Cambodia

Cambodia

Siem Reap
Priha Vihear
Lake Ton Le sep
Battambang
Phnom Penh
Kampot
Kep
Sihanoukville

Angkor

Angkor is an archaeological site stretching
over 248 square miles and contains the
remains of the Khmer Empire dating from
the 9th to the 14th century.
The site is the largest religious monument in
the world and there are over 1000 temples,
ranging in scale from piles of brick rubble
scattered through rice fields to the most
famous, Angkor Wat

Angkor is thought to have been
been the largest pre-industrial
city in the world, with an
elaborate infrastructure
connecting an urban sprawl of
almost 400 sq miles and the
Angkor area may have supported
up to one million people. [6

Bayon

Royal Enclosure

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Ta Keo

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm is perhaps the most
atmospheric and must see sites of the
whole complex. Built in the 12th
century, it was engulfed by the
jungle for centuries and is now
being trimmed and propped up by
archaeologists and engineers. The
site was made famous by the Tomb
Raider movie and is perhaps the most
reminiscent of how the whole
complex would have looked lost in
the jungle for centuries.

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat is the most famous
temple and often thought as
the generic term for the whole
site. built for King Suryavarman
II in the early 12th century as
his state temple and capital city,
dedicated to the Hindu god
it was converted into a
Buddhist temple in the 14th
century.

Siem Reap

Siem Reap is the town which
services visitors to Angkor Wat.
The name allegedly means "Defeat
of Siam" and refers to an old
conflict between the Siamese and
Khmer kingdoms. There is an old
French quarter and the town is
growing rapidly to host the many
visitors who congregate around
Pub street.

Priha Vihear

Priha Vihear is an ancient Hindu
temple started in the tenth century
1,722 ft up in the mountains bordering
Cambodia and Thailand. After years of
civil war, the ownership was
confirmed in 1962 by ICJ in favour of
Cambodia. However, conflict between
Thailand and Cambodia continued as
late as 2008 and only in 2015 was the
site finally considered safe to visit.

Getting to Priha Vihear was an adventure in itself. The
guide books describe it as a 'must see mountain temple'
but it was equally intriguing to see somewhere really
off the beaten track. We left Siem Reap at 8 am in a very
full minibus. Most of the passengers were going to
Laos but we were dropped off in Krong Preah Vihear
town. The minibus stopped at a street corner in the
centre of town and the driver phoned for a taxi to
take us to our hotel in Sra'em . This was not actually
in town but 25 miles away. Then we booked another
driver to take us the further 12 miles to the temple.
Next we take 2 Moto taxis up a 40 degree road, which
started as a good tarmac surface until halfway up the
escarpment it reduced to a dirt track. Clinging on to
the back of the bike I try not to look down the steep
hillside and focus on staying on the bike. The moped
struggles to carry our combined weight and bounces
jarringly to a stop at the base of the temple.

Lake Tonle Sep

Kamphong Khleang

Kamphong Khleang lies on a river
leading into Lake Tonle Sep but the
river disappears as the lake rises
and floods the area leaving many
of the houses standing above the
lake water.
We stopped at a homestay for lunch
before boarding a long tail boat to
go out on the lake.

Lake Tonle Sep

Lake Tonle Sep is the largest fresh water
lake in South east Asia, formed in a
depression on the lower Mekong
floodplain.
The size and depth fluctuates dramatically
over the year as the Mekong bulges with the
runoff from the monsoon season. The
deluge is so great that the Tonle river
reverses direction and flows back into the
lake causing it to expand from an area of
1000 to 6000 Sq miles.

Battambang

Although Battambang seems like a
sleepy provincial town, it is
Cambodia's second largest city and its
a curious mix of Khmer , French
colonial and modern architecture.
There's is a lot to see in the
surrounding countryside is ideal for
excursions.

In 1795 Siam annexed much of
north western Cambodia
including Battambang and Siem
Reap. In 1907 the province was
ceded to the French to be
reunited with Cambodia as part
of the French Colony of
Indochina.

Bamboo Train

A network of railway lines was established
by the French to haul heavy goods between
Battambang and Poipet. Most of the lines
were shut down by Khmer Rouge but one
line remained in operation, mainly to
generate income from curious tourists.
It was a fun ride through the fields on a
bamboo platform propelled by motorbike
engines. when 2 opposing carriages meet, the
one with fewer passengers must be derailed
then re- assembled to proceed.
Now the old Line has been rebuilt and
reports seem generally disappointing.

Killing Fields at Wat Samrong Knong

Wat Samrong Knong was used by the
Khmer Rouge to imprison and torture
it's victims. Thousands were killed.
Only the Guide's story now shows the
atrocities committed here except for one
monument housing the skulls of the
dead, built from donation from
Cambodians who managed to flee
abroad. A very disquieting experience,

Wat Ek Phnom

Phnom Sampeau

Another Angkorian temple and another
Memorial to the Killing fields. The old temple is
built on an a rocky outcrop and offers fabulous
view across the plains below.

The killing fields memorials
are poignant in their
simplicity. At Phnom Sampeau,
the horrific brutality is
portrayed in grim statutary
and the various forms of
torture graphically

Phnom Penh

Cambodia’s capital sits at the junction of
the Mekong and Tonlé Sap rivers.
It was a hub for the Khmer Empire and
the French.
There is a long river front promenade,
lined with parks, restaurants and bars.

Kampot

Kampot is a charming, slightly decayed
French colonial town on the banks of
the Preaek Tuek Chhu river. There are
plenty of signs of regrowth and an
increasing number of visitors. It's very
easy to relax and enjoy the cafes and
bars and a stroll along the riverside
promenade , to see the lovely sunset
over the mountains.

Bokor

Bokor was built by the French in the
1920s as a Hill station but abandoned in
the 1940s as fighting grew in the area.
Now the empty shells of the Hotel and
Church remain but a modern
development program has started to
rebuild the town.

Preaek Tuek Chhu river

La Plantation, Kampot

Kep

Kep provence borders on Vietnam and
faces in to the Gulf of thailand.
Established in 1908 Kep was a thriving
resort town for the French and
Cambodian elite even until the early
1970s. The former king kept a villa here.
Now many of the colonial villas stand
derelict, but like so many places in
Cambodia , tourism is regenerating the
town.

Otres Beach, Sihanoukville

Cambodia
2017