Cambodia: Kingdom Of Wonder
The Silver Pagoda within the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh
FORBES
FORBES LIFE TRAVEL
Cambodia: Kingdom Of Wonder Cambodia, one the poorest Southeast Asian countries, must be one of the friendliest: smiles come with everything.
T
he kingdom of Cambodia has risen from the smoldering ashes of its troubled past with the help of its burgeoning tourism industry, valued at $1,9 billion. Here are a few reasons why the country attracted more than 2,8 million tourists last year. Pub Street, in Siem Reap, draws tourists with its restaurants; the nearby night market; Angelina Jolie’s favored locale, The Red Piano, which named a drink after her and the tiny fish masseurs, which nibble at your feet. Dance, or socialize, until dawn and you’ll still make it in time for sunrise over Angkor Wat temple. You’ll recognize Ta Prohm temple, encased by the trees which sit atop it, from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. The UNESCO World Heritage Site temple complex is colossal and spread out. Give yourself at least three (read five) days and include a visit to the overlooked temples further afield, which offer their own treasures. The adventurous rent bicycles or motorbikes to cover the vast distances; I preferred to be driven in a tuk-tuk, 96 | FORBES AFRICA
SEPTEMBER 2012
with the wind as my air-conditioner as it was a humid 30 degrees by day. Once you’re ‘templed-out’ take a sunset horseback ride through the villages. The boat ride along Tonlé Sap Lake to visit the floating village— which consists of a floating school, church, basketball court and crocodile farm—is popular. I preferred the journey there: waving people on the verandahs of their wooden stilt houses and a walk through an open lotus flower plantation. All that sightseeing can make one hungry; I gave thanks to the Cambodian food gods. Cambodian cuisine is similar to Thai and Laotian cuisine, but milder, with a fusion of lemongrass, lime leaves, chili peppers and coconut milk. You can grab a chef’s hat and enroll for a Khmer cooking class in any big city. After a visit to the market with your chef, you’ll learn how to make the specialties. My favorite was the national dish, Amok trei: a steamed, coconut, fish curry—chicken and tofu variations are just as appetizing— served in banana leaf boats. As a healthy snack try a banana kebab, complement it with Tikalok (fruit
smoothie) or fresh palm juice. The capital city is so busy, you won’t know where to look first. Phnom Penh is characterized by its French colonial influences and the remnants of Pol Pot’s rule in the communist Khmer Rouge. The Royal Palace, where kings were crowned, consists of several temples within the gardens. The silver pagoda, which houses 5,000 silver tiles, is the most famous. The National Museum, further north, allows insight into the Khmer way of life. A short walk away is the Independence Monument which was built in 1958 to commemorate freedom from the French five years earlier. Wat Phnom Buddhist monastery, which overlooks the city from a treecovered hill, is a place of wish-making. It’s home to four Buddhist statues believed to have floated down the Mekong River. To unwind, take a walk along the riverside promenade and have sundowner drinks in a colonial building or stroll through Central Market.
PHOTOS BY IGA MOTYLSKA
BY IGA MOTYLSKA
Ta Prohm temple where Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed
The former ‘Pearl of Asia’ has been revitalized in recent years, yet the facelift hasn’t erased the pain of the past. Tuol Sleng Museum tells the story of the Khmer Rouge purges during which the intelligentsia, bureaucrats, religious and disabled were interrogated and tortured. It was once Tuol Svay Prey High School, Pol Pot converted it into a prison. More than 17,000 people were executed at Choeung Ek killing fields, on the outskirts of the city. Pol Pot’s rule claimed more than a million lives. From history to tranquility, savor the country’s natural beauty in Sihanoukville Province, in the southwestern corner of the country. It’s named in honor of the KingFather of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk, who fought for independence. He holds the title of the ‘Most State Roles Held By A Modern Royal’ according to The Guinness Book of World Records. Three hours from the capital city you’ll find beaches to be enjoyed year round, high season is from November to March. The remote Otres Beach is the cleanest and most serene, you can only get there by dirt road though. Live in a bungalow on the beach with not a shop in sight just palm trees, hammocks and restaurants which serve fresh seafood. Take a day trip to the nearby islands and indulge in snorkeling; trekking through uninhabited islets and basking in the calm, shallow waters of your private beach. Residents of the floating village on theTonlé Sap
www.tourism.cambodia.com is the right place to start looking SEPTEMBER 2012
FORBES AFRICA | 97
FORBES
FORBES LIFE TRAVEL
Cambodia: Kingdom Of Wonder Cambodia, one the poorest Southeast Asian countries, must be one of the friendliest: smiles come with everything.
T
he kingdom of Cambodia has risen from the smoldering ashes of its troubled past with the help of its burgeoning tourism industry, valued at $1,9 billion. Here are a few reasons why the country attracted more than 2,8 million tourists last year. Pub Street, in Siem Reap, draws tourists with its restaurants; the nearby night market; Angelina Jolie’s favored locale, The Red Piano, which named a drink after her and the tiny fish masseurs, which nibble at your feet. Dance, or socialize, until dawn and you’ll still make it in time for sunrise over Angkor Wat temple. You’ll recognize Ta Prohm temple, encased by the trees which sit atop it, from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. The UNESCO World Heritage Site temple complex is colossal and spread out. Give yourself at least three (read five) days and include a visit to the overlooked temples further afield, which offer their own treasures. The adventurous rent bicycles or motorbikes to cover the vast distances; I preferred to be driven in a tuk-tuk, 96 | FORBES AFRICA
SEPTEMBER 2012
with the wind as my air-conditioner as it was a humid 30 degrees by day. Once you’re ‘templed-out’ take a sunset horseback ride through the villages. The boat ride along Tonlé Sap Lake to visit the floating village— which consists of a floating school, church, basketball court and crocodile farm—is popular. I preferred the journey there: waving people on the verandahs of their wooden stilt houses and a walk through an open lotus flower plantation. All that sightseeing can make one hungry; I gave thanks to the Cambodian food gods. Cambodian cuisine is similar to Thai and Laotian cuisine, but milder, with a fusion of lemongrass, lime leaves, chili peppers and coconut milk. You can grab a chef’s hat and enroll for a Khmer cooking class in any big city. After a visit to the market with your chef, you’ll learn how to make the specialties. My favorite was the national dish, Amok trei: a steamed, coconut, fish curry—chicken and tofu variations are just as appetizing— served in banana leaf boats. As a healthy snack try a banana kebab, complement it with Tikalok (fruit
smoothie) or fresh palm juice. The capital city is so busy, you won’t know where to look first. Phnom Penh is characterized by its French colonial influences and the remnants of Pol Pot’s rule in the communist Khmer Rouge. The Royal Palace, where kings were crowned, consists of several temples within the gardens. The silver pagoda, which houses 5,000 silver tiles, is the most famous. The National Museum, further north, allows insight into the Khmer way of life. A short walk away is the Independence Monument which was built in 1958 to commemorate freedom from the French five years earlier. Wat Phnom Buddhist monastery, which overlooks the city from a treecovered hill, is a place of wish-making. It’s home to four Buddhist statues believed to have floated down the Mekong River. To unwind, take a walk along the riverside promenade and have sundowner drinks in a colonial building or stroll through Central Market.
PHOTOS BY IGA MOTYLSKA
BY IGA MOTYLSKA
Ta Prohm temple where Lara Croft: Tomb Raider was filmed
The former ‘Pearl of Asia’ has been revitalized in recent years, yet the facelift hasn’t erased the pain of the past. Tuol Sleng Museum tells the story of the Khmer Rouge purges during which the intelligentsia, bureaucrats, religious and disabled were interrogated and tortured. It was once Tuol Svay Prey High School, Pol Pot converted it into a prison. More than 17,000 people were executed at Choeung Ek killing fields, on the outskirts of the city. Pol Pot’s rule claimed more than a million lives. From history to tranquility, savor the country’s natural beauty in Sihanoukville Province, in the southwestern corner of the country. It’s named in honor of the KingFather of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk, who fought for independence. He holds the title of the ‘Most State Roles Held By A Modern Royal’ according to The Guinness Book of World Records. Three hours from the capital city you’ll find beaches to be enjoyed year round, high season is from November to March. The remote Otres Beach is the cleanest and most serene, you can only get there by dirt road though. Live in a bungalow on the beach with not a shop in sight just palm trees, hammocks and restaurants which serve fresh seafood. Take a day trip to the nearby islands and indulge in snorkeling; trekking through uninhabited islets and basking in the calm, shallow waters of your private beach. Residents of the floating village on theTonlé Sap
www.tourism.cambodia.com is the right place to start looking SEPTEMBER 2012
FORBES AFRICA | 97
