Cambodian Beach Massage and Grilled Seafood

Watching the sunset on Otres Beach
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.

Beach time in the shade
Beach time in the shade

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.

Sunset at Otres Beach Cambodia
Sunset on Otres Beach

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.

Salty kisses spot on Otres Beach
Red walking straight past the Salty kisses spot on Otres Beach!

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.

Beach BBQ octopus
Beach BBQ octopus

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.

The beach vendors chilling in the shade on Otres Beach
The beach vendors chilling in the shade on Otres Beach

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.

Beach Massage
Beach Massage

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.

Otres Beach Cambodia
Otres Beach Cambodia

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 Share on X

Flashpacking through Cambodia ebook cover for Baby Boomers on a Budget 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:  
 

Author: Roving Jay

Jay is a project manager who swapped corporate life for a nomadic existence as a travel writer. She works with authors and entrepreneurs to help them achieve their self-publishing goals and reach their target audience through content marketing. Jay has published a series of travel guides, a travel memoir, and nonfiction books about travel writing. She housesits and volunteers around the globe with her husband, a Hollywood set painter, and she’s never more that 10 paces away from a wi-fi connection.

35 thoughts on “Cambodian Beach Massage and Grilled Seafood

  1. 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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    1. 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.

  2. 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!

    1. 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.

  3. 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.

    1. 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.

  4. 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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  5. 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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    1. 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.

  6. 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?!

    1. 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.

  7. 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! 🙂

    1. 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.

  8. 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.

    1. 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.

  9. 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.

  10. 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!

  11. 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!

  12. 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.

  13. 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.

  14. 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.

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