Cambodia is both haunted and blessed by its past. Haunted because of recent history: civil war and the auto-genocide of the Pol Pot era when the ultra-Maoist Khmer Rouge caused the deaths of millions of Cambodians through overwork, starvation and genocide. The horror, immortalized in the film The Killling Fields, lasted three years, four months and twenty days and only ended in 1979 with an invasion by the Vietnamese army.
Bloody fighting between the Khmer Rouge and the Vietnamese army lasted until the Vietnamese withdrawal in 1989. This was followed by large scale UN intervention which led to nationwide elections in 1992. The Khmer Rouge refused to lay down their arms, though, and unrest continued.
With the death of Pol Pot in 1998 and the defection of his top aides, the Khmer Rouge finally imploded and the second national elections that same year ushered in the country's first period of peace and reconstruction. Blessed because of its early history: the Cambodian Empire lasted over 600 years (802-1432) and stretched far into what is now Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
The kings of Cambodia left behind sophisticated irrigation works, accomplished sculpture, and dazzling Hindu temple complexes, culminating in the glory of Angkor Wat. Lost to jungle for five centuries, Angkor Wat is now easily reached by air or, more arduously, by land routes from Thailand and Laos. Since Cambodia reopened to the world following the 1989 exodus of the Vietnamese, the nearby town of Siem Reap has mushroomed to accommodate visitors to Angkor Wat.
The five-star Grand Hotel d'Angkor is an enormous French colonial jewel recently renovated by the Raffles group of Singapore, offering an extensive library, map room, art works on Angkor Wat and an opulent Elephant Bar. The traditional style Angkor Village is a veritable oasis in the jungle.
The famous five-towered Angkor Wat is the national symbol of Cambodia, emblazoned on its flag, but "Angkor Wat" is also a shorthand expression for the sprawling, far-flung complex of over 100 Hindu and Buddhist temples built over centuries by successive dynasties. More temples are yet to be excavated. Yet Angkor Wat itself, closest to Siem Reap, is the logical place to begin our explorations. Both a temple and a mausoleum for King Suryavarman II, who reigned from 1112-1152, Angkor Wat is dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu, who was identified with the king. Its celebrated architecture actually offers up multi-leveled layers of mystical meaning, paralleling the four ages of classical Hindu thought, as well as spatial universe of oceans, continents, smaller peaks and the central mythical Mount Meru, topped by apsaras or heavenly nymphs.
The progression is from a naga-lined cruciform terrace over a moat through the main gate of a rectangular outer wall, passing through pools and libraries to an inner wall and the three-storied central temple. Around the outside of the central temple are a series of bas-reliefs, 800 meters long, depicting scenes from the Hindu Mahabarata and Ramayana epics and the triumphal march of Suryavarman's army. In the central sanctuary there once stood a gold statue of Vishnu identified with the Cambodian god-king. Homage was paid to this statue and others according to an astrological schedule determined by solstices, Angkor Wat serving as a celestial observatory as well.
A short distance north of Angkor Wat is the city of Angkor Thom, built by the greatest king, Jayavarman VII (1181-1201). At the exact center of the city is the Bayon, a precipitous monument of 54 gothic towers and 200 gargantuan faces of the enigmatic bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara. The Bayon is decorated with 1200 meters of bas-reliefs showing royal processions, marching armies, naval battles, circus acrobats, and scenes from daily life: chess-playing, cockfighting, hunting, fishing, cooking, giving birth.
Just east of the Bayon is Ta Phrom, another must-see site in the Angkor complex. Built in 1186 by Jayavarman VII, this Buddhist temple has not been restored but left trapped in riotous vegetation, embraced by giant tree roots and vines, the type of sights that greeted the first European explorers of the 1860s.
Beyond Angkor, there are many other ancient temples stretching throughout Cambodia and beyond. Near the Thai border, for example, Banteay Chhmar (Narrow Fortress) was one of the capitals of Jayavarman II (802-850) and at its center is one of the largest Buddhist monasteries of the Angkor era. North of Angkor, formerly in Khmer Rouge territory, Banteay Srei is an exquisite temple built in the late 900s and dedicated to Shiva. For the intrepid traveler there is Beng Mealea, 40 kms east of the Bayon. Nearly the size of Angkor, the site is completely covered in jungle. Not far away is the little-known, jungle-enshrouded Kobal Spien river, or the River of a Thousand Lingums. Here the riverbed carvings are of Vishnu and the Ramayana characters of Rama, Lakshmi and Hanuman. There are also hundreds of lingums, giving way to a waterfall and a scenic pool.
Returning to Siem Reap, there are present-day wonders to discover. Les Artisans d'Angkor is a government-sponsored project which teaches impoverished young Cambodians the traditional arts of woodcarving, stone sculpting and silk weaving. Their artwork is for sale in an adjacent shop.
Just south of Siem Reap is the Tonle Sap, the largest lake in Southeast Asia, home to the Prek Toal bird sanctuary and a huge floating village of Vietnamese fishing families. A good place to learn more about the Tonle Sap lake and its importance for local people is at the Krousar Thmei Foundation. From Siem Reap, torpedo-shaped express boats speed through the lake and down the Sap river to Phnom Penh. The four hour voyage offers an an alternative to the 50-minute flight. However, the best way to take in life around the lake, is by setting out on a small wooden riverboat. Its leisurely pace is more in keeping with the bucolic countryside.
At the confluence of the Bassac and Tonle rivers, separated by a thin peninsula from the Mekong, Phnom Penh is a combination of sleepy French colonial outpost and bustling cosmopolitan city, population one million. The Khmer Rouge had emptied the city during their reign of terror but, except for the Catholic Cathedral, left the city's architecture untouched. Spared the headlong development, Phnom Penh is one of the prettiest cities in Asia, with broad tree-lined boulevards, sidewalk cafes and stately villas.
At the pinnacle of luxury accommodations is the refurbished French colonial Hotel Le Royal, with ornate balconies and a high-ceilinged rooms, swimming pool, spa, gym, business center and popular piano bar. From here, it is possible to stroll or take a pedi-cab to all the major attractions of central Phnom Penh. At the heart of the city, set back on grassy field from the Bassac River, is the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the National Museum, housing sculptures and pottery from the 6th to the 13th centuries. All three buildings are gracious examples of classical Cambodian architecture.
Behind the National Museum is the School of Fine Arts where, since 1981, traditional Cambodian music and dance, often modeled on the events in the Ramayana, have been taught to a new generations of Cambodians. The Khmer Rouge murdered many of the original musicians and dancers, and the first intake of students were war orphans.
Another interesting place to visit is the Apsara Art Association (AAA) that teaches the art of Cambodian traditional dance and music to young Cambodian streetchildren and orphans.
Nowhere symbolizes better the resurgence of Phnom Penh than the riverside promenade of Sisowath Quay. Once dark and dangerous, this well-lit strip of gardens and pavilions is a nightly gathering place for strolling couples and whole families cruising on motorbikes. Offering the best vantage point for people-watching is the Foreign Correspondent's Club of Cambodia, the first among many restaurants and cafes along the promenade. During the UN period this was the favorite hang-out for journalists, and it is still the "Rick's Cafe" of Phnom Penh where everyone meets.
For shopping, the huge Art Deco Psar Thmei (New Market, also known as Central Market) is a great place to hunt for virtually everything, but for the best quality silks, all done in natural dyes, Phnom Chisor is the place to go. While there, worth the view and the climb of stairs is a hill top sanctuary, built by Suryavarman II.
From Phnom Penh, we can travel west to Ho Chi Minh City. Or take a riverboat northeast up the Mekong, stopping off at the picturesque riverfront towns of Kompong Cham, Chhong, and Kratie, where it's possible so see rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins. The end of the line is Strung Treng, from where smaller boats take travellers the last miles to the Lao border.
Banlung is the gateway to Ratanakiri province and Virachay National Park. This is "Wild East", home of small hill tribes Tumpoun, Kreung, Brao, Jorai and a wide range of wildlife including rhinoceros, tigers, leopards, elephants and the elusive kouprey wild cow.
To the south is the equally unexplored Mondulkiri province. The terrain here is hilly and cool and densely forested with pine trees. The double-decker Bou Sraa Waterfalls drops 20 meters on the upper tier, 40 on the lower. The specialty of the village of Phulung are elephant treks through the forest led by experienced handlers.
Or travel south from Phnom Penh along Route 5, a highway built by the Americans, to the beach resort town of Sihanoukville on the Gulf of Thailand. Besides lounging on Sokha and Ochheuteal beaches, we can venture out on dive charters to Condor Reef and outlying coral islands. Nearby are the Tak Chhouu waterfalls and the mangroves and forests of Ream National Park, home to dolphins and a wide variety of birds.
Further east is the charming riverside town of Kampot. Here boat trips can be arranged to the mountainous jungles of Bokor National Park. One of the largest national parks, Bokor is home to herds of wild elephants. At the center of the park is an old French hill station, founded in 1922 and long deserted, its Catholic church, gambling casino and giant fallen into ruins. Ideal for swimming is the two-tiered Popokvil Waterfall.
Further along the coast, close to the border of Vietnam, is the seaside resort of Kep, founded as a French colonial retreat in 1908. It was also a favorite of King Sihanouk and his palace still adorns a hill overlooking the ocean. Kep is located on a small palm-fringed headland and is popular among Cambodians for water sports and gambling. The most beautiful beach in the area is a small boat trip away on Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island). Also nearby are the limestone caves of Phnom Sia and Rung Damrey Saa (White Elephant Cave).
From Sihanoukville we can take an express boat east to the casino town of Koh Kong and enter Thailand through Trat province, one of two overland border-crossings with Thailand. The other is a northern route which connects Aranyaprathet in Thailand with Poipet and Siem Reap an arduous five hours beyond in Cambodia.
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