In Cambodia, coming up from the ruins

‘Killing fields’, unfortunately, are the words that come to mind when thinking about Cambodia.

Between 1975 and 1979, more than 3 million of 7 million of Cambodians under the Pol Pot regime were killed in an terrifying effort to rebuild the nation’s social order for scratch.

The fall of Pol Pot in 1979 did not end the nightmare of the Cambodian people, however, as they faced civil war for almost two decades.

Things have changed. Since the mid-1990s, Cambodia has been recovering. Tourism has become a significant driver of the economy and of growth.

The most developed tourist destination in the nation is Siem Reap, a province in Cambodia’s northwest. In 2013, more than 1.9 million of 3.8 million international tourists to Cambodia visited the province, which itself has a population of only around 900,000.

It is no exaggeration to say that Siem Reap is one of the world’s most prominent tourist destinations, at least according to Lonely Planet and Trip Advisor.

When arriving at the airport, travelers are greeted by an immense statue of a white elephant, and as people travel from the airport to downtown, a host of new luxury hotels, restaurants, shops and roads in various stages of development can be seen.

While the tiny town of Siem Reap can be explored in one day, the lack of public transportation makes it advisable to hire either a taxi or tuk tuk, or motorcycle with a little cabin, to get around. Charges range from US$20 a day for a taxi and $12 for a tuk tuk.

Despite development, Siem Reap preserves its historical and cultural heritage, which has been the key for developing tourism in the province.

The most famous icon of Cambodia is the Angkor Wat temple complex, about six kilometers from Siem Reap.

While the region around Angkor was the capital of Khmer kingdom that ruled Cambodia from the 9th to 15th centuries, the temple traces its origin to the early 12th century, when King Suryavarman II ordered a Hindu Temple built to honor Vishnu.

In 13th century, Angkor Wat was converted from a place of worship for Hindus to Theravada Buddhists.

It became famous after Western explorers arrived and were impressed by its majestic beauty. In 19th century, a Frenchman named Henri Mouhot said that: “One of these temples — a rival to that Solomon and erected by some ancient Michelangelo — might take an honorable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left us by Greece or Rome, and presents a sad contrast to the state of barbarism in which the nation is now plunged.”

Angkor Wat escaped destruction under Pol Pot and was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.

The government touts the temple complex as a matter of national pride. Entrance is free for Cambodians, while foreign tourists pay $20.

Siem Reap is a place to enjoy the romance of colonial times. Many buildings dating from the early 20th century feature French-colonial or Chinese influences and have been renovated as hotels, restaurants or bars.

The center of colonial heritage is the Old French Quarter, near Siem Reap River — a quiet, beautiful pedestrian area with shade trees and gardens.

Not far from the Old French Quarter is Psar Char (Old Market), a favorite place for hunting inexpensive souvenirs, such as traditional artwork, jewelry or T-shirts.

Don’t hesitate to haggle with the shopkeepers to get the best price. Skilled bargainers might knock the price down by up to seventy percent.

The US dollar and the Cambodian riel are used for transactions. The exchange rate is about 4,000 Riel to 1 US dollar, although some places give as little as 3,400 riel.

Most restaurants, clubs, pubs, shops and bars open at noon and become lively in the late evening until midnight.

The most popular place to hang out in Siem Reap is Pub Street. Dominated buy a mix of French colonial and oriental architecture, the street is off limits to cars in the evening, allowing pedestrians to move freely.

Tourism in Siem Reap benefits from the hospitality of local residents. People here pay to study other languages, principally English.

For example, One tuk tuk driver, Map, said left his village near Kompong Thom (about 3 hours from Siem Reap) to find his fortune. Realizing that he would meet foreigners, Map saved up for an English course. He carries two dictionaries when driving his tuk tuk to help accommodate visitors.

Many people in Siem Reap have a good grasp of English and other foreign languages. In this case, tourism been positive for Siem Reap, promoting a desire to learn that might encourage more study, not just in language and tourism, to make Cambodia a competitive country in Southeast Asia.

Sourced: Cambodia News