What you don't know about Cambodia
We jumped into a small van in Bangkok and made the 6+ hours trip over the Cambodian border to Siem Reap. And, I have to be honest – I (Steve) didn’t know much about Cambodia outside the horrific 1970’s Khmer Rouge conflict. Understanding the big picture really adds to a trip to the country and especially Siem Reap. Here’s a quick summary.
The Khmer Empire, also known as the Angkor Empire, reached its peak between the 11th and 13th centuries. The empire covered much of what is now Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam. (See the map below.) The capital was Angkor, which was located near modern-day Siem Reap. The city of Angkor was likely the most populated city in the world at the time (est. 900,000). The Khmer Empire was founded by King Jayavarman II in 802 AD and lasted until 1431 CE. It was influenced by Indian customs in culture, religion, and political organization. The empire’s decline began in the middle of the 14th century due to internal conflicts and external invasions. The empire’s capital, Angkor, was abandoned in the 15th century.
In 1860, Cambodia became a colony of France, which lasted for 100 years. The country was freed from French rule in 1953, only to enter into a brutal civil war in 1967. The conflict was driven by the communist Khmer Rouge party, which gained control in 1975. While the Khmer Rouge lost control in 1979, over 3 million people – nearly 40% of the populaiton – had been brutally murdered and the country impoverished during their rule. The Khmer Rouge were active in the country into the early 1990s with international political complexities to great for this blog.
It’s hard to imagine any other people or country that has undergone such extreme challenges, but they perservere and the country is undergoing massive growth.
Alex' Reflections -
Siem Reap & Angkor 30 years later
In 1993, I jumped at the opportunity to visit Cambodia. It was during a particularly precarious time – just weeks after the UN’s withdrawal and days before the Khmer Rouge’s return.
The conflict-influenced environment, with bombed-out buildings and armed soldiers everywhere, combined with the grandeur of the ancient ruins made the journey unforgettable. Getting into the country was an adventure itself, involving a fortuitous meeting with a Cambodian-Texan traveler who helped us navigate the chaotic border crossing with strategically placed $20 bills.
We explored a practically tourist-free Angkor complex where our machete-wielding guide led us through jungle-covered temples, climbing wherever we pleased, though some areas remained off-limits due to landmines or thick jungle vegetation.
Returning 30 years later in 2024, the transformation is striking. Siem Reap’s “pub street” now rivals New Orleans’ Bourbon Street, and wooden staircases have replaced the precipitous temple steps I once climbed. While I miss the raw adventure of my first visit, I’m amazed by the restoration efforts at the archaeological sites and the country’s overall development. Through all these changes, one thing remains constant: the warmth and resilience of the Cambodian people.
If You've Seen One Angkorian Temple...
If you’ve been following our travels to date, you know there are a lot of temples in SE Asia. However, the Angkorians really knew how to build temples. There are over 1000 Angorian temples, with 70 in the Siem Reap area. Alex and I were getting a bit over-saturated with these amazing sites, but each temple area does have unique attributes. We traveled from the iconic Angkor Wat to it’s northern big brother site, Ankgor Thom, then ventured off to the north and east to catch the other most interesting sites. In 4 days of intense travel, we managed to see 20 temples.
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument on Earth. It has been called the “8th Wonder of the World,” surpassing Italy’s Pompeii. The site was constructed in the 12th century at the peak of Angkorian civilization. The temple is a great source of pride for the Cambodian people and its siloutte is iconic. In fact, it is the lone symbol making up the Cambodian flag.
Angkor Thom
Once you’ve digested the vastness of Angkor Wat, you have to grasp the reality that a short hop north you will encounter the much larger Angkor Thom. Angkor Thom means “Big City”…this is not a single site but many temples and other strutures. Thom was built in the 12th century immediately after Angkor Wat. A massive wall, 12km long and 8 m high surrounds the city buffereed by a 100m wide moat that was once filled with crocodiles. We hit Thom after roaming Angkor Wat
Angkorian Temples – East of Thom
We exited Thom through the ornate east “Victory Gate” and made our way to 5 more temples. We were particularly taken by Ta Prohm, the “Tomb Raider” temple and its jungle atmosphere.
Angkor Temples Northeast
Alex and I headed north on our 2nd day of temple exploration targeting 5 sites; Preah Kahn, Neak Poan, Ta Som, East Mebon and Pre Rup. Preah Kahn is a maasive temple that has undergone notable preservation efforts. The bookend, Pre Rup, is a temple built in 960 CE in Hindu style as a burial site.
Northern Banteay Temples and Religious Sites
We jumped into Mr. Nin’s trusty tuktuk for a long trek north to a mountain hike at an ancient site with carved river beds and beautiful jungle surroundings. We made our way back towards Siem Reap taking in some of the more remote Bandeay area temples. We also got some of the most delectible grilled pork and tasty palm cake in our new favorite foodie town, Preah Dak.
The Rolous Temples
On our last day of Ankgorian temple exploration, we headed 10km east of Siem Reap to the the Roluos group. These four temples are all that remain from the ancient Hariharalaya, which was the first significant capital during the Khmer Empire of the Angkorian era. The Sanskrit name Harihara-alaya means “Harihara-abode”. Harihara is a Hindu deity being half Shiva, half Vishnu. We saw great temples and few tourists and even took a few surprise trips to temples in a state of near complete ruin.
Soaking Up Siem Reap:
Once a sleepy temple town, SR is now a bustling tourist town. The tourist area – complete with “Pub Street” – caters heavilty to Westerners. After a quick scan of the scene, we found fun, friendly and affordable places elsewhere to eat, drink and learn about the local culture.
Apsara Dance
Siem Reap is definitely a cultural center for Cambodia. We got to see some simply amazing tradional dancers and musicans. Aspara dance is a facinating art form – check out the videos (but it doesn’t do justice to the performers).
A Siem Reap Collage
We put together a crazy video of people, places, animals, food and transportation that could have been much more robust without technical limitations. We hope it shows you that we did more than stare at old temples. Enjoy!
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Happy New Year guys. Love the great documentation of all the sights. Looks like you’re enjoying the travels ( even by bus and Tuk Tuk). Cheers and look forward to seeing more.
Great to hear from you, Corey! You are now a seasoned traveler. Would like to hear stories from Portugal and Spain someday!