Cambodia
Cambodia, a kingdom in Southeast Asian region bordering with Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, has Phnom Penh as the capital city where the Mekong river and Tonle Sap river intercept. The Mekong is passable for ships from Vietnam to Phnom Penh. The Royal Palace of the recent King Norodom Sihamoni also gives a glance about the Khmer architectural building.
Cambodia has emerged from a violent past of human right violence. The past black condition of Cambodia makes the people familiar with the hardship of life. One who visits here always feels the typical hospitality of the Cambodian. Many tourism destinations can be visited here. From French building as the nation was once occupied by French protectorate to the remains of Red Khmer’s brutality. This country experienced the war and human atrocities under the government of Khmer Rouge (Red Khmer) during 1970s. The despotic communist government, ruled by Pol Pot, established the Reign of Terror which exterminated approximately one million Cambodian in 1975. The remembrance of this terror can be found in the Choeung Ek where tourists can view the Killing Fields. There one can catch a sight of more than 8,000 skulls of females, males and children victims tortured to death during the terror. Another region of the Killing Fields is in Tuol Sleng.
For the historical debris, Cambodia had been very famous in history during twelfth century when it was ruled by Suryavarman II (1113 – 1150). Under the so-called the Khmer Empire, Suryavarman II built the Angkor Wat Temple that was dedicated to his image as the incarnation of Hindu deity, Vishnu. The Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom,are very magnificent remainders of the world’s heritage site. These sites are paramount to Borobudur in Indonesia, the Pyramids in Egypt, and Machu Picchu in Mexico. The northern compound of the Angkor Wat is the Angkor Thom which had been erected to exalt Jayavarman VII (1181 – 1219) who was a Buddhist King of Cambodia.
Battambang, the second largest city of the country, is in the northern Cambodia accessible by road. There are many old-fashioned French colonial buildings that can be the wonderful sights to remember the colonial era. It also offers the spot of rural typical Cambodian life. The former Red Khmer fortress in Anlong Veng, where in it lies the grave of Pol Pot, is another destination for the tourists to take.
Another tourism spot is Kompong Som (Sihanoukville) on the South Coast where white sand beaches covered by palm trees are the haven for the foreign tourists.
Cambodia has three seasons, namely: a cooler season from November to January, the dry season from February to April and the rainy season from May to October. Temperature ranges from 21 to 35 degrees Celcius.
Motodops, the typical calling for motorbike taxi in Cambodia, serve as the main transportation. Also one can choose a boat for his journey along the river in Cambodia. The boat route is between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Siem Reap and Battambang, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong. It would take longer to take boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang in the dry season. Taking the boat in the late dry season (April and May) is not recommended that someone transfer to smaller boat in mid-river because of low water levels.
When one gets to Cambodia, one reaching by road must be very careful as many landmines can still be found. These landmines are the remains of the Red Khmer regime. However, many landmines have been defused to guarantee the tourists comfort during their stay in Cambodia. One can ask the locals to ensure the existence of the landmines and take a heed of warning signs of red paint and red rope, which indicate the possibility of this hazard.
Cambodia has emerged from a violent past of human right violence. The past black condition of Cambodia makes the people familiar with the hardship of life. One who visits here always feels the typical hospitality of the Cambodian. Many tourism destinations can be visited here. From French building as the nation was once occupied by French protectorate to the remains of Red Khmer’s brutality. This country experienced the war and human atrocities under the government of Khmer Rouge (Red Khmer) during 1970s. The despotic communist government, ruled by Pol Pot, established the Reign of Terror which exterminated approximately one million Cambodian in 1975. The remembrance of this terror can be found in the Choeung Ek where tourists can view the Killing Fields. There one can catch a sight of more than 8,000 skulls of females, males and children victims tortured to death during the terror. Another region of the Killing Fields is in Tuol Sleng.
For the historical debris, Cambodia had been very famous in history during twelfth century when it was ruled by Suryavarman II (1113 – 1150). Under the so-called the Khmer Empire, Suryavarman II built the Angkor Wat Temple that was dedicated to his image as the incarnation of Hindu deity, Vishnu. The Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom,are very magnificent remainders of the world’s heritage site. These sites are paramount to Borobudur in Indonesia, the Pyramids in Egypt, and Machu Picchu in Mexico. The northern compound of the Angkor Wat is the Angkor Thom which had been erected to exalt Jayavarman VII (1181 – 1219) who was a Buddhist King of Cambodia.
Battambang, the second largest city of the country, is in the northern Cambodia accessible by road. There are many old-fashioned French colonial buildings that can be the wonderful sights to remember the colonial era. It also offers the spot of rural typical Cambodian life. The former Red Khmer fortress in Anlong Veng, where in it lies the grave of Pol Pot, is another destination for the tourists to take.
Another tourism spot is Kompong Som (Sihanoukville) on the South Coast where white sand beaches covered by palm trees are the haven for the foreign tourists.
Cambodia has three seasons, namely: a cooler season from November to January, the dry season from February to April and the rainy season from May to October. Temperature ranges from 21 to 35 degrees Celcius.
Motodops, the typical calling for motorbike taxi in Cambodia, serve as the main transportation. Also one can choose a boat for his journey along the river in Cambodia. The boat route is between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Siem Reap and Battambang, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong. It would take longer to take boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang in the dry season. Taking the boat in the late dry season (April and May) is not recommended that someone transfer to smaller boat in mid-river because of low water levels.
When one gets to Cambodia, one reaching by road must be very careful as many landmines can still be found. These landmines are the remains of the Red Khmer regime. However, many landmines have been defused to guarantee the tourists comfort during their stay in Cambodia. One can ask the locals to ensure the existence of the landmines and take a heed of warning signs of red paint and red rope, which indicate the possibility of this hazard.
