Before arriving to Cambodia, one of the least travelled countries in Southeast Asia, I heard a few backpacker stories, from late night robberies in the capital, Phnom Penh, to unsafe sleeper buses, which caused some apprehension and doubts on whether I should visit. As I came to realize, we must overlook the bad experiences someone else has had to formulate an opinion of our own, as unfortunate episodes can happen everywhere and sometimes their root is not applying the degree of caution we should in any foreign, unfamiliar environment.
I’m glad I wasn’t dissuaded so easily and decided to take a bus from Ho Chi Minh City towards the border because soon enough I would find my definition of paradise! I’m writing about Ko Ta Kiev, a rare jewel in the region – an island with very few tourists, no roads, no supermarkets, no ATMs… in a nutshell, no traces of civilization, except for the plastic found at the beaches (surprise surprise!), a disgraceful footprint found even in places never walked by any human.
There were only two hostels in the island and both resembled tree houses, completely blended in with the lush nature. Against all odds and expectations, the most restful nights of sleep I had after one month of backpacking were in a 12-bed mixed dorm, a dimension I try to avoid at all costs because, as you can imagine, it usually preludes one messy common room and frustrated sleeping attempts due to snorers or night owls!
I can't describe how soothing it was to fall asleep to the sounds of the jungle, the ocean and the gentle breeze that replaced noisy ACs or fans. In fact, it was the first night in years I slept without earplugs, a habit that started when I lived in a student’s residence. Sure, wildlife could have easily slipped under my bed, so I was warned when chatting to fellow roomies; but to my relief and luck, no fist-sized spiders, slender snakes or suchlike paid me a visit; only the incredibly loud yet cute geckos, giant lizards with light green scales and sometimes orange or pink polka dots.
I was able to find some sense of routine here and my dreamy days consisted of yoga, meditation, walks in the jungle, swimming, sunsets, smoothie bowls, board games... Even now reviewing this journal entry I feel immense “saudade”, an intense longing and nostalgia for past moments meant to characterise Portuguese.
As with all beautiful places on Earth, either there's a strict conservation policy in place to impede large scale, unsustainable development, or economic pressures will dictate this very outcome. Sadly, I found this to be the reality Cambodia and Laos are facing, a state of affairs which became evident when visiting Koh Rong Sanloem, as expanded upon in its respective post, or using the railway system. I'm very fortunate to have visited this island while it is still pristine, although there seems to be a real-state project underway financed by China.
To make this one week come full circle, I completed two rounds of a beach clean-up. The motivation to not be dissuaded by the countless debris each time I found myself on an island or coastal town was simply – to leave the places I visited in better condition than I found them. Even if in the grand scheme of things it might seem insignificant, it’s a small, symbolic action to express my deep gratitude for the beauty witnessed and enjoyed!
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