my experience
I took a short tourist trip to Cambodia with my dad and brother during our trip to Vietnam. We took 3 day bus tour to visit Angkor Wat, which is Cambodia’s ancient Hindu-Buddhist temple complex. We stayed in a beautiful Cambodian hotel, which was decorated with intricate carvings all over the door and balconies, and ate typical Cambodian meals which were included in the tour. Along the way, our tour guide showed us fascinating things like how Cambodians make rice patties. We stopped at some road-side markets, one of which sold huge spiders to eat! I didn't touch them, but our tourist friends were more adventurous.
basic facts and backgroundsLanguage: Khmer
Famous Foods: Sticky rice, and lots of fish (often with the scales and eyes intact!) Currency: Cambodian Riel Capital: Pnomh Penh A little history: Cambodia fell under Communist Khmer Rouge control in 1975, and went through the Cambodian genocide, a horrific period of mass murder and starvation of Cambodian citizens. The Khmer Rouge only fell officially in 1999, and though Cambodia is now in a better place, it's still a very poor country. Their economy is improving however, largely through the tourist industry. |
must-go places
- Angkor Wat - It advertises itself as one of the seven man-made wonders of the world, and it truly is a wonder. Built originally by Hindus and developed later by Buddhists, it's a rare mix of the two religions in harmony. It's the largest religious monument in the world -- we spent hours walking through, but barely saw a fraction of it!
personal tips
- We had a blast on our bus trip, because our fellow travelers were very friendly and open. However, I think tourist buses are a hit or miss. Our trip to the Mekong Delta in Vietnam, for example, was less enjoyable because our companions were more aloof.
written by: ruth swope
Header photo taken from Angkor Wat wiki page