Siem Reap Cambodia Travel

Click Here for Part 1: Phnom Penh, Cambodia

A "speed boat" awaited us for the next leg of our journey to Siem Riep, the home of the celebrated Angkor Wat. The boat's vague description was enhanced somewhat when we were ushered aboard the sparkling "Mekong Express" by smiling hostesses in smart new uniforms. A bit noisy perhaps, but the powerful twin-hulled ferry was fast and comfortable and a damn sight safer than some of the precarious vessels we passed along the way.

Six hours later, we arrive at the much-vaunted floating village of
Chong Khneas. Looking something like a flooded caravan park, families congregate on the decks(?) of their motley homes, some discernibly boat-like, others little more than tents pitched on pontoons. The "Mekong Express" picks its way delicately through the bobbing throng of buoyant huts, narrowly missing commuters in pole-powered canoes and dinghies. The residents survey our massive craft with nonchalance while the semi-clad infants still manage a refreshing, cheery wave.

An expectant shore party wave welcoming placards from the muddy bank, identifying their respective hotels and guesthouses as we prepare to disembark via a narrow wooden gangway. Our tottery exit complete, minibuses then take us to Siem Reap fifteen minutes distant.

This north-western province has been the recipient of much global attention in recent years. Siem Reap, despite being on the edge of one of the poorest parts of the country, houses some of the richest archaeological sites in SE Asia. The ancient city of Angkor, former seat of power for some twenty seven Khmer kings, now draws tourists like the proverbial.

We're delivered to our lodgings at the charming Auberge Mont-Royal d'Angkor. Sounding a lot grander than it really is, The Mont-Royal is a delightfully intimate little hotel, spotless and tasteful.

Our first look at Angkor is the central Bayon Temple with its
intricately carved depictions. Like a huge hand-hewn "Where's Wally" mural, some of the fine detail reveals the quirky humour of these ancient artisans, like the tortoise who bites his handler on the … member.

Over the next 48 hours, we do the rounds of the sights;

• Phom Bakheng; a daunting, near vertical climb to the top for a sunset vantage point. (take the elephants' trail around the side, it's much easier.)
   
• Ta Prohm; the archetypal jungle temple featured in "Tomb Raider" complete with huge banyan trees.
   
• Banteay Srei; the so-called citadel of the women. A compact and incredibly intricate little temple with lots of saucy carvings of
  shapely Khmer ladies.

The list goes, for there are literally dozens of small and large
temples in various states of preservation, many with little or no visitor restrictions.

But the one we all came to see, the mighty Angkor Wat, is the
magnificent centrepiece of this expansive locale. Currently various aspects of the structure are swathed in tarp and scaffolding, making a clean photograph difficult, but my early morning shot from the eastern perimeter was clearly a seldom considered angle. For a full half-hour I sat, completely alone, with just the awakening crickets and mosquitoes as company (yes, I remembered the Aerogard). The occasional passing cyclist my only distraction.

I visited Angkor during the so-called 'low' season (August) when the temperatures and humidity can get a bit oppressive, so sunscreen, insect repellent and bottled drinking water is a must. Even so, tourists were still in abundance, a further indication of the exploding popularity of this destination with cliché weary travellers.

Despite the very apparent upturn in the local economy these increased visitor numbers bring, a delicate balance exists between investment and conservation. Currently around 200,000 mostly well behaved tourists scramble over the one thousand year old ruins. Some estimates show that figure will grow to around one million within the next few years. As a UNESCO World Heritage listed site, there needs to be a balance between tourism and preservation and if current trends continue, expect to see more and more access restrictions placed on the site.

The simple advice, which many people seem to be heeding, is go see Cambodia now! It's only a matter of time before ropes, boardwalks and cordons replace the current, relatively free access visitors enjoy.

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