The Captain does Cambodia

Arriving in Siem Reap, if feels as though a time machine has transported us forty years in to the past, however given Cambodia’s violent past we’re happy that it’s very much the present, even if our surroundings defy that notion. The city seems to be growing at a rapid pace as the reputation of Angkor’s splendour spreads, there is a vibrant night market and of course a brash street full of bars for tourists seeking a little less cultural immersion.

We’re keen to see Angkor Wat as soon as humanly possible but the journey takes a little longer than expected as the ticket office is inconveniently, and rather bizarrely located some distance from the entrance to the site. However we arrive well in advance of sunset and join the throngs gathered at the entrance. It’s a chaotic scene as tuk-tuks buzz around picking up and dropping off, whilst local vendors assess the fresh prey. Tourists run the gamut from umbrella-toting Asian octogenarians to fresh-faced, lobster-skinned northern European backpackers. Most have adhered to the not so difficult dress code of covered shoulders and knees, but there are a few hilarious exceptions, looking as if they’re engaged in a Sunday morning walk of shame. A brief tease ensues as the site closes soon after our arrival and we don’t quite reach the main temple, however our brief disappointment is tempered by the knowledge that we’ll be back at sunrise tomorrow.

4.45am is an ungodly hour to wake up, particularly on vacation, but I’m happily dressed and ready to go as sunrise at Angkor Wat is widely regarded as the optimum time to savour the majesty of Cambodia’s most famous treasure (so famous that it adorns the national flag). As darkness slowly slips away the expectant crowd of approximately two thousand can’t help but think they could’ve spent another half an hour in their beds. After what seems an age, daylight gradually bathes the rooftop of the famous temple, exposing a sea of selfie-sticks and cellphone screens.

Happily the crowd disperses once inside the temple as the hordes choose from an infinite number of paths to explore the huge site, which is in fact the largest religious structure in the world. A couple of hours of trying to channel my inner monk with some quiet contemplation follow, as we attempt to breathe in close to a millennium of rich history at these sacred grounds, whose magnificence is hard to describe yet easily identifiable as the highlight of the trip so far. I cannot believe that Angkor Wat wasn’t voted as one of the modern seven wonders of the modern world, a statue of Jesus on a hill in Brazil is really more wondrous?

We reluctantly tear ourselves away as we have a number of other stops to make and the sun is already making it’s powerful presence felt. We find our guide for the day sleeping off a hangover in his tuk-tuk, so he’s delighted to learn that we’ve decided to abbreviate our ambitious schedule and only visit two more temples today. Shockingly the temple we visit next is a relatively unremarkable site, but we round off the mini tour in style with a couple of hours at Ta Prohm, the crumbling masterpiece set in the jungle, made famous by the original Tomb Raider movie. It’s been an unforgettable morning, and having completely failed to describe it with any accuracy, or take a photo that does it even a remote justice, I’d strongly recommend a visit in person.

Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh is our next stop and we decide to spend our three nights, which coincide with Robin’s birthday, in a gorgeous suite at the brand new Sun and Moon Hotel. All this luxury does however breed a certain amount of laziness. A visit to the Royal Palace is the cultural highlight here, although I must say I did enjoy attending an impromptu late night street party too, perhaps the old me hasn’t completely vanished! This little gathering is just one small example of how rapidly the city is modernizing, and despite the inevitable changes to the character of the place, the inhabitants seems to be embracing it and who can blame them after all they’ve been through.

Leaving the capital and heading south back to the beaches we encounter Sihanoukville, a largely uninspiring port town, most famous for seemingly containing more casinos than hotels. The town is really no more than a stepping stone for most people who are heading to the beautiful islands that lay not too far off Cambodia’s coast. The best known of these is Koh Rong. The island is unique given it’s only two modes of transportation are your own two feet or a boat. Essentially it’s a jungle surrounded by powdery white sand, the sort of place where hours turn into days, days in to weeks, weeks in to hippies. During our visit the Fire Flow Festival is taking place, which involves plenty of juggling, twirling and spinning of various objects that are alight. The participants range from complete novice to competent veteran and the performances reflect that, with burning torches occasionally flying in to areas where spectators have gathered, taking crowd participation to a whole new level.

We opt to stay in a beachside bungalow for the full Robinson Crusoe experience and for a couple of days we are in absolute bliss. However, a bout of food poisoning (it had to happen at some point) puts paid to that. Once recovered, our memory of this place is a tad soiled and we head back to the mainland reluctantly yet relieved. We spend a couple of nights hanging out in a charming little town called Kampot. It’s a fitting end as Cambodia has indeed charmed us in to staying quite a bit longer than we had intended, I guess that’s no bad sign and will certainly be a tough act to follow for our next destination.