Sparkling diamonds, glowing emeralds and shiny sapphires floating on crystal clear waters like a galaxy of mysterious stars-No this is not the description of Mars. This is what my best sea memory looks like-The Sparkling Planktons in Sihanoukville.
It was summer of 2018. We had booked a trip to Vietnam and Cambodia for my 30th birthday-Yes the one where Chavi turns 30 and also-A reminder, Age is just a number.
Cambodia, known for the enormous Buddhist temple Ankor Wat is indeed a beautiful calm country. We had our itinerary planned in a way that the Sparkling Plankton tour would be on my birthday.
I had worn my best swim suit and sarong and was all ready to take a plunge into this enigmatic wavy wonderland.
We reached the Bay of Kampong Som and went a little off coast where a small speed boating along with the instructor waited for us.
She told us about the Do’s and Don’t’s, things to remember and some other tips. Felt like listening to the safety instructions before the flight takes off when all you are interested in is reaching the destination.
When will we start-I asked, even before she could complete her briefing.
She smiled and said-An hour later. You can enjoy coffee and sunset and then we will leave.
We went to the cafe where we were served freshly baked croissant and coffee by the tour operator. The whole vibe was amazing. We took some pictures of the sunset, got ready with our waterproof backpack kits with all the essentials and waited for the tour to begin.
She whistled to us and we hopped on to the speed boat.
The sea water splashed on our face as the boat cut across the foamy waves.
It was an experience like no other. Though the sea is also famous for its white beaches and clear water but as the night falls, a truly magical event takes place.
Millions of tiny phytoplanktons rise to the top and scintillate the surface as you move through them.
Finally the moment arrived as we had reached spot and the instructor asked us to jump in.
In a jiffy we were in the water.
The planktons brighten up even more as you swirl the water with your hands and legs.
It felt like being surrounded by tiny stars. You have stars above and below you and that sight is what makes this whole experience a dreamy one.
We snorkled our way through the area as the ocean illuminated with incredible underwater light.
We spent almost an hour there capturing every moment of this sight in our hearts.
We got back to the boat, wrapped ourselves in towels and headed back to the beach.
A birthday to remember indeed!
For any further queries, please reach out to holidays@lykke.travel
Credits:
Blog post written by: Chavi Jain
Leave a Reply