When I decided to travel to Cambodia, I was expecting this trip is going to be a temple hopping trip. But I was wrong! By visiting the temples and learning about the history of the country, this trip ended up becoming the most heart-breaking trip I have ever experienced so far.
I kicked off my Cambodia trip from Siem reap followed by Preah Vihear and Phnom Pehn.
Is Cambodia safe?
I heard some travellers encountered an unpleasant experience during their trip to Cambodia. However, based on my experience, I would say Cambodia is a safe country.
But this doesn’t mean you could let your guard completely down such as leaving your personal belongings unattended. Petty theft could happen if you are careless.
Places to stay in Cambodia
Siem Reap – Mad Monkey Hostel
Cost: USD 9 per night. ( per person)
Phnom Pehn – Mad Monkey Hostel Phnom Pehn
Cost: USD 9 per night. ( per person)
Most important things to prepare
- Sunscreen / Sunblock.
- Mosquitoes repellent.
- A cap and a pair of sunglasses.
Getting around
Siem Reap and Phonm Pehn : by walk or tuk-tuk
I travelled around Siem Reap and Phnom Pehn on foot. Most of the “must-visit” places are within the walking distance from the hostel I stayed.
Preah Vihear : Van
Entrance Fee
Angkor Wat pass :
It costs USD 37 for a day pass, USD 62 for 3 days pass, and USD 72 for 7 days pass.
Beng Mealea and Koh Ker :
A pass to Beng Mealea costs USD 5 and a pass to Koh Ker costs USD 10.
Tuol Seng Genocide Museum (S-21 Prison) :
USD 8 ( including audio)
Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre :
USD 6 ( including audio )
Wat Phnom :
USD 1 (It’s free for the locals)
Royal Palace of Cambodia :
USD 10
Tour Operator
Angkor Wat Sunrise Tour: organised by Mad Monkey hostel
Bang Malea and Koh Ker: Siem Reap Shuttle Tour. I booked the tour via Klook.
If you are going with Siem Reap Shuttle Tour, you can request for Chenda as your tour guide. Chenda speaks very well English and he knows best spots to take pictures.
Itinerary
Day 1: Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Angkor Thom Temple
Angkor Wat
There are two ways to catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat. First is to travel by yourself by tuk-tuk or you could join a group tour. Joining a group tour could be cheaper if you’re travelling alone.
Ta Prohm
Have you watched Angelina Jolie’s movie called Tomb Raider? Or have you ever played a game called “Temple Run”?
Ta Prohm is the primary shooting location of Tomb Raider, and it’s the inspiration behind Temple Run.
SAD NEWS! The tree is too big for the temple to sustain its weight. To protect the existence of the temple, the government has come up with a plan to cut it down very near in the future.
Angkor Thom / Bayon Temple
It’s well known for the happy Buddha’s face temple. You could see many of smiling Buddha faces around the temple.
It makes me feel so calm and happy just by looking at those relics. (I’m not exaggerating. It’s true! Haha )
If you are taking the “ Sunrise – Angkor Wat Tour “, the tour ended in the noon.
If you have free time in the noon, you can continue your journey to Banteay Srei which is well – known as Ladies Temple.
Day 2: A day trip to Koh Ker and Beng Mealea.
Koh Ker was the first destination on my second day in Cambodia. It’s located in Preah Vihear*. There are few temples you could visit in Koh Ker.
Prasat Pram
The first temple is Prasat Pram. Prasat means Temple and Pram means five in Khmer.
Prasat Thom is a seven-tier pyramid temple at Koh Ker, and I would consider this as a hidden gem in Cambodia. It would probably be the highest temple ever built by Khmer, rising above 36m heights from the ground.
*A short story about Preah Vihear ( Cambodia – Thailand border dispute )
Thailand and Cambodia relationship was in friction due to the possession issue of Preah Vihear territory including the Preah Vihear Temple. In 1962, The International Court of Justice ruled that Preah Vihear Temple belongs to Cambodia.
Fast forward to 2008 when the conflict escalated again when Cambodia applied for the temple to be listed as one of UNESCO Heritage sites. Thailand wanted it to be a joint Thai-Cambodia listing, but eventually withdrew its objection. The decision enraged Thai nationalists and both sides began a build up troops in the area. – BBC News.
In 2009, soldiers of Cambodia and Thailand exchanged fire across the dispute border. – BBC News.
In April 2011, Cambodia returned to ICJ and requested it clarify its 1962 ruling. – BBC News.
In November 2013, ICJ ruled that Cambodia has its sovereignty over the whole territory of the promontory of Preah Vihear, and that Thailand has its obligation to withdraw all its troops from that territory – UN News.
Beng Mealea
Beng Mealea means lotus pond in Khmer and this place is also another hidden gem in Cambodia.
The jungle has overtaken the temple that’s why it is well known as Jungle Temple. You could see local children playing around the ruins.
Pub Street
Hipster night market and best places to party!
Day 3: Choeung Ek Genocide Centre and S-21 Prison
You will learn a lot about Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge atrocities when you visited Choeung Ek Genocide Centre and S-21 prison. I would recommend you to rent the audio guide when you visit these places.
Choeung Ek Genocide Centre
From the outside, it looks like an ordinary calming park with trees and a monument in the middle. However, you would have a completely different feeling and perspective after you came out of the place.
Let’s start with “ The Killing Tree.”
Uncountable numbers of women and children died in the area of this tree. The worst part is babies died here too.
“Soldiers of The Khmer Rouge grabbed the babies by theirs, smashed their heads against it until their brains came out, and tossed them into the pit.”
Are you wondering why The Khmer Rouge was so brutal? The answer is simple.
“to dig up grass, one must remove even the roots” – The Khmer Rouge slogan.
It’s to ensure no one would be left alive to seek revenge. By the way, this too happened when one member of a family was killed. Then, the rest of the family members must be killed too.
NEXT is the “ Magic Tree.”
Okay, There was no magic happened here. The “magic” was the sound came out from the loudspeakers hung in the branches broadcasting revolutionary song throughout the Killing Field.
The song is to give outsiders an impression that the Khmer Rouge was having a meeting. IN FACT, it was just a camouflage to hide their atrocities!
The music was used to drown out the screams of the people being murdered.
“The music blended with the noise of the diesel generator to create a true nightmare of sound.”
The last is the stupa.
Inside the stupa, you will find skulls and bones of the people massacred at Choeung Ek. Each of the skulls is marked in colours to indicate how they died.
There are 17 levels in total ( The pictures only shows only four levels ).
FYI, the first ten levels have almost 9,000 skulls!
In Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre , 20,000 people were massacred during the Khmer Rouge regime. ( there was a period where they killed as many as 300 people in a single day )
Tuol Seng Genocide Museum / Security Prison 21 (S-21 Prison).
Tuol Seng (Security Prison 21/ S-21 Prison ) used to be a high school before the Khmer Rouge turned it into a prison ( now it’s a museum ).
The pole used to be used as an exercise tool for students to exercise. However, the Khmer Rouge used it as “Interrogation Room”.
” The interrogators tied both hands of the prisoner to the back by a rope, and lift the prisoner upside down. They did like this until the prisoner lost consciousness. They then dipped the prisoner’s head into a jar of smelly, filthy water, which they normally used as fertiliser for the crops in the terrace outside. By doing so, the victims quickly regain consciousness, and the interrogators could continue with the interrogation. “
Inside the museum, you will see the pictures of every newcomer taken by the Khmer Rouge when they first entered S-21.
Some of the newcomers looked so confused, frightened, and exhausted.
For me, it took a great deal of bravery to look into the eyes of those innocent people!
FOUND THIS ONLINE! Picture of the newcomers taken by The Khmer Rouge soldiers on the first day they entered the S-21 Prison. One of them actually crying 😦
When I was walking around the Choeung Ek and S-21 Prison, I wept many times and had goosebumps. At the same time, I felt angry and heartbroken.
After the Killing field and S-21 Prison trip ended, I marked this trip as the most heartbreaking trip I have ever had in my life. =(
Day 4: Independence Monument
This monument was built in 1958 to commemorate Cambodia’s independence from France.
Wat Phnom
Wat Phnom was built in 1372, and it is the highest religious structure in the city standing 27 metres above the ground.
Royal Palace of Cambodia
The full name of the palace in Khmer is “Preah Barum Reachea Veang Chaktomuk Serei Mongkol”
So, that is all the information about my trip in Cambodia! Feel free to give me a shout at rookie.trotamundos@gmail.com or comment below if you have any questions or comments! More than happy to answer!
Rookie Trotamundos 