Cambodia
Explore the fabulous temples of Khmer in Angkor Wat that highlight the countries’ long cultural history.
Travellers to Cambodia should best proceed directly to Angkor Wat to explore a selection of the fabulous Khmer temples there. After years of external and internal war, Cambodia now has a tenuous measure of stability.
Cambodia still faces severe economic difficulties (international aid is helping to build roads and improve health care) and political infighting. But the country seems stable enough for visits to Angkor Wat and many of Cambodia's other ancient sites that highlight its long cultural history.
Flying is the best way to get to Angkor, flights are available from Bangkok, Thailand, to Siem Reap, the small town at the edge of the historic park. Angkor's main temple areas are safe to visit.
Phnom Penh is a city revitalized, and the intriguing capital has enough of interest to hold visitors for several days. Sihanoukville, four hours south of Phnom Penh, offers decent beaches and a sleepy atmosphere. For the more adventurous, there are the remote and hilly provinces of Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri, close to the borders with Laos and Vietnam.
The recent discovery of substantial oil and natural gas reserves, with extraction planned to begin about 2010, will likely improve Cambodia's overall economic position.
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh: the name can’t help but conjure up an image of exotic Asia: the glimmering spires of the royal palace, the fluttering saffron of the monks’ robes, and the luscious location on the banks of the Mekong. It is a city on the move, as a new wave of investors moves in, perhaps forever changing the character of this classic city.
Phnom Penh is a crossroads of Asia’s past and present, a city of extremes of poverty and excess, of charm and chaos, but one that never fails to captivate.
Phnom Penh can be an assault on the senses. Motorbikes whiz through the backstreets without a thought for pedestrians; pungent scents float up from stalls and markets; and all the while the sound of life, of commerce, of survival, reverberates all around. But this is all part of the attraction.
Phnom Penh has risen from the impacts of war and revolution to take its place among the cool capitals of the region. Delve into the ancient past at the National Museum, browse the city’s markets for a bargain or linger in the beautiful boutiques that are putting Phnom Penh on the style map. Street-surf through the local stalls for a snack or enjoy the refined surrounds of a designer restaurant.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Phnom Penh
Winter (December and January) is the best time to visit Phnom Penh. The rainy season stretches from April to October, while February and March are indescribably hot with high levels of humidity.
Siem Reap
This is the town where travellers stay when visiting Angkor, just 8 km away. Back in the 1960s, Siem Reap was the place to be in Southeast Asia and saw a steady stream of the rich and famous. After three decades of inactivity, it is now one of the most popular destinations on the planet. The life-support system for the temples of Angkor, Cambodia’s eighth wonder of the world, Siem Reap was always destined for great things, but few people saw them coming this fast. It has reinvented itself as the epicentre of the new Cambodia, with more guesthouses and hotels than temples, world-class dining and sumptuous spas.
Siem Reap is still a little charmer, with old French shop-houses, shady tree-lined boulevards and a slow-flowing river. But it is expanding at breakneck speed with new houses and apartments, hotels and resorts sprouting like mushrooms in the surrounding countryside. The tourist tide has arrived and locals are riding the wave. Not only is this great news for the long-suffering Khmers, it has transformed the town into a vibrant place for visitors.
Angkor is a place to be slowly enjoyed, not rushed, and this is the base to plan your visits.
WHEN TO TRAVEL to Siem Reap
Siem Reap is located near the equator and experiences a tropical climate. The summer season lasts from March to May and the temperature averages 33 C. Winter months are November to February and the weather is pleasant and cool with low humidity.
