They come at you with a demonic grin, and you know that despite your pleading that you are going to get it. After they get you, they smile point and laugh. Some of the more devious ones will lie in ambush positions, like spiders, awaiting their next victim. They will use anything that will move water , from the small little hand squirt guns, to Buck Rodgers inspired monster size ray guns, that are able to shoot water for long distances in thick soaking streams, water balloons made from plastic bags, buckets, cups, ladles, hands, feet, anything to douse your neighbor is fair game. To add a little twist to it, as it is also a very hot season, they hit you with baby powder, and you can just imagine what kind of a bad hair day that can create, With signs of their handy work ghost like apparitions spotted from the beach city in Sihanoukville to the south, to the Cambodia capitol of Phnom Penh in the middle of the country, to the temples of Angkor Wat in Siem Reap to every little hamlet and village in the countryside.

Every year the Cambodians have a huge party to celebrate Khmer New Year this party can go on for some for weeks. Like Thailand, the changing of the seasons to the monsoon, means the start of some pretty heavy rainfall, which is needed for the rice crops. But it also means getting wet a lot, so one of the ways that they bring in the New Year is by dousing everyone, and just about everything with water. The monsoon season lasts from mid April till October, but normally you see the heaviest of the rains at the beginning and the end of the season.

Coming to Cambodia during the shiny season is a good idea if you are a budget traveler as the crowds are gone, and the vendors are open to negotiations for handicrafts and tourist souvenirs. Great deals can also be found for cheap hotels and discount activities

Fred Tittle has lived and worked in holiday vacation resorts his entire life, from Lake Geneva’s Playboy Club, as a rock jock for KSPN FM in Aspen Colorado, he became a PADI Pro Scuba Diver in Hawaii, diving on Maui, Kauai, Kona on the big island, and Waikiki on Oahu. He now owns EcoSea Dive in Sihanoukville Cambodia where he teaches SSI and PADI scuba diving courses and runs liveaboards in the gulf of Thailand and Asia adventure tours, http://www.ecosea.com

Fred’s new project http://www.CheapCharliesHotels.com where he reviews cheap hotels , budget guesthouses, discount accommodations and cheap international flights, but is really an excuse to go scuba diving on vacation more, Fred is in Beijing China with Xiamen China the next stop.