VIBRATING AND ATTACHINGCAMBODIA
CHARM OF A DIVERTING ADVENTURE DESTINATION ELSEWHERE

Discovery

Known for her mythical temple of Angkor Vat, Cambodia is a country of an unequalled cultural wealth. The temple of Angkor Vat is certainly most majestic but tens of other temples quite as splendid and imposing are disseminated in the country. But they are also mountains covered with a dense forest populated by ethnic minorities with the astonishing habits, punctuated hectares of rice plantations of villages to authentic traditional architecture, a gigantic lake Tonlé Sap, plus fresh water big lake of Southeast Asia, legendary Mekong, the beaches with crystalline water of Sihanoukville and the desert islands favourable with the diving.

Identity

Bordered by 443 km of coasts on the gulf of Thailand, Cambodia shares her borders with Thailand in the west, Laos in north and the Viêt - Nam in the east. Associated with the incredible site of Angkor, Cambodia, strongly impregnated of the architecture left by the French is a country of a great cultural wealth, but it is also the immense lake Tonlé sap, mythical Mekong, an intact campaign at the villages of a great authenticity, rice plantations, forests of teak crossed of overland routes red, paradisiac beaches and especially people full with humour to the bewitching smile.

The Khmers account for 90% of the population. The 10% remainders consist of Vietnameses, Chinese, Cham Muslims and the ethnolinguistic minorities called Khmer Leu. These some 100,000 Khmers Leu live in the mountainous regions of the provinces of Ratanakiri, Mondolkiri, Stung Treng and Kratie. These minorities practise mainly a wandering agriculture even if it becomes increasingly difficult to practise the nomadism since the large companies seize their ground regularly.

 

 

 

Culture & Traditions

TEMPLES OF ANGKOR

Larger religious building of planet, Angkor Vat with the perfect proportions, built by thousands of blue-collar workers and stonecutters is the most majestic temple of huge complex built during the golden age of the Khmer civilisation also called period angkorienne. 

BUDDHISM

In Cambodia, Buddhism became official religion only from 13th and 14th century, and became even religion of state in 1989. Many temples had been destroyed by the Khmer Rouges and the majority of the assassinated monks. The majority of Kampuchean practise Buddhism theravada. The finality of Buddhism theravada being the attack of the nirvana.

DOLPHINS OF THE IRRAWADDY

The fresh water dolphin of Irrawaddy is endangered species which one finds in some sections of Mekong in Cambodia, Laos and Burma. Today in process of extinction, there would remain only 70 individuals of this species. These marine mammals of 2,75m length are especially observable on the side of Kratie with Kampi.

ETHNIC MINORITIES

Even if Cambodia Khmer east with majority, one observes a great ethnic diversity there. You will be able to benefit from your travel to Cambodia to meet these various ethnos groups. The chiams, at the origin of the many mosques in Cambodia live north of Phnom Penh and in the area of Kompong Cham. Native-born people called Loeu Khmer live in the provinces of the North-East and live on agriculture and breeding. We can also distinguish Kravet, Braos, Kouys, Samrês, Saoch and Péars.

Essential

The best period to leave to Cambodia is from November to February. Strong heats as for them last from March to May and the rains from June to October.

25°-30° WINTER / 35° SUMMER
RIEL / AMERICAN DOLLAR
+5h SUMMER/ +6h WINTER
KHMER
PHNOM PENH
AMOK

Form your trip

The stages

A travel to Cambodia, country a long time under the influence of the Khmers, will transport you by his cultural wealth resulting from its heritage left by the Indians and the kings. At the time of your stay, impregnate artistic atmosphere of Cambodia for the worship of the gods between Hinduism and Buddhism. Visit the site of Angkor, archaeological site classified with the heritage world of UNESCO, or the capital Phnom Phen with its temples and its museums or let allure itself by a cruising on Mekong.

PHNOM PENH

Imagine a kind of colonial checkerwork surrounded by Tonlé Bassac, Tonlé Sap and crowned water of Mekong. Add to this splendid image the silhouette of a hundred pagodas, the color saffron of the clothes of the buddhist monks and especially, the absolute charm of the Asian capital of an old French protectorate… Here are some keys of Phnom Penh! The visit at the Palais Royal of Phnom Penh, surrounded by castles, gardens and typical temples of the Khmer art will remain perhaps obscured by the silver plated flagstones which cover the ground of the money Pagoda; the same applies to the National museum of the Cambodia and her thousand years of Khmer art.

KAMPONG TOM

Leave to the meeting the Khmer people in a village located at the edge of the river Stung SEN. Kampong Tom is the starting point of the visit of the site of Sambor Pre Kuk, first site préangkorien of the area of Mekong.

KRATIE

This pretty peaceful city at the edge of Mekong has some very pretty colonial buildings and its coffees installed along the river are perfect stopovers to admire the sunset. The morning, a brisk market is held along the river, it abounds in fruits, flowers and fishes dried, artistically posed or hung. But Kratie is especially known for its fresh water dolphins (orcelle). 

SAMBOR PRE KUK

This whole of brick temples hidden in the forest counts among oldest of the country. Capital of Chenla higher at the beginning of the 7th century, the site understands more than hundred temples. Choked by the roots of the trees and lost in the forest, a strange atmosphere reigns on these buildings. The prasat Sambor is dedicated to one of the many misadventures of Shiva. The walk under the trees is really very pleasant, more especially as the site is attended little.

SIEM REAP

Chief town of the eponymous province north of Cambodia, the small town of Siem Reap is a stage impossible to circumvent at the time of your travel to Cambodia and constitutes the access point towards many exceptional sites like the temples of Angkor. As for the colonial downtown area, it offers to the visitor a charming framework. The floating villages of the lake Tonlé Sap, or the Kulen mountain and its Buddha lying are in addition remarkable. Not to miss, also, the ornithological park of Prek Toal. One will note moreover the presence of many representatives of the Khmer traditional crafts. Lastly, Pub Street will allure the night birds, with its many bars and restaurants.

SIHANOUKVILLE

Created in 1950 by former king Sihanouk, Sihanoukville became the first port of the country and especially the great seaside resort of the country. You do not wait however the paradisiac beaches of Thailand. Indeed, the main Beaches were the object of an extensive urbanization. However the Grand Hotels are insulated and have their own private beach where white sand, turquoise coconuts and water are with go. The beach of Serendipity, heart of the station will be never very far from your hotel if you wish to benefit from the nightlife, the shopping and the seafood restaurants the feet in sand.

BATTAMBANG

In spite of its slowed down rhythm, Battambang is the second city of the country. Preserved miraculously destruction, Battambang releases the colonial charm of the provincial towns of French protectorate with its residence of the governor conceived by an Italian architect and his houses of trade bordering the river. The splendid temples of the neighbourhoods constitute a beautiful introduction to art angkorien.

KOH KONG

The province of Koh kong is partly protected and shelters animalist national parks and refuges. For a few years it has become the privileged place of the amateurs of eco-tourism. Crocodiles of Siam, tigers of Indo-China, gibbons lar with bonnet, bear of the coconuts, lazy loris and elephants still live in the solid mass of Cardamomes. A corridor even was creates in order to protect the migratory route from one of the largest herds of wild elephants remaining in South-East Asia. This corridor also shelters one very a large number of species of birds.

BENG MELEA

Still partially invaded by the jungle, the temple Beng Melea releases an incomparable charm. Built by Suryavarman II to the XII è century, its plan is similar to that of Angkor Vat. Surrounded by a ditch whose water is of a bright green, this temple will charm you as soon as you see it, and this, even if you already visited the many ones. You will be able to climb the stones to enter mysterious galleries, where you will fall nose to nose with surprising sculptures.

TEMPLES OF ANGKOR

Larger religious building of planet, Angkor Vat with the perfect proportions, built by thousands of blue-collar workers and stonecutters is the most majestic temple of huge complex built during the golden age of the Khmer civilisation also called period angkorienne. The name of Angkor comes from the Sanskrit term will nagara which means city or royal capital. The visit of the temple of Angkor Vat can take a few hours to you; if your stay is rather long, envisage to return there to re-examine the sublimes low-reliefs of the external gallery which reproduce in particular the scenes of mythology hindouist: Ramayana and Mahabharata.  

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