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.

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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.
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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
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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.
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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.
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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.

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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.

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