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Overview
Of Tourist Destinations
In Cambodia
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CAMBODIA
WITH ANGKOR WAT - ONE OF THE WORLD'S WONDERS
Cambodia
was not left untouched by the tragic history of the area in
recent years, caught up in the US-Vietnam War and culminating
in the infamous "Killing Field" of the Pol Pot slave
state during the late 1970s.
Cambodians welcome visitors and investors to their kingdom,
where the cities and markets are again vibrant with colour
and activity. Once a French colony, wide tree-lined boulevards
and French colonial architecture offer the charm of a by-gone
age, while traditional arts and classical dance, and crafts
in silk, gold and silver once again flourish in an artistic
renaissance.
From the Angkor temples to a choice of coconut-fringed beaches
on the Gulf of Siam the visitor will find many areas of interest
in the country's past and its natural beauty. Scented flowering
trees in the capital attract a vast array of coconut of colourful
butterflies, while oxcarts loaded with pottery make their
slow way to market on rural roads, as they have many centuries
ago.
The home and the Buddhist temple wat are still the mainstays
of Cambodia society, whose original inhabitants are thought
to have sailed from the South Sea island back in the mists
of time, to be joined by Thai, Lao, Vietnamese and Chinese
arrivals over the centuries in more mountain areas.
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Phnom Penh:
Located on the mighty Mekong River, Phnom Penh is a city of
elegant boulevards and busy markets. Once known as "The
Paris of The East", the forced evacuation of the population
by the infamous Khmer Rouge in 1975 left it a ghost town for
five years.
Today the city has revived, while retaining its pre-war charm.
Motorbikes and transport for the populace, and a leisurely
ride in pedicap (called "cyclo") is a relaxed way
to get acquainted with some of the many highlights of this
once beautiful city, whose classic villas and parks are being
restored. Taxis are available for short excursions.
Siem
Reap and Angkor Temples:
The majestic temples of Angkor in the Northwest Cambodia belong
to the classic period of Khmer art and civilization. Today,
a millennium after they were built, they awe visitors with
their perfection and enormity.
From the 15th century, the temples were abandoned, forgotten
by the world until "rediscovery" in 1861 by French
naturalist Henri Mouhot. The jungle setting and silence enhance
the mystery of the temples. Many of the temples remain in
surprisingly good condition. Others are under restoration,
and visitors can get a first-hand look at the painstaking
efforts underway to preserve the relics. Architectural historians
from a variety of countries including France, India, Japan,
the United States, Indonesia and Hungary in the past few years
have contributed their expertise to preserve the temples.
The ruins cover an area of 400 square kilometres in the province
of Siem Reap. The area contains more than 100 monuments, including
two dozen major temples. Some of the temples, such as Angkor
Wat and Bayon, merit repeat visits at different times of days,
as the reflections on their walls and labyrinthine interior
spaces are transformed by the light.
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