At a Christmas-themed table quiz in Chiang Mai (which we won 😌), I met Camille, the organiser of Nomads in Wonderlands, and her partner Bauke. They told me about their upcoming Angkor Nomads in Wonderland event in February and I was intrigued.
Since I’m travelling through South East Asia, a trip to Cambodia and Angkor Wat was always on the agenda, and this chance encounter offered an ideal opportunity.
After mulling it over for a day or two, I signed up at the end of December. The timing worked out well as my Thailand visa was up at the end of January, so I crossed over to Siem Reap a few days before the event.
Our humble abode for the week
Nomads in Wonderlands
This was my first time taking part in a digital nomad/co-living event and I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it seemed like a cool way to meet others and check out Angkor Wat while I’m at it.
Looking back I have to say it was an excellent experience and an incredible introduction to the digital nomad life, shared with such a class crew of people.
Structure
We had an itinerary for the week and knew the rough plan beforehand, but it was pretty fluid and we went with the flow a lot of the time, which was ideal.
Since Camille and Bauke had been to Siem Reap before, they had a lot of good suggestions on things to do, so I managed to squeeze in the Angkor National Museum beforehand.
The event started off with the usual introductions and some ice-breaker games (my favourite ☺️) and ended with some great presentations at Level Up. In between, we had a mix of activities, ice-baths, meals, sightseeing, co-working, socialising, late-night gymnastics, and pool parties!
“How long has it been, 5 minutes?
“You’ve just gone past the 20-second mark”
Setting
Siem Reap is a great location for a digital nomad event — a stones throw from the stone temples of Angkor Wat, and a cool city in its own right, with a lot of activities and things to do.
The villa was class as well. Large rooms, a pool, and even a cat! The best part was the co-working area, where we had some lovely group meals, round-table discussions, and mastermind sessions — where people offered help with projects, job searches, or just shared advice and experiences. It was a really supportive environment and I think we all learned a lot from each other. The co-working area also offered a place for a few drinks in the evening to bond with the group, and just generally chat away and get to know each other.
On the first night I went out to watch the football and rugby. Sneaking back in at ten past the eleven I thought everyone would be gone to bed, but, to my surprise (and delight), most were still up having the craic!
My only gripe is that the internet in Cambodia is noticeably slower than Thailand — not great for a famous Instagram influencer such as myself — but I persevered 💪
Chillin’ in the Villa
Dining
An unexpected high-point of the experience was all the fine dining. I’m far from a foodie — usually happy out with some Charcoal Grill or 4 Lights — so it was nice to eat in restaurants I never would have on my own.
On our first night we went to Tevy’s Place, where I tried the Cambodian dish Lok Lak for the first time — big fan!
Lovely Lok Lak and refreshing Krud at Tevy’s Place
On the Sunday we had a chef out to the gaff who served up a host of local food which was all incredible. Honestly, I’d heard so much about Thai and Vietnamese food but I absolutely loved the Cambodian food myself.
For the remainder of the week we tried out a variety of different restaurants and finished off with a bbq at the villa. Going out for group meals isn’t something I do too often but it was a lot of fun. The highlights was trying frogs legs and getting to be the barbequemeister at the Japanese restaurant!
Anthony Bourdain over here wha
Activities
Each day had a recommended activity lined up so we were never stuck for things to do, be it something cultural or creative.
I was also delighted to meet a fellow runner in Raz, with whom I went on some good runs around Siem Reap (when we weren’t too hungover), including an intense interval session around the Royal Independence Gardens.
Khmer Ceramics
Making pottery at Khmer Ceramics wasn’t something on my South East Asia checklist, but after Natascha suggested it I said I’d give it a go.
This is that old school setup where you pedal away to spin the clay. Unchained Melody was playing on repeat in my head the entire time, but I have to say it’s a lot harder than Demi Moore made it look!
After a few failed attempts I eventually made something semi decent, a keepsake I still have with me on my travels which I’m saving as my one present for the parents.
Before → The demonstration piece → My masterpiece
Angkor Wat
This is certainly one of the main draws of South East Asia and a must-see. To my surprise, there is a lot more than Angkor Wat itself, with dozens of temples in the area.
Some of the gang got a multi-day pass to check out a bunch of them, though I just opted for the one-day myself. Perhaps I’ll return some day to explore more.
I’ve touched on this trip in more detail in my Angkor Wat post.
Sunset at Phnom Bakheng
APOPO Visitor Center
Something else worth checking out in Siem Reap is the APOPO Visitor Center. Myself and Dani got a tuk-tuk over and met Camille and Bauke there.
Owing to the tragic history in the region, there are literally millions of unexploded landmines left over from the Vietnam War and the Khmer Rouge. This center trains rats to sniff out the landmines and comprises of a really interesting tour.
Family photo at the APOPO Vistor Center
Phare Cambodian Circus
One of the real highlights for me was the Phare Cambodian Circus. Ever since seeing Driftwood at the Galway International Arts Festival in 2017 I have lived for these kind of shows.
Unlike the GIAF, we were free to take photos and videos throughout, and I duly obliged!
There was an interesting story, really nice music, and feats of body-bending and strength I didn’t think were possible! One of the cast was a pure animated character and he had me in stitches as well. This is another must-see in Siem Reap, with shows on every night.
Camille, Vanessa, Martina and myself getting a pic with the performers!
Summary
An action-packed week with some great friendships and memories made, and lots of fun to reflect upon on as I write this post 3 months on.
The event came at the perfect time for me and is one of those serendipitous things that happens when you are solo-travelling and put yourself out there.
I’ll be keeping an eye on Nomads in Wonderlands for upcoming events and I look forward to catching up with the Angkor Nomads in Wonderlands crew again some day!
DavAI SummAIriser
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