Monday, 21 April 2008

Dream Destinations Entry #5: Siem Reap, Cambodia

The ID for this entry is DreamDestinationsEntry5. For more information on how to vote, go here. For information on the contest itself, go here.

Siem Reap immerses you in sheer chaos - tourist-filled busses, screeching motorbikes (often carrying entire families), and the ubiquitous tourist-friendly tuk tuk (motorcycle pulled rickshaw) create a buzzing, honking din that continues day and night. The Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor is not exactly hip, but provides an oasis of old-world colonialism that is strangely entrancing (and the basement bar serves a respectable sidecar at happy hour).

My favorite way to acclimatize is a meal of Amok Trei (steamed fish and coconut milk that is totally addictive), and an Angkor beer or two. Catch a tuk-tuk to Angkor Thom and see the Bayon's gigantic smiling faces and bas-reliefs depicting ancient wars. Even if you are not into architecture, the sheer scope of these ruins and surrounding jungle is awe-inspiring. The (painful) effort to wake before dawn and fight hordes of tourists is worth it for the breathtaking view of sunrise over Angkor Wat. At some point, you'll find yourself contemplating the dichotomy of such an achievement and the still-recent devastation brought about by the Khmer Rouge.

Over the next couple of days, climb the famous towers, visit overgrown Ta Prohm and distant Banteay Srei, spend afternoons browsing trendy boutiques selling local handcrafted silk and carvings. After dark, there is plenty to do; souvenir shopping into the wee hours at the Night Market, sampling the fantastic native Khmer dishes, and drinking and making friends around the aptly monikered Pub Street.
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