The race to rescue Cambodian children from orphanages exploiting them for profit

Much was hidden from the tourists visiting Sinet Chan in her rundown Cambodian orphanage.

When they returned to their hotels, tour to cambodia from dubai  cameras full and best intentions sated, they remained oblivious to the reality of what they had just supported.

Chan, the nine-year-old who sang and danced for them, was being starved. She and the other children hunted and ate mice to survive.

Very good intentions are being manipulated

Kate Van Doore
The orphanage’s director beat and raped her, repeatedly, over the course of several years. She was forced to toil in his rice paddies and farms without pay. Clothes and toys donated to her would be taken to the market, sold, and used to line the director’s pockets.

“I thought it might be a good place. Maybe I could have enough food to eat, have a chance to go to school. But actually what I imagined is wrong,” Chan told Guardian Australia. “He dressed us up looking poor so the visitors see us, they feel pity for us, and they donate more,” she said.

“But they don’t really know what was going on inside the orphanage.”

What the tourists saw was a pantomime. A Adventure Tours in Siem Reap  cruel theatre with vulnerable children as its cast.

Chan was one child of an estimated 16,500 living in 406 residential care institutions in Cambodia, according to a survey released in April by the Cambodian government and the United Nations children’s fund (Unicef).

The vast majority of those children are not orphans. Roughly 80% still have a living parent, according to Friends International, a child-focused nongovernment organisation operating across south-east Asia.

==> Read more: cambodia vacation packages 
Between 2005 and 2015, the number of orphanages has increased by 60% in Cambodia, and half are now concentrated in the tourist destinations of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

The growth in orphanages is completely at odds with a declining poverty rate and falling numbers of genuine orphans over the same decade, according to Friends International’s Cambodian communications coordinator, James Sutherland.

“Coincidentally that was a period of real growth in tourism as well, and in ‘voluntourism’ – combining holidays with humanitarian work,” Sutherland tells Guardian Australia from Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh.

“So essentially what’s happened is that unscrupulous directors of institutions have seen a business opportunity,” he said.

It’s a problem that extends well beyond Cambodia’s borders. An estimated eight million children live in institutions globally, and the vast majority still have family who, given the right support, could care for them.
==> cambodia tour from Ho Chi Minh

A simple homestay bedroom near the temple

My homestay, just across the road from the temple, was a stilted wooden house, with hammocks in its underbelly and an open stove in the corner. Upstairs, cambodia vacation packages  along a wide-open mezzanine lined with heavy wood furniture, I found a simple but comfortable bedroom, draped in mosquito nets and with a rumbling electric fan in the corner.

As incense wafted through the air, it was hard to believe the turbulent history of this serene temple

My hosts, Som and Saveoun, live there with their two-year-old, and have two children at university in the capital, Phnom Penh.

The next morning, after a giant plate of breakfast noodles, Bunt and I set off for another little-visited temple, Preah Vihear, the highest of the Khmer empire, crowning the Dangrek mountains.

It was more than three hours’ drive away, but for years it has been largely out of bounds because of a border dispute with Thailand. That dispute came to a head in 2011, when troops from the two countries clashed and dozens of soldiers were killed.

 Close up detail of the Preah Vihear Temple, Cambodia

 Temple view … Preah Vihear in detail. Photograph: Liam M Koehler
In 2013, the International trips to Cambodia  Court of Justice ruled in Cambodia’s favour, the Thai army withdrew, and two years later the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office deemed it safe to visit. There are still troops on the ground, but a peace deal has been struck and the area is slowly trying to build up its tourist industry. There is even a fancy hotel nearby, the Preah Vihear Boutique, with an inviting pool and a spectacular mahogany staircase (doubles from £65 a night B&B).

We passed through the dramatic winged gopura (entrance pavilion) to explore the causeways and carved galleries

The temple itself is in an incredible setting. I craned my neck as we drove to the foot of the mountains, which jut out suddenly from the plains, with the shrine’s silhouette perched imposingly on the top.

Until three years ago, there was no road here; you’d have to trek through the undergrowth. Now, you can hitch a ride in an open-top truck or on a motorbike, and complete the steep climb in 15 minutes.

Whereas Banteay Chhmar was encased in jungle, like a secret hideaway, Preah Vihear stands stoically exposed, offering sweeping panoramic views. It also has different origins: it dates from the early 9th century, when it was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Centuries later it became a hideout for the Khmer Rouge, the brutal regime that claimed the lives of up to two million Cambodians.

 Preah Vihear Temple, Cambodia.

As incense wafted through the air, it was tour to cambodia from thailand  hard to believe the turbulent history of this serene temple. We passed through the dramatic winged gopura (entrance pavilion) to explore the causeways and carved galleries. Many were in decent condition, though some of the statues had been beheaded (looters again) and there were bullet holes in the sandstone.

If walls could talk, I don’t know where these timeworn witnesses would start. I am not even sure how Bunt managed to condense so much into his immersive crash-course. Cambodia is one of those places where you certainly leave with more than a suntan. And what I appreciated most about visiting its more secluded temples is the extra space and solitude that helps you begin to take it all in.

Way to go
The trip was provided by InsideAsia Tours, which has a six-night Rural Khmer Temples tour, which includes Preah Vihear and Siem Reap, from £1,549pp, including private guide and transport, but excluding flights
==> Read more: https://cambodiatours.com/tips/news/130-cambodia-tours-from-ho-chi-minh-city.html

The Angkor Wat alternative: exploring Cambodia’s forgotten ruins

I did a double take at the temple’s empty guestbook as it was handed to me from the small, wooden ticket booth. Nope, no visitors yesterday. And cambodia travel  just two the day before that: one German, one Thai.

What a difference a two-hour drive can make. I had spent the previous day at one of the world’s greatest tourist sites, the largest religious temple in the world, Angkor Wat. There, I’d had to use my guide’s local intel to get the best views before the crowds descended. And yet here we were on day two, just 160km up the road, with another temple all to ourselves.

I had taken a detour to the 12th-century Banteay Chhmar, which was also built during the reign of the almighty Khmer king Jayavarman VII. It is believed to have been a tribute to the Buddhist ruler’s son, who died in battle, but historians can’t be sure. It remains one of the most mysterious of all the Angkorian temples.

Tourism in Cambodia is focused on a few hotspots – those grand Angkor temples. When the country reopened its borders in the 1990s, after years of civil conflict, it welcomed just 100,000 visitors a year; by 2016, that figure had ballooned to five million, and it is forecast to rise again this year. Although barely 2,000 of those visit Banteay Chhmar, numbers were boosted slightly by the paving of the main road from Sisophon and Siem Reap in 2015.

 Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia. Banteay Chhmar was reconstructed, where possible, and reopened in 2014.
 Banteay Chhmar was reconstructed, where possible, and reopened in 2014.
Banteay Chhmar temple was neglected for years: it was looted to near-devastation, its towers had almost entirely collapsed, and it was strewn with landmines during the civil war in the 1970s and 80s. But eventually the mines were cleared, and a team of archaeologists reconstructed what they could from the wreckage, and reopened the site in 2014.

Trees sprout on top of gallery walls and creepers hang between one tumbledown gateway to the next

Today, trees sprout on top of gallery walls, lichen dapples beheaded sculptures, and creepers hang between one tumbledown gateway to the next. One of the towers has been painstakingly rebuilt, and from its top, a giant stone face looks down with a gentle, almost paternal, smile.

I booked into one of the homestays (£5.50 a night) offered by Banteay Chhmar Community-Based Tourism (CBT). Come nightfall, the CBT arranged dinner in the temple grounds, surrounded by flaming torches, their resin made from local gum trees. To Tour from siem reap to phnom penh  a throbbing chorus of cicadas, we ate soup made from channa striata, commonly known as snake fish. The CBT’s torch-lit dinner is available as part of a two-day package for $98 per person …

However, a private dinner at Angkor can cost tens of thousands of dollars, my guide, Bunt, told me. “I heard of one family from Germany who spent $125,000 on a meal. And they still woke up hungry the next day!”

The Angkor Wat alternative: exploring Cambodia’s holiday

The next morning, after a giant plate of breakfast noodles, Bunt and I set off for another little-visited temple, Preah Vihear, cambodia visa bangkok the highest of the Khmer empire, crowning the Dangrek mountains.

It was more than three hours’ drive away, but for years it has been largely out of bounds because of a border dispute with Thailand. That dispute came to a head in 2011, when troops from the two countries clashed and dozens of soldiers were killed.

 Close up detail of the Preah Vihear Temple, Cambodia

 Temple view … Preah Vihear in detail. Photograph: Liam M Koehler
In 2013, the International Court of Justice ruled in Cambodia’s favour, the Thai army withdrew, and two years later the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office deemed it safe to visit. There are still troops on the ground, but a peace deal has been struck and the area is slowly trying to build up its tourist industry. There is even a fancy hotel nearby, the Preah Vihear Boutique, with an inviting pool and a spectacular mahogany staircase (doubles from £65 a night B&B).

We passed through the dramatic tour to cambodia from dubai  winged gopura (entrance pavilion) to explore the causeways and carved galleries

The temple itself is in an incredible setting. I craned my neck as we drove to the foot of the mountains, which jut out suddenly from the plains, with the shrine’s silhouette perched imposingly on the top.

Until three years ago, there was no road here; you’d have to trek through the undergrowth. Now, you can hitch a ride in an open-top truck or on a motorbike, and complete the steep climb in 15 minutes.

Whereas Banteay Chhmar was encased in jungle, like a secret hideaway, Preah Vihear stands stoically exposed, offering sweeping panoramic views. It also has different origins: it dates from the early 9th century, when it was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. Centuries later it became a hideout for the Khmer Rouge, the brutal regime that claimed the lives of up to two million Cambodians.

As incense wafted through the air, it was hard cambodia vacation packages to believe the turbulent history of this serene temple. We passed through the dramatic winged gopura (entrance pavilion) to explore the causeways and carved galleries. Many were in decent condition, though some of the statues had been beheaded (looters again) and there were bullet holes in the sandstone.

If walls could talk, I don’t know where these timeworn witnesses would start. I am not even sure how Bunt managed to condense so much into his immersive crash-course. Cambodia is one of those places where you certainly leave with more than a suntan. And what I appreciated most about visiting its more secluded temples is the extra space and solitude that helps you begin to take it all in.

The trip was provided by InsideAsia Tours, which has a six-night Rural Khmer Temples tour, which includes Preah Vihear and Siem Reap, from £1,549pp, including private guide and transport, but excluding flights

==> Cambodia holiday tour:  https://cambodiatours.com/tips/news/123-choose-your-own-cambodia-tours.html

3 days in Siem Reap Cambodia (2)

You can spend a lot of time eating at Pub Road or around that area. We didn't actually really love any of the cafes or restaurants there but they're there if you want a Western fix. There are some wonderful restaurants that are safe to eat at where you can eat with the locals.

Back at 60 Road there are a range of sit down restaurants with a range of Cambodian BBQ restaurants where you can sit down and cook your own. I was perplexed at first as families looked like they were cooking hot pots. Cambodia Cooking Class  is a fascinating and clever take on barbecue. Everything is cooked on a gas cooker with a dome in the centre. Lard and butter are provided as is a soup. The soup is poured around the dome and the vegetables cook in this while you spread some butter on the dome and the meat is cooked on this so you get the barbecued meat and seafood plus nicely cooked vegetables. A serving that can feed 4 will set you back $13USD and we tried Ming Ming's Seafood.

Closer in town Restaurant Chan Ras II on Sivatha Road is a place that serves incredibly tasty food. The lovely Lara took us there and she explained that it is the same sort of food as the fine dining restaurants but the versions here might be slightly different. The curry may have more liquid in it because they need to stretch it further etc. Cambodians also tend to eat a lot of rice and smaller serves of protein.

Dishes at Chan Ras II

We tried the Prahok k'Tis (a delicious pork and prahok dip with vegetables), soft braised eggplant with pork, morning glory with pork, a chicken and vegetable curry and a  tour to dubai from cambodia Chinese pork sausage. Everything was delicious with robust flavours and the total bill was $15USD. Oh and you can BYO too!

Chong Phov Khmer restaurant

Another great find with Lara was new restaurant Chong Phov Khmer which was probably my favourite meal in Siem Reap. Open for only a few months it is something of a secret. If you want to dine with local Cambodians but in a upmarket but casual atmosphere ex Malis chef Eng Im cooks some divine dishes that have people coming back day after day. There's the Sour Beef soup with Curry Spice and Morning Glory - don't let the word sour put you off it's one of the most perfectly balanced soups you'll ever eat.

6. Eat At An NGO Eatery

Cambodia is a country rebuilding itself and on the ground there are many NGO (non-governmental organisations) that are designed to support social enterprises and teach people new skills in hospitality. This is not what you would call "pity tourism" - indeed dining at some of these NGO cafes and restaurants will give you one of the best meals, drinks, cakes you could have.

New Leaf Eatery on Street 09 has a fabulous atmosphere that just draws you in. The menu is made up of a mix of Cambodian dishes and Western dishes (about 30%/70%) and 80% of the profits go to the various charities. The flight to cambodia from Ho Chi Minh  staff are sweet and helpful and we absolutely adored the green mango salad and the fish amok 2 ways. The mains even come with a complimentary beer, limeade or ginger ale.

Strawberry and kampot pepper shake (left) $4.25USD, Watermelon Virgin Mary $3.75USD at Marum

One of the tastiest places to try real Khmer food is at Marum, an NGO and training centre for disadvantaged youth. Staff wear t-shirts that denote them as a teacher or a student. The staff are genuinely friendly and the food is absolutely delicious. I'd put this down as one of my favourite meals in Siem Reap.
==> Read more:
-- fly to cambodia from thailand
-- day tour in Siem Riep Cambodia

4 days in Siem Reap Cambodia

Cambodian art and homewares are lovely and distinct from what you may buy in other countries. Made in Cambodia Markets on Kings Rd are on every night and vendors do not have to pay a commission to sell at this market so the proceeds go to the creators themselves at a fair price. I picked up some beautiful scarves, bags and a lovely tactile wooden bowl. It is slightly pricier but these are generally artisans that produce things that you won't find at other markets. The Foreign Correspondent's Club (FCC) has a few good shops mostly for the serious art collector.
==> Read: siem reap to phnom penh tour 

Young monk and friend at Angkor Wat

To access the temples you will need to buy a 1, 3 or 7 day temple pass (the lines for the 1 day passes are the longest) so leave some time for the queues. The most popular position is across the lake to get the sunrise in the background. But just know that you will actually share this moment with thousands of people.


Angkor Wat

A little tip though: if you want a few minutes of Angkor Wat to yourself, the temple opens at 5:45am and from 5:50pm is when people start to file in. This literally gives you five minutes to have some quiet, contemplative time to yourself before everyone comes in. There is also a dress code at Angkor Wat travel package because you are entering a place of worship. Women must have their shoulders covered as well as clothing past their knee (although on the day about 50% of tourists ignored this and we saw bra tops and Daisy Dukes). They have however been known to refuse entry to those that don't adhere to this.

Street food at Phsar Leu markets

Can you believe that I waited til this long in the story to mention food? Silly me because the food in Cambodia is really, really good and chances are, unless you've visited already, you may not have tried much of it before as it has stayed in the shadow of Thai and Vietnamese cuisine. One thing though, you need to be careful with street food in Siem Reap. Street food isn't quite as safe as it is in Thailand and people should exercise more caution here than you would in other countries. Food poisoning is not only confined to street food but please don't eat it freely as you would elsewhere.

==> siem reap adventure tours 

Tropical fruit

One of the best ways to try it is on a tour. River Garden's tours are held daily and are Cambodian chef-led tours where they take you to hand picked stands. For $25USD per person they pick you up and drop you off at your hotel. We started off our tour with Chef Saroun at Phsar Leu market where we bought Nom Ken Cha deep fried rice flour cakes with shallots that come with a chilli sauce and a home made fish sauce. When I was curious about the hanging beef balls at a stall she also bought some of these to snack on.

Fruit vendor at 60 Road

The tour then progressed to 60 Road, a very popular local street food and shopping market with a fun park attached to it (it's near where you buy your temple ticket). Come 7pm this will be very busy with families eating picnics (a night-time venture as the days are too hot to sit outside). We pick up several items including tarantula spiders, larvae and water beetles as well as fruit and dessert.

==> Read more with: https://cambodiatours.com/

Temple of Preah Vihear – a Khmer masterpiece of architecture

After four hour driving north from Siem Reap, you will reach a beautiful UNESCO
World Heritage site- Preah Vihear temple. It sits atop a steep cliff in the Dangrek
Mountains near the Thai border and commands superb views of northern Cambodia.
A visit to the Hindu Preah Vihear temple will not only bring you into contact with an
archaeological site built during the ancient Khmer Empire but also an area of military
confrontation as a result of on-going border tensions.

The temple was registered as a World Heritage Site by Unesco on July 7, 2008.
According to Chuch Phoeun, secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture and Fine
Arts, “The Preah Vihear temple is a masterpiece of Khmer creative genius, a unique
testimony to the cultural tradition of civilisation and the most outstanding architectural
feat of an ancient technological ensemble, with a landscape illustrating a significant
stage in human history”.
==?> Luxury Cambodia tours
Located on a hill in northern Cambodia and dates to the Khmer Empire, this temple
is dedicated to the supreme god Shiva. The main construction took place in the 11th
and 12th century with smaller parts dating back to the 9th century.

The temple’s layout is complex. It has four levels with four courtyards, each
containing five Gopuras (entrance pavilions). Since ancient times, PreahVihear has
been a place of pilgrimage and sacred worship for kings and commoners alike, as it
has a stylised representation of Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods.

There is a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases
over an 800 meter long axis. This temple is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer
architecture, in terms of plan, decoration and relationship to the spectacular
landscape environment. This site is particularly well preserved, mainly due to its
remote location.
==> cambodia private tours
Visiting the temple is quite easy but you require to buy an entrance ticket and drive
up the hill with a local vehicle. On the hill, you will see some Cambodian military
watching the border with Thailand.

It is suitable for tourists to make a day trip from Siem Reap. However if you have the
time it is well worth an adventurous overnight. And f you’d like to know more about
what an overnight in Preah Vihear province is like, please do not hesitate to contact
our Travel Consultants.

-(cambodia travel)

Top 10 best hotels and resorts in Siem Reap

As the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, Siem Reap is the most attractive city in
Cambodia. There are a lot of hotels and resorts in town which are suitable for
every budget. Here we recommend you some finest hotels in Siem Reap
based on their uniqueness about architecture, design, and services.

1. Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort

Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra offers 5-star accommodation in Siem Reap close to
the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat. The Siem Reap hotel, which elegantly
combines Khmer and French architectural design, features landscaped
gardens, 5 restaurants and bars, meeting facilities, a luxury spa and the
largest free form swimming pool in Cambodia. There are 238 rooms, with 14
suites and an Opera Suite. It is a place to relax and typically for those who like
to play golf. The leading luxury resort offers a world-class 18-hole golf course
at the Phokeethra Country Club.

Address: Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, Siem Reap,
Cambodia

==> siem reap adventure tours

2. Raffles Grand Hotel

The luxury Siem Reap hotel offers personalized pampering at the award-
winning Raffles Spa, as well as an array of fine dining choices, from exotic
Khmer cuisine at the Restaurant Le Grand to the Elephant Bar. It serves fine
wine, champagne and cocktails, including the signature Airavata. For a one-
of-a- kind dining experience, opt for private dining at one of the magnificent
temples of Angkor.

Address: 1 Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, Cambodia

3. Navutu Dreams Resort & Wellness Retreat

Navutu Dreams Resort lies 12 km from the temples of Angkor Wat and 16 km
from Siem Reap International Airport. It offers something different from other

hotels in Siem Reap. This resort is one of the best options for those who are
not interested in staying in Khmer style house.
The architecture of the hotel is a mix of Mediterranean comfort and style.
There are 3 large pools and 28 guestrooms and suites which offer the luxury
of space and relaxation.

Address: Navutu Rd, Krong Siem Reap 17251, Cambodia

==> Tour from siem reap to phnom penh

4. Angkor Miracle Resort Spa

Angkor Miracle Resort & Spa is the 5-star luxury hotel and located right in the
heart of Siem Reap, Cambodia. This high-end resort is 10 km from the
sprawling Angkor Wat temple complex and 13 km from Angkor Thom, the
ruins of the 13th-century Khmer capital. The resort features elegantly
appointed 247 rooms and suites. Other amenities consist of an elegant
restaurant, a terrace and a poolside bar, along with an outdoor saltwater pool,
a posh spa, a gym and a tennis court.
Address: National Road No. 6. Khum Sra Nge (Opposite Cambodian Cultural
Village), 12207 Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia

5. Le Méridien Angkor

Le Meridien Angkor is an international luxury hotel conveniently located in
Siem Reap. It is the closest five-star hotel to the Temples of Angkor Wat
which features 213 inviting guestrooms and suites and multiple international
dining options. There is also a spa, a gym and a Khmer-style landscaped
outdoor pool, all instilled with a blend of local Khmer influence and modern
design comforts.

Address: Vithei Charles De Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, 12207 Siem
Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia

( Source: angkor wat vacation packages)

Wild animals you need to see in Cambodia

If you are planning your Cambodia tour package in the mountainous regions, you will see the wide range of beautiful mammals, birds and reptiles in this area.

Cambodia is home to an incredible collection of wildlife. As for this, there are many sanctuaries and projects helping the survival of rare and endangered animals within Cambodia. There are many activities and sights to see on magnificent variety of the Cambodia trekking tour.

1. Irrawaddy Dolphin

Kratie is located 200km west of Mondulkiri on the banks of the Mekong River. The main reason for a visit to Kratie is to spot the elusive Irrawaddy Dolphin. They are an endangered species throughout Asia, with shrinking numbers inhabiting stretches of the Mekong in Cambodia and Laos, and isolated pockets in Bangladesh and Myanmar. They are dark-blue to grey, can grow to 2.75m long, and are recognisable by their small dorsal fins and bulging foreheads. Despite drastic measures to try and protect them, these numbers continue to plummet, and experts now estimate there are only around 80 Irrawaddy dolphins left in the Mekong between Kratie and the border with Laos.

The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) population inhabits a 190km stretch of the Mekong River between Cambodia and Lao PDR. The latest population is estimated between 64 and 76 members (2008 figures). The Irrawaddy dolphin is identified by a bulging forehead, a short beak, and 12-19 teeth on each side of each jaw. The pectoral fin is broadly triangular. There is a small dorsal fin, on the posterior end of the back.

2. Banteng

The banteng (Bos javanicus javanicus) is also known as the tembadau and is a species of wild cattle found in southeast Asia; They are social creatures that spend most of their time in herds of between 2 and 40 individuals, usually tour in cambodia led by an older cow and a single mature male. Other males live either alone or in bachelor groups. This single male of the group breeds with all the females which means that competition for dominance is fierce. Usually a single calf is born after a 285 day gestation, they are then weaned at between six to nine months old.

They are found throughout southeast Asia including Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. They prefer to live in dry deciduous forests, feeding in open clearings.

Considered to be one of the most beautiful and graceful of all wild cattle in Cambodia, banteng populations  declined by about 95 percent between the late 1960s and early 1990s, according to WWF Cambodia. Today, the Eastern Plains of Cambodia is home to the most banteng, where work to preserve them has led to the population’s stabilisation. However, habitat loss and illegal poaching remain the animals’ main threats, as well as disease from wild livestock.

3. Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon

The yellow-cheeked crested gibbon is one of six species of crested gibbons, all of which have suffered from accelerating declines throughout their range, mostly due to habitat loss and hunting for the pet trade. Yellow-cheeked crested gibbons occur in northeastern Cambodia, southern Vietnam, and southern Laos, with Cambodia probably containing the majority of these individuals.

As a result of forest destruction and hunting, the wild population is estimated at less than 25,000 with the majority of the surviving population in Cambodia. In the Eastern Plains Landscape of Mondulkiri, a recent survey found Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary to hold the second largest number of these gibbons in Cambodia after Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area. Gibbons in the wild are very timid, although they happily co-exist with doucs, they are afraid of the tougher, noisier macaques.

4. Pygmy Slow Loris

A Pygmy slow loris is a small, compact creature with a short tail, a short, rounded muzzle, round eyes that are directed forward and fur that is short and dense. They are mostly brown, gray or reddish-brown. Between their eyes are white lines, with dark markings encircling them, and a faint medial stripe on the crown. Their hands are broad and they have an opposable thumb. The two genders are similar in appearance

The species also seems to be the most common mammal used in traditional Khmer medicines. Protected areas in eastern Cambodia, like Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, are thus likely to be important areas for the conservation of pygmy loris.

The slow lorises are small nocturnal and arboreal primates from Southeast Asia that prefer the tops of the trees and have slow, deliberate movements. Depending on the author, 3-5 species are distinguished. The Bengal Loris lives in Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam. The population trends of this species are unknown, but it has been intensively hunted as it is a popular pet species and used in traditional medicine in many ways.

==> Adventure Tours in Siem Reap 5. Clouded Leopard

The Leopard Cat is a small wild cat in the size of the domestic cat that lives in South and East Asia. Due to its large distribution area, several subspecies are distinguished that may exist in different kind of habitats. The overall population is not endangered, but regionally the species has become rare.

This beautiful wild cat inhabits lowland primary and secondary forest. It is mainly nocturnal in habits, but may be active during cooler parts of the day. The Clouded Leopard is considered to be 'the smallest of the big cats' more closely related to larger species such as the true Leopard and Tiger than smaller species, such as the Leopard Cat .

They can also be seen at Wildlife Alliance’s Phnom Tamao Rescue Center, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, where animals are rescued from the clutches of illegal trade and poaching, and rehabilitated before being released into their natural habitat. The clouded leopard is under threat due to wildlife hunting and loss of habitat.

==> Source: https://cambodiatours.com/

The most fascinating towns in Cambodia you must visit [Part 1]

If you are bored with the natural sights of Thailand or Vietnam, Cambodia is definitely a perfect choice for exploring the culture and natural beauty in here.

While the larger cities are rapidly modernizing, the towns are more quiet and it also comprises many interesting things that hasn’t been discovered. This Cambodia travel destination brings you a chance to experience a more traditional way of life, including treks into the jungle or to see more fascinating ancient ruins.

1. Koh Rong

Koh Rong is located about 25 kilometers from Sihanoukville, in the Gulf of Thailand. The island has 43 km of beautiful sandy beaches along both its Eastern and Western shores; its main attraction. Most travelers stay in guesthouses and bungalows situated along the beach at Koh Tuich Village (Tui Beach).

There are scuba diving centres on the island and trips to nearby islands for scuba diving and snorkeling can easily be arranged. Other activities include jungle-trekking, kayaking as well as fishing tours if lazing on the beach and swimming in the turquoise waters becomes a hardship. The vast majority of the island is still totally undeveloped although plans are in the pipeline to highly commercialize the island in the future including an airport, casino and golf course

==> Next: cambodia tour from thailand

2. Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville is a coastal town in the south of Cambodia. The town was developed to accommodate the country’s first deep-water port in the late 1950s. A couple of years later, it had already become Cambodia’s prime seaside resort destination. Unlike other coastal towns, Sihanoukville can accommodate everyone, from the backpacker to the luxury seeker, which explains why the jet setters -from the capital head there in the weekends. Sihanoukville is also home to a vibrant nightlife.

Developed to accommodate the country’s first deep-water port in the late 1950s, Sihanoukville is a coastal town in the south of Cambodia and also home to a vibrant nightlife. Few years later, it had already become the prime seaside resort destination in Cambodia. Unlike other Cambodia’s coastal towns, Sihanoukville can accommodate all kinds of travelers, from the backpackers to the luxury seekers, which explains the reason why the jet setters – from the capital city head there on weekends.

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's premier beach town, sporting miles of white sand beaches, some excellent seafood, a heady party scene, and several nearby tropical islands. The town sits on a peninsula jutting into the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Beaches of fine pearl-white sand line the shore around the peninsula, each offering its own unique character, from the busy and popular Ochheuteal Beach to the secluded chill-out far end of Otres Beach

==> Next: flight to cambodia from Ho Chi Minh

3. Kampot

Kampot is one of the top destinations for nature in Cambodia. This quiet town is also famous for being the pepper capital of the world. The impressive range of riverside restaurants and small secluded bungalows combined with the charm of Cambodian small towns make the place an ideal one to relax in. Kampot also provides a great base for those wishing to visit the Bokor National Park and its French colonial hill station.

Kampot – a quiet town famous for being the pepper capital of the world is one of the top destinations for nature in Cambodia. It is the impressive range of small secluded bungalows and riverside restaurants combined with the charm of Cambodian small towns that make this place an ideal place to relax in. Also, Kampot provides a stunning base for those who wish to visit the Bokor National Park as well as its French colonial hill station. Cambodia travel packages.

For a laid-back stint of restful hammock swinging, you can't beat Kampot. This little riverine gem has it all when considering doing absolutely nothing. If you want to splash out a tiny bit, book a bungalow at Les Manguiers, one of Asia's most blissful venues.

==> For more information, please visit:

- siem reap to halong bay

- cruise phnom penh to siem reap

- trip in cambodia

45 travel things to know before you visit Cambodia- Part 3

26. Restaurant menus are huge… We are talking about 100+ available dishes huge! In one restaurant we even found poutine in the menu!

Money and expenses
27. The official currency of Cambodia is the Riel.

==> cambodia vietnam adventure 

28. Although, to a tourist the USD is the de facto currency of Cambodia. It’s the currency used in most transactions, leaving the Riel to the job of being used as small change/breaking the USD. Remember that USD coins aren’t used.

29. Even the ATMs will dispense USD if you are using a foreign card.

Mokey Cambodia

30. While the actual amount depends on the bank, every ATM cash withdrawal have a fee of about 5 USD. Anyway, try to with withdraw money as few times as possible.

31. Remember that cash is king. Very few stores/restaurants/guest houses accept you credit card, and those who do will charge you up to 5% to pay directly.

Koh Rong in Cambodia

32. Overall, we spent 977 Euros in Cambodia during 11 days, averaging 44 Euros per person per day. This is way too much when compared with other countries in the region.

33. However this includes, the visa (30 USD), the flight to Malaysia (115 USD) and the 3 day tickets to Angkor Wat (62 USD). Therefore without these and with a longer stay, it would be much more in line of Laos.

Angkor Wat in Cambodia

34. Accommodation and food are particularly inexpensive. Transportation is a bit more expensive, but still cheap when compared with western countries.

Bonus saving tip: Before you plan your trip, check out Hotels.com to find out what deals enables you to save on your travel. It is always good to have prior reservations done to avoid sky-scraping prices later.

Transportation
35. We knew that the SE Asian countries had crazy traffic and were very dangerous, but Cambodian really took it to a hole new level! We will never take another mini van in Cambodia!

==> flight to cambodia from dubai 

36. In Cambodia, you won’t be able to escape the Tuk-Tuks. We managed to do it in Thailand and Laos, but not in Cambodia. You might as well embrace it ant try to enjoy it. Some of them as nice, some aren’t…

Sihanoukville in Cambodia

37. From Sihanoukville it’s very easy to get to and from the islands. There are several boats to the mainland and you can easily connect the boats to buses and mini-vans.

38. Apart from a weekend, touristic train from Sihanoukville to Phnom Phen, there are no trains in Cambodia…

Buses in Cambodia

39. Travelling in Cambodia is almost as slow as in Laos. 🙂 The country isn’t very big but it takes a full day or at least half a day to travel between towns.

40. Like Thailand and Laos, buses and even mini-vans will drop you off in the weirdest places (usually a few km outside tourist center). Be careful, because it can be dangerous and/or expensive.

Bus station in Cambodia

Other travel stuff and useful information
41. There is WI-FI everywhere. Almost every coffee shop, restaurant and guesthouse offers it, however it’s quite bad and unreliable.

42. Almost every place expects you to take off your shoes when come, not only the temples but even hostels and sometimes restaurants.

Koh Rong Beach in Cambodia

43. Get used to Asian bathrooms… In Cambodia it won’t be easy to find a western one! This means that the shower and the toilet are together, so everything gets wet after a bath.

44. Always bring toilet paper with you, most bathrooms won’t have it and sometimes even in hostels you will need your toilet paper…

Tom Rider temple in Cambodia

==> flight to cambodia from Vietnam 

45. Lastly and probably one of the most important things: get used to the idea of seeing children asking you for money/trying to sell you something. As difficult as it is, resist to the urge of giving them money. You are doing more harm than wrong. Parents and/or organized criminals groups use the children to beg and get your money!

Bonus Tip: Always Remember to Buy Travel Insurance Before Your Trip ! Even if you don’t expect to need it, having a insurance will give you an extra peace of mind! And you never know when you need it!

Now we hope that you understand Cambodia better, moreover we hope to inspire you to travel to Cambodia. We want you to both enjoy every great thing Cambodia has to offer and deal with the bad and frustrating things that is has.
==> For more information, please visit https://cambodiatours.com/

45 travel things to know before you visit Cambodia- part 2

15. We didn’t care much about Phnom Penh. It looked very dirty and uninteresting. It was also incredibly hot which made the experience worse.

16. The Royal Palace is pleasant, but really isn’t worth spending much time. It isn’t unique or particularly impressive compared with the ones in Thailand or Laos.

==> flight to cambodia from dubai 

Royal Palace Phnom Penh

17. The most impressive experience in Phnom Penh was clearly the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. It’s a very immersive experience in a reality so cruel that is difficult to understand how it was possible and “allowed”. Alike Dachau Memorial it’s a full cultural and history lesson about human nature.

If you want to have tour you can go to Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields with Urban Adventure.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Cambodia

18. Koh ta Kiev became our personal paradise. With warm, clear water and powder sand it’s the place where our minds wander when we are bored. It’s the perfect no frills place to relax and get away from the world. We were supposed to stay for one day and stayed 3 days…

Koh ta Kieve in Cambodia

19. Koh Rong is the opposite! It’s Cambodia’s party island, where the backpackers and hippies go to party, drink and dance. Unfortunately it’s also very dirty and disgusting in the main village. However, you can still find great beaches in Koh Rong, namely long beach, which is easily one of most stunning beaches we have ever been to!

Long Beach in Koh Rong Cambodia

20. Sihanoukville is a coastal town of Cambodia with a very sketchy reputation related to drugs and sex tourism, though we didn’t notice anything different from other tourist destinations of South East Asia. What really impressed us was the looks of the beach in the morning… I wouldn’t get in that water even if got paid!

Sihanoukville in Cambodia

==> cambodia tour from thailand 

Food and eating
21. Khmer food is similar to Lao and Thai. Probably closer to Lao because it isn’t as spicy as Thai.

22. If you have the opportunity try Kampot pepper. The production decreased during the wars and afterwards but it’s starting to recover again. It was once very famous in french cuisine and regarded as the best pepper in the world!

Kampot pepper in Cambodia

23. Our favorite Khmer dish is the Amok! It can be chicken, beef or fish. Either way it’s great. Amok is thick soup cooked with fish, meat, vegetables, eggs and coconut milk. It’s usually eaten with white rice.

Amok Cambodian food

24. Although by international standards food is extremely cheap, we found it to be slightly more expensive than in Thailand or Malaysia. Maybe on pair with Laos.

25. While in Cambodia we found these incredible tasty, crispy and delicious tarantulas! Well, not really, 🙂 we couldn’t eat them… It’s too freaky for us! But you can try them, if you must.
==> Next:
-* siem reap to phnom penh tour 
-* siem reap vacation 
-* halong bay to siem reap

45 travel things to know before you visit Cambodia

Cambodia is a country of extremes, you can find the most amazing things and but also be confronted with a few very bad ones. It has great history and a horrible one! As a traveler one faces big challenges that really pay off a big prize. After being amazed and frustrated with Cambodia we decided to compile this list to help you understand Cambodia better.

==> vietnam and cambodia tours 

1. Cambodia is a very poor country!

2. Tourism and the tourists are a major source of income for the Cambodians.

3. Unlike the Lao, Cambodians try their best (and sometimes their worst) to earn money with tourists. They take initiative and try to provide services or sell stuff to the Tourists, although they aren’t too pushy.

4. Like Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia was a french colony. Despite this, we didn’t find anyone speaking French.

5. However, Cambodians speak a much better English than Thais and Laos, therefore it was easy to communicate in Cambodia.

6. Cambodia had one of the worst dictatorship ever, the Khmer Rouge. In 3 three years the Khmer Rouge killed 2M people, 1/4 of the population!

7. The Khmer Rouge was not only barbaric but also idiotic.  They decided to empty the cities, sending everyone to the fields and planting rice. Every single industry was forbidden and everyone with any kind of higher education killed…

==> tour in cambodia 

8. Population is growing very quickly. It grew almost 3 times, from 6.7 M in 1980 to 16 M in 2016. This makes it also a very young population.

9. Don’t forget that Cambodians are mainly Buddhists! They are usually very patient with tourists but please respect their culture, religion and habits.

10. Cambodia is dirty and has a major garbage disposal problem! There’s trash everywhere in Cambodia, it’s something very difficult to oversee! Even after living in Angola, and kind of being used to seeing garbage everywhere Cambodia impressed us.

11. But it’s not only an “organizational thing”, it’s a mentality/cultural thing. Cambodians really need to learn to take care of the environment. Tourists won’t return if the attractions are all dirty buy most importantly it’s a matter of public health!

12. Angkor Wat is the main tourist attraction of Cambodia and deservedly so. It’s one of the 7 new world wonders and truly one of the greatest achievements of the ancient world!

==> cambodia luxury tour 

13. Angkor complex is formed by dozens of temples and other archaeological sites spread over 400 km2. Don’t visit only the Angkor Wat, go to Angkor Thom, Bayon temple, and many others! This should take you at least 2 days activity, though the best would be spending 3 days in Angkor.

14. Though we loved Angkor, we really disliked Siem Reap. Keep your expectations as low as possible about the town. It’s the messy, dirty, overcrowded and touristy in the worst kind of way. It’s also very very hot, which make the whole experience worse.

For more information, please visit https://cambodiatours.com/tips/news/119-best-adventure-tours-in-siem-reap.html

cambodia off the beadten track- Siem Reap day tours

Mention you are going to Cambodia and chances are, you will end up comparing notes on the glorious temples of Angkor, Siem Reap day tours  among the most awe-inspiring, mind-blowing monuments ever conceived by the human mind. It is hardly surprising that so many travellers from around the globe dream of gazing upon the towers of Angkor Wat, walking through the root-strangled gateways of Angkor Thom and staring back at the enigmatic smiling faces that have made the Bayon famous.

But Cambodia has a great deal more to offer than its headline sights. Travellers at first drawn to the spectacular temples around Siem Reap often end up enchanted and determined to return, thanks to the friendliness of the Khmer people, the sublime beauty of the countryside and the botanical exuberance of the country's still-pristine tropical rainforests.
Parts of Cambodia's south coast are fairly well-known to travellers. Beaches, nightlife, restaurants and a backpacker vibe make Sihanoukville, Cambodia's main port, the country's third-most-popular tourist destination. Kampot, with its run-down French-era buildings and mellow spirit, is popular as a starting point for Bokor National Park and the ruins of the grand, colonial-era casino.
But head northwest towards the Thai frontier and you come to Koh Kong Province, an area of breathtaking beauty and incredible biodiversity that was almost inaccessible until the completion of Highway 48 just three years ago. As a result, the one-time smugglers' port of Krong Koh Kong is transforming itself into a centre of ecotourism. The deserted beaches of Koh Kong Island are a major draw, as are the mangrove forests lining the coastline and the ecolodges sprouting along the Tatai River. More adventurous travellers can head upriver to the remote hamlet of Chi Phat, home to a pioneering ecotourism initiative, and the truly intrepid can hire a guide to trek deep into the Cardamom Mountains, one of Southeast Asia's last great wildernesses.

You can also experience Cambodia temples  untamed wilderness in Cambodia's far northeast corner, in the highlands bordering Laos and Vietnam. In far-off Ratanakiri Province, the red-earth town of Ban Lung is an excellent place to organise a trek to nearby “hill tribe” villages or to Virachey National Park, home to endangered elephants, gibbons and hornbills. Before you set out, make sure that your guide is both culturally sensitive and ecologically aware (it is a new industry so, unfortunately, not all guides are).
Until just a few years ago, the grasslands and forests north of Angkor, up towards Thailand and Laos, were hard to get to in the dry season and virtually inaccessible in the wet. But thanks to a network of new roads -- paved in part because of the ongoing military confrontation with Thailand -- the superb temples of Banteay Chhmar, the former Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng, the spectacular cliff-top temple of Prasat Preah Vihear and some remote wildlife sanctuaries can now be reached with relative ease and in reasonable comfort. Before heading to potential hotspots such as Prasat Preah Vihear, however, check with local news sources to make sure the frontier is quiet.

Whether you are a first-time visitor to Cambodia or heading back for another encounter with Khmer culture, it is off the beaten tourist track that you are likely to find some of the kingdom's best-kept and most enchanting secrets.
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Source: bbc

Thailand to resume diplomatic ties with Cambodia

Thailand says it will resume diplomatic ties with Cambodia after Phnom Penh announced the resignation of ousted Thai leader Thaksin Shinawatra as its economic advisor.

The two countries recalled their ambassadors in November 2009 amid a row over the controversial appointment Tour from siem reap to phnom penh.
The Thai military removed Mr Thaksin in a coup in 2006, and he has since been jailed in absentia for corruption.
Authorities say he was behind anti-government protests earlier this year.
Mr Thaksin denies any role in the protests, which paralysed the Thai capital for more than two months and left 91 people dead.
"They have announced that they do not have any more ties with Thaksin so our condition to hold back a diplomat has ended," Thai Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told Reuters news agency.
"Thailand will send our diplomat back tomorrow. Similarly, Cambodia will also send its diplomat back to Thailand."

Relations between the two neighbours have been strained in recent years because of an unresolved border dispute.
Troops have clashed sporadically around the temple of Preah Vihear, which both claim as their territory.
For more information, please visit https://cambodiatours.com/ or https://cambodiatours.com/cambodia-vacation.html 

Source: bbc