In January, we travelled with Intrepid on a 6-day tour to Cambodia, followed by a few days in Thailand. However, this article will be about our Cambodia trip.
We flew with Emirates via Dubai to Phnom Penh, arriving a day before the tour started so we would have time to explore the capital.
Before our meeting, which was to take place in the evening at our hotel, we walked around for about 7 hours and visited some important sites, including The Royal Palace, where the Silver Pagoda is situated, the Wat Ounalom Monastery and Wat Phnom Daun Penh.
The Royal Palace, including the Silver Pagoda were spectacular!
In the evening, we had a welcome meeting with our group and guide at our hotel, who gave us an overview of the next few days. Our guide was called Daro and I must say that he was extremely attentive, enthusiastic and passionate about his country for the whole trip. Later we all had dinner at Malis Restaurant.
For the first day of the tour, we stayed in Phnom Penh, where we visited the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields memorial. The Killing Fields are sites around Cambodia where, collectively, more than 1.3 million people were killed and buried by the Communist Party of Kampuchea during Khmer Rouge rule from 1975 to 1979. Many more died from starvation and disease.
To save ammunition, the executions were often carried out using poison or improvised weapons such as sharpened bamboo sticks, hammers, machetes and axes.
The museum is situated on the grounds of the Security Prison 21. From 1976 to 1979, an estimated 20,000 people were imprisoned at Tuol Sleng, tortured and then sent for execution to the Choeung Ek extermination centre.
There is a tree on the grounds of the Cheung Ek Killing Fields memorial, which the Khmer used to smash the skulls of the children before burying them with their parents in the mass graves. The rationale was "to stop them growing up and taking revenge for their parents' deaths."
The following day, we took a private coach to Siem Reap, stopping at the Spider Market in Skun, a small town about 75 km north of Phnom Penh. It's famous for selling fried tarantulas, a local delicacy. The tradition of eating tarantulas in Cambodia is believed to have originated out of necessity during the Khmer Rouge era (1975–1979). During this period, food was extremely scarce, and people had to rely on whatever they could find to survive, including insects, small animals, and even tarantulas. Over time, what started as a survival food evolved into a delicacy and a local speciality. The market also sells other exotic snacks like crickets, grasshoppers, and silkworms.
We then visited a silk farm for lunch and the oldest bridge in Cambodia. After some time freshening up, it was time to go out again. In the evening, we walked over to Pub Street, a famous tourist area in Siem Reap, and later saw a traditional Khmer dance show.
The next day was the tour's highlight, a visit to Angkor Wat, which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992. Some consider it the largest religious structure in the world, and it is regarded as one of the best examples of Khmer architecture and a symbol of Cambodia. The temple was initially dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu but was later dedicated to Buddhism.
Later in the day we visited Ta Phrom Temple, famous amongst other things for featuring in the film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider (2001) starring Angelina Jolie. The trees 'embracing’ the temple structure in many areas are really impressive!
To further immerse ourselves in Cambodian culture, whoever wished received a blessing from a Buddhist monk outside the temple.
On our last day, we woke up early to watch the sunrise over Angkor Wat. The weather was not promising for a while, as there were a fair amount of clouds in the sky. Our guide suggested that it was time to leave, but we asked to stay on a bit more and were rewarded with a stunning sunrise!
Later in the day, we visited two more temples. Angkor Thom – the 'Great Royal City' – a temple famous for its colossal human faces carved in stone and Banteay Srei, dedicated to the Hindu gods Shiva and Parvati. With its red sandstone and intricate carvings, it has been described as the jewel of Khmer art.
Our final dinner on the tour was an open-air event in the countryside. The setting was truly magical!
A journey through Cambodia is a blend of ancient wonders and poignant history. Seeing Angkor Wat at sunrise dramatically showcases the grandeur of the Khmer Empire, while the serene temples showcase the country’s spiritual depth. Busy markets and traditional Apsara dance performances in Siem Reap, immerse travellers in Cambodia’s vibrant culture.
In contrast, a visit to Phnom Penh’s Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, serves as a sorrowful legacy of the country’s tragic recent past under the Khmer Rouge. Yet, Cambodia has rebuilt itself into a destination that captivates with both its history and its hopeful spirit.
For anyone who is interested, this is a link to the tour:
(All photos by Mark A Bailey for Distant Horizons Malta))
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