Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Those with time on their hands can join the wait; those in a hurry can charter the whole boat and take off.
Another variation are the longtail rocket boats imported from Thailand that connect small villages on the up-
per stretches of the Mekong. Rocket is the definitive word and their safety is questionable.
Remork-moto
The
remork-moto
is a large trailer hitched to a motorcycle and pretty much operates as a low-tech local bus
with oh-so-natural air-conditioning. They are used throughout rural Cambodia to transport people and
goods, and are often seen on the edge of towns ready to ferry farmers back to the countryside.
Most popular tourist destinations, including Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and the South Coast, have their very
own tourist versions of the
remork,
with a canopied trailer hitched to the back of the motorbike for two
people in comfort or as many as you can pile on at night. Often referred to as
tuk-tuks
by foreigners travel-
ling in Cambodia, they're a great way to explore temples, as you get the breeze of the bike but some protec-
tion from the elements.
REMORK VERSUS TUK-TUK
So just what are those motorbikes with the cute little carriages pulled behind?
Remork-motos?
Remorks? Tuk-tuks
? The debate rumbles on. Officially, Cambodians call them
remork-motos,
which
is often shortened to
remork
. In Thailand, the high-octane three-wheeled taxis in Bangkok are known
as
tuk-tuks
, and this moniker has hopped across the border into common usage in Cambodia.
However, some Cambodians take offence at the use of the name
tuk-tuk
, so for the time being we are
opting for
remork
. Remorkable.
Rotei Ses
Rotei
means 'cart' or 'carriage' and
ses
is 'horse', but the term is used for any cart pulled by an animal.
Cambodia's original 4WD, ox carts, usually pulled by water buffalo or cows, are a common form of trans-
port in remote parts of the country, as only they can get through thick mud in the height of the wet season.
Some local community-tourism initiatives include cart rides.
Taxi
Taxi hire in towns and cities is getting easier, but there are still very few metered taxis, with just a couple of
operators in Phnom Penh. Guesthouses, hotels and travel agents can arrange cars for sightseeing in and
around towns.
