A comprehensive guide to this destination, with evocative accounts of all the attractions from the atmospheric temples of Angkor and Phnom Penh, to the laid back resort of Sihanoukville and the jungle-clad hills of Rattanakiri. It includes a detailed background on Cambodian history, religion and the resurgance in cultural life since the end of the Khmer Rouge era.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
About the Author
Beverley Palmer has been visiting Cambodia regularly throughout the last decade. She runs her own specialist Cambodian tour operation, leading the groups herself.
Excerpt. © Reprinted by permission. All rights reserved.
WHERE TO GO
The alluring Angkor Wat is the highlight of any trip to Cambodia, but there are many more temples to be discovered, both around Siem Reap, the engaging town closest to the Angkor Heritage Park, and scattered through the country. At Angkor itself, the compact Banteay Srei, with its enchanting reliefs of demure divinities, the other-worldly Ta Prohm, clamped in the grip of giant trees, and the overwhelmingly complex Bayon all vie for your attention. Would-be explorers will be entranced upon reaching Banteay Chmar, an expansive temple in the northwest near the Thai border, and will relish the expedition needed to visit Preah Vihear, clinging dramatically to an escarpment right on the Thai border in the far north.
Most tourists make for the cosmopolitan Phnom Penh at some time during their visit to Cambodia. A pleasing, low-rise city graced with leafy boulevards, the capital offers the chance to take in the extravagant splendour of the Royal Palace, and the unique array of silver tiles at the appropriately named Silver Pagoda next door, while the cream of ancient Khmer art is housed a stone’s throw away at the National Museum. The capital also boasts a vibrant riverside where cafés and bars cluster, and is the best place in the country to shop – you’ll soon find yourself tempted by shimmering silks and intricate handicrafts in its colourful markets.
Lazing on pristine white-sand beaches lapped by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand is the order of the day at Sihanoukville, where you can easily escape the crowds even on busy weekends or, for your own tropical-island experience, take an overnight camping excursion offshore. Just out of Sihanoukville, you can putter downriver at Ream National Park while monkeys play in the mangroves and fishing eagles soar overhead.
East of Sihanoukville, and connected to it by the most scenic train journey in Cambodia, on which you’re sandwiched between the sea and the hills, Kampot is a delightful town with mixed French and Chinese influences. It’s also the base for a visit to Bokor National Park, a popular destination for its ghostly, deserted hill station, and for its jungle-clad slopes, home to some rare species of flora and fauna; huge pitcher plants hang from scrub in the mossy bogs, while occasional giant hornbills cruise above the treetops. Another simple side trip from Kampot brings you to the tiny seaside resort of Kep, smacking of faded gentility; with a minuscule beach at which to picnic and frolic, it’s a popular day-trip from Phnom Penh. Inland from here, the dusty town of Takeo is the base for reaching Angkor Borei, the capital of Cambodia in the third century; for much of the year it’s only accessible by water, as is the nearby sixth-century hilltop ruin of Phnom Da.
Northeast of the capital, and readily reachable by the daily express boat, the Irrawaddy dolphins of the Mekong are the lure at Kratie, their graceful undulations through the rapids intriguing to watch. Getting right out to the northeastern provincial capitals of Banlung and Sen Monorom takes a little more time and effort, but the natural beauty of this part of the country is unrivalled in Cambodia, the jungled hillsides brimming with wildlife, peppered with scenic waterfalls and home to villages of the minority chunchiet tribes.
The northwestern border crossing from Thailand at Poipet is an increasingly popular point of entry to Cambodia, and nearby Battambang, retaining some of the country’s most attractive colonial architecture, makes a convenient stopover on the way to Phnom Penh or an interesting side trip from Siem Reap.
WHEN TO GO
A tropical country, Cambodia is pretty warm year round, though there are three distinct seasons. Unsurprisingly, the cool season, from November through to February, is the peak time for tourism, when it’s cool enough to clamber over the temples in comfort and yet warm enough to sunbathe by the coast. Temperatures then are typically in the mid- to upper-20s Celsius, but occasional cold snaps can bring them below 20'C, which feels decidedly chilly in a country where everything is designed to keep you cool.
Following on, the hot season typically runs from March until May, when the humidity and temperatures soar, with Phnom Penh and Battambang seeing peak daytime temperatures of 33–35'C on average. At this time, it’s best to do as the locals do, rising early to get out and about, returning for a snooze at midday and emerging again late in the afternoon. This is also when the dust thrown up from the country’s dirt roads is at its worst, the billowing clouds ensuring that everything and everyone is coated in a fine film of grit. At Angkor the unrelenting sun, allied to the lack of any breeze, makes for a baking visit, though this is an excellent time to hit the coast.
The rainy season lasts roughly from June to October, as the southwest monsoon coming off the Gulf of Thailand deposits rain on the whole of the country. River levels are very high a couple of months in, and in September and October communications are at their most difficult, with dirt roads reduced to a deep slurry and a risk of flooding in provincial areas. Thankfully, the rains aren’t unrelenting and fall mainly in the afternoon, so if you don’t want to get off the beaten track, this isn’t a bad time to visit: it’s the quietest time for tourism (at Angkor you’ll have the temples pretty much to yourself), and you’ll be able to concentrate your travels in the mornings. Naturally, this is also when the countryside is at its lushest, and the rice fields are verdant with new growth.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Guide Book.,
By
This review is from: The Rough Guide to Cambodia (Paperback)
I used this book while traveling through Cambodia this past summer. It was very helpful and has all the information one might need. I also like the format more than LP. I thought it was a bit easier to read. One down side to the book were the prices it listed. Almost everything was cheaper than quoted. (This of course made me a happy traveler) I guess this isnt the books fault though. The sections on Siem Reap & the temples at Ankor were good enough. However, it is really worth it to pick up one of the special temple guide books available at the market in town. They cost between $1-2 depending on how well you bargain.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very good help for most areas in Cambodia,
By
This review is from: The Rough Guide to Cambodia (Paperback)
In late 2002 I got this book and with a couple of friends toured Siem Riep to Phnom Penh and then Phnom Penh to Banlung and back again on motorcycle. The Rough Guide was great for most major areas, with plenty of background information, reasonable maps and enough hotel selections listed. I found I reached for it over the LP Guide -- which, by the way, you can buy photocopy versions of it in Phnom Penh or Siem Riep (Angkor Wat area) for about $5. Rough Guide also gave a good warning of what to expect in Poipet, the border crossing town with Thailand that I would have to rate as the worst town I have ever been in but also plenty exciting. Last, there is one book that is better than this one if you will be spending more time touring Cambodia and, sadly, like my copy of it -- I lost it! It is geared toward self-guided motorcycle touring of Cambodia and Amazon did carry it before. I have to keep searching the site more closely, I guess. The maps, level of detail and writing style in that book was amazing. Along with it's section on the "Highway of Death" -- a muddy trail through logging country in eastern Cambodia. Buy this book and enjoy Cambodia. The country and the people are unforgettable and fantastic.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Extremely practical and helpful!!,
By
This review is from: The Rough Guide to Cambodia (Paperback)
Like other rough guides, it 'tell's it as it is.'
The chapters on Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville were accurate and up to date (the maps and restaurant reviews were good. The safety tips and health advice were also very helpful e.g. avoiding land mines!!! It was honest and gave a balanced view of the country. Read this book before you go there- or you may be in for a shock!!
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