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| Babel Travel Destination - Cambodia |
| Cambodia is a magical place and everyone who visits somehow falls under its spell. Everything about the country is amazing – the lush scenery as your travel through the rice paddies; watching the sun set over vast flood plains dotted with water buffalo; visiting the magnificent temple complex of Angkor Wat and imagining what it would have been like during its peak, an ancient legacy that lives on in the gestures of beautiful apsara dancing; the warm welcome you receive from all the locals who constantly greet you with a smile, and a history so tragic you soon realise how fortunate you are to be able to visit it at all. After decades of civil war and the genocide wrought by the Khmer Rouge, the violence of Cambodia's modern history looms large. But with the advent of democracy, today Cambodia sits poised on the edge of a new revolution: tourism. This is due in no small part to the jungle-choked ruins of Angkor Wat, ancient capital of the Khmer Empire and the world's largest single religious monument. Cambodia somehow possesses you and you will want to visit this beautiful land time and time again.
Population 14 million
Capital: Phnom Penh (2.2 million)
Official Language: Khmer. Others: French, English.
Predominantly Buddhist (88%), Muslim (2%), Christian (1%) and others (9%) |
| The temples of Angkor Wat |
| These temples were built between the 9th and 13th centuries when the Khmer Empire was the pre-eminent influence in South-East Asia. The temples were believed to represent the cosmic world and were set in perfect balance, symmetry and composition. The intricately carved bas-reliefs and architectural designs are mind-blowing and there are spectacular photographic opportunities at any time of day. |
| Phnom Penh |
| In Phnom Penh we confront Cambodia's tragic past, on a guided tour of the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a former school which served as a Khmer Rouge torture centre. We then head out of the city to the Choueng Ek Memorial, where a stupa marks the site of the infamous Killing Fields. To learn about a brighter period in Cambodian history, make an optional visit to the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda. |
| Sihanoukville |
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Unwind on the beaches of Sihanoukville amid the relaxed tropical environment. Nature lovers may wish to make the trip out to the Ream National Park, 21 ha of coastal mangrove forest, which hosts a great variety of animal and bird species. You may also like to venture out to the riverside French colonial towns of Kampot or Kep or the eery Bokor Hill Station. |
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