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Holidays in Cambodia |
Siem Reap
Nestled between rice paddies
and stretched along the Siem Reap River, the provincial capital of
Siem Reap town serves as the gateway to the millennium-old temple
ruins of the Angkorian-era Khmer Empire. Designated a World Heritage
site by UNESCO, the Angkor Archaeological Park encompasses dozens of
temple ruins including Bayon, Bantaery Srey, Ta Prohm and legendary
Angkor Wat whose artistic and archaeological significance and visual
impact put it in a class with the Pyramids, Machu Pichu and the Taj
Mahal. Although the major temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park
have many tourists these days, it is still possible to get away from
the crowds, explore the area and discover the ancient temples of
Angkor.
Siem Reap town has been receiving foreign visitors to the temples
for over 100 years. The town is actually a cluster of old villages,
which originally developed around individual pagodas. Nowadays the
town has grown out of recognition from its humble roots. There are
several elegant 5 star hotels, and a multitude of alternative
accommodation options; an amazing variety of restaurants, lots of
shopping opportunity and vibrant nightlife. Often missed are the
many opportunities to experience traditional Cambodia: boat trips on
the great Tonle Sap Lake to fishing villages and the Prek Toal bird
sanctuary, craft shops and silk farms, road tours through rice paddy
countryside to distant temples and beyond.
Battambang
‘Battambang’ means disappearing stick and is named after a powerful
stick used by a legendary Khmer king to achieve and maintain power
in the Battambang area.
Sitting on the Sangker River just southwest of the Tonle Sap Lake,
Battambang town is at the heart of Cambodia’s ‘rice bowl’, and even
though it is the country’s second biggest town, it still has a very
local provincial atmosphere. Much of the architecture is French
colonial and traditional Cambodian. Few buildings are over three
stories, and the main streets are shared by cars and horse carts
alike. Unlike most tourist towns, the local economy is truly local,
based firmly in rice, wood, sapphires and food crops, and this is
reflected in the character of the town.
Kampong Thom
Kampong Thom is one of the five provinces that surround the Tonle
Sap Lake. It is another sleepy Provincial capital, but the ruins of
the nearby Sambor Prei Kuk and the hill top temple of Phnom Suntok
make it a very rewarding stop.
Kampong Chhnang
Kampong Chhang is a sprawling lake side fishing town which is
relatively unvisited but offers the inquisitive traveller a real
insight into quintessential Cambodian riverside life. Take some time
to walk down to the river and sit on the bank and watch the daily
grind of the hard working fishermen.
Points of Interest:
• Angkor Archaeological Park
• Roluos Group
• Sambor Prei Kuk
• Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary
• Angkor National Museum
• The Bamboo train
• The Mine Museum |
