CAMBODIA – my favorite country in the world
When someone says Cambodia, my heart always lights up. That’s the country I fell in love with. With nature, monuments, culture, and people. Why?
I was in Cambodia twice. The first time, I got it as part of my job – I used to work as a cabin crew. I knew where the country was located because I had one of its amazing places on my travelling bucket list – Angkor Wat located in the north of the country. This first time I was going to the capital city – Phnom Penh. And you know what? I made it to Angkor Wat a couple of months later. I will write about that great adventure later! Let’s focus on trip number one…
First time in Cambodia
I didn’t have a clue what to expect from this country. I didn’t know anyone who had been there for a holiday, not even for a trip with our company. Yes, I didn’t have to go out, we’ve stayed in the country only for 24 hours before flying back to Dubai. I could relax, go to the gym, maybe enjoy the pool if there was one. But no, that isn’t me. I wanted to see more than just hotel halls. So I started doing my research online.
The more I read about it, the more my curiosity grew. Small country, very humid and warm, and went through pretty horrendous things nobody in the modern world talks about. Less than half a century ago, the people of Cambodia fought against all the devils and came back, stronger.
5 top places to see in the capital city of Cambodia – Phnom Penh
- Central Market
- Wat Phnom Daun Penh
- Royal Palace
- National Museum of Cambodia
- Choeung Eg – Genocidal centre
1. Central Market
I LOVE markets in Asia. In any city, small or large, you can find the street market which sells everything you can think of – fresh and cooked food, clothes, toiletries, electronics… It’s like the shopping mall, but this one is less organized and more fun! You can bargain the prices and get cheap stuff.
The market in Phnom Penh is full of fresh flowers, fruits, and raw insects ready to be cooked – tarantulas, cockroaches, and so on. You don’t have to buy the insects, but buy the fruits! Not the ready-to-eat one, unless you want to spend some time locked in the bathroom. But the fresh, whole passion fruit will change your life! It costs 10% of the price in Europe. And tastes 2000 times better.
2. Wat Phnom Daun Penh
Walking distance from Central Market, you will find the place that will grab your attention. There are interesting clocks below the temple on the grassy hill, which show the local time – but not digital ones like on the squares in cities, but in the style with clock hands. The whole clock is situated on the grass, it looks like it is growing from below it!
Starting at the clock, you can walk up to the hill to reach the Buddhist temple. On the way, you will see beautifully decorated small temples, colourful and full of offerings. At the top, the view isn’t that spectacular as there are many trees around, but the white pagoda is worth seeing.
3. Royal Palace
Part of the palace where Cambodian kings live until this day is open to the public every day – except the day when I visited Phnom Penh! It was bad luck, it looked like there was some large ceremony taking place. The whole road in front of the palace was closed to traffic, too. Thanks to what I took such an original photo!
The palace consists of multiple buildings, half of which are available for the public to visit. According to the research I made, you can see the throne which is still in use during coronations and royal weddings, statues of past kings, and pretty Khmer architecture.
4. National Museum of Cambodia
This place is right next to the Royal Palace, so I stopped by to see it from the outside.
The architecture is very similar to that of Buddhist temples. According to the information at the entrance, it contains a nice collection of art of Khmer culture – the native people of Cambodia, who comprise over 90% of Cambodia’s population of 17 million.
Why I didn’t want to visit it? First of all, I have been to many museums before and saw similar Asian art in the Louvre and the British Museum in London. Secondly, I had a feeling, that this won’t be my last visit to Cambodia (and I was right!), so I will have a chance to see more of it. But most importantly, I was headed to see something very different and unconventional. Something none of my colleagues travelling with me that day didn’t want to visit…
5. Choeung Eg – Genocidal centre
Maybe you have heard the name Killing Fields before, maybe you even saw the movie. The time, I decided to visit this place was the first time I encountered this story. This tragedy happened in the 70s.
Yes, 50 years ago, after 2 World Wars and at the end of the Vietnam War, when so many lives were destroyed already. The difference is, that we learn about these wars during history lessons. Nobody taught me about this, as well as about genocides which happened (and are still happening) in Africa and many other countries…
I didn’t know what to expect. I visited Oswiecim in Poland during my high school studies and it was a very intense experience. Can you imagine, that this one was even worse?
One of the most intense places I have ever visited
Even now, when I am writing this, I have goosebumps. I see human bones floating in the small pond in my head. They keep coming up from the mass graves during every rainy season, they don’t even try to count them or take care of them anymore, it’s too many of them all around. I can still hear the audio guide explaining details of the horrors that were happening there to innocent people, who have been killed just because they were from different ethnic groups, ‘too intelligent’, or religious or they could be dangerous for the Khmer Rouge – the communist party leading the country.
The impact of this place and the things you see there is intensified by an audio guide you get when you enter. You have your set of earphones and you play the guide according to the signs you stop next to when walking around. You are not disturbed by anyone else talking or by the tourist group. So you can experience it fully.
Empty sad faces, many people were crying. This was the place, I hadn’t talked about with almost anyone. And I don’t feel like I want to share more details about it here, because I think that anything you could read here wouldn’t bring that feeling of being there. Please, do your research before you go. And visit this place. The information about it should be spread worldwide. I can guarantee that you will never forget it and you will be able to appreciate more what you have and how safe you are.
And the thing that surprised me the most?
People of Cambodia
When I was leaving the Killing Fields and returning the audio guide, the lady at the exit thanked me for my visit. But not only the usual way of the security guide’s thank you when you are leaving some attraction. She thanked me that I found the time and interest to see what happened here, and she thanked me so honestly that it brought tears to my eyes even now. They are proud of their history, they are proud that they survived it!
But it wasn’t only about her. It was about the feeling I had the whole day being in the city.
For example: We got the key cards from our hotel rooms together with the card with names of local places to go – written in English and the local language and the address of the hotel on it as well. And translated sentence: Please take me to this hotel. This was the only place in the world I had encountered this. Such a thought! So when I was going around the city, I didn’t have to look for it on Google Maps and explain anything at all.
Tuk-tuks are something like small motorbikes with seating for 2-4 people the the back of them. Many times homemade by the owners to accommodate the needs of this country. The traffic is crazy – there are too many cars and motorbikes everywhere, and tuk-tuks can go through the traffic jams more easily than taxis. I travelled to the city to see the first 4 places together with my colleagues. They didn’t want to join me for the last stop, so I approached one tuk-tuk in the street and asked him to take me there. Alone. Woman. Am I crazy? Well…
Safe for a solo woman traveller
I never felt unsafe in any Asian country. I travelled alone in Bangkok, Australia and many times in Europe, so I didn’t even think about how unsafe it looked. Google Maps was saying that we were driving in the right direction, the Killing Fields were about 20 km from the city. The driver left me at the entrance and told me that he would wait for me there and take me back to the city.
I was in the museum for about 2 hours. I got scared when I was exiting the museum. What if he won’t be there? How am I going to come back to the city?
I entered the parking lot in front of the museum and I realised that there were at least 50 tuk-tuks parked there. They all looked the same to me. I was just standing there and thinking what to do when I suddenly saw a guy walking towards me and waving at me. I haven’t even remembered his face. But he remembered mine! He could speak a little bit of English, he asked me how was the visit and took me to the hotel. And of course, it cost me just a couple of dollars.
Tourists are curious friends, not ATMs
Those people are so nice, so pure. They don’t look at you as an ATM, as at the tourist who is going to spend all her money there, so they better take everything possible from her. Tourists are like curious friends to them, who are coming to learn about their culture, about their country, especially the ones who are visiting the monuments, temples, and museums. Khmer people are always smiling, and happy to help whenever they can.
I fell in love and came back again
My second trip to Cambodia was different – it was backpacking 9 days trip. Starting in Phnom Penh, going to the north to visit Angkor Wat, and finishing on the beautiful island of Koh Rong. I travelled with one of my best friends, who had never been to Asia before. She fell in love as well. Once you experience what I am talking about on your own, you will understand.
This country like many Asian countries is very specific and very different from our modern world. And I can imagine, that it isn’t for everyone. The Internet doesn’t work perfectly, there is garbage and dirt on the streets, traffic is crazy, and cities are loud. But the tranquillity of nature, the honesty of the people, and the flavours of the cuisine are the things I love…
More about Asia…
If you would like to read more about my trips to Asia, I have a couple of options for you here.
Kuala Lumpur – a surprisingly nice city with interesting places to visit!
Singapore – one of the most interesting cities I’ve ever been to. So modern, so busy and multi-cultural!
Taipei – feeling like a star and eating from the toilet. No other words to explain that one. Must-read!
The Great Wall of China – breathtaking. Metaphorically and literally!
