A Change of Guard

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Thursday 3 April 2014

“Tomb raid” your way through Cambodia

By Chew V'Ming | Y! Travel Journal
Angelina Jolie’s film, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, may have inspired more people to travel to Angkor in Cambodia. But long before the star prowled Ta Prohm temple for her movie, the sites and ancient temples have already been drawing intrepid explorers and international tourists to the region. Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is probably one destination that features on many travellers’ bucket lists.
Thinking of retracing Lara’s footsteps? Head to these spots and make cool memories of your own:


• Make sure that the ruins of Ta Prohm are included in your itinerary. Massive trees grow out and around the ancient Buddhist temple, with roots coiling around the stone reliefs and carvings of deities like giant snakes. The intrigue and mystery of the almost eerie site made it the perfect backdrop for the 2001 action-adventure film.

• Besides Ta Prohm, the area is home to more than a thousand other temples, ranging from humble piles of rubble to the sprawling spectacle of Angkor Wat. Far from being just a religious site, Angkor was the seat of power of the Khmer Empire in the 9th to 15th centuries, and it is said that the city could have supported a million inhabitants. So where did the people live, since all that’s left behind are mostly religious structures? It turns out that the Khmer people, even the king, lived in residences constructed out of perishable materials like wood. They believed that only gods had the right to live in houses made of stone.

• The temples will take up a good portion of your adventure in Cambodia, but even tomb raiders need a break from archaeological sites. The obvious choice for more modern pursuits is the nearby city of Siem Reap, with its usual complement of hotels, restaurants, pubs and clubs.

• Farther afield is Phnom Penh, the capital city of Cambodia. It features the richly decorated Silver Pagoda with its priceless national treasures, as well as architectural remnants from the country’s French colonial days. History buffs may also appreciate a day trip just outside of the city to Choeung Ek, also known as the Killing Fields, for a grim reminder of Cambodia’s tragic past under the Khmer Rouge regime.

• Northeast of Phnom Penh and somewhat off the beaten tourist track is the small town of Kratie on the Mekong River. Here you’ll have a chance to spot the rare Irrawady dolphins. The charismatic creatures are now considered critically endangered in the region because their habitats have been threatened by fishing activity.

• For a change of pace, you would want to head southwest to Sihanoukville. The coastal city on the Gulf of Thailand, with its white-sand beaches and unspoiled tropical charm, offers a weary tomb raider like yourself the perfect opportunity to recharge before your next globe-trotting adventure!

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