Confounding cambodia

Despite having the eighth wonder of the world in its back garden, Cambodia's greatest treasure is its people

* Published: 18/07/2010
* Bangkok Post

There's a magic about Cambodia that casts a spell on many who visit this charming yet confounding kingdom. Ascend to the realm of the gods at the mother of all temples, Angkor Wat, a spectacular fusion of symbolism, symmetry and spirituality. Descend into the hell of Tuol Sleng and come face to face with the Khmer Rouge and its killing machine. Welcome to the conundrum that is Cambodia - a country with a history both inspiring and depressing, an intoxicating place where the future is waiting to be shaped.

The years of fear and loathing are finally over and Angkor is once more the symbol of the nation, drawing pilgrims from across the globe. Peace has come to this beautiful yet blighted land after three decades of war, and the Cambodian people have opened their arms to the world. Tourism has well and truly taken off, yet a journey there remains an adventure as much as a holiday.

Contemporary Cambodia is the successor state to the mighty Khmer empire, which, during the Angkorian period, ruled much of what is now Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The remains of this empire can be seen at the fabled temples of Angkor, monuments unrivalled in scale and grandeur in Southeast Asia. The traveller's first glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate expression of Khmer genius, is simply staggering and is matched by only a few select spots on earth, such as Machu Picchu or Petra.

Just as Angkor is more than its wat, so too is Cambodia more than its temples. The chaotic yet charismatic capital of Phnom Penh is a hub of political intrigue, economic vitality and intellectual debate. All too often overlooked by hit-and-run tourists ticking off Angkor on a regional tour, the revitalised city is finally earning plaudits in its own right thanks to a gorgeous riverside location, a cultural renaissance and a dining and drinking scene to rival the best in the region.

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COLOURS OF CAMBODIA

Travelling through Cambodia reveals a vivid palette of colour - rural rice fields glimmer like emeralds; Buddhist monks' saffron robes shimmer in the sunlight. Cambodia's ancient temples are hewn from sandstone, but are cloaked in green moss or drip with dappled shadows. Khmer food is as striking in colour as it is in flavour. Even the arts are bright, with exquisite dance costumes. But the people of Cambodia bring the most colour of all, their beautiful smiles and warm welcome an enduring memory of any visit.
TEMPLE-HOPPING

Cambodia is the undisputed temple capital of Asia and we are not just talking about the awesome Angkor Wat, the mother of all temples. Angkor is heaven on earth - the home of the gods, cast in stone - but all over the country, hidden away in the jungle, lie monuments that attest to the glories of the Khmer empire.

ANGKOR WAT

Follow in the footsteps of pilgrims of old along the immense causeway of the "temple that is a city", the holiest of holies, the one and only Angkor Wat.

JUNGLE TEMPLES

Iconic Ta Prohm, with serpentine root systems slowly strangling the stones. Further afield lies Beng Mealea smothered then swallowed by the voracious jungle.
KOH KER

Discover the rival capital of Koh Ker, carved out of the jungle in the 10th century and home to some of the most epic sculptures from the Angkorian era.

BANTEAY CHHMAR

Venture off the trail to the "narrow fortress" of Banteay Chhmar, one of the monumental creations of Jayavarman VII, complete with the signature faces of Avalokiteshvara, the Bodhisattva of Compassion.

PREAH KHAN

Experience spiritual harmony in the ultimate fusion-temple, Preah Khan, which is dedicated to the Hindu trinity of Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma, as well as the Buddha.
LIFE BEFORE ANGKOR

Cambodia didn't begin and end with Angkor. There are relics of the powerful pre-Angkorian kingdoms of Funan and Chenla all over the country, including Sambor Prei Kuk, the first temple-city in Southeast Asia.

This is an edited extract Cambodia,
by Nick Ray, et al. Lonely Planet, 2010.
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