There's a new kid on the Indo-Chinese
bloc. Actually Cambodia is not that new to the seasoned traveller, but
hardly a blip on the radar for most British tourists. Only about 100,000
of us visited last year. Compare that to Spain, where more than 11
million Brits headed to the Costas in 2012.
On
the face of it, there's a good reason why so few of us holiday in
Cambodia. Quite simply it's where heaven meets hell, offering wide-eyed
wonderment and unspeakable tragedy in equal measure. Ascending to the
land of the gods involves clambering up seemingly endless steps to the
pinnacle of the heavenly 12th Century Angkor temples, viewed by many as
the eighth wonder of the ancient world. Descending into hell includes
the barbarity of the evil Khmer Rouge regime which brought the country
to its knees.
Pause for thought: Kay by one of the smiling faces at the Angkor complex
It's savagery remembered by
the S21 torture facility and the now undulating serenity of the Killing
Fields, where tens of thousands were butchered. Both should be
experienced to get a true sense of the country whose people are, despite
their history, or perhaps because of it, some of the kindest and
gentlest souls I have ever met. I started in the capital Phnom Penh, a
bustling, chaotic city where everyone seems to be late for something,
hurtling around by zippy Moto, rickety tuk-tuk or, for the wealthy,
air-conditioned Western car. Stately white colonial houses, a hangover
from French rule, are now home to the Cambodian elite.
Many
own factories just off the main boulevards where thousands work long
days manufacturing beer, shoes and clothing for the West. Staying at the
Intercontinental hotel meant I was ideally placed to walk around the
city or barter with tuk-tuk drivers for a tour. With much excitement, I
sought out the Foreign Correspondents' Club, these days a bar and
restaurant billed as being 'on the banks of the Mekong river'.
Unfortunately, there's a busy road between the two and if you're also
travelling to Siem Reap, I'd wait to experience the FCC there instead. A
short stroll along the newly developed riverfront is the splendid Royal
Palace and Silver Pagoda.
Wonder: The amazing Bayon at Angkor Wat
Built to face the rising sun,
the palace is home to the King of Cambodia and is only partially open to
visitors. The Silver Pagoda is magnificent in its opulence and I found
it to be a perfect place to spend a couple of hours escaping the fury of
the city. Don't forget to dress appropriately – and ladies, cover your
shoulders and legs. Wandering back outside, I found hordes of tuk-tuks
touting for business. With some trepidation I asked 'Mr Neang' – I still
have his proudly proffered laminated card – to take me to S21, a school
that was commandeered by the Khmer Rouge to become their pitiless
torture HQ in the 1970s. I really wasn't sure about the appropriateness
of a visit there, but several locals assured me it was part of their
history and should be experienced.
I
wasn't prepared for what I saw. Lining the walls are blank-faced photos
and diaries of those who were dragged to this godforsaken place. Some
of the classrooms, still with blood-spattered walls, metal bed frames
and ankle shackles, are kept exactly as they had been. Gentle sobbing
from disbelieving visitors was the only sound as I walked around. At the
exit sat Chum Mey, one of only seven people to have survived of the
17,000 who were tortured here. His blessing? He could fix the
typewriters used to take confessions.
Face of poverty: A girl carries
a snake as she begs from tourists
Astonishingly, he holds no malice
against the brutal guards, questioning what he would have done in their
own life-or-death position. Another example of a peaceful, forgiving
people. A smiling Mr Neang was waiting outside for me bowing, palms in
prayer – the traditional greeting in Cambodia. I responded with a
slightly awkward British version. Clambering aboard the tuk-tuk, Mr
Neang whisked me to a market to 'cheer me up'.
There
are certainly plenty to choose from. I picked the jam-packed Russian
Market, where stall after stall offered fake Prada handbags and silver
bracelets nestled next to motorbike parts and fresh fruit and
vegetables. Be prepared for the smells, not all pleasant! The following
day was my last in Phnom Penh and I needed to go to Choeung Ek – the
Killing Fields – to pay my respects to those who suffered at S21. It's
now a tranquil place of reflection that nevertheless reminds everyone
who walks there of one of the most distressing acts of butchery in
modern history.
Again,
though, the delightful people, while wanting recognition for what
happened, are also keen to make visitors welcome. A guide asked me if I
was from Australia. 'No, London.' 'Ah, lovely jubbly. Welcome.' Cambodia
is an optimistic country trying to put behind it a history blighted by a
torturous regime to build a brighter future based on tourism. If I'd
had time, I would have visited the white-sand beaches of Sihanoukville,
but instead I followed in the footsteps of Lara Croft to Siem Reap, a
45-minute flight south from the capital.
It's
the gateway to Angkor Wat, compared by many in its breathtaking
magnificence to Machu Picchu or Petra. The pace in Siem Reap is much
less frenetic than in Phnom Penh for now, but tourists are coming and
top-class hotels springing up all the time. I stayed at the established
La Residence d'Angkor, a sort of gentlemen's club on the edge of the
jungle. It is simply charming, with more staff than guests, a tranquil
swimming pool and a spa to help with those temple-weary feet. And what a
lot of temples there are! Begin with a good, English-speaking guide who
can bring alive the buildings. I chose three of the most renowned
structures: the sandstone towers of Angkor Wat, described as the largest
religious building in the world; the smiling faces of Angkor Thom; and
Ta Prohm, made even more famous by its role in Tomb Raider.
A
5.30am alarm call and sturdy shoes are the best start. My guide, a
farmer during the monsoon season, took me to the east gate of Angkor
Wat, well away from the hordes of other visitors vying for the best view
of the sunrise. We stood completely alone admiring the most remarkable
architecture, so revered by Cambodians that it takes centre stage on the
country's flag. Wandering slowly to admire every aspect of the
five-towered temple, we eventually reached the central sanctuary. It's a
massively steep climb to the top, but worth it to admire the statues of
Buddha that replaced Vishnu when Cambodia converted from Hinduism in
the 16th Century.
Water delight: Kay took a trip out to Chong Kneas, a floating village on Tonle Sap Lake
The early start put us well
ahead of the South Korean, Chinese and Japanese tourists as we drove to
Angkor Thom, old capital of the Khmer empire. Spreading over four square
miles – hence the need for comfortable shoes – the Bayon temple is the
most memorable. Fifty-four towers bear the image of more than 200
smiling stone faces thought to be the founder – keen to be remembered
when he was gone.
After
lunch we headed to Ta Prohm, overwhelmed by giant banyan trees and
determined tourists. Be careful of Temple Rage here as visitors jockey
for position to have a photograph taken at the very spot where Angelina
Jolie emerged from the tomb into the daylight. I couldn't understand the
Chinese lady next to me, but she left me in no doubt she wanted to be
unencumbered by Europeans! It could take days or even weeks to visit all
the temples, but I also wanted to witness the floating village of Chong
Kneas on the Tonle Sap river, where tens of thousands fled from the
Khmer Rouge and never returned to dry land.
A steady stream of ferries
charge $25 (£16) to transport inquisitive tourists the 45 minutes out to
the floating village. It's an unbelievable sight. A floating police
station, a Catholic church, a school and rickety shacks are dotted
everywhere, defying the laws of buoyancy. Locals eat, drink, sleep,
carry out all bodily functions, die and are buried in this water. We
were approached by a very young girl who had paddled furiously towards
us in a tiny, stainless steel bowl smaller than any in my kitchen. She
had a snake around her neck and smiled in the hope of coaxing $1 from
each of us. Our guide warns us against succumbing to her begging.
Rewarding
her means her parents will send her again tomorrow rather than to
school. When a majority of the population lives on less than $1 a day,
it's hard not to. If travel for you is not about following a bloke
waving a brolly but opening your mind, then try Cambodia. Go soon before
its beauty is discovered by too many others.
Travel facts
Trailfinders (020 7368 1500, trailfinders.com)
offers seven nights in Cambodia from £1,299. This includes return
flights from London on Singapore Airlines, three nights' B&B in the
Intercontinental Phnom Penh (intercontinental.com), flight to Siam Reap and four nights' B&B at the Residence d'Angkor (residencedangkor.com) with transfers.
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