Cambodia: Overview

Why go?

Since the decline of the Khmer kingdom 500 years ago, Cambodia hasn’t had the easiest ride. Thai and Vietnamese kings have fought over it, French imperialists have ruled it, the American military spilled over its borders during the Vietnam War and Pol Pot decimated it.

Thirty years on and life has finally changed for the better. This is quite some achievement, a testament to the country’s resilient inhabitants, who prefer to look to a positive future than to linger in the past. Borders have opened, tourists are pouring in, and you can stand on the streets of Siem Reap and listen to the daily cacophony of men with hammers building hotels. It is a perfect metaphor of 21st-century Cambodia; here is a country that is forging itself anew, fuelled by a positive determination to make the most of its myriad opportunities.

Although tourism is still in its infancy, those who make the journey discover one of the great wonders of the world at Angkor, the single biggest religious monument on our planet. Now a UNESCO World Heritage site (and how could it be anything else?), this 12th-century temple complex stretches 85km in one direction and 50km in the other. Over 500 temples, many still in the grip of impenetrable jungle, reveal an advanced culture to rival any other of the era. But there’s more to Cambodia than Angkor, and clever tourists are stating to spread their wings, south to the beaches of Sihanoukville, east to the Mekong at Kratie, and down to pulsating Phnom Penh, a capital city in the midst of reinventing itself.

Any Downsides?

Corruption is endemic in Cambodia (not surprisingly, if you consider that a tour guide can earn $20 a day and a policeman $40 a month). On the whole, this is a Cambodian problem, though if your passport is stolen, you may need to slide a $10 note across the table in the police station. Robbery is also a problem: we had a camera stolen on the streets of Phnom Penh at 9.30am on a Sunday – two men on a motorbike drove past and snatched it – so keep hold of handbags and cameras when on the streets, and don’t leave any valuable items – mobile phones, wallets, passports – openly on view or on tables in cafés. Store what you don’t need for the day in safes in hotel bedrooms; they’re easy to operate, make sure you use them. Finally, don’t walk the streets at night.

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Activities

* Angkor, where your jaw will drop and your eyes will bulge (don’t come for just one day). See Angkor Wat, the principal temple of this ancient capital, which is surrounded by a 5km moat; Ta Prohm, where the roots of giant banyan trees hold temple ruins in their mighty grip as they soar towards heaven; Bayon, the state temple of Angkor Thom, where 216 giant faces have been chiselled into the stone; Banteay Srie for its wonderful pink sandstone temples and their exquisite stone carving.

* Cruise the Tonle Sap, 10 miles south of Siem Reap. Pass floating villages with churches and schools, take a swim (but watch out for crocodiles). This is Asia’s largest freshwater lake. It floods with monsoon rains, teems with tasty fish and runs all the way down to Phnom Penh.

* Check out the market, bars and restaurants of the old town in Siem Reap, the epicentre of tourist life. It’s busy every evening.

* See the mighty Mekong at Kratie, where endangered Irrawaddy dolphins still survive.

* Visit Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace, for its tumbling golden roofs and well-kept gardens. It dates to 1866 and highlights include the Throne Room, the Silver Pagoda and a 17th-century emerald Buddha. Visitors must dress conservatively.

* Shop until you drop at the Russian Market in the capital. Not a place to pick up an AK-47, but just about everything else. Hardcore shoppers will love it.

* Learn about the Khmer Rouge at S-21, also known as Tuol Sleng, the bloody prison where the regime tortured many of its inmates. Those who survived were sent to their deaths in the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, 14km southwest of town. Neither are happy places, both are important ones.

* Head south to the white sands of Sihanoukville where you can drink ice-cold beer in beachside bars and dig into fish that’s come straight from the sea. There are islands to snorkel around, so bring your bathers.

	Overview
	Places to Stay
	What's Where
	Siem Reap
	Phnom Penh
	Background Info
	Geography
	People
	Climate
	Travel Tips
	Getting There
	Getting Around
	Visas/Money