By Aanchal Bhushan
We flew to Phnom Penh from Kuala Lumpur by Air Asia. The visa for Cambodia is available on arrival; you just need to have two passport pictures and $30 USD. We were then welcomed by a local guide and transferred to the hotel to check in.
That afternoon we toured the Royal Palace where the current king lives. It is home to examples of Khmer architecture such as the throne hall, the silver pagoda and the old compound of the old painting of Ramayana story. (Here you need to cover your knees and shoulders.) It is a beautiful site, though we were boiling. We then continued to the National Museum to see Khmer artifacts and statues.
On Day 2 we set off with a traditional mode of transport called a “cyclo.” It is a Khmer rickshaw that has been around since colonial times. We spent about an hour on this grassroots transportation going through the interior of the town, and we ended up at the Central Market. This was the most fun part of the trip for the kids – shopping time!
In the afternoon after lunch we continued our journey to a memorial place from the Khmer rouge time. It is the largest killing field where the Khmer rouge soldiers took prisoners to kill. You can still see the bones and skulls coming out from the grounds after every rainy season.
On Day 3 we started early for a five-hour drive to Battambang. We headed north to Udong Hill where the capital of Cambodia was before Phnom Penh and to the Stupa of several of Khmer kings. Here we hiked up 620 stairs.
Then we continued to the small riverside town of Kam- pong Chhnang, which is famous for its beautiful landscapes and local pottery in the midst of the rice fields. We learned how the community makes pottery the traditional way and observed how sugar is collected from the palm trees. We stayed one night in Battambang and then continued towards the countryside to try authentic local prod- ucts such as rice pepper, rice wine, sticky bamboo rice and dried banana. The highlight of the day was the Bamboo Train – the oldest means of transport. Then we headed off to Siem Reap, which took three hours. We visited the Silk Museum on the way.
On Day 5 we started very early at 5:30 a.m. to see a spectacular sunrise behind the famous temple, Angkor Wat. After eating breakfast we explored Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious temple and the most marvelous architecture ever. Then we pointed the tour to the archaeological park. We continued to the South Gate of Angkor Thom and Bayon Temple with the gigantic smiling faces and other ruins in the compound.
On Day 6 we started our day by visiting the exquisite temple of Banteay Srei, the citadel of women. This is the most intricate temple that earns its name. On the way back we stopped at the jungle temple known as “Ta Prohm”, which is overgrown by gigantic trees. This city is the gateway to the famous temples but still offers more than just stone. We also went to see the famous acrobatic performances of talented Khmer youth, followed by the wood carving museum where all the workers are disabled but very talented.
We then headed to Pub Street to see the nightlife lovers and street food along with massage places. Our tour guide also arranged a very nice buffet dinner with a traditional show at the Koulen restaurant, which was the cherry on top of a long, wonderful day.
We had a fantastic trip and covered every aspect of Cambodia, guided by a local who was fluent in English. We were dropped off at the airport the next day, sad to leave this beautiful place.