Cambodia is not what we expected and has offered delights that exceeded our expectations. Crossing the border, via water on The Jahan, is a study in contrasts. The Vietnam border was bustling with ships, factories and people; upon entering Cambodia just a few boats and riverside shacks.
Prior to this trip, our only exposure to Cambodia was the movie “The Killing Fields” and “Tomb Raider”. “The Killing Fields” is a multiple Oscar-nominated movie about the Cambodian genocide, the killing of Cambodian citizens by the Khmer Rouge communist regime under the leadership of Pol Pot. It resulted in the deaths of nearly 2 million Cambodians or nearly 25% of the country population. Then, there is “Tomb Raider”, staring Angelia Jolie as heroine Lara Croft, filmed at the Ta Prohm temple (more later).
Approaching the capital Phnom Penh at night, we received our first surprise of a modern metropolis with sky scrapers and giant LED build-boards reminiscent of Blade Runner.
We briefly visited Phnom Penh before our flight to Siem Reap, and it was underwhelming. The city is a mix of old and new, and doesn’t really have a lot for tourists to see or do. I now understand why our travel agent did not schedule any tours here. Landing in Siem Reap completely changed our appreciation of Cambodia.
The US Dollar is King
Cambodians prefer the US Dollar (USD) to their own currency, and major transactions are done in USD. The Cambodian Government “dollarized” their economy because US assisted Cambodia and the USD is stable. Alright that makes sense and should make spending easier right? Not so fast. Cambodian banks only accept new US currency in absolutely pristine condition; they care less that their currency is dirty or torn. We tried multiple times to exchange older US bills only to be rejected, both here and in Vietnam. We asked our tour guides why and were told us that the United Nations (UN) is to blame. Apparently the UN identified a counterfeiting issue in Cambodia and decided the best solution was to encourage the banks to only accept the latest / most perfect currency. Dumb I know, but there is no use arguing the point now.
Siem Reap
First impression – why does Siem Reap have such a huge airport, and OMG it is hot and humid! You start sweating the minute you leave the terminal or in my case a torrential downpour. Driving through the city, you see an eclectic mix of modern buildings and businesses, ramshackle homes, high-end luxury hotels, water buffalo and chickens wandering the streets and even the occasional Bentley. In some ways it reminds me of India, where you have extreme wealth and poverty coexisting in close proximity. However, the people we met all greet us with a smile and are proud of what their country is achieving.
Arriving at our hotel was the next shock. The Jaya House River Park is a small luxury hotel with the best amenities, staff and food/drinks we have found anywhere in the world. I do not say this lightly, as we have been around the block a few times. They provide free laundry service, tuk tuk transportation, and daily massage at their spa. Riding the Tuk Tuk (prettier than the Vietnamese ones) was so much fun and is the quickest way to get around the crowded streets. Common areas are tastefully decorated with a Cambodian flare, and the restaurant serves a brunch of local and international cuisine. Rooms are well appointed with everything you need, and the balconies are very nice to take morning tea. The hotel is committed to sustainability and makes its own shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion and even mosquito repellent. They burn lemon grass infused incense everywhere, and it really sets a great ambience. The Sky bar makes a delicious Ginger Mojito with all fresh ingredients, so I highly recommend.
Angkor
Per Google, Angkor Wat is a Hindu-Buddhist temple complex in Cambodia. It resides within the ancient “Khmer” (Cambodia) capital city of Angkor. The Guinness World Records considers it as the largest religious structure in the world. It is a huge complex and houses multiple temples including Angkor Wat, Bayon Temple of Ankgor Thom and Ta Phrom Temple. We visited all three, and it made for a long day in the scorching heat and humidity. Even Eunjae, who never sweats, was soggy by the time we left, which tells you something.
Arriving at Angkor Wat, we were greeted by the temples and were impressed. So much detail and time was taken to construct them and to maintain them. The temples were originally Hindu and then when the new King took power, they became Buddhist. The Buddhist being a gentle and accepting people allowed the Hindus to continue to worship there. The Hindus apparently didn’t reciprocate when they were in charge. The pictures do not do the exotic beauty of this place justice.
Our guide is an iPhone zen master, and taught us how to be in two places at once using the pano function. Fun to time travel; just wish we visited a cooler location as it was already 37C (99F) with 80% humidity at 10:00 AM. You are required to cover shoulders and knees in the temples, which is hard when it is so bloody hot. These will be the last pictures you see me in pants!
Tomb Raiding at Ta Prohm
At Ta Prohm, we toured the former Tomb Raider set. The temple itself is a smaller and more ornate version of Angkor Wat, and features the most exotic and intimidating trees we have ever seen. The trees have an organic otherworldly feel, right out of Harry Potter, and you can imagine them trying to capture you. Night must be so exotic here, and I can only imagine the stories this place must have generated.
The Golden Silk Farm
The Golden Silk Farm was founded by a Cambodian woman who escaped with her father to France, just prior to the Khmer Rouge genocide. She returned twenty-five years ago to help Cambodian women, with no formal education or skills, become employed. The farm grows “Golden Silkworms” that are unique to Cambodia to weave exquisite silk garments for sale abroad.
Silk worms are impressive creatures. They grow from tiny specks to caterpillars and then months in less than 3 months. Spinning silk is a time consuming process, requiring great patience. Even creating the weaving patterns can take months, depending on the complexity and number of colors. Once the pattern is completed, weaving is a tediously complex endeavor, and an ornate scarf can take six months to complete. How these women can keep track of which thread to pull, the order and pattern is supernatural. I can only imagine their brains are wired differently than most people.
Banteay Srei and Banteay Samre Temples
By far these were our favorite temples due to their ornate carvings and fewer tourists. Each of the temples featured so many beautiful reliefs, and the craftsmanship really provided a historical feel.
Apsara, the traditional dance of Cambodia
We attended a traditional Cambodian dance complete with beautiful women and extremely ornate costumes. The show itself kind of sucked as it was at the Park Hyatt and the stage was offset from the seating area so we viewed the dancers from an angle. Worse the dancers only appeared for 15 minutes out of the entire hour, so we left disappointed. Nonetheless, happy that we had a small glimpse of the exotic traditional dance.
Final Thoughts
Cambodia was nothing like we expected. Learning that Thailand, Laos and Southern Vietnam all used to be part of Cambodia made us realize that what we think of as Thai is actually Cambodian. It just goes to show that good marketing can overcome facts any day. Speaking of marketing, what we think of Thai food is really Cambodian. Where Thai is spicy, the Cambodians prefer less and if they do want spice, they add it into the dish after it is served versus cooking it into the dish.
We can see ourselves returning next year during our Winter to warm up and further explore this magical region.