Feature Image: Red waiting for the sunset on Otres Beach
Making the most of our Beach Days
Since abandoning my corporate career I’ve embraced the digital nomad lifestyle and thrown myself head-first into the slow travel experience.
During our trip to Cambodia I could quite happily have spent every day on the Otres Beach, reading and relaxing, with the occasional excursion into town or to a neighboring island. But Red gets ants in his pants when he doesn’t feel like he’s being productive, which is why Workaway is the ideal compromise for our travel lifestyle.
You only have to work four or five hours per day, and the rest of the time is your own. We never got tired of exploring the village, or hanging out at one of the restaurants or bars to strike up a conversation with a traveler who had made Otres their home or was just passing through.
But our favorite way to end the day was to walk down to the beach for sunset and then home for a quick nap and refresh before going out for the night.
On our two days off each week, Red would be fine heading to the beach all day, as long as he had his music and the water was clear enough for snorkeling. But once that two-day limit had been reached, he was eager to go back to our Workaway assignment and start baking and building.
Fresh Seafood
If ever he was dragging his heels about heading down to the beach, all I had to do was mention the grilled seafood, and he’d start salivating and usher me out the door for the 15-minute walk through town to find our favourite vendor.
There were multiple seafood sellers that spent every day just wandering up and down the beach, but our favourite as Orange Hat lady, she always had a smile on her face and didn’t mind how many photos I snapped. Plus she was the most consistently priced vendor on the beach.
Some of the others adjusted their price on a daily basis, and prices also varied depending on the time of day—the later it was the cheaper they got. For a dollar you could get between one and five BBQ items—quite a range, depending on who you dealt with. But Orange Hat Lady usually gave us between three or four for a dollar.
At the beginning we had to negotiate hard and she didn’t recognize us (we were told by multiple Cambodians that all white people look the same!), but after about three weeks she’d spot us on the beach and head over to try and tempt us—waving her baby octopus or squid on a stick.
Our two favorite beach BBQ treats were the grilled baby octopus and the grilled squid, slightly charred and sizzling, served with a spicy chili sauce. You could also buy fish or shrimp, but were were always too besotted with the octopus and squid to give them a try.
Beach Massage
Another reason to head down to the beach at the end of the day was to indulge in a beach massage. These ladies knew a thing or two about rubbing away the tensions of the day, and a one-hour oil massage was 85,000 Cambodian Reil, which worked out to $20.
I could quite easily have flopped down on the beach for daily massage, but when you’re doing long term traveling on a budget, a $20 massage is a bit of a luxury.
A massage in Los Angeles would cost between $80-$120 for 40 minutes, and that one wouldn’t include a view, so the draw to make the most of these restorative Cambodian massages was immense. It was cheap by comparison, but cost is relative, and $20 in Cambodia could buy us a one night’s stay when we had to start paying for accommodation.
Getting to Grips with the Money
Once of the challenges of traveling around Cambodia was coming to terms with was ignoring the zeros and dividing the currently by 4. ($1 was equal to 4,000 Riel).
When you started to get into the bigger numbers, the prices on the menus and signs wrote the Cambodia currency without the zeros, which got a bit confusing. e.g. our massage was shown as 85, but it was actually 85,000. But no matter whether your spending dollars in the shops, on the beach, or in a taxi, everyone used the same rate of exchange to keep it simple.
Although you can spend dollars in Cambodia, they don’t accept American coins, so if something in 3,000 Riel (75c), and you pay with a dollar, you’ll get 1,000 Riel back as change. If they’re breaking a bigger U.S. note, you could end up with a combination of dollars and Riel in your change.
You’ll get the best rates of exchange in the local markets. You can spot a moneychanger easier, they’re the ones with a glass filled with piles of notes. Your U.S. dollars need to be in excellent condition. You won’t be able to spend them if they have a small rip or tear in them, are crumbled, or faded and old.
Although there are larger denominations the most prevalent Cambodian notes are 10,000 ($2.50) and 20,000 ($5), so if you change a large amount of U.S. dollars you’ll end up with a wad of cash.
There's more to the Cambodian beach that chilling and swimming. What about a beach massage, or some freshly grilled seafood. And don't forget the sunsets. #Cambodia #flashpacking #traveltuesday Click To Tweet
Flashpacking through Cambodia
Flashpacking through Cambodia: For Baby Boomers on a Budget is my latest Roving Jay travel guide full of travel tips, advice, and sample itineraries for flash packers who want the back packing experience without foregoing some of life’s creature comforts – like a comfortable bed, a hot shower, free wi-fi, and somewhere to plug your electric toothbrush in.
I spent almost three months backpacking around Cambodia in 2017/2018 to research this travel guide, and I share insights and first hand knowledge of tourist traps and off-the-beaten-path discoveries. We ate street food, drank 50c beers, and travelled by train, bus, minivan and tuktuk to identify the best ways to get from A to B.
If you’d like to receive a free Review Copy ahead of the general public release, please click here.
Here’s my Cambodia posts on this blog:
- Cambodia Visa and Arrival at Siem Reap Airport
- Cambodia: How to Avoid the Crowds at Angkor Wat
- Filling up your scooter in Cambodia
- The Best Tasting Street Food in Siem Reap
- Angkor Wat at Dawn: Is it worth it?
- Come face to face with Angkor Thom’s Bayon
- Good vs. Evil at Angkor Thom’s Impressive Southern Gate
- The Baphuon Temple and the Terrace of the Elephants at Angkor Thom
- Visiting Siem Reap’s War Museum
- Where to Stay in Siem Reap
- Visiting Siem Reap’s Markets
- Give your taste buds a disco at Siem Reap Night Market
- Responsible Tourism at Joe to Go in Siem Reap
- What to See and Do in Siem Reap
- Which Siem Reap Floating Village should you visit?
- Memorable Boat Trip from Siem Reap to Battambang
- Libations and Bric-a-Brac tempt our purse strings in Battambang
- Vegetable Amok at About the World Restaurant in Battambang
- Cooking Classes at Nary’s Kitchen Battambang
- Pomme Bar, Restaurant and Hostel, at the Core of the new Battambang
- An educational trip around Battambang’s Central Market
- Sightseeing and things to do in Battambang Cambodia
- Bayon VIP Bus from Battambang to Phnom Penh Cambodia
- Exploring Phnom Penh’s 172nd Street in the dark
- The challenge of wandering Phnom Penh’s streets
- A visit to Phnom Penh’s Central Market
- Exploring Phnom Penh’s Markets
- Phnom Penh Photo Diary
- Tops sights to see in Phnom Penh
- Touring S-21 Security Prison (Tuol Sleng Museum Phnom Penh)
- A reflective visit to The Killing Fields
- Taking a train from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville
- The majesty of Otres Beach sunsets
- Our Workaway Gig at Otres Beach Market Cambodia
- Working Away to make Cambodian Bagels
- Cambodia Pastry Wars: The Battle of the Quiche
- Our Cambodia workaway gig renovating a market stall
- Unwind on Cambodia’s Koh Ta Kiev Island
- Cambodian Beach Massage and Grilled Seafood
- Building Community during our Cambodian Workaway
- Gecko Village in Kampot Cambodia – a Photo Essay
- Christmas Eve in Kampot
- more coming
This is the dream, Jay. Walking down Otres beach at Sunset is simply gorgeous, eating seafood is something I’m keen to try. I’m not sure about the Octopus though but the beach message just sold this lifestyle to me completely. It is great that you have the guide books on Cambodia. It is a destination I have my eyes on so I will be checking the guide books out.
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Some of the most memorable sunsets I’ve seen in my life were here at Otres Beach … and no two were ever the same. Something very special about that part of the world.
You’ve got me in the mood for some seafood, and a beach massage, after reading this! I’ve not yet been to Cambodia but the cuisine looks delicious. I love that you’re taking the time for slow travel while also balancing your digital nomad lifestyle. You’re clearly living your best life!
Since abandoning my corporate career, I’m making the most of the opportunity to do more slow travel, and immersing myself in the culture and environment. Workaway is a great way to do that.
I must admit that seafood and massages are two of my favourite things! I might be tempted to have a beach massage every day at $20! And of course, I would not pass on fresh seafood! I love when you can get it fresh off the grill.
Watching something get cooked before you eat it, really helps to liven up your taste buds, and the aroma of those little chaps over the coals got my mouth watering on more than one occasion.
I miss Cambodia. I was there in 2009. I would like to come back to see how this country has changed. I remember the taste of fresh seafood. It was delicious. I also bought seafood directly from fishers and then prepared on the beach. But I didn’t try beach massage 🙂
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Yes it’s changing rapid Agnes. But that’s just the way of developing countries. Change and transition happens at a faster pace.
I’m vegetarian, and so octopus and squid are not for me. Those massages sound delightful, however. I’d happily pay 20 dollars for a massage on a beach, any day. Plus that view!
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There’s something really relaxing about a massage on the beach with the sound of the waves just feet away from you.
Cambodia has been on my bucket list for the longest time!
But in other news, ok my god! I was so shocked to see that the vendors are carrying those hot things on their backs. I’m not sure I would try buying from them, because I got sick the last time I ate something from a street vendor. But I definitely get who someone would be tempted. It looks so tasty!
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We ate from these vendors so many times I lost count, and we never got sick. But I know you can never be too sure when you’re eating off the street vendors, and you do take a bit of a gamble with each mouthful! But for that grilled octopus .. I’m willing to risk it.
Otres Beach sounds heavenly, especially if you can relax with a $20 massage 🙂 I think I’d be on the beach every day, not just for a massage, but to find Orange Hat Lady and her yummy seafood. It looks delicious!
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We loved Orange Hat Lady .. she always had a ready smile. And the best seafood.
Nothing beats fresh seafood – I don’t like it at home but man does it ever taste good when we’re away! And who doesn’t love a $20 massage?!
Everything tastes better when you’re at the beach with the sun on your back, and you know you don’t have to get up early for work the next day.
I’m not a fan of seafood, but Cambodia has been on my list for a long time! Just seeing the beaches makes me want to visit so badly and experience all of the cultures there! 🙂
The fab beaches seemed to be few and far between in Cambodia. Otres was definitely an amazing find, and the sunsets were so memorable. The only challenge was on the day after a storm, all of the trash that had been thrown in the river, got washed into the sea, and took a few days to wash away … and probably get stuck on the coast of Thailand.
I LOVE the beach, but I’m with Red….after a couple of days at the beach, I get antsy. When I go on a beach vacation, I schedule a tour every 2 days to break it up. I love the idea of being able to wonder the beach though, especially when there’s a promise of fresh seafood.
I can keep him nailed to the sand as long as he has his music, and then when he get’s antsy he has to venture into the water – usually for a snorkel.
This beach looks amazing here! Totally my kind of scene, those massages would be well worth the walk to the beach, just to be able to relax!
I wished we’d had a chance (and the budget) to have more massages, they were spectacular. The only problem is the hour went really quickly.
Even though I have been to Cambodia, I have not seen this side of Cambodia. I concentrated only on the Angkor Wat temples which I think more of the travelers do. But it is so good and refreshing to see this part of Cambodia, which I think I will need to explore the next time I am in that beautiful country.
Angkor Wat is a must visit – and all other places in Cambodia are a nice to see. But I’m really glad we explored Otres, Kampot, and Battambang … those are all so different from Siem Reap, and you really get to see a different side of Cambodia.
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I miss Cambodia so much! I hope I’ll be back one day. The fresh seafood on the beach was delicious!
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It’s definitely a country worthy of a return visit.
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There is nothing quite like a fresh seafood BBQ on the beach. What a great way to get to know locals and also you simply cannot beat the deliciousness of the food and the atmosphere! Of course, I’ve never tried the massage on the beach . . . . so perhaps this is even better! Thanks for the lovely insight into your daily life in Cambodia!
It’s easy to breeze in and out of a destination and only have a surface experience, but as soon as you stay there a while, you start connecting with the locals, and it’s those encounters that make a place memorable. I’ll never forget our Orange Hat Lady.
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That’s one lovely sunset by the beach! The beach looks beautiful, and clean. I haven’t been to Cambodia, but I have always equated it with temples and architecture. Never imagined they have nice beaches like this!
We saw some fabulous sunsets at Otres beach … just when I thought they couldn’t be topped, another one even more stunning came along.
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Beach massage and sea food. Nothing could be better right now. Cambodia has been drawing my attention of late with such beautiful beaches. The seafood looks so inviting.Otres beach looks so serene.Love to visit soon.
Otres was serene when we went there, but it’s changing quickly… mass development is on its way.
Grilled seafood on the beach – there is nothing better! Just brought back memories of when I was in Phuket, Thailand. Im not one for beach massage but seafood, sunsets are my kind of thing. Would love to experience it now if only. You made me laugh with this phrase ..”all white people look the same!” – glad that your Orange hat lady noticed the difference.
We ended our Cambodian adventure with a trip to Thailand and went to Phuket as well as some of the nearby islands, and loved it.
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combines the therapeutic benefits of massage therapy with the tranquil beauty of the seaside. In informative blogs about beach massages, you can expect to discover a wealth of knowledge on various aspects of this unique wellness practice.