/countries/show/cambodia/1.rss en-us Siem Reap is famous for housing Angkor Wat: the eighth wonder of the world, Cambodia’s most prized possession, and the epicentre of huge national pride. Angkor Wat is the most-featured ruin in the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site; and it was also the set for Lara Craft, Tomb Raider. There is no contest that touring Angkor Wat is a special experience, and if you visit some local community projects benefiting the Khmer (Cambodian) people, Siem Reap will always mean something more to you than just a tourist site. A contemporary, luxury hotel in the heart of Siem Reap, Hotel de la Paix has a genuinely warm and welcoming vibe, and is run by a charismatic Dane named Christian, who is as passionate about the hotel as he is about the many community projects the hotel supports. Hotel de la Paix is a hip and modern place to relax after a day of Angkor Wat ruins, and Christian was kind enough to invite me along with a few other guests to visit the endeavours that Hotel de la Paix is proudly committed to. First stop was the sewing school, created to teach young women, and occasionally a young man, from rural areas outside of Siem Reap. For ten months, the students learn to design and create different articles of clothing as well as learn the skills required to run their own tailoring business. While living in Siem Reap, they are given room and board as well as sexual education and spiritual classes. Each student is given a sewing machine upon graduation to ensure they are equipped to begin their business when they return to their respective villages. The program was created by a thirty-five-year-old female manager from Hotel de la Paix who learned that most women in rural Cambodia were dying by the time they were her age. Their bodies gave out from the sheer exhaustion of bearing five or six children while simultaneously engaging in the extreme physical labour necessary for survival in rural areas, such as brick making and tending to crops and rice fields. The next destination was the Green Gecko orphanage (http://www.greengeckoproject.org) where, for the most part, the more than seventy children that live there are so happy and healthy it feels more like summer camp (although an orphanage like this is probably rare). Before coming to Green Gecko, most kids are found impoverished and begging on the streets, often with babies on their hips to attract money from tourists. Their future looks bleak, with most kids turning to prostitution as they get older. Many have abusive families while others have lost their families entirely. At Green Gecko they are given nutritious meals and lodging, as well as the tools they need to survive as self-sufficient, empowered people. The kids learn to cook, clean, engage in regular hygiene, and develop routines for bedtime, meals, study and play. They are taught English, Khmer culture, dance, music, drama, crafts, computer studies, martial arts, and sports. Green Gecko strives to help the children build strong minds and self-esteem, and to discover passion through activities, skills and talents that bring them a natural inner joy. And as kids everywhere should know—these Green Gecko children know how to play. Doctors frequent Green Gecko to ensure the orphanage stays healthy, although the kids are thriving so medical visits are happening less often. With most children coming from abusive backgrounds, psychological counseling is important at Green Gecko. Classes in sex education and HIV are taught. There is also a focus on healthy, non-abusive relationships and gender equality for women. Green Gecko works with the families to re-integrate the children back into their homes if and when they can be safe, healthy and harm-free; or into the world as independent, well-prepared young adults. I was fortunate to be present on the day the kids were receiving fifty bikes and school bags in a program delivered by MasterCard and Hotel de la Paix. In the past two years, there have been a thousand bikes and bags donated from this initiative. Most kids live at least five kilometres from school, and must walk to get there, causing many not to go at all. With Green Gecko’s “teach a man to fish” philosophy, a child with a bike and transportation to school is no longer a child with an excuse not to get an education. Seeing the uninhibited excitement and pure joy over the bikes did not leave a dry eye; a moment not easily forgotten. Before leaving, there was a final treat: a beautiful, traditional Khmer performance danced by several of the girls while a handful of boys played drums and various indigenous instruments. Although there is a celebratory mood at Green Gecko, it is not all rainbows and sunshine every day. There is, however, a genuine feeling of hope, future and possibility with an unshakeable sense of community and solidarity. Green Gecko is not just an orphanage; it is a home, a school, and a family. Tue, 21 Jun 2011 16:12:57 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/siem-reap-orphanage http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/siem-reap-orphanage If it's temples and ruins that you're after, there is no limit to what you will find in Southeast Asia. If you are ready to shake things up a bit, hold onto your teeth and head on over to Battambang, Cambodia for a wild ride aboard the bamboo train. Clear your thoughts of any images that may naturally come to mind, as the Battambang bamboo train is not your typical locomotive. Right before our eyes, a bamboo “raft” was placed on two sets of wheels resembling barbells. A motor was hooked up through a fan belt, a few cushions were thrown our way, and voila—we were off on our own magic carpet ride, clinging to a less-than-ample railing as we hurtled through the countryside at 50 kms an hour. The track is actually missing in places but it's best not to look down as you fly through the beautiful, remote landscape of true rural life. The speed is petrifying. Fun, but petrifying. My teeth are still rattling! Should another bamboo train be coming from the opposite direction, the car with the least amount of cargo (always ours, it seemed) has to get off the track. The train is taken apart and removed in seconds, and then put back together just as quickly after the other train has passed. The purpose of the Battambang bamboo train is to transport goods and people from one village to the next, and has been in operation since 1920. Just as we did, tourists can also pay to use it and are part of the experience of picking up locals and small cargo along the way. During our ride, we picked up one local village woman, and had to stop for many crossing cows. Describing the speed, thrill and lack of security that comes with this hour-long ride on the Battambang bamboo train is hard to describe; quite simply, it's exhilarating, and definitely recommended. Always the honest traveller, I did do a silent Hail Mary when terra firma was once again within my grasp. Although I ignored these passing thoughts while onboard, it was impossible not to imagine the potential danger that could befall a bamboo train passenger (security features don't seem to be a priority in this instance). Our new, local Cambodian friend Bat(man) described a tragedy I was not anticipating. One day, while casually taking a bush pee alongside the tracks, a man was suddenly attacked by a green snake that bit his... penis. Apparently, said "member" enlarged to the size of the man’s forearm, which caused me to wonder about the possibility of that famous “rural” myth. Traditional medicine was necessary to restore his “property,” otherwise he would have died. The man lived with his forearm-sized appendage for months—although I have a sneaking suspicion he postponed his medical appointment for as long as possible. Fact or not, I was glad to have heard this story at the end of our bamboo train ride. I did not want to go barrelling off the tracks into the mouth of a green snake. I am perfectly fine with the size of all my body parts. Wed, 16 Feb 2011 17:46:15 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/battambang-bamboo-train http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/battambang-bamboo-train A wondrous water world, Tonle Sap Lake is the lifeline for many of Cambodia's people. Hardworking and ever adapting communities line the shores of the Great Lake, earning a living from the abundant fishing and farming, and shaping their livelihood around its natural splendor. The total area of Tonle Sap is a combination of rivers and lake, and has major significance, as it is the largest freshwater Lake in South East Asia, and largest freshwater floodplain in the world. This great waterway is also unique for other reasons, twice a year the direction of Tonle Sap water flow changes and the dramatic flooding and draining cycle is astounding. During the Cambodian dry season, November to May, Tonle Sap is relatively small approximately, 2,700 square km, as it filters water back into the river and ultimately to the Mekong. Astonishingly though, during the wet season from June to October, the waters swell back up due to the monsoon weather from the Mekong basin, and grows up to 16,000 square km, almost six times its original size. With fluctuations this big, it's no wonder the most common dwellings are small house boats which can be easily moved by motor boat to suitable locations based on the season. During the dry season, most the Tonle Sap floating village moves out to the greater areas of water along the river, where as during the wet, houses are typically towed to shallow, calmer waters, banks, and mountain bases. The culture of Tonle Sap Lake continues to sustain century old traditions, offering a rare unrefined view into one of the more undiscovered sides of Cambodia. The most accessible village from Siem Reap is Chong Khneas, having visited such a beautiful community, it will leave you wanting more. Gliding through the rather murky waters you can view what life is like in what most would consider to be a complete 180 from their current way of life. Houses range in size from small house boats approximately150 square feet, to larger ones roughly 400 square feet. Women glide from boat to boat, selling dried foods and other meats. Men fish off the shores. Children play and learn just the same as anywhere else, well almost. The one downside to the water is the restraints it puts on playtime, so for these schools the playground is enclosed. Makes sense, who wants to swim across the way every time a soccer ball goes astray. Life along Tonle Sap Lake moves at a different pace and in different manners, but is no less hard working or full of life. Tonle Sap floating villages provide a humbling opportunity to view a way of life many would not otherwise know. This opportunity is remarkable and highly recommended, as it is not yet overwhelmed by visitors like other more famous attractions in Cambodia. Tue, 24 Feb 2009 08:15:30 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/tonle-sap http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/tonle-sap A sunset is one thing, but a sunset that falls over an ancient city from your perch a top some ruins is another. Just down the road and up a hill from the famed Angkor Wat, is Phnom Bakheng, widely regarded as the best place to view the sunset or rise within the Angkor region. After a long and dusty day of temple trekking the 20 minute climb will seem quite exhaustive, and you might even contemplate the value of the effort, but it is well worth it. For those that can't quite fathom the extra effort after a long day there are other modes of transport available, more specifically the ever popular elephant. The cost is a little steep $20 US for a ride up and $15 US down, but for some, myself included, the value was apparent as soon as I stepped off the tuk tuk. Depending on when you visit the sun sets around 6ish or so, but the prime seats to view the show start going around 3pm. From where the elephants and trekking route end, you will be greeted by a steep set of temple stairs, which will again test your will in the hot and temperate sun. Upon reaching the top of Phnom Bakheng, to your right you will find the Angkor Wat temple view and opposite to the left the Cambodian countryside. These two corners are the prime viewing spaces. Don't be fooled into claiming the further back seats, as the space in front of your will soon be encroached on by other tourists. The farthest forward seats are the most prized. Patience is soon rewarded as the glow of the sun paints the surrounding countryside in warm orange and pinks hues. As you bask in the glow, you can hardly place the time. Surrounded by temples and watching the rays paint these ancient civilizations, you become one with a time from centuries long before. The colours are the most spectacular and vibrant tones that you can imagine, of which no picture does justice. Tue, 17 Feb 2009 10:04:22 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/phnom-bakheng http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/phnom-bakheng Time ceases to move at Angkor Wat as you step out of modern civilization into an early 12th-century temple complex in the central Cambodian jungle. In fact, the jungle is actually growing in the Angkor Wat Temples—literally! Tree roots and branches are growing through, on top and inside the temples, making for a scene of culture and nature intertwined. It's hard to explain a place that demands such attention based on its sheer size, and sustains your interest in a gripping search over the layers of detailed stone carvings. The Angkor Wat complex encompass over a hundred stone temples in total, and the Angkor Wat Temple is the largest and best preserved of these ruins. This enduring masterpiece was built initially for King Suryavarman II as the capital of the Khmer Empire. It has now the assumed image of Cambodia, and is the dedicated symbol to the Buddhist following. As one of the largest religious complexes in the world, Angkor Wat's outer wall spans an impressive 3.6 km (2.2 miles) long, and encloses 203 acres of Khmer-style architecture. These walls also lay claim to the longest bas-relief sculptures in the world, with countless sprawling stories of Hindu mythologies. Angkor Wat is proudly honoured by Cambodians, and has been depicted in all of the Cambodian flags since 1863. As such, Angkor Wat Temple is the only building to ever appear on a national flag. An Angkor Wat tour by tuk tuk allows you swift access to other temples, bringing you deeper into ageless obscurity. Many visitors begin their day at Angkor Thom crossing over a primitive bridge and under an impressive carved entry gate. Spanning over 9 km² Angkor Thom launches visitors off to its several temples and ruins with the Bayon Temple. The persistent carvings of King Jayavarman VII during meditation make the Bayon Temple feel almost familiar. With over 200 faces placed on top of all the temple's towers in every direction, they were believed to ward off evil. Other interesting sites within Angkor Thom are the lines of elephants along the the Terrace of Elephants, as well as the Baphoun Temple. Be sure to have your Angkor guide take you to Ta Prohm, as it has self-evidently emerged as one of Angkor's best temples to visit. Ta Prohm's popularity is drawn from is untouched nature. Unlike other temples in and around Angkor Siem Reap, at Ta Prohm has been infiltrated by the jungle not only within, but on top or and around it. It's rugged nature makes you feel like a proper explorer, no matter how many others have gone before. Fri, 28 Dec 2007 21:04:05 +0000 http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/angkor-wat http://www.thecircumference.org/experiences/angkor-wat