Babel Staff Trip to Nesat 2024

Since 2011 Babel Guesthouse has had regularly Educational Staff Trips to other parts of Cambodia. This is to learn more about their own country and their own history. It is also to get the experience of being a tourist. This will make it easier for them to put themselves in our guests shoes.

Most Cambodians don't have the opportunity to even travel out of their own village, so this sure creates memories for life. The 8 hours long ride down to Nesat this year was an adventure itself.

Our first Staff Trip to Battambang in 2011 we did by boat from Siem Reap. For most of the staff it was the first time they’d ever been on a boat. It was the first time for all of them to stay in a Hotel, so they spend a lot of time using the elevator, as if it was a rollercoaster.

We learned about Cambodia’s dark history by hiking up Phnom Sampow to visit the killing cave.

We went on the touristy Bamboo Train and we had fun watching Phare, the famous Cambodian circus. At that time, the circus was still quite small, and existed only in Battambang. We still remember the laugher of all staff during the show. So very very joyful.

Our second Staff Trip was to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh.

Check out the Staff Trip video to Phnom Penh here.

It was a bit overwhelming for some of the staff to be in such big city, but we stayed together at all times, so everyone felt safe.

We visited Toul Sleng (S21) and Killing Fields to learn more about Cambodia’s dark history. We also visited the Royal Palace to show respect to the Former King, who passed away that year.

Back at Babel we had our long term Norwegian Globalstudies students running our guesthouse. Here is their video of this experience.

In 2013 we went all the way down to Sihanoukville.

Check out the Staff Trip video to Sihanoukville here.

It was the first time for almost all staff to see the ocean. They barely slept the whole night, they were just in the water, singing, playing and being silly.

We went on a boat trip to Bamboo Island, and for those who dared - snorkelling to see life under the water. We learned how to make dreamcatchers, and had a lot of fun.

One year we visited one of the most holy places for Cambodians, the historical site Phnom Kuhlen. This is where the 500 year long age of Angkor began. The mountain contains several minor ruins, an active pagoda, the river of thousand lingers and a beautiful waterfall.

We also went all the way up to the ancient hindu temple that is situated on top of a 525-metre cliff, overlooking Thailand on one side, and Cambodia on the other - Preah Vihear.

We’ve had countless staff parties, and lots of fun in Waterparks both in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.

Since Covid it has all been just about surviving.

But now have been doing well for over two years - giving us the opportunity to go on staff trip again.

Our team of 28 people have been working really really hard. We all deserved this trip to Nesat Village!

It sure made us even closer to each other than before.

We hope you enjoy this video as much as we do:

Sum up of the trip:

We arrived to Nesat Beach (Koh Kong) right before sunset. Imagine to see the ocean for the first time. That first smell of the ocean. That first walk in. That first swim. For many of our 26 staff, this was the first time to ever see the ocean. We had a wonderful seafood BBQ on the beach, and danced in the sunset.

We stayed in different guesthouses in Nesat Village (also called Phum Barang). This is a new village under development, where we have bought land.

Last year we hosted a workshop on this land for world-famous Domegaia, with participants from all over the world. Together we made Cambodias first Aircrete building there.

We brought our staff to visit this project, and learn about Aircrete and all its benefits.

We also did Mangrove Planting with a local woman called Kimcheng Chan. She taught us about the importance of Mangroves for people and the planet, and how crucial Mangroves are for the biodiversity of coastal Cambodia.

Our last day in Nesat we spend enjoying the sunset at Happiness beach, where we did a lot of swimming, kayaking, BBQ, singing and dancing in the ocean. Simply being silly and happy.