Introducing the Angkor iPhone app

From Travelfish. It’s not available yet, but soon. Check it out.

Spiritual cleansing

Live like a monk, for just $1,000 per day.

Bus trip to Lao

Cambodia and Laos will launch bus service between the two countries.

Vientiane – Laos and Cambodia are planning to allow cross-border bus services to operate in a bid to boost tourism and trade between the two neighbouring countries, state media reports said Thursday.

… The Lao government has granted permission to the Pakxe Public Bus Association to provide a bus service between Champasak, southern Laos, to Siem Reap, home to Cambodia’s famous Angkor Wat temple complex, and Phnom Penh.

Cambodian bus operators have agreed to provide services on the same route.

Bus travel between Pakxe and Phnom Penh will take a whole day, said the state-owned newspaper.

The story doesn’t say which route the buses would take, but presumably the border crossing would happen north of Stung Treng and the buses would arrive in Siem Reap via Kampong Thom. They are not kidding when they say “a whole day.” If anything, that sounds like an understatement.

Keep Cambodia beautiful

Bridget McNulty, an American writer, recently visited the Land of Wonder.

Then we arrived in Phnom Penh, the capital city, and quickly escaped north to Kratie, a small riverside town on the banks of the Mekong. Our logic was that when we cleared the city limits (by a good 6 hours) we would find the authentic, rural Cambodia — the beautiful country. We discovered the rural part, no problem, but we were really hard-pressed to find much beauty. And this is the troubling part.

I can’t decide if it’s because we were spoilt by Thailand, with its forests, mountains, beaches and tidy, clean villages, or if Cambodia is really filthy. The small town we stayed in had piles of rubbish on the side of every road. I saw a woman drinking a cooldrink and throwing the can across the road … to nowhere in particular. A guy bought some food from a shop and dropped the plastic bag in the river. Piles of decomposing rubbish piled up under fresh washing in otherwise fairly neat (although rundown) houses.

Whatever excuses you want to make — and there are plenty — Ms. McNulty is right about one thing: there is way too much rubbish strewn across Cambodia. Getting a handle on the problem, however, is still likely several years away. On the very long list of things that Cambodia desperately needs, more garbage cans lies pretty far down on the list.

Still, plastic bags or no, if you can’t see the beauty in Kratie, you are blind.

Lies, damn lies and the Internet

Anita Saran warns travelers to the hidden horrors of Asia travel.

The world is full of wonderful holiday destinations, but some are best avoided despite the delights they offer. Here are three countries to steer clear of in Asia.

Go on, have three guesses. Which country do you think tops the list? … Ready for the answer.

For 35 years, various conflicts have been raging in Cambodia over the control for its territories. It is crawling with Interpol’s most feared fugitives and riddled with millions of land mines and has suffered severe deforestation. Although the numbers of land mines have been greatly reduced, every month, more than 150 Cambodians step on land mines.

Even in 1995, this statement would have been over the top. Judged by today’s standard, it’s pure fiction.

Interpol, in fact, does not want anybody and never has; it only issues notices on behalf of courts. The landmine figure — 150 casualties per month –  is equally wrong, by a factor of 150 or so. In 2008, Cambodia reported 269 landmine casualties (less than 25 per month). In June 2009, it reported just one. Admittedly, deforestation is a problem. But the last time some tourists had a dangerous run-in with loggers was never.

The single source for Ms Saran’s report is the Web site Come Back Alive, which is horribly outdated and in many instances just plain wrong. The site also warns travelers that “Due to the high incidence of banditry, Western tourists are prohibited from traveling aboard local buses.” More fiction.

Jet ski death

Two South African tourists decided to rent the jet skis.

Paul Hutchins of Cape Town died in a jet ski collision 10 days ago.

Hutchins and a friend Andre Bester, from Pretoria, were on a holiday in the Asian country when the accident happened.

Their jet skis collided at a water park, killing Hutchins.

Bester was arrested and jailed following the accident, reported 702 Radio News.

The charges against him were unclear and he was expected to appear in court for a bail hearing on Tuesday.

News reports have yet to identify the location of the accident, but Sihanoukville seems like a good guess. As nearly everyone who goes to the beach complains, the jet skis there are not just an obnoxious nuisance, they are a deadly accident waiting to happen.

And it happened. Surprise, surprise.

UPDATE: Paul Hutchins and Andre Bester were not tourists. They lived in Cambodia and worked in the country’s forestry sector, according to Bester’s father.

PEPY ride wins

PEPY Ride was recently declared a winner in Terrcurve’s 2009 Geotourism Challenge. Awesome!

Cambodian pyramid

Photographer Craig Ferguson visited Prasat Koh Ker, the 35-meter-high sandstone pyramid in the middle of Preah Vihear province. Along with some nice photos, he says this:

Long one of the most inaccessible of the Angkor-era temples, Koh Ker could easily be described Cambodia’s forgotten capital. Tucked away in the forests of Preah Vihear province in the north of the country, Koh Ker was briefly the Khmer capital during the reign of Jayavarman IV (928-942 CE), who moved here from Angkor after seizing the throne from a rival. The captial was moved back to Angkor in 944 by his son Harshavarman I, who was his successor. Also know as Chok Gargyar, meaning Island of Glory, the Koh Ker area is home to well over 100 temples, with 30 major structures. More ruins are constantly being discovered in the jungles of the area, however there are still a lot of land mines in the ground that have yet to be cleared.

Lonely Planet has more.

Up in smoke

Rumors on the Internet.

Rumor has it that Cambodia has become very popular as a destination for marijuana-aficionados to vacation in South East Asia. One of my friends from the U.S. has been traveling there each winter for years and speaks highly of the friendly people and relaxed attitude towards marijuana, plus he tells me that the weed has gotten much better in recent years. Evidently Cambodia has become a weekend get-away hot-spot for expats living in Bangkok, Singapore or other SEA cities, partly due to guest-houses and resorts that cater to stoners.

Rumors not on the Internet say the Ministry of Interior is not at all happy about this state of affairs.

Angkor by night

APSARA is considering extending visiting hours.

Cambodia is considering opening the famed Angkor Wat temples at night to draw more tourists to the impoverished country, an official at the archaeological site said Tuesday.

Similar night tourism efforts have been introduced at other sites in Southeast Asia.

Cambodia already has installed some lights at the network of centuries-old temples, said Bun Narith, who leads the agency responsible for managing the Angkor park.

Without a little controversy, the Sou Ching company says it has spent $12 million since 2006 lighting up Angkor Wat. That’s roughly a quarter million dollars per month on lighting. For a place that is closed at night, that seems a tad excessive, no?

Street crime

British royalty mugged on the streets of Phnom Penh.

The Queen’s granddaughter, 19, who is holidaying in the country as part of her gap year, was rescued by two bodyguards who tackled a gang of bandits.

The incident happened as the Duchess of York’s daughter and two gap-year friends were walking at night in Phnom Penh.

[...]

It is the first time in 10 years that SO14 officers have stopped a direct threat to a Royal.

The bad guys are still at large.

UPDATE: Princess Eugenie soldiers on.

Hoping for nothing

Ka-set surveys the prospects for Cambodian tourism.

Minister of Tourism Thong Khon recently told Ka-set that the number of tourists in January 2009 had “only” gone down by 2% compared to this time last year when 223,581 tourists, out of an annual total of 2.1 million, entered the Cambodian territory. Generally speaking for the year 2009, the Minister plans a growth rate situated between 0 and 2%, quoting predictions made by the World Tourism Organisation (WTO). However, small enterprises and those living on little jobs in that sector do not agree with the figures.

The government’s strategy will focus on tourists from the Asia-Pacific region, who now account for some 60 percent of all arrivals. The plan is not just to get more tourists to come, but to get those who do visit to stay longer. In addition to extending the period of validity for tickets to Angkor Wat, the government also says it will lower or abolish visa fees. As an initial response to the downturn, such efforts mark a tentative start, but the government promises more action to come. The faster the better.

Gang raped in Sihanoukville

The Cambodia Daily reported yesterday:

Police in Preah Sihanouk province are investigating the reported rape of a 28-year-old Irish tourist who told officers she was sexually assaulted sometime in the early morning hours, police said Sunday.

Tak Vantha, provincial police chief, said the victim was lat seen leaving a bar about 2 am Thursday with a man. Both, he said, reportedly appeared intoxicated. According to Tak Vantha, officers first learned of the crime about 4 pm when the woman, whom he said looked as if she was still drunk or drugged, came and reported the assault.

The Phnom Penh Post reported that police are investigating a group of men believed to be responsible for the attack.

World Heritage proposition

The government wants to designate four more temples as World Heritage Monuments.

Kum Polin, a senior official at the Ministry of Culture, said the highest priority will be given to the 7th century Sambor Prei Kuk temple, located at what was once the country’s capital some 80 miles (128 kilometers) north of the current capital Phnom Penh.

[...]

The country will also nominate the Bantey Chhmar temple, built in the 12th and 13th centuries in northwestern Cambodia; the 13th century Nokor Bachey temple east of Phnom Penh; and Oudong, the country’s capital in the 17th and 18th centuries, 27 miles (45 kilometers) north of Phnom Penh.

Reading the criteria for World Heritage Status, it’s not so difficult to argue in favor of Sambor Prei Kuk — although compared to Angkor Wat and Preah Vihear, Prei Kuk is little more than a pile of rocks. As for the others, forget about it. None of them get within miles of “outstanding universal value,” the primary criterion for listing.

Wish the government good luck. It’s going to need it.

‘Flying motos’

This looks awesome. How much?

Quote of the day

Jenny Jing, a consultant in Shanghai, explains why she is not vacationing in Cambodia.

“Originally I was not considering Thailand because I’d already been and because I’m concerned about safety. But now Vietnam and Cambodia are so popular they’ve gotten expensive so Thailand is back as my Plan B.”

Whether that’s acutally true or not doesn’t matter. Perception is reality.

Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary

In addition to Cambodia’s newest World Heritage site, Preah Vihear province also boasts an extremely rare population of the Kingdom’s critically endangered national bird, the white-shouldered ibis. The Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary is an award-winning ecotourism project designed to rescue the near mythical, and nearly extinct, species.

With ecotourism context in Cambodia, Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has established a pilot ibis ecotourism project at Tmatboey in Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary, Preah Vihear province, the only known site where both Giant and White-shouldered Ibises breed and can be reliably seen. The birds are found in the forests surrounding the village, which are a mosaic of seasonally inundated dipterocarp deciduous trees. This project was awarded as a winner of “Wild Asia’s 2007 Responsible Tourism Award” which is organized by Wild Asia. The awards act as both a showcase for these exemplary resorts and as an inspiration to others.

Wildlife Conservation Society has more.

Tourists, beggars flock to Chong Kneas

Cambodian government officials often say that tourism is key to the country’s development. Surely this is not what they mean.

Thousands of tourists visiting Cambodia’s famous floating village have unwittingly spawned a new problem – floating beggars, local media reported Monday. Chong Kneas village has become a popular side trip from the tourist town of Siem Reap, 300 kilometres north of the capital, and authorities are desperate to stem the flow of intrepid beggars that have accompanied the boom, Koh Santepheap daily newspaper said.

The newspaper reported the panhandlers come by outboard, row boat and even propel themselves in plastic buckets and bathtubs to crowd cruise boats and solicit tourist cash, and it is beginning to damage the tourist industry.

[...]

Tourism Minister Thong Khon said the problem had become so severe that the issue would be discussed at a regional meeting on Siem Reap tourism issues in a fortnight.

As anecdotal evidence goes, this is a pretty good example of just how useless the Cambodian government can be. It cannot provide jobs for its citizens, so its citizens turn to begging. When the beggars start harassing the tourists, the police don’t have the resources to do their jobs — which in this case is to enforce panhandling laws — because the poverty-struck government cannot provide police departments with anything more than a few pencils and a smile.

Meanwhile, in two weeks time, those same government officials will drive their fancy Lexuses to some tacky 4-star resort in Siem Reap, gather around in the freezing air-con and stare blankly at each other wondering what the problem is, no doubt cursing the Chong Kneas beggars for having the temerity to make problems for the important people.

There ought to be a law.

UPDATE: Not just any beggars, Vietnamese beggars. Now it’s real problem.

Waterbirding

At Prek Toal, several species of water birds are back from the brink of extinction.

According to a new report by the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), several species of rare waterbirds from Cambodia’s famed Tonle Sap region have staged remarkable comebacks, thanks to a project involving a single team of park rangers to provide 24-hour protection to breeding colonies. The project pioneered a novel approach: employing former hunters and egg collectors to protect and monitor the colonies, thereby guaranteeing the active involvement of local communities in the initiative.

[...]

“This is an amazing success story for the people and wildlife of Cambodia,” said Colin Poole, Wildlife Conservation Society director for Asia Programs. “It also shows how important local people are in the conservation of wildlife in their own backyards.”

Prek Toal is a great place to visit. Andy Brouwer has the details (who else?).

Shocking Cambodia

Travelers tales are always a delight.

So we get a bus from Vietnam setting off at 8am to Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. As soon as we crossed the border over to Cambodia I was shocked. It is very very different to Thailand and Vietnam. It felt as if we had been transported back in time and we were back in India. There was litter everywhere, children playing with little to no clothes on, selling trays of pineapples, mangoes and even fried insects!!! Vans and trucks passerd us filled with pigs or chickens. Passing markets there were disgusting stenches of fish or rotting vegetables. Phonm Penh wasn’t much better with street kids selling bits and bobs and tuk tuk drivers harrassing us as soon as we stepped off the bus. Anyway we checked into a half decent hotel and chilled out before heading out for some tea. We found a nice, clean looking restaurant and sat down at a table outside and ordered….after about ten minutes I saw a RAT trundle happily by Nicks chair. I later saw two more rats, and heard screams and a cry of ‘RAT’ from the other side of the restaurant.

Rats gotta eat too, you know.

The beautiful Tonle Sap

Ever wonder how filthy the Tonle Sap might actually be?

Lach Mean, a 72-year-old who lives in a shack in which some of her grandchildren sell batteries to the surrounding villagers, shouts over the roar of a motorboat which has become entangled in the anchoring rope of a nearby house. She says that three generations of her family have lived here, but admits to defecating directly into the water because there is no access to a latrine. That is the way it’s always been done, she says. But this takes its toll. She adds: “Our life is very difficult. Often our skin is itchy and this can become infected for days.”

Indeed, while hygiene is being taught by the local school through the simple message of “don’t swim in the lake,” it is doubtful how much is sinking in.

It’s toxic.

Banteay Chmar

VIA SEAArch: Resident archaeologists extraordinaire Alison has the lowdown on Banteay Chmar.

There is a guest house in nearby Thma Puok (which also has some pretty decent restaurants). The rate was $5/night and it was definitely one of the least appealing places I have stayed. Dirty and hot rooms, rats wandering freely, and unfriendly staff.

The good news is that the temple is awesome.

Cambodia: Top 10 destinations

Travel writer John Williams offers 10 must-see “historical” places for visitors to Cambodia.

10. Siem Reap
9. Koh Kong
8. Resort town of Kep
7. Battambang
6. Banlung
5. Phnom Penh
4. Kompong Luong
3. Kampong Cham
2. Bokor National Park
1. Angkor Archeological Park

It’s hard to argue with Angkor Wat at Number 1. But no Kirirom or Sihanoukville? And Kompong Luong? What’s up with that? How about:

10. Kirirom National Park
9. Kep
8. Ream National Park/Sihanoukville
7. Koh Kong/Cardamom Mountains
6. Banlung
5. Bokor National Sokimex Concession
4. Koh Ker
3. Preah Vihear
2. Preah Khan
1.  Angkor Archeological Park

Cartoon blogging

VIA JINJA: Sticky Gum is cartoon-blogging his way though Cambodia, including a motorcycle journey to the coast. It’s not serendipity that he finds.

Overnight success

Ponhea Lueu Commune is about to be Cambodia’s next great Japanese tourist destination.

A site of a Japanese village dating back to the 17th century has been found in the outskirts of Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh, a Japanese archaeologist said Wednesday.

Hiroshi Sugiyama, chief research fellow at Japan’s National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, said that based on research since 2004 and analyses of excavations and documents, the site in Ponhea Lueu Commune, about 25 kilometers north of Phnom Penh, is a Japanese village dating back to the 17th century.

[...]

“There were about 100 Japanese living in the village during that period of time, and most of them were engaged in religious affairs and trading,” Sugiyama said in a lecture on his findings to about 100 Cambodians, many of them university students, at the Cambodia-Japan Cooperation Center in the Royal University of Phnom Penh.

Stop me if you’ve heard this

Way back when, Phnom Penh was the proud home of not one but two Western beggars. One of them, so the neighbors say, is now resting peacefully at the bottom of Boeng Kak lake. The other one is probably trying to hit up your girlfriend for a fin (via email, no link).

On Saturday my girlfriend and I were running some errands around Central Market and Sorya Shopping Center when we were approached by a slim, middle-aged western man.  He wore pants and an old t-shirt and had short, red hair and dirty teeth.  After confirming that we spoke English, he told us that he was Australian and that his bag – including all of his money and credit cards, but not his passport – had been stolen by a tuk-tuk driver at Russian Market.  My girlfriend and I listened intently as he told us that the Australian Embassy was closed and that he needed just a few dollars to make a phone call to Australia to have some money wired to him.

So that’s the story? Interesting. Unsuspecting tourists take note. Alternatively, you could buy the guy a couple of bolos and hang out in the park smoking dope. ‘Cause that’s all he’s going to do.

Scamming the tourists, part 943

Tales of Asia alerts unsuspecting out-of-towners to the latest police scam.

Not surprisingly, when poor countryside people come in to Phnom Penh for the first time and impressed by the enormity of it all (which really isn’t very enormous, but it’s Cambodia and it will have to do until they get a really really big city) they are prone to standing on street corners staring at tall buildings (which aren’t very tall, but it’s Cambodia and it will have to do until they get the really really big buildings built). Police, also standing on street corners and generally in need of money, see the poor folks staring at the buildings and assuming the person knows nothing, approaches them and tells them it’s not allowed to stare at buildings and the fine is 100 riels per floor of the building. A scam which would result in a maximum fine of about 1000 riels ($0.25).

Cambodia: Believe It Or Not!

Starve, you little street urchin

Some traveling British journo says it’s better to buy a $3 book off a child bookseller than pay $6 to see the Royal Palace. Soarla disagrees.

No that is not so. You never buy from children. It keeps the cycle of poverty going. It keeps very young children late on the streets, in a very vunerable position. The children who sell/beg are at risk of drug abuse, rape, violence, prostitution and trafficking.

This seems to be cannon canon among Western NGO-types. The question is, is it true? Have there been studies? Or is it just “accepted wisdom” that street kids are too exploited/stupid/high-on-glue to actually try and help. By the same logic, we shouldn’t give clean needles to junkies, condoms to sex workers, or birth-control pills to teenagers, either.

Cambodia border crossings, the complete guide

Andy gives a rundown of every last border crossing in the Kingdom, in case you were interested.

Most romantic destinations

Travel guide Frommer’s picks the top 10 world’s most romantic travel destinations. Number four:

Romantic Adventure, Indy Style: Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Indiana Jones always got the girl. It’s possible it was the chiseled jaw and bullwhip, but I like to think Indy just knew how to show a lady a good time. His romantic getaways were usually bejungled and dangerous, and to a mysterious, ancient place. The ruins of the 12th-century Khmer capital of Angkor, Cambodia, meet all of Indy’s criteria.

The best way to experience Angkor Wat is to fly into Siem Reap, the French-colonial town to the south that acts as a gateway to the ruins. Siem Reap has experienced a spike in tourism lately, so a wide range of hotels and restaurants are present, particularly around the Old Market area. For a truly romantic and luxurious experience, book well ahead at The One Hotel (tel. 012/755-311; www.theonehotelangkor.com); as its name indicates, there’s only one suite, so you’ll get the undivided attention of the staff. Dr. Jones liked to rough it, but he probably never had the option of a private rooftop Jacuzzi, outdoor shower, and private chef. For a more economical stay, try the Auberge Mont Royal D’Angkor (tel. 063/964-044; www.auberge-mont-royal.com), a boutique inn with an excellent restaurant and pool. If you end up venturing out for a meal, you’ll have to decide between French, Vietnamese, Thai, traditional Cambodian, and a whole host of other food choices. I’d check out Madam Butterfly (tel. 016/909-607) for traditional Khmer fare by candlelight.

Of course, the ruins are the main attraction here; plan to spend at least 4 days wandering through the jungle. Watching the sunrise from Angkor Wat, the single largest religious structure in the world, is a popular activity, but the object of your affection won’t even notice the other tourists when the red sun clears the moat. Angkor Thom, the Bayon, and Preah Khan are also staggeringly magnificent, and there are more than a thousand other structures in the forest, so you and your sweetheart can conveniently get lost. There are no velvet ropes, no liability waivers, and no one to see you sneak away for moment here and there. — Emil Ross