Tohor’s heartbreaking story:
I met Tohor by word of mouth while I was backpacking through Cambodia a couple of years ago. He is one of the kindest, funniest, and most patient tuk-tuk drivers that you will ever find, one with the biggest heart of all.
He grew up during the Khmer Rouge genocide, the systemic killing of Cambodians under the leadership of Pol Pot, who was supported by the Chinese communist party. The Khmer Rouge emptied the cities and forced Cambodians to relocate to labor camps in the countryside - where mass executions, forced labor, physical abuse, malnutrition, and disease were rampant. The massacre ended when the Vietnamese military invaded in 1978 and toppled the Khmer Rouge rampant. By January 1979, 1.5 to 2 million people had died and children were left orphaned.
Tohor was forced to spend his childhood in poverty. He grew up in a monastery and worked his way up and became a teacher. Eventually, he started a family of his own and began taking tourists on private tuk-tuk tours, never asking for much, just what travelers believed he earned that day for his work.
This incredibly humble man has touched the hearts of so many like-minded travelers that they all came together through social media to start a fund for him when Covid hit and the borders of Cambodia were closed to all tourists. Despite the lack of business, the support of travelers has helped Tohor save enough money to purchase a car to expand his business and show us even more of his beautiful country.
I will never forget waking up at 3 AM to find Tohor right outside of my hostel - with the biggest smile on his face. He prepared a gigantic cooler of ice cold water that barely fit in his tiny tuk-tuk, asking me if I was ready for the most splendid sunrise, as the two of us took off in the blazing heat that day, sharing many laughs and stories along the way. I knew at that moment that our hearts were connected for life.
His itinerary:
Choose from a 2 or 3 day itinerary of Siem Reap to visit the Angkor Temple or any site of your choice:
Day 1: A small tour including Angkor wat , Angkor Tom ( Bayo , Bapuon , Pemean Akas , Elephant terrace) , Takao, Tapromh ( The movie of Tomb Raider) and Bonteay kdey. Visit all sites with the tuktuk.
Price is $18 for tuktuk transportation to all sites and $30 extra for a guide
Day 2: Visit Angkor Wat at sunrise. After sunrise, we will continue our tour to visit preah khan, Neak Pean, Ta som , East Mebon , Pre Rup and Bonteay Srei temple ( 37km from the Siem Reap city this temple was built by pink stone and beautiful carving. On the way we can we visit the land mine museum where you can see the local people make palm sugar.
Price to visit with a tuktuk is $35 and with a tour guide $40 extra
Day 3: Visit a local market and Buddhist temple ( monastery of Buddhist monk), followed by a sunset visit of Kompong Pluk Village, the beautiful Floating Village.
Price is $25 with the tuktuk
In addition, outside of Angkor Archeological park there is another temple that is nice to see as well, we call it the Bengmealea temple (Beautiful trees are found inside this jungle where the temple is located). We will also visit Kosh Ker temple, a pyramid shaped temple. We must visit both temples by car due to the distance.
Price is $70 by car
For tuk-tuk tours: A group of 2-3 people is $18.00, 3 people is $6.00 each, and 2 people is $9.00 each. Regardless of size, the cost of the tuk-tuk is $18.00 total.
* Note all the tour includes free cool drinking water
Each tour is charged by group/ not individually. Each group normally has 3-4 people. For larger groups of more than 4, we charge an additional $5 / person.
If we do a big tour outside of Angkor park, we charge $10 for each person, depending on the destination.
Itinerary of kulen elephants forest in Siem Reap:
Price for adults: $80/ person.
Kids 8-11 years old: 20% off from adult price.
Kids 3-7 years old: 50% off from adult price.
This includes transportation, an English speaking tour guide, lunch (morning tour 8.00 to 2.00) or picnic (Afternoon tour 12.00-6.00 pm) and a full guided tour of the sanctuary, where you will get to spend lots of time with the elephants.
The tour is not a private tour, other groups might join as well. During the tour, you can feed the elephants also.
Disclaimer: The tour is not a private tour, other groups might join as well. During the tour, you can feed the elephants as well.
