Now I'd similar to start this post service past times proverb what a beautiful identify Kingdom of Cambodia is. Unspoilt past times its to a greater extent than commercial Asian counterparts, but plenty 'home comforts' as well as mod-cons to brand y'all experience at ease, Kingdom of Cambodia as well as its people are friendly, welcoming as well as polite.
Cambodia is also a slap-up identify to visit, as well as I've highlighted some of the things y'all tin do, as well as where to stay, inwards some other articles.
However, I've written this post service is to highlight 1 province of affairs which has taught me to hold out much to a greater extent than vigilant when abroad. And if y'all see the area, I promise this serves equally a alert non to autumn into the same trap.
So upon arriving at Siem Reap, the domicile of the legendary Angkor Wat, nosotros joined the taxi rank at the aerodrome to larn to our hotel.
There was exclusively 1 'official' rank, ran past times some sort of Transport Association. So official enough.
Anyway our driver was incredibly friendly, good spoken as well as managed to articulate the diverse places nosotros should larn as well as see. He also told us that he could accept us approximately this afternoon to encounter diverse sights including Angkor Wat at sunset. This would but cost $15 the States Dollars. He said he could also accept us approximately the side past times side 24-hour interval for the whole day, taking inwards all iii temples as well as some further, out of town destinations to boot. This would ready us dorsum $45USD.
Now a betoken I direct maintain to brand is that past times this time, we'd kinda had our fill upwardly oft dodgy taxi as well as tuk tuk drivers inwards Bangkok. Some didn't empathize English linguistic communication as well as dropped us of at the incorrect destination, spell others but tried their best to hike upwardly the toll of a curt ride. One chancer fifty-fifty switched their taxi meter off for a curt journeying inwards an endeavour to accuse a higher fee for a quick commute.
So spell our friendly driver inwards Kingdom of Cambodia was offering a premium priced fee, it seemed a toll worth paying for ease of mind, convenience as well as a welcome interruption from haggling.
So nosotros booked the driver for our get-go afternoon inwards Siem Reap. We'd planned to encounter the Angkor Wat at sunset, but nosotros had a twain of hours to kill earlier then, thence he suggested that nosotros could encounter a few shops where local women brand wooden items for sale. As at that spot were few other options nosotros went to the shop. Plus it didn't seem similar such a bad option, equally I assumed it meant that we'd encounter the women genuinely brand the crafts, or at to the lowest degree that was how it was sold to us.
However it turned out to hold out an air conditioned store amongst the most full-on sales squad ever. One affair I noted well-nigh Kingdom of Cambodia to a greater extent than than whatever other province I've visited - their sales patter is difficult to the betoken of off-putting. It makes the salespeople on the souk stalls of Marrakech seem practically reserved.
So I flora myself surrounded past times well-nigh 4 sales people, each honing inwards on every exceptional I looked at as well as bespeak me for a price. My hubby revived the same undue degree of service, thence nosotros bought an obligatory magnet as well as made a quick getaway.
Whilst looking for our side past times side destination, our driver also mentioned that Kingdom of Cambodia is mineral-rich as well as known for its sapphires, emeralds as well as rubies, as well as that they are cheaper hither than elsewhere.
I know what you're thinking.
Yes, my eyes did slightly low-cal up. Especially when he mentioned a store where y'all tin encounter the gems existence carved as well as made into jewellery.
To say I was tempted was an understatement, afterward all I’d snapped upwardly some contend freshwater pearls inwards Thailand, thence I figured a gemstone could gibe inwards the mix. Plus, I figured the thought of seeing stones carved would hold out a prissy experience.
Anyway, nosotros arrived at the store - Central Khmer Jewellers - to uncovering that it was an air conditioned jewellery store, non the rustic diamond mine I expected. Nonetheless, the identify looked legit if zero else.
Despite existence disappointed, I looked at some gems, out of politeness.
They all looked stunning, but I didn't pay likewise much attending to whatever equally I wasn't planning on buying. However the pushy staff insisted on bringing out unlike pendants as well as necklaces.
Despite bespeak them to halt showing to a greater extent than items. They continually stalked us, showing us unlike stones, urging a purchase.
I did encounter some rings, 1 of which I liked, a sapphire amongst whites stones ready inwards white gold. They said it cost $200 the States dollars, but as well as then instantly offered a discount to $120.
I walked off, looked at some other items as well as and then went to leave. Then they stalked us on the band I liked, insisting nosotros holler a price. They fifty-fifty offered a gem certificate as well as complimentary resizing.
As I wasn't overly bothered well-nigh the ring, I gave an offensively depression toll of $50 to halt the discussion. Despite initially proverb they couldn't larn that low, they called me dorsum equally I neared the door, asked their 'boss' to concur to the price.
Now this all sounds terribly naive inwards hindsight. But at the time, inwards the air conditioned, authentic looking store, I had no existent argue to incertitude anything. And I figured a mineral rich province could offering a expert price. Plus afterward spending a calendar week bargaining difficult inwards unlike countries across Asia, negotiating a 75% discount didn't seem likewise expert to hold out true.
Anyway, amongst a disgruntled married adult man slightly disapproving, I hurriedly purchased the ring, as well as took their certificate as well as didn't bother bespeak well-nigh resizing.
More fool me.
The excitement of the purchase presently fizzled away when I read a reveal of reviews on TripAdvisor naming as well as shaming Central Khmer Jewellers equally sellers of polished brass as well as fancy glass.
Many people earlier me had been duped, afterward existence taken past times the same taxi fellowship to the jewellers as well as believing they'd bought a genuine precious gem.
And spell I haven't had my contend valued at a jewellers, for fright of existence laughed out of the shop, upon closer evidence of the ring, I tin exclusively conclude that I am the proud possessor of an expensive slice of glass.
The exclusively saving grace was that I haggled as well as got a pretty depression toll (well inwards the grand system of things).
But it was to a greater extent than the regulation that bugged me. I would happily pass $50 buying postcards, forest carvings as well as all the other things existence pedalled inwards the street, past times incredibly miserable locals, including immature children. But instead, it was wasted on a rattling official con.
The people at Central Khmer Jewellers direct maintain no incertitude cashed inwards on naive tourists, as well as they’re aided inwards their deceit past times drivers similar ours, who sell us a yarn along the way, as well as larn a committee for their trouble.
Needless to say, I cancelled the side past times side day’s total excursion amongst our driver. Instead nosotros spent but $15USD on a sort as well as courteous tuk-tuk driver who took us approximately the whole day, waited patiently at each site as well as fifty-fifty dropped us off at airport. At the halt nosotros gave him a few to a greater extent than dollars equally a tip, as well as he was unbelievably grateful for such a pocket-size gesture.
So despite feeling a fighting cheated, I experience I got off lightly, as well as I'd impart the next advice when visiting Cambodia.
If y'all can, accommodate your ain transport. Otherwise you'll halt upwardly amongst the Transport company, who brand it their job concern to majority upwardly 24-hour interval tours as well as accept y'all approximately at a premium.
Invest inwards a tuk tuk. Unlike Bangkok, Cambodian tuk tuk drivers don't but exercise unmarried trips. It's the norm for y'all to direct maintain the same driver for the whole day, as well as they'll hold back patiently for hours equally y'all accept your millionth selfie inwards front end of Angkor Wat. With our tuk tuk driver, nosotros felt safe, reassured as well as taken of. Plus it was slap-up to know that he was getting the money, rather than it going to a big company.
If something sounds likewise expert to hold out true, it belike is. It's slowly to larn swayed whilst inwards some other country, y'all direct maintain to twine your caput approximately a unlike currency, y'all desire to collect souvenirs, as well as if you've got an impatient partner, y'all direct maintain to brand quick decisions.
But the dominion of pollex is, if something sounds likewise expert to hold out true, it belike is.
I would say that ever hold out mindful that non everything is non ever equally it seems. So pay a toll that you're comfortable with, rather than what you'd await to pay normally. That agency you're less probable to experience robbed.
I remember I'll remain away from precious minerals as well as stick to ornaments as well as refrigerator magnets when abroad. And maybe the strange fighting of costume jewellery.