March 25th, 2006 | The lowdown by Gordon Candelin

Khmer New Year Blues.

Getting around during the long weekend of Khmer New Year requires some planning. Buses to places like Siem Reap fill up quickly, and you should think about buying tickets at least a full day in advance, if not more.

Boats to places like Kratie and then further north to Stung Treng are sporadic, and given that the water levels in April tend to be quite low anyway, taxis and buses are usually more reliable options.

Expect your travel costs (and possibly your travel times as well) to double during the new year, especially if you are buying seats in trucks or private cars. If you are going on a particularily ardorous route (say Kratie to Banlung or Stung Treng) you won't make a move at all after 7am.

There is an upside to this - you may well get swept up into some of the local festivities while you figure out what to do next. Khmer New Year is a time for everyone to laugh and play and dance, so being stuck in the middle of nowhere might not be such a bad idea after all.