Hello everyone! You are hearing from both Cindy and Maya today about our only free day in Cambodia.
Maya – 11:00 AM [Motorcycle Rental]:
We began our day with a stop at the bike rental across the road, where we rented a sweet motorbike for the day for $10. It had been a couple years since I last rode one, and this was my first time driving one around a busy city like Siem Reap, but my instructor, potentially a young teenager, taught me well and gave me a quick tour. Cindy hopped on the back as only one of us possessed a driver’s license, and before noon we were already on the road to the Lotus Silk Farms. Below you can see our sketchy deposit photo that was sent to us through WhatsApp to confirm that our identities and license plate have been thoroughly recorded in case we disappeared off the face of the province:).
Cindy – 12:00 PM [Lotus Silk Farms]:
When I first thought about visiting the Lotus Silk Farm, I was thrilled, as lotuses are my favorite flower. The lotus holds special significance to me for two reasons. Firstly, it is Vietnam’s national flower, and as someone who is half Vietnamese, it’s a flower I grew up seeing often in images. Secondly, the meaning behind the lotus resonates deeply with me. My favorite quote, “No mud, no lotus,” encapsulates the idea that despite life’s difficulties, something beautiful can emerge from the struggle. This thought comforts me during challenging times, reminding me that things will eventually improve. Growing up in New York, I never had the chance to see an actual lotus in real life, so my time in Cambodia has been a delight, with the flower constantly appearing around me and reminding me of its profound symbolism.
The opportunity to visit the Lotus Silk Farm allowed me to learn more about the lotus, its many uses, and be surrounded by its beauty. Maya and I chose to take the guided tour and the boat ride. The tour began with an explanation of how lotus stems are used to extract fibers for making fabric. It was fascinating to learn that after the flowers fall off, the lotus seed pods can be harvested and eaten. We tried some, peeling back the green outer layer to reveal a mildly sweet white fruit. If left to mature, the seeds harden and are often used to make bracelets. The farm emphasized sustainability, showcasing how every part of the lotus is utilized, with no waste left behind. Even the by-products are biodegradable.
The tour was incredibly informative. Seeing mini wallets and fabrics made from lotus thread felt surreal, as the transformation of the plant into practical, beautiful items was impressive. The farm’s workforce consists entirely of women, who work diligently to extract and process the lotus fibers—a task that can take two to three weeks. Though time-intensive, the farm remains dedicated to its values, turning the lotus into a range of creations that enhance its utility and beauty.
After the tour, Maya and I took a tuk-tuk to a nearby lotus lake, about a 10-minute drive from the farm. On the boat ride, we were surrounded by a stunning expanse of lotus leaves, with occasional lotus flowers blooming among them. Our boat guide, who was also our tour guide for this part, pointed out various types of lotuses, including the blue Egyptian lotus and pink lotuses in different stages of bloom. Eventually, we stopped in a serene spot where we were entirely encircled by lush lotus leaves and scattered blossoms.
Our guide demonstrated his skillful handling of the lotus flowers while we admired the scenery. First, he crafted hats for Maya and me, using lotus leaves as a decorative cover for our straw hats, which beautifully elevated their look.
Next, he gathered several closed lotus flowers and delicately opened and folded the petals, creating a stunning bouquet. To wrap it, he used a lotus leaf, and the result left us speechless.
Lastly, he peeled open lotus seed pods, presenting the seeds on a lotus leaf for us to snack on. While the seeds weren’t particularly sweet, their texture and the act of popping them into our mouths made them satisfying to eat.
We spent much of our time simply sitting on the boat, soaking in the tranquility and beauty of the lotus-filled lake. As we made our way back to shore, Maya and I felt a pang of sadness, knowing we had to leave such a peaceful and beautiful place. Back at the farm, we wrapped up our visit with a cup of lotus tea paired with lotus biscuits. The dry, subtly sweet biscuits complemented the slightly bitter tea perfectly. Enjoying the tea on the farm’s third-floor terrace, with a gentle breeze and scenic views, was the perfect way to end our visit to the farm.
Before leaving, I couldn’t resist buying two lotus-scented candles—the fragrance of the flower was simply irresistible. This experience opened my eyes to the profound significance of the lotus. Beyond its captivating beauty and deep symbolic meaning, the lotus is an incredibly versatile plant, with every part contributing to something valuable. Visiting the Lotus Silk Farm was not only educational but also deeply inspiring, leaving me with a newfound appreciation for this remarkable flower.
Maya – 2:00 PM [The Floating Villages by Tonle Sap]:
After our Lotus Silk tour, we were back on the road to visit our next destination: the Floating Villages on the Tonle Sap Lake. We drove down highway 63, and the road was clear and serene. The heat was blaring through the helmets and jeans we were advised to suffer through. By the time we arrived to the entry of the villages, we were immediately stopped by police guards at a mandatory tourist checkpoint, where we were given no choice but to buy a boating tour from one of the touring companies, which seemed strange as we were hoping to go further into the town and rent a boat on our own, as had been successfully described by past blogs. We were given all sorts of reasons as to why tourists could not go through while everyone else passed by, and eventually we decided to leave the villages as we had seen enough of Tonle Sap from the distance. As well, the police guards started to act quite strange around us, and we were starting to take note that much of our bizarre interactions with strangers have had to do with this being our first time exploring Siem Reap alone as women. After patiently allowing the police officer to teach me how to count from 1 to 10, I re-started the engine and drove Cindy and I off and on our way into Phnom Kraom, our final Angkorian ticket punch.
Cindy & Maya – 2:30 PM [Phnom Kraom]
As beautiful and enchanting the temples were, we were quite deadest – especially on our last day – on never returning to the Angkor temples after having spent a week under the Angkorian sun roaming the Angkorian temples of the 12th century for at least ten hours each day. However, lo and behold, our only entry through our predetermined stop to this pre-Angkorian temple was through our Angkor tickets, very kindly purchased for us through our program fees. Phnom Kraom is an ornate, 9th century Hindu shrine at the top of a beautiful hill with a picturesque view of the rest of the province and the lake.
We start our twenty-minute hike up the hill. Plenty of families, young couples and teenagers were already setting up their picnic tents by the shade of a mountainous tree and motorbiking up to the temple hilltop view. Cindy and I started our walk and explored the gorgeous temple views that have become a local gem hidden away from tourists, with temples echoing that of the later Angkorian carvings of the cosmic calendar.
Maya – 4:30 PM [Linner at Local Hammock Bar & Restaurant]:
After our long and sweaty hike down the dragon staircase, we returned to our motorbike parked by a field of caged birds and roosters, and we started biking to a local restaurant a few minutes’ drive away from the tree of forever love. We parked our motorbikes and walked barefoot into the stilted hut with hammocks for chairs. We sat on the ground watching the sun slowly lower its gaze as we waited for our Khmer tamarind soup and fried rice. By the time we were done eating ($11.5 for both), we wanted to see the legend of the tree of forever love but were feeling quite uneasy about driving back in the dark, so instead we decided to drive off into the sunset and watched pink spies spin and dance above our heads, all vibrant views that we could not capture as I sped at 60 mph.
Finally, we returned the motorbike to the store right across from our hotel before 8 pm and were back at the hotel to take the most thorough shower of my recent months. I painstakingly took off all my lash extensions because even though my helmet was on with eye shields, the dust had clasped everywhere onto my face :’). In our nightgowns by 8:30pm, we then called it a night by 8:30 pm. I began watching the beginning of “First They Killed My Father”, and paused it to continue in a more sober state. As I write this today, two nights later, my triceps are still sore from pushing the weight of the motorbike, and I continue to dream of biking throughout the countryside of Cambodia.
