had a guide so knowledgable on every aspect of the tour - archeaology, history, government, law, everything! We are really looking forward to the next couple of days with him. We had the best time, and at a reasonable cost.

My husband Chris and I decided to split our honeymoon into two parts – beach in Thailand and adventure in Cambodia. We had a mediocre time in Phuket and left for Siam Reap after 7 days. Hun Socheat from Cambodia Cycling designed our itinerary especially for our fitness and interests, and tailored it to our budget and timetable. It was challenging and interesting, and our guide, Buoen, was incredible. His knowledge was bottomless as he explained Cambodian politics, history, and archeology.

The support vehicle provided plenty of water and snacks, and all meals were delicious. We were never hungry or in want of anything during the 5 days we spent with Cambodia Cycling. Despite experiencing exhaustion and discomfort (which were our own fault since we asked for that itinerary!), there was a euphoric sense of achievement when we finally finished. We were already discussing our next trip at dinner on the last night. We had a fantastic trip and recommend Cambodia Cycling for any adventurous people without reservations.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mr. Paul Aston & Ms. Carrie Lam (U.K)
Date: 10 to 17 November 2009 (Cycling Angkor to Sihanouk Ville)

We really loved the trip.  You guys made us feel safe without smothering us.  We liked the fact that sometimes we were just left to cycle on our own, but knew you weren't too far ahead and the van wasn't too far behind.

All the hotels were a lot better than we expected, and the one in Siem Reap, Tara Angkor Hotel, was one of the best hotels we have ever stayed in.  We thought that you could have maybe offered a range of hotel options, as some people may have wanted to pay extra to stay in 5 star hotels or other may have been happier saving money and going for the 2 star option.

Food was also a big surprise.  All the restaurants were very good, although the food in the first one we ate at in Siem Reap (We think it was called Cafe Indochine) was a bit bland.  But we really did enjoy our picnic lunches!

But all in all it was one of the best holidays we have ever had, we are recommending you to our friends and we hope to be able to see you again on a trip to Laos!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Ms. Michelle Barnes (USA)
Date: 15 September 2009 (Essential Angkor)

I enjoyed it very much.  Cycling proved to be a wonderful way to see the temples and the surrounding countryside.  Much better than a car.  I honestly cannot think of anything for improvement.  The bike was quite comfortable, the lunch was lovely, and Da is an excellent guide.  It was also quite nice to have the support van with cold water and those refreshingly cold wipes.  
I have friends coming to Siem Reap in November.  I've highly recommended the tour, so they should be contacting you soon.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Mr. Christopher Reed (USA)
Date: 13 September 2009 (Cycling Saigon to Mytho)

The trip was Fantastic! Mr. Huy and Mr. Phoc did a wonderful job! Thank you!

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Ms. Alissa Kruse & Mrs. Lorna Kruse USA
Date: 3-13 August 2009 (Cycling Angkor to Sihanouk Ville)

We really had a great time on our trip.  It was great that you were able to work with our time frame of the random 11 days and work in as much as possible.  Highlights were the home stay, hike with the family dad, killing fields, Siem Reap hotel (Tara Angkor Hotel), Angkor wat and of course the biking.  Your planning and communication was really great before, and throughout the trip.  Thanks so much, we really had a great time on this personal tour, and have highly recommended you to other teacher friends that like to bike and travel to the countries you go to.  

Alissa Kruse

Thank you so much for the great care that you gave my wife, Lorna and my daughter, Alissa Kruse.  They had a wonderful time and thought very highly of you and all your hard work and efforts to make their cycling adventure a most memorable one!  They tell me that I would have enjoyed everything...Anyway, I just wanted to let you know how much they appreciated your expertise and your personal efforts that helped make their trip so enjoyable!

With Sincere Appreciation!
Mr. Don Kruse

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We've just got back from our long weekend in which we went to Phnom Penh. It was a really really good trip and fascinating to see another part ofCambodia. We spent 3 nights there and managed to fit in quite alot of sight seeing- The genocide museum S21, the Killing Fields, The Royal palace and the silver Pagoda as well as all 3 markets.

The accomodation out here is really good, on arriving i didn't really know what to expect, despite being shown picutres by alice at the training day i was still unsure of where we would be living, but was very pleasantly suprised. As i'm sure you know, we have our own house between the three of us, so we all have our own room and our own space, 2 bathrooms and a nice dining area. Perhaps i'm a bit biased since i love asian cuisine, but the food is really good, and it's lovely not to have to worry about doing it myself.  We hope to try and do a cookery lesson at some point before we leave and have seen lots of places where we can do that so when we come back we'll all be professional Khmer chefs!
  
On thursday we start our next part of the project, and it seems very strange that we have already finsihed at trailblazers and the orphanage.
  
I really loved working at the orphanage - the children are all very loving and when we arrived on the first day a couple of them ran up to us and gave us big hugs. I found that i had a passion for teaching and am quite sad that that part is over, although we've promised to go back and visit the kids before we leave.  

Working at trail blazers was quite an experience!! visiting the villages where trailblazers was helping out was very interesting, and a great way to see what rural life in cambodia is like. This was definately the best part of working there, although we did meet some lovely people whilst we were working at the base in siem reap, washing sand etc. On one trip out to one of the villages we were most definately the star attraction for that day if not the entire week/month, with the whole village crowding round us and
wanting to get a good look at us!
  
We're looking forward to the next part of the project and will keep you
updated on how that goes.
  
   
Laura, Vivienne and Maud!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Kim Leong & Family from Singapore (2 adults & 1 child 13 years old)
Date: 11-12 June 2009 (Angkor Cycling 2 Days)

Consider the first time to Cambodia. It is amazing and eye opener for us on this trip. Our request for a supporting vehicle because of my daughter and also we just book for 2 days cycling and we were provided a supporting vehicle along with us. Excellent cycling guide, helpful, understanding cycling team and support driver.

The 2 days trip covers different routes and destinations. In addition to seeing some of the temples in Siem Reap, we were given an excellent tour on the historical facts, the culture, boat ride at the lake and surely not forgetting the visit to one of the home in the village where we carried out some community work with the cycling team.

Our appreciation to the cycling team and effort for providing an unforgettable and memorable trip for us.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Audrey Huang & Mr. Chris (USA)
Date: 11 - 18 May 2009 (Cycling Angkor to Sihanouk Ville)

We really enjoyed the bike tour. Both the driver, An Souk and the guide, San Bouen, were EXCELLENT. We really enjoyed their company and their knowledge. Bouen is an exceptional guide and his knowledge of the temples was comprehensive. Overall, we really liked the trip. Thank you so much for helping us arrange it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Names: William Minton, Rowan Gaffney, Louise Kavanagh, Johanne Nelson, Catherine Morpeth, Hector Witt, Rachel Dixon, Alexandra Locker, Daniel Jarrett (U.K) Dates: 1 April to 10 June 2009 (Gap Year Volunteer Group 6-10 Weeks)  Everything is great here thanks. Most of the placements I found great. Although despite seeing the benefit of the work we were doing I didn't feel that the trailblazers placement was that great. Only one person really took the time to explain anything. The other placements that the 10 weekers did I found particularly good. I think that if it is possible for the 6 weekers to experience maybe one of the placements they would gain alot from it.    We really got under the skin the country and managed to feel like we were helping where it was really needed and mixing with lovely people. The house is lovely and we are really enjoying the placements and the tuk tuk driver are really funny!  No problems to report and all three of us are travelling afterwards around Thailand as well. Thanks, Rowan Will and Cat xx Apologies for not getting in contact thoughout the last ten weeks, internet time was so valuable and went so quickly!  But it was the most amazing experience that I'll never forget, and it's all thanks to you at The Leap, because I'd never have heard about it otherwise. So thankyou! Thankyou so much for all the support and help, it's been invaluable. Catherine Morpeth -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Hugh, Fiona and Sarah Stocker 03pax (New Zealand)
Dates: 14-19 February 2009 (Angkor Adventure 6 Days/ 5 Nights)

We enjoyed our stay in Cambodia very much, and thought the cycle guide Mr. B San was excellent. His knowledge of the history of Cambodia and the  temple sites was excellent. He was always friendly and and helpful.

Your company provided good value for money, was reliable and provided all the things you said you would. We would be happy to recommend your company to other tourists.

Thank you very much for  a wonderful experience.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lara Chapple, Rosie Cornick (UK)
Date: 6 January to 16 March 2009 (Gap Year Volunteer 10 Weeks)

I have just filled in the post scheme questionnaire but I also wanted to include a letter to say thank you again for everything. Our fantastic experience with The Leap was brought sharply in to focus when we did a volunteer project with another company, which was a disaster.
  
This was the single best experience of my life, everyone was so helpful and made the whole process really easy. Socheat our project leader was beyond incredible…I only have good things to say! I had never done anything like this before but I know that all of my expectations were exceeded.

The morning work in Samrong village was amazing. It was really good fun weaving the baskets (although I struggled a bit with the mats)! In the same way as the well, it was amazing to see a tangible finished project. I have so many pictures of her house in various stages of being built and finally when it was finished! It was a really amazing thing to be a part of. Building the paddy field was the hardest work I have ever done! It was particularly bad when it got to the point when Socheat turned around on the way back home and said, "It's getting really hot now". You can only imagine how hot Lara and I were!! It is also very cool to know that the next placement is going to be planting that field we laboured over! 
  
I will never forget Cambodia and my experience there and I know I speak for Lara and our families as well when I say how well looked after and safe we felt. Thank you again for everything!
  
X Love Rosie Cornick x

Thank you so much for your email. I really appreciate all your efforts. 
  
I mainly wanted to share with you, what an incredible experience we are all having. Though I am speaking on behalf of the others, we all talk a lot about how we feel about Cambodia, and I well and truly believe that you have given us every angle on the country. For that, I am eternally grateful. I have never been so involved, and felt like I'm truly being of service in a place before. Siem Reap is beautiful! I am very excited about returning there, and the new arrangements sound superb. Pnom Penh is fantastic! I was shocked (in a positive way, if that makes sense) byt the poverty that is ousted from the main city. It is a real privilege to be able to see how the majority live, and, not to sound overly cheesy, but it is certainly teaching me a lot, as it's a true awakening.
  
The highlight at Trailblazer was certainly going out to deliver the filters, and seeing the rural communtities. Teaching at the orphanage there was such fun, and they have made tremendous progress in building the place in the short period I was there for. The children's English is surprisingly fluent!

Here, the work is beautifully hard. I love waking up knowing I will see something that I am sure to remember. The Monks are a dream, they really are. Though I feel very attached to those adorable kids at the pagoda already. They are fast learners, and refuse to have a break from their lessons. The Nuns and kids at the afternoon school are just as bright and gorgeous! It is a pleasure teaching them. Plus I have aquired a new flower-making skill from my visit ti the community this morning.
  
Of course, I have so much else to say, but I thought I would touch base and thank you for allowing me such an experience. It is more than what I could have asked for on this placement, and I really mean that.
  
Lara.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Joelle Dunne, Katherine Brashaw, Natasha South, Hannah Standring (UK)
Date: 6 January to 16 February 2009 (Gap Year Volunteer Group 6 Weeks)

All is well here, you guys have done an amazing job at organizing us! We have met other people with different organizations who have not had such good experiences.

Socheat is the perfect project host and has been looking after us very well. The family we are staying with are lovely and I think everyone is pretty much happy with the way things are :)

The work is good, think we like the orphanage more then Trailblazers, we seem to clock watch a bit there but it's fine and does break the day up. Cambodia is an amazing country and I'm loving Siem Reap so far so no complaints from me! 

Joelle

I am home now and already Cambodia seems very far away! 
   
Socheat and his family are amazing, you have found a gem there. If we need anything we ask him and he is very helpful. He is doing the volunteer work in Phnom Penh with us as well so he really cares.
  
In terms of the work I have really enjoyed everything we have done. It's great that we have had such variety but at the same time I have felt as though we have had enough time to make a difference.

Katherine Brashaw

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Financial Design for Life (AFA Rising Star Winner)  14people (Australia)

Dates: 31st Jan - 01st Feb 2009 CYCLING CHALLENGE (2 Days Angkor)

The group had a great time your service was excellent. Chris Browne (Tour Leader) 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Jenny Gould (Australia)
Date: 28th Dec 2008 to 06th Jan 2009 (Cambodia Trekking & Cycling Trip)
 

My time in Cambodia well exceeded any expectations that I had of the country and especially the organized tour.  Being the only person on the tour gave me an incredibly high level of personalized service by Socheat and several local guides, particularly Rith.  You were both so knowledgeable in all areas of the temples, museums, villages, locals and surrounding areas as well as being personable and very easy to get along with.  It was a pleasure being in your company.  The itinerary covered the regular tourist spots along with many less visited and traveled.  A particular highlight for me was the village stay at Chambok – the happy village life makes you realize that you don’t need material objects to be happy.  The balance between trekking and cycling was perfect and was a much more enjoyable way of getting around with the perfect weather.  I can still taste the jack fruit in my mouth and I’m missing the fish soups every day. 

Thank you for such a fantastic trip, I can’t wait to get to Vietnam and catch up with you again in the next 12 months!

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: David Treacher & Susan Parker (England)
Date: 08th to 23rd November 2008 (13 Days Bangkok to Sihanouk Ville)

The holiday was excellently organized with a good diversity of activities, accommodation etc. Restaurants were good and you were flexible with Sue's requests. Thank you for finding all the fruit many of which I had never had and some which Sue had not tasted. We were very well looked after. We enjoyed the home stay in Chambok as it made us appreciate electricity and facilities elsewhere. Dara (the driver for support vehicle) was very helpful and seemed to enjoy the trip which also helps.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Peter (England), Waifong Yip (Malaysia) & Soira Stone (New Zealand)
Date: 16th to 25th November 2008 (Cambodia Discovery Trip)

We have enjoyed traveling around Cambodia especially the cycling. The Khmers are a friendly bunch of people. Boeun was very informative and helpful. He was always making sure that we were ok and looked after us very well. You have been very good. It was very much appreciated. The drivers we had were very good, helpful and friendly.  We liked Steung Siem Reap Hotel and Goldiana Hotel in Phnom Penh very much as the staff were helpful and friendly and the pools were nice. The home-stay in Beng Melea had good scenery. Overall you and your team have done a great job organizing the tour for us. We will definitely recommend your travel company and to our friends and families.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name: Shelley Perry (California USA)
Date: 21st & 22nd November 2008 (Angkor Cycling 2 Days)

The two days were great.  So overall it was a great few days and great experience.  I loved the Floating Villages, that was awesome.  Second day was great too. The two places you chose for lunch both days were great!!! I liked the routes because they were different, one in the countryside, water, the other temples. Once again, the guide was great guy and terrific guide. I would like to come back to Cambodia at some time.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Singapore International Golf Hub (12 people)
Date: 05th to 08th August 2008 (Cambodia Golf Tour)

Sofitel Royal Angkor Hotel is nice. We really enjoyed the 02 golf courses of 18 holes at Sofitel Phukeetra Golf and Angkor Golf Courts. The green at Sofitel Phukeetra is better. The tour at the temple wasgreat. All the ladies enjoyed the half day Spa package at Shinta Mani while we were playing golf. Thank you to look after them well. Thank you so much also to offer complementary massages to all our men at the Sofitel.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Names: Marcia & Paul Secord (USA)
Dates: 08th-12th January 2008 (Cambodia Bird Watching Trip)

A fantastic trip - with the temples Angkor a high point (one of many) for me! Our guide there, Sophoan Rath, was especially good - we highly recommend him for future tours. He was able to show us a large temple some miles out in the country, which was much appreciated and  a bit of an extra effort for him. 

We a still amazed that everything, and I do mean everything, worked so well - right down to the flights home.