Would we recommend you visit Cambodia, we certainly would! We didn’t really know what to expect, we had done some research, we had visited a number of Asian countries, was Cambodia going to be similar to them? Our first impressions when we went into the city of Siem Reap was one of surprise. We were firstly shocked with how busy it was. We knew that Angkor Wat and the temples were famous and a big tourist attraction, but we weren’t expecting a city that came to life with such vibrant colours, lights and music and it had a pub street which was bustling with so many tourists! It also had a Welsh pub which of course we had to visit and Mike enjoyed a Penderyn! Siem Reap city has a mellow feel until dusk and then it comes alive, I’m not sure why, but after a day at the temples I don’t think it was what we were expecting!
Our time in Siem Reap was precious and the tour of the temples was stunning. We had an excellent tour guide who shared his vast knowledge of the history of three of the main temples. The area of temples is huge and we had given ourselves a day to explore three of them in detail. You can easily spend at least two if not three days exploring all the temples in this area, it depends on what time you have and how much you want to explore. We started at Angkor Wat which is believed to be the largest religious monument in the world, spread over 400 acres and is a UNESCO World Heritage site as well as the symbol of Khmer culture. It represents both Hindu and Buddhist beliefs and it is featured on the national flag of Cambodia. This place was special and the two hours we had seemed to fly by. There are known to be thousands of buildings in this vast area and we were just mesmorised by its beauty and impressed with how much was still standing proud, you could feel the history, if that makes sense?
We also visited the Bayon temple, which was actually the last state temple to be built in this area of Siem Reap. The most distinctive feature of this temple which we loved was the large number of smiling and serene faces, wherever you turned a face beamed down at you. It was the only temple that was built solely for Buddhism, whereas some of the other temples were Hindu as well. We meandered the ruins and again were blown away by how some of the buildings had stood the test of time. It was inspiring and spectacular .. and we were walking through history.
Our final temple that we visited was Ta Prohm Temple. This is the temple where the famous movie Tomb Raider was filmed in 2001. It was originally built and dedicated to the King’s mother back in the 12th century. The distinctive features about this temple and something that we really loved, was the way the trees had grown and interwoven with the ancient ruins; it felt that nature was entwined with the past and it felt very magical for us as we meandered through. There is discussion in Cambodia about whether to remove the trees in order to restore the temple. We felt they were part of the ruins and should stay. Not only did we get to explore these temples by foot, but we also enjoyed a bike ride where we took in the views from different angles and could do it at a leisurely pace from the outside. If you come to Cambodia, of course, Siem Reap has to be a must.
One aspect of Cambodia we really loved was when we spent time with the locals and their families. We did this on numerous occasions and it gave us a real insight into the real lives of the local people. In Battambang, Savet and his family were extremely welcoming and shared many stories with us when we explored his village where he was born and brought up. We found out how the locals lived on a daily basis, from visiting the local market every morning to purchasing fresh foods for their daily meals; how they prepared and cooked their dishes; how the community looked after each other and helped build their homes; how lands were farmed and crops were grown. We were privileged to be welcomed with open arms into a family and experience their daily routines. We even had the opportunity to collect fresh produce from their garden and Julia prepared a local dish of fish Amok, which we then got to share with the family in the evening. How special that was, sitting with a local family, enjoying the food from their own land in Cambodia, we loved it.
One story that Savet shared with us was about the Bamboo train. The train line was built back in the 1930’s by French colonists, but during the Vietnamese war and the Khmer uprising much of the train was in disrepair and couldn’t be used. But the locals decided to do something about it for themselves and after the Khmer government was finally overthrown, locals used the scraps to put together a bamboo train that they could use to visit family and friends in the nearby villages as well as transport goods. At this time they would use a bamboo cane to push the platform along the track. They now have a little motor that can reach up to 40km/h! The train is very light and can be lifted on and off the track quite easily, and if there is another train coming in the opposite direction, the little platform with the least number of passengers has to disembark, let the other platform through and then start on the journey again! The train is used mainly as a tourist attraction, however it is used by the locals and farmers either to get to see families of friends in the next village or to get to their rice paddy fields. Without this train a lot of the locals would not have an income and so it is very important to try and maintain it. It is a great way to see the local countryside and a bit of fun!
We also took a visit to the more somber cave on the top of a hill about 7 miles outside of Battambang. At Phnom Sampeau not only are there temples and monuments to visit, but this is the place during the Khmer Rouge uprising where 10,000 Cambodian’s lost their lives. The story is such a sad tale and one we would find out more about when we visited the capital. It is hard to believe that so many people were killed in this area. There is a memorial where you can pay your respects.The hill has multiple caves that traditionally were seen as Buddhist temples. However there is one cave further down that at dusk you will see over a million bats leave the sanctuary of their cave and fly to feed in the rivers and lakes. This was a sight to behold and I don’t think any video or picture can really share the experience .. it was phenomenal. Thirty minutes watching bats leaving their home and flying to feed .. and they did this every night! What a sight to see!
We did some camping at Kampot! A rustic campsite away from the bustling cities and immersed in nature. We loved it here and consequently we didn’t have much photo or video evidence because we used this time to enjoy being back camping in OTW and enjoy time just immersed in nature. We certainly chilled and met some lovely people and ate some delicious food and it was so good to be back in our own home, OTW!
Our visit to the capital Phnom Phen was a very somber one. The main attractions are related to the Khmer Rouge, which was the period of time where a communist government under the leadership of Pol Pot ruled the country for four years. It is estimated that possibly up to 2 million Cambodians died and many of the professional and technical class of people were executed. The audio of the history at the two museums we visited was excellent and very detailed but was done very sensitively, and really brought home the atrocities of this time. We had read about this uprising but hadn’t realised the impact on the people of Cambodia and talking to locals made us realise what impact it had on them and their families, horrific. We aren’t city people really, but we did venture in a couple of times and one evening enjoyed a cruise on the Mekong river. The city certainly comes to life at night with the bustling streets and the bright lights
We do love exploring places off the beaten track and we did this for a couple of nights on top of a mountain in a dome! To get to the accommodation you needed a four by four and when we got to the top we were not disappointed with the views, and there was a swimming pool, added bonus! Whilst we were here we decided to do a trek and one of the guys took us on a fabulous walk through the forests and jungle. His knowledge of the local land was incredible; Mike and I always really appreciate talking to the locals and finding out about the life of the Cambodian people, it can be very humbling. Cherb’s knowledge about plants and trees was amazing and he could tell us what and why the plants were of particular importance and how his family would use them. It was a couple of hours of escapism amongst nature, simply beautiful.
Cambodia is blessed with many spectacular waterfalls of which we managed to see a few! One of the first was called Bousari which is in the Mondulkiri Province. It is said to be one of the most famous tourist attractions in Cambodia and it was amazing. There are different levels where you can see the waterfall at different angles, and even take a shower underneath the cascading water! It was spectacular and you can only imagine how powerful the water must be in the rainy season. There were also many waterfalls to explore and visit near Banlung, which is known as the capital of the Ratanakiri Province, another province engulfed in natural beauty. One of the famous falls in this area are the Katieng Waterfalls and this is where the Ratnakiris’s last elephants are looked after in a conservation programme. We visited the Kachanh waterfalls, as per usual, all our journeys to waterfalls tend to be off the beaten track and can’t be seen on google maps, but we do like an adventure and then the end product of a beautiful waterfall is worth the off-roading!
Some of the most memorable experiences have been when we have stayed in the smaller hotel/motel/homestays where we have had the opportunity to sit with the owners, chat with the locals and be part of the family. Staying in Kratie with Dary we experienced life on the back streets where the Vietnamese and Cambodians live in harmony across the road from each other. It was a privilege to be able to experience the daily life of the local people and we were made to feel so welcome by everyone. It was near Kratie that we also got to see the Irrawaddy dolphins that are found in the Mekong river; these are an endangered species with only about 90 left in this area. To cruise the river with a local guide and experience the families of dolphins swim by was truly magical. We loved our stay in this area, the guides are amazing and we also enjoyed time relaxing by the famous rapids in this area! What more could you ask for after a morning exploring, but an afternoon relaxing in a hammock by the water, bliss!
Staying in the Ratanakiri Province with Alinyan was also truly special; we had fabulous views, the accommodation was beautiful, we had a swimming pool and the restaurant served delicious food! There were many beautiful places to visit close by and we did use this time to catch a breath and just take time out to relax and catch up on admin. Alinyan and her family were extremely welcoming and during our stay they went the extra mile to make sure Julia’s birthday was really special during our stay. A memory she will treasure.
We had loved our journey through Cambodia and we now were heading into Laos. Cambodia was a new country for us on this journey, we had never been here before, we had read and researched, but it blew us away with it’s beauty and in particular the warmth of the Cambodian people who made our visit so special. Thank you Cambodia for helping us to create such wonderful memories.
