Gold Tuk-Tuk Driver in Angkor, Siem Reap Cambodia

If you are doing the Angkor Wat temples or other attractions around Siem Reap I want to put a plug in for a great tuk tuk driver: Gold Tuk-Tuk Service. His name is Sovan (pronounced like тАЬSew onтАЭ) and I had two days of terrific transportation and advice from him.

I found his service on the gay web site utopia-asia.com. Many people had already had very good things to say about his service (see this page and scroll down):

http://utopia-asia.com/camsiem.htm

The comments seemed real and not a commercial someone wrote so I emailed him and he was always very prompt with replies. I booked him to pick me up when my bus arrived from Phnom Penh and itтАЩs a good thing I did. It was dark and raining when I arrived and Sovan had been there an hour already in case the bus was early. It was a comfort to have a friendly and safe, English speaking driver that I could trust and who knew where my guesthouse was on that arrival.

We spent another whole day touring the Ankgor Wat temples. Sovan was just great with advice on what to see and also knew enough of the history so I didnтАЩt need to hire a guide. We had lunch at a restaurant in the middle of the day and I enjoyed chatting and learning about his life and Cambodia. He his knowledgeable about the politics of the country which I was interested in learning about. However, if you prefer peace and quiet heтАЩll let you rest. He is great about spotting you when you return from the crowds and getting you going to your next destination.

Anyway, I could go on but highly recommended. Here is his web site and contact info:

http://www.goldtuktuk.blogspot.tw/

Email: sovantuktuk@gmail.com
092-501-691

I am looking for a nice gay hotel in Siem Reap. Does anyone have any recomendations?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jomtientom

I am looking for a nice gay hotel in Siem Reap. Does anyone have any recomendations?

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besides dozens of "gay friendly" hotels,
there is only one gay hotel in Siem Reap: MEN's Resort & Spa.

located in Siem Reap Angkor, MEN's is a great "exclusively for men" hotel.

at MEN's you can also meet some local guys and other tourists who are joining the Sauna/Spa in the evening.

You should have a look to the website: www.mens-resort.com, it is absolutly the place to go for gay travellers.

http://www.mens-resort.com/pics/banner-04.jpg

I have been to Men,s Resort but found it a little remote. I went to Golden Banana which has 4 properties all with the same name, 2 owned by former owner and 2 owned by new purchaser. Confusing but works well.

My return visits have been here and I stay at the top of the soi, which leads to the short cut through the mall across the bridge.

The photos are accurate Even the room which I asked for is shown. I got the only one close to the pool with balcony which is shown. Rates not expensive but they do scale down to backpackers rates

http://www.rustycompass.com/destination ... ki_uVPr2Uk

I walk across the bridge Golden Banana to Pub Street, there are only 4 gay bars I know of, mainly one small street north. My choice is the Station Wine Bar, firstly because the choice of wine is outstanding and available by the glass.

Here is a review of the show

http://www.travelfish.org/blogs/cambodi ... siem-reap/

The floor show is bright and not as pushy as Pattaya

http://www.cambodiagaytravel.com/

I have been to Men's Resort and found it to be quite pleasurable and upscale. Rooms and amenities large and comfortable and staff very helpful.
Definitely recommended.

A very nice gay owned guest house in Siem Reap is River Queen Guesthouse.

http://riverqueenguesthouse.com/index.html

Great location in that you are just a 5 minute (or less) walk from the gay bars and market area but removed enough to feel peaceful. Jacuzzi area with rooftop view of the river. Good free breakfast and comfortable rooms. I stayed in the balcony room with nice view of the river and sunrise. Owners are very friendly and knowledgeable about the area. Very good prices too, I paid less than half of what MenтАЩs Resort or Golden Bannana charges. They offer a discount to Utopia Rainbow card holders. No problems taking guests back to your room for the night as long as they have I.D. They can even join you at breakfast for a small fee. IтАЩm looking forward to returning.

Many other good comments on tripadvisor:

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Hotel_Review ... vince.html

I think the Gold tuk tuk driver Sovannarith is overated. I've hire his services several times before and although he is friendly, he has gotten way too busy, since he's the only Siem Reap tuk tuk driver listed on both Utopia and Travel Gay Asia. The last time i hired him, he passed me on to another driver, even though I had specifically requested and confirmed his services just 2 days earlier. Frankly i think he is now way too busy taking commissions by sending his guests to other drivers and tour guides. There are many, many friendlier and more accommodating drivers around the Golden Banana Resort and Ei8ht Rooms Guesthouse.

When in Siem Reap, I always stay at Ei8ht Rooms Guesthouse (www.ei8htrooms.com) as they have some of the best gay-friendly tuk tuk drivers around. Just ask for Mr. Broas, Mr. Heang, Mr. Mab and Mr. Sreoun. Ei8ht Rooms is mere 5 mins walk to Pub Street and just a few doors away from Blue Hartha Men's Sauna.
They don't charge any joiner fee and unlike the many more expensive gay-friendly hotels in Siem Reap, Ei8ht Rooms room rates is a steal at only $18 to $24 a night!

Also do note that many small after-hours bars (Tuk Tuk Bar, Karma, etc) have opened up south of Soksan Street (just one street away from Ei8ht Rooms). Many of these bars have very cute gay-friendly bartenders, waiters and open till early hours of the morning. Great little places to visit besides the usual Linga, Wine Station or Miss Wong. Drink prices are also just a fraction of the main bars in Pub Street. Give these places a try and I'm very sure you will be back for more.

jay99 I got this email from a friend who has moved to Hanoi. He told me it was a way out place and to visit next trip.
He downloaded this and sent to me. I guess it is the same place. If so looks great. The article is a little out of date now.

History of Tuk Tuk Bar in Siem Reap

Posted by Hong on Sep 28, 2012 in | 0 comments

Tuk Tuk Bar is the unique concept inspired by Hong (The Owner) a flair bartender, who had learnt his trade at Island Bar in the original Angkor night market. Hong decided he wanted his own bar and for it to be designed in the fashion of a chinese Tuk Tuk. He bought it in Battambong and drove it all the way to Siem Reap. The actual design was made by a German man called Daniel (0889311616).

From the 2nd February 2012, Tuk Tuk Bar was opened on the Soksan Road, At first it had just 3 seats jutting out from the bar, and a small bench seat behind the bar. It was placed just outside a bamboo restaurant. There was very little to it just a few cocktails and a few can beers. Initially it just attracted the passing backpacker. Then Hong decided to rent the inside area of the restaurant, with the main attraction that it had a toilet for the those needing a cheeky wee! With time he bought the restaurant and developments were made from there. The Tuk Tuk was brought to the front of the shop. As well as this, Hong then employed his brother Sen and another bartender.

As for the first developments, he put a bamboo roof across the top of the Tuk Tuk. This was then added by putting seats in the inside area to allow more people to drink. Of course more drinks were added to the range of and now there is a vast array of spirits and cocktails to choose from. By this time, Tuk Tuk Bar was getting to gain a reputation for itself its quality of cocktails, happy staff, plus being one of the very few extremely late night places to have a drink in a nice chilled out environment. Soon word was spreading out to the expat community and it was making a name for itself as a cool place either early or late to have a drink.

As ever Tuk Tuk has been organic in itтАЩs change. For sometime it had bamboo seating inside and out, but this had to be changed to accommodate the rainy season. So more weather proof tables replaced the bamboo seating. Also by this stage food was being introduced and at first it was mexican tacos, followed by thai food to the now all round types of food, from burgers to khmer dependent on the time of day you are there.

As you will see Tuk Tuk know, well, it has expanded its actual Tuk Tuk size to accommodate more drinks, draft beer on tap and more seats at the actual Tuk Tuk bar itself. Now it has an actual fully equipped kitchen, set in stone.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phred

If you are doing the Angkor Wat temples or other attractions around Siem Reap I want to put a plug in for a great tuk tuk driver: Gold Tuk-Tuk Service. His name is Sovan (pronounced like тАЬSew onтАЭ) and I had two days of terrific transportation and advice from him.

I found his service on the gay web site utopia-asia.com. Many people had already had very good things to say about his service (see this page and scroll down):

http://utopia-asia.com/camsiem.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The comments seemed real and not a commercial someone wrote so I emailed him and he was always very prompt with replies. I booked him to pick me up when my bus arrived from Phnom Penh and itтАЩs a good thing I did. It was dark and raining when I arrived and Sovan had been there an hour already in case the bus was early. It was a comfort to have a friendly and safe, English speaking driver that I could trust and who knew where my guesthouse was on that arrival.

We spent another whole day touring the Ankgor Wat temples. Sovan was just great with advice on what to see and also knew enough of the history so I didnтАЩt need to hire a guide. We had lunch at a restaurant in the middle of the day and I enjoyed chatting and learning about his life and Cambodia. He his knowledgeable about the politics of the country which I was interested in learning about. However, if you prefer peace and quiet heтАЩll let you rest. He is great about spotting you when you return from the crowds and getting you going to your next destination.

Anyway, I could go on but highly recommended. Here is his web site and contact info:

http://www.goldtuktuk.blogspot.tw/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


.

Email: sovantuktuk@gmail.com
092-501-691

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Thanks for the information but sorry I won't be using him however good you think he is. He has a website which means he's already gone commercial.

I suggest to every visitor to take the tuk-tuk drivers attached to your hotel. It's a lottery but so is life itself. These guys don't have access to Pub Street , Old Market etc.so they depend on custom from the guests staying in the guesthouse/hotel where they're allowed to hang out. Bringing in outside tuk-tuks will be tolerated of course but it creates bad energy if you do it all the time.
I occasionally use a "favorite" driver but I have been more pleasantly surprised than not, by picking the first available one at my hotel/guesthouse. I've been brought to homes within the National Park to meet the family, to eat snake and dog, to observe a creamation etc at different times by different tuk-tuk drivers. Go with the flow.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jay99

When in Siem Reap, I always stay at Ei8ht Rooms Guesthouse (http://www.ei8htrooms.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;) as they have some of the best gay-friendly tuk tuk drivers around. Just ask for Mr. Broas, Mr. Heang, Mr. Mab and Mr. Sreoun. Ei8ht Rooms is mere 5 mins walk to Pub Street and just a few doors away from Blue Hartha Men's Sauna.
They don't charge any joiner fee and unlike the many more expensive gay-friendly hotels in Siem Reap, Ei8ht Rooms room rates is a steal at only $18 to $24 a night!

Also do note that many small after-hours bars (Tuk Tuk Bar, Karma, etc) have opened up south of Soksan Street (just one street away from Ei8ht Rooms). Many of these bars have very cute gay-friendly bartenders, waiters and open till early hours of the morning. Great little places to visit besides the usual Linga, Wine Station or Miss Wong. Drink prices are also just a fraction of the main bars in Pub Street. Give these places a try and I'm very sure you will be back for more.

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I agree with your comments about ei8ht rooms concerning the great location and the great quality for the price. I do not like to depend on a tuk tuk when I go out, and always stay at ei8ht rooms for the proximity to ever thing that Siem Reap has to offer. I have hired great tuk tuk driver there to take me on tours of Angkor Wat