National Day of Unplugging with Mad Monkey in Cambodia

Happy National Day of Unplugging! This annual holiday celebrates our ability to connect without the use of technology for a whole 24 hours on March 1-2, 2019. In celebration of this digital detox, we wanted to roll out seven ways that you can continue to disconnect during your holiday in Cambodia. Happy unplugging!

Contents

Phone Stack

Mad Monkey is the most social hostel in Cambodia, so it won’t be hard to find a group of people to phone stack with. Instead of being on your phone, make a game of being without it by stacking your phones on a table. The first person to crack and check their device has to:

Buy everyone a tequila shot
Tell their most embarrassing travel story
Introduce themselves to five strangers

You get the idea! Get creative and come up with your own list!

Phone Stack - National Day of Unplugging with Mad Monkey in Cambodia — *Phone stacking © Courtesy of Shutterstock*

Leave your Laptop at Home

If you are traveling to Cambodia, you will likely be leaving work behind you for your holiday. Do so entirely by leaving your laptop at home, as well. Bringing it along on your travels will only tempt you to put in some online hours while on vacation. Luckily, hostels and tours are easy enough to book on a cell phone and our reception at all of our Mad Monkey locations are always at the ready to help should you have any problems booking online.

Turn on Screen Time

Scare yourself into spending less time on your screen by tracking how much time you are on your devices. Oftentimes, the results can be jarring but eye-opening. If you are an iPhone user, there is Apple Screen Time and Android users can implement Google’s Digital Wellbeing. You can even go as far as to set limits or allocate downtime with these apps if you really want to push your digital detox to the max!

Make a List of Things to See and Do

Before traveling to Cambodia, roughly map out your itinerary of each place you plan on visiting. You won’t have time to be constantly online if you are busy in Kampot completing everything on your bucket list, including exploring Bokor Mountain, drinking on a booze cruise, or visiting a local pepper farm, for example. In addition, make note of all the activities you’d like to partake in, regardless of the city. One of our favorite things to do in a new city is to curl up with a good book at a local cafe ― maybe you enjoy cycling. Whatever it is you set aside to do, be sure that you don’t need an electronic device to see it through!

Stick to One Social Media Account

According to a recent survey by the Globel Web Index, internet users spend over two hours (two hours and 22 minutes, to be exact) on social networking and messaging platforms. This time is likely to get longer as more social networks are being introduced, which is why eliminating certain accounts can help you disconnect during your trip to Cambodia. Instead of checking Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, select the one social media account you simply can’t live without and only browse that while abroad. This will help eliminate the number of hours you spend checking and posting!

Try to Find Some Common Ground

In everything that you do, try to find common ground with the people around you. Connecting is one of the most valuable things we as humans can do with one another, whether that be through listening or telling your own story. Having an electronic device around can hinder that interaction in a social setting, so going into one with the goal of finding common ground will always have you coming out of a situation more fulfilled and better off because of it!

Schedule Some You Time

Whether you are sleeping in a giant dormitory or partaking in every tour and event that takes place while traveling, you may find it difficult to find time to set aside to enjoy your own company. This can be one of the most important things you do while traveling. While meeting new people and immersing into the culture is just as pertinent, you should make it a priority to allow time daily to reflect on your experiences. Do this by journaling, meditating, or just taking ten minutes every morning to enjoy the silence of nothingness before taking on another day of exploration. Block out the negativity that oftentimes comes along with being online and instead disconnect with yourself long enough to be able to connect with others!

Pledge to #Unplug at Mad Monkey in Cambodia on National Day of Unplugging

If you are staying at any Mad Monkey Hostel in Cambodia on National Unplugging Day (March 1-2), be sure to check out all of our daily and nightly events to connect with travelers. Give yourselves a break from your gadgets, if only for a few hours! Also, be sure to tell us how you #unplus on Instagram. Tag @madmonkeyhostels to be featured!

Disconnect at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh

On Friday, join us at Mad Monkey Phnom Penh at our Sunset Bar for some trivia coordinated by our friendly customer experience reps! Your phones will be the last things on your mind as you try to muster up answers for their tricky questions — winner gets a free beer tower! The next day, join us on our Sunset Saunter held every Saturday around the city of Phnom Penh. We start our journey on foot from the hostel and visit some of the most unique landmarks in the city, eat some local snacks, and grab a beer along the way.

Make New Friends at Mad Monkey Siem Reap

On Friday, grab a singlet and a beer and join us on our epic pub crawl at Mad Monkey Siem Reap. We stop at several bars along the crawl before ending the madness on Pub Street, one of Cambodia’s most famous party hubs. On Saturday, throw on a swimsuit and grab some sunscreen and meet us poolside for our afternoon pool party. Catch some rays and join in on floating beer pong, three for two drink specials, and much more.

Find Adventure at Mad Monkey Kampot

Join us for our Sunset BBQ on Friday at Mad Monkey Kampot — forget all about your phone as you indulge in delicious veggie and meat options. Simply turn up at 5 p.m. read to eat! Then on Saturday, Mad Monkey Kampot will host Game Night featuring Beer Pong, Flip Cup, Killer Pool, and more. Come, have a drink or two, and enjoy a night away from your electronics connecting with your fellow travelers, locals, and expats alike.

Stay at Mad Monkey Koh Rong Samloem

Are you looking to experience the ultimate digital detox? Then be sure to book your stay at Mad Monkey Koh Rong Samloem. With a motto like, “no Wi-Fi, make friends,” you are sure to leave the beautiful island a less digital-dependent traveler! Disconnect by joining our snorkeling and fishing tour or instead relax at our gorgeous property. There are plenty of places to lounge, including our above-water hammocks that offer guests some of the most picturesque views. There is also an onsight restaurant. This property has everything you may ever need to sit back, relax, and enjoy being disconnected — if only for a few nights.