A powerful state in South East Asia: The Khmer Empire

Khmer Empire

When travelling to Cambodia, Angkor Wat in Siem Reap is of course a must-see attraction, and the romance of the ancient city is unrivalled with the amazing carvings of the Khmer period, especially the reflections of the lake in the Little Angkor area, and the sunsets. Another major city that should not be overlooked is Phnom Penh, the capital, which is about six hours away from Siem Reap by car.

The classic lake reflection at Angkor Wat (Joe Chiu/photo)

To sum up the two cities in Cambodia, I would say Siem Reap is a lesson in ancient history and Phnom Penh is a course in modern history. The main attractions are the wars of the 60‘s and 70’s, the Cambodian revolution, and landmines, to name a few. However, the reality of being on the ground is much more impressive than the words in a book. The most unforgettable is the Bobo War Museum, which was originally a school, but between 1975 and 1979, it was used by the Cambodians as a concentration camp for the massacre of nearly 20,000 people. The photographs of torture instruments and executions displayed in one of the classrooms, though disturbing, can serve to reflect on the cruelty of war, the sadness of interracial killings, and the importance of cherishing the status quo. In comparison, the time and distance of the events may be closer, and it is even more shocking than visiting the concentration camps in Poland.

The Bobo War Museum in Phnom Penh (Joe Chiu/Photo)

Phnom Penh, once a French colony, has many western restaurants, the advantage of which is that you can enjoy French food at a third of the French price, such as Topaz, Bistrot Langka, Bastille Buffet and so on. A tip is to make a reservation at French restaurants, as most of them are only open for one round. Even if you have trained your patience in Hong Kong to wait for 3 hours for a table, you will be turned away without a chance to wait. However, what makes me repeat myself is the fried grasshoppers, scorpions and even spiders at the Sunday market in Phnom Penh. I'm usually afraid of these insects, but it was a very impressive scene.

Insects can be found everywhere, but this is the first time I've seen so many species (Joe Chiu/photo).

Sihanoukville, about three hours away from Phnom Penh, is also a good place to visit. I believe most people's image of Cambodia is not associated with sunshine and beaches, but in fact, Sihanoukville is a ‘Cambodian Maldives’ with clear water and sandy beaches. Apart from the selling points such as glass water and white sand sliding, the most important thing is the fun water activities. Snorkelling, deep diving, paragliding, jet skiing, etc. are all available, and the price is even cheaper than Thailand.

Important note, as the transport facilities in Cambodia are not so perfect, there are always chances to take two rows of cars (i.e. local taxis) during travelling, but both rows of cars do not have meters, so remember to negotiate the price before boarding the car, and calculate the price in US dollars or local riels, to avoid disputes, which will affect your mood. Cambodia is still an emerging tourist country and there are still many attractions other than Angkor Wat to be discovered. There are direct flights from Hong Kong to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and US dollars can be used to travel around the country.