Welcome to Cambodia, Kingdom of Wonder

I was born in Kampot province around 540 kilometers away from Angkor Wat Temple

I have been hosting guests to our country for over 6 years, and would enjoy sharing our cultural riches with you and your friends. Welcome your call or email with questions warmly and I am happy to assist with trip planning.

TO VISIT ANGKOR WAT AT A SURPRISINGLY SENSIBLE PRICE, TOUR TAILORED TO SUIT INDIVIDUAL REQUIREMENTS AND BUDGET.

1. Send me any inquires you might have. I will be happy to reply and give you any information on Cambodia that you require.

2. I will act as your agent for holiday/ Tour in Siem Reap - Angkor , Phnom Penh city and other provinces around Cambodia,

Temples Entrance Fee:

• Angkor temples: ticket for 1 day is 20 usd.
• Angkor temples: ticket for 3 days is 40 usd (you can use any 3 days in one week).
• Angkor temples: ticket for 7 days is 60 usd (you can use any 7 days in one month).
• Phnom Kulen ticket is 20 usd per person.
• Beng Melea ticket is 5 usd per person
• Koh Ker tickets is 10 usd per person.
• Floating village is 10 usd  per person.

2 Days Tuk Tuk Angkor Tour + Personal English Speaking Driver

Day 1 Pick Up From Siem Reap Airport / Sightseeing Tonle Sap Lake

Our private Tuk Tuk + Driver will pick you up from Siem Reap International airport, bus or boat station to the hotel and check in, After check in going to visit floating village taking the boating ride for 1h 30m (tonle sap lake) and then going to buy the Angkor Wat tickets for 1 or 3 days and have a short tour to Angkor Wat complex for sunset at Bakheng Mountain with the best view of West Mebon

Over Night At The Hotel / Guesthouse

Day 2 Sunrise at Angkor Wat / Angkor Thom Exlpore

AM: Leaving the hotel or guesthouse at 5 am to see the sunrise at ankor wat then come back the hotel for break fast, after breakfast(break if you want) going to visit south gate of Angkor, Bayon temple, Baphoun temple, Phimeanakas temple, terrace of elephant and terrace of leper king 
PM: Twin temple, Takeo, Ta Prom, Banteay Kdey and Angkor wat

Over Night At The Hotel / Guesthouse

Day 3: Siem Reap Departure / Tranfer Out To Siem Reap Airport
AM: After Breakfast at the hote our tuk tuk + driver will pick you up from your hotel back to Siem Reap airport, End of services, Please have a safe flight.


This Tuk Tuk Package Cost 30 US Dollars. The price is for 1 Tuk Tuk.

Note : Our Tuk Tuk can carry from 1 person to 4 person only. If you have more than 4 persons, You should contact us for more tuk tuk before.

Payment Term:  We require you to pay our package upon arrival. The payment should be made in cash.

Tour Includes : 2 Days and Half Tuk Tuk Services ( 9hours 1 day) + Gasoline + English Speaking Driver + Free daily cold water bottled + 2 airport transfer.

Day 1 Arrive in Siem Reap International Airport  / Transfer in to the Hotel / City Tour
PM: Our Private Tuk Tuk & Driver will meet you at Siem Reap International airport and pick you up by our Cambodia style Tuk Tuk to the Hotel. From the Airport is 7 kilometres into town, you will enjoy the Cambodian Tuk Tuk ride for 30 minutes a long the National Road No 6. Hotel Check-In.
PM: Siem Reap City Explore / City Tour, The tuk tuk driver will show you around town. You will visit old market , upper market known as Phar Leu in Khmer Langauge. You will also visit Artisant Angkor ( the school stone and wood caving centre, enjoy thier work shop for free with the local tour guide at the centre

Over Night At the Hote

Day 2 Angkor Thom City Explored / Angkor Wat / Sunset on Bakeng Hill
AM: Morning you will visit with your prived professional guide, the "Great City" of Angkor Thom, visits include the famous Bayon Temple, Phimeanakas Temple within the Royal Palace enclosure, Baphuon Temple, the Terrace of the Elephants and the Terrace of the Leper King.
PM: dedicated to visit the most famous & magnificent Angkor Wat temple.
This architectural masterpiece was constructed in the 12th century and covers an area of about 210 hectares. Many galleries with columns, libraries, pavilions, courtyards and ponds full of water, carved bas-reliefs about Ramayana Story and day-to-day life at the time of Angkor's construction.
At the end of afternoon, following the season, since the Mountain Bakend, the sunset on all the temples, with spectacular views over Angkor

Over Night At The Hotel

Day 3 Tonle Sap Lake / Sightseeing the floating village / Transfer Out To Airport
AM:  In the morning visiting Tonle Sap Lake ( The amazing lake and river system of the Tonle Sap is unique. This vast lake; the largest in SE Asia, fills with the waters of the Mekong each year) Take boat ride for 1h 30m sightseeing the floating village.

PM:  Siem Reap Departure / Transfer Out To Siem Reap International Airport

This Tuk Tuk Package Cost 55 US Dollars. The price is for 1 TukTuk.

Note : Our Tuk Tuk can carry from 1 person to 4 person only. If you have more than 4 persons, You should contact us for more tuk tuk before.

Tour Includes : 3 Full Days Tuk Tuk services ( 9hours 1 day) + Gasoline + English Speaking Driver + Free daily cold water bottled + 2 airport transfer.

4 Days Tuk Tuk Tour

4 Day Tuk Tuk Angkor Tour + English Speaking Driver or licenesed  guide

Day 1 Pick From Siem Reap Airport / Hotel Check- In / City Tour

AM: Our Tuk Tuk + Driver will pick up you from the Siem Reap International airport, bus or boat station to the hotel and check in, after check in going to visit silk farm, lotus farm western Baray
PM: Artisans Angkor and in the evening Siem Reap sightseeing visit in the Old Market. 

Day 2 Sunrise At Angkor Wat / Angkor Thom & Small Loop
AM: In the morning leaving the hotel at 5 am to see the sunrise and back for breakfast at the hotel after breakfast going going to visit banteay Kdei temple, Ta Prom Temple, Takeo temple, Victoria Gate in Angkor Thom.
PM: You will continue to visit terrace of leper king, terrace of elephant, Phimeanakas temple, Baphoun temple and bayon temple, and then Angkor wat temple after sunset and Bakheng hill.

Day 3 Beng Melea Temples Visit / Country Side Tour / Tonle Sap Lake
AM: Leaving the hotel at 8 pm going to see Beng Melea temple in the jungle 70 kilometers away having a nice country side photos with the local.
PM: You will continue with our tuk tuk driver to visiting floating forest in Tonle sap lake seeing the people live on the water, ride the paddle boat to see the pick farm, vegetable garden ..etc

Day 4 Siem Reap Departure / Transfer Out To Siem Reap Airport
After Breakfast at the hotel, Our tuk tuk driver will pick you up from the hotel and take you back to Siem Reap aiport for flight departure, End of service, Please have a nice, safe flight.

This Tuk Tuk Package Cost 55 US Dollars. The Price is for 1 Tuk Tuk.

Note : Our Tuk Tuk can carry from 1 person to 4 person only. If you have more than 4 persons, You should contact us for more tuk tuk before.

Payment Term:  We require you to pay our package upon arrival. The payment should be made in cash.

Tour Includes : 3 Days and Half Tuk Tuk services ( 9hours 1 day) + Gasoline + English Speaking Driver + Free daily cold water bottled + 2 airport transfer.

5 Days tour with Tuk Tuk

Day 1 Siem Reap Arrival / Hotel Check- In / Floating Village + Sunset

AM: Pick up at the airport, bus or boat station to the hotel and check in, after check in visiting artisans Angkor and old market after that going to see the 
PM: floating village at tonle sap, taking the boat ride on tonle sap lake and enoy sightseeing the people's floating house and the local activities. The boat ride is 1h and 30 mns and sunset on the lake over the thousand of floating houses.

Over Night At The Hotel

Day 2 First Day To Temples / Start Tour Explore From Grand Tour / Preah Khan Temples
AM: leaving the hotel at 8am going straight to buy the tickets for 3days and then visiting Preah Khan Temple, Ta som temple, Neak Pean temple, eastern mebon, Pre rup,
Lunch on your own
PM: Visiting Srah Srang, Banteay kdey and sunset at Bakheng hill

Over Night At The Hotel

Day 3 Bantey Srie Temples / Kbal Spean (River of 1000 lingas) / Country Side
AM: Leaving the hotel at 8am going to visit the faraway temple Bantey Srie, Kbal Spean the water fall and the river of the thousand lingas

Lunch on you own

PM: On the way back visit the land mine museum, visiting the local people making the sugar palm juice and the rice paddy with a very beautiful country side scenery  Banteay samsrie and then back in town in the evening joining the traditional dancing show at the local restaurant with the dinner buffet.

Over Night At The Hotel

Day 4 Sunrise At Angkor Wat / Angthom Ancient City Explore
AM : Leaving early at 5 am to watch the sunrise at Angkor wat and then back for breakfast at the hotel, after breakfast going straight to visit south gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon temple, Baphoun temple, Phimeanakas temple, terrace of elephant, terrace of leper king

Lunch on your onw

PM: Twin temple, Ta Keo temple, Ta Prom Temple, Krawan temple,

Over Night Stay At The Hotel

Day 5: Siem Reap Departure / Transfer Out To Siem Reap Airport
AM: After Breakfast at the hotel, Our Tuk Tuk driver will pick you up from the hotel and take back to Siem Reap Airpor in the Tuk Tuk, End of the Tuk Tuk service, Have a nice Flight!!

This Tuk Tuk Package Cost 60 US Dollars. The Price is for 1 Tuk Tuk.

Note : Our Tuk Tuk can carry from 1 person to 4 person only. If you have more than 4 persons, You should contact us for more tuk tuk before.

Payment Term:  We require you to pay our package upon arrival. The payment should be made in cash.

Tour Includes : 4 Days and Half Tuk Tuk services ( 9hours 1 day) + Gasoline + English Speaking Driver + Free daily cold water bottled + 2 airport transfer.

6 Days Angkor Temples Explored

Day 1 Siem Reap Arrival / Hotel Check- In / City Tour / Tonle Sap visit + Boat Ride
AM: Pick from the airport to the hotel and checked in, after checked in at the hotel going to visit silk farm (seeing the real activities of the women doing the silk waving), Artisan Angkor (carving school for disable people), 
PM: visiting floating village (sightseeing on the Tonle Sap lake, the people living on the floating house on the lake) back to the hotel in the evening.

Over Night At The Hotel

Day 2 Angkor Thom( Ancient City Of Angkor) Explore / Ta Phrom Temple
AM: Leaving the hotel after break fast at 8am going to visit south gate of Angkor Thom, Bayon( the temple with many smiling faces of Buddha), Baphoun temple, Terrace of elephant, Terrace of lepper king,

PM: After Lunch continue to visit Takoe temple, Ta Phrom Temple( the temple with the tree growing on the top, Well known with Tomb Raider Movie), Bantey Kdie temple, and then sunset at the Bakeng Mountain, Back to the hotel.

Over Night At The Hotel

 
Day 3 Sunrise / Angkor Wat Explore / Grand Tour Loop Visit

AM: Leaving the hotel early in the morning at 5am for Sunrise at Angkor Wat and then after sunrise continue visiting Angkor Wat, Breakfast at the hotel/ at the restaurant near the temple, After breakfast continue to Preah Khan Temple, Neak pean, 
PM: Tasom, East Mebourn Temple, Pre Rup and Sra Srang, Krawan Temple.

Day 4 Bantey Srie Visit / Kbal Spean (river of 1000 lingas & water fall / Country side Tour

AM: Leaving the hotel at 8am going to visit the faraway temple like, bantey Srei( the lady tample with the pink sand stone) and then Kbal Spean( 60 kilometers away, the rive of the thousand lingas and the water fall on the mountain that get a very great sceneries of the nature)

PM: After lunch visiting Bantey samrie temple and then going to visit the rolous Group( Lolie temple, Preah Ko temple and Bakong temple) there was the first capital city of Angkor, back to the hotel.

Overy Night At The Hotel 

Day 5 Beng Temples Adventure Visit / Museum & Shopping At The Local Market

AM: Leaving the hotel at 8am and going to visit beng melea temple( 70 kilometers away, you can see the rice paddy, people doing work on the farm, real country side activities and this temple has just discovered, the the temple is as big as Angkor wat but it is not high, it is covered by the forest and there are trees growing on top as well.

PM: After lunch in town visiting Angkor National Museum, killing field, shopping at the old market and central market and then back to the hotel.

Over Night At The Hotel

 
Day 6 Siem Reap Departure / Tuk Tuk Transfer Out To Siem Reap Airport
AM: After having breakfast at the hotel, Our Tuk Tuk driver will pick you up from the hotel and take you back to Siem Reap Airport, End of the Tuk Tuk service, Have a very nice flight!!!

This Tuk Tuk Package Cost 85 US Dollars. The Price is for 1 Tuk Tuk.

Note : Our Tuk Tuk can carry from 1 person to 4 person only. If you have more than 4 persons, You should contact us for more tuk tuk before.

Payment Term:  We require you to pay our package upon arrival. The payment should be made in cash.

Tour Includes : 5 Days and Half Tuk Tuk services ( 9hours 1 day) + Gasoline + English Speaking Driver + Free daily cold water bottled + 2 airport transfer

For more information, Please direct to samoeun24@hotmail.com

                                                                     
                                    Cambodia: Climate and Weather

Cambodia is located in Southeast Asia, in the tropical zone, just 10-13 degrees north of the equator. Like most of Southeast Asia, Cambodia is warm to hot year round and the climate is dominated by the annual monsoon cycle with its alternating wet and dry seasons. The monsoon cycle is driven by cyclic air pressure changes over central Asia. As the pressure drops during the summer months (June through October), moist air is drawn landward from the ocean bringing the southwest monsoon rains to Cambodia and much of Southeast Asia. Come the winter months (November through May), the air pressure over central Asia rises, driving cool dry air back across Southeast Asia and bringing on a largely rainless dry season to Cambodia. The mean daily temperature also rises and falls with the winter and summer months, but not exactly in time with the wet and dry season, effectively creating four annual seasons in Cambodia:

 

1) November-February: Cool and dry. Average mid-day temperatures in the mid 20s, sometime dipping below 20 at night. The monsoon rains trail off through October and November, and have usually stopped completely by mid November. These months - November through February - are generally considered to be the best time of year to visit, with December and January offering the very best weather of the year across the country - comfortably warm days, clear skies, no rain, light breeze, cool evenings. Ideal beach weather in Sihanoukville. A comfortable time of year to visit the temples near Siem Reap. Temperatures begin to creep up a bit through February and there are occasional, short 'mango showers' in the afternoon. 

 

2) March-May: Hot and dry. The dry season continues, the only precipitation being short 'mango showers' in the afternoons that slowly increase in frequency and intensity through these months. During these months river and lake levels are very low, generally making boat/river ferry travel much more difficult, less reliable and can greatly increase travels times dramatically. On the other hand, road travel (bus, taxi, motorcycle) is much easier and more reliable for lack of rainy season flooding. The temperature slowly rises through February and March, peaking out in April and May before the monsoons begin. February and March are still comfortable but by April mid-day temperatures can hover in the mid to upper 30s, especially in inland areas like Siem Reap. It is less breezy at this time of year, the sun can be quite intense and the air becomes hazier with the rising humidity. Though sometimes quite hot, the lack of rain still leaves this a good time of year to visit the temples or the beach.

 

3) June-August: Hot and wet. The hot season continues but is fairly quickly moderated as the monsoon rains begin in May and June, cooling, if only a bit, the hot, humid air. Across most of the country, the monsoon rains are fairly predictable, usually occurring in the afternoon or at night. And the afternoon rains usually last no more than a couple of hours making them fairly easy to plan around, especially if you are visiting the temples or touring. In fact, the Angkor temples are at their aesthetic best during the wet season. The surrounding moats and reflecting pools are full, the jungle is lush and moisture bring outs the colors of the moss and lichen covered stones of the temples. Boat travel becomes easier and more reliable as the season progresses and the river and lake levels rise, but some roads sometimes deteriorate or become temporarily flooded. The pattern of monsoon rains tends too be different along the coast and the beach towns, where the rains are more frequent and, when the season is at its peak, may last for days at a time, though, unlike the rest of the country, the rain on the coast may stop for days at a time as well.     

 

4) September-Early November: Cool and wet. The air doesn't really begin to cool much until October or November, but still, its cooler than the hottest months. In September the temperatures hover in the mid 30s and slowly drop through the following months. By October, the mid day temperatures are around 30. In September the rainy season is just passing its peak. The rains are still very regular and intense in September, but by October the frequency is usually dropping off considerably. By the end of October the rains are close to stopping completely, if they haven't already. As the rains end through October, the best time of year to visit Cambodia begins.   

 

The Rainy Season

 

Many travelers understandably try to avoid visiting Southeast Asia during the wet season, assuming that the rains will spoil the visit. There are obvious disadvantages to visiting during the rainy season, but personally it is my favorite time of year in Cambodia. During the rainy season the temples of Angkor are at their most beautiful and most photogenic. The reflecting pools and moats are full, the vegetation is deep green and the wet stone of the temples is at its most colorful. Also of photographic note, the rain-washed air of the wet season is particularly clear as compared to the hazy, smoky skies of the dry season, making those long shots of the temples and rice paddies that much clearer. (If you always wanted that shot of from the top of Phnom Bakheng of the distant Angkor Wat in the jungle illuminated the light of sunset, this is the best time of year to bring your 400mm lens and give it a try.) Outside the cities, the rice paddies are full of water and green with new rice, the jungle is lush and the countryside is picturesque and alive with growing season activity. The river and lake levels are high making boat travel easy. (It's the best time of year to take the boat from Siem Reap to Battambang, reputedly one of the most picturesque boat trips in Cambodia.) And it must be said that there are fewer tourists in the country. The temples are less crowded, prices are lower and the bars and restaurants are all happy to see you. And, practically speaking, it does not rain all of the time or even every day during the rainy season. When it does rain it usually starts around 2:00PM or 3:00PM and lasts a couple of hours, making it easy to plan around in most cases. Toward the beginning and the end of the season the rains occur with far less frequency.....

all the best you to you and have a good business all my dearest, see you in Cambodia,

Sam

                           Cambodian International Border Crossing

Dear valued customers

The Thai crossing at Poipet is the most accessible to Siem Reap; the Thai crossing at Koh Kong and the Vietnamese crossings at Ha Tien and Phnom Den give international access to southern Cambodia; and the Vietnamese crossings at Moc Bai and Chau Doc are most convenient to Phnom Penh.

 

Crossings with Thailand

 

1. Aranyaprathet, Thailand/Poipet, Cambodia (Most direct access to Siem Reap)

2. Hat Lek, Thailand/Koh Kong, Cambodia (Cham Yeam Checkpoint) (Most direct access to Sihanoukville)

3. Chong Jom, Thailand/O'Smach, Oddar Meanchey, Cambodia

4. Chong Sa Ngam, Thailand/Anlong Veng, Oddar Meanchey, Cambodia

5. Ban Pakard, Chantaburi, Thailand/Phsar Prom Pailin, Cambodia (Prom Checkpoint)

6. Ban Laem, Chantaburi, Thailand/Daung Lem, Battambang, Cambodia (Daung Checkpoint)

 

 Crossings with Vietnam

7. Bavet Checkpoint: Moc Bai, Vietnam/Bavet, Svay Rieng, Cambodia (To/from Phnom Penh)

8. Ving Xuong, Vietnam/Kaam Samnor, Kandal, Cambodia ("The Chau Doc Crossing") (To/from Phnom Penh)

 

9. Tinh Bien, Vietnam/Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia (To/from Phnom Penh or Kampot/Kep)

 

10. Trapeang Phlong Border Pass: Xa Mat, Vietnam/Trapeang Phlong, Kampong Cham, Cambodia

 

11. Xa Xia, Vietnam/Prek Chak, Cambodia ('Ha Tien crossing') - (To/from Kampot/Kep) Newly opened international border crossing.

 

12. Le Tanh,Gia Lai Province, Vietnam/O’Yadaw, Ratanakiri, Cambodia - Newly opened international border crossing. Travelers report Cambodian visas available at the border. Vietnamese visas NOT available at the border. Visa status is unconfirmed by official sources.

 

13. Trapeang Srer International Border Checkpoint, Kratie Province

 

14. Banteay Chakrey International Border Checkpoint, Prey Veng Province

 

 Crossings with Laos

13. Voeung Kam, Laos/Dom Kralor, Cambodia

Visas at Overland Border Crossings

Border crossing with Laos: Border policies are not stable. Travelers report that Cambodian visas are available at the border but Laotian visas are not available at the border.

 

Border crossings with Vietnam: Cambodian visas are available at the Moc Bai/Bavet and 'Chau Doc' border crossings. Vietnamese visas are not available at any overland border crossing.

 

Border crossings with Thailand: Cambodian visas and 30-day Thai transit visas are available at all Thai/Cambodian border crossings. Thai transit visas are free of charge. Other types of Thai visas are not available. At the Poipet and Koh Kong crossings, Cambodian immigration usually charges 1000-1200 baht for a tourist visa and 1500 baht for a business visa. Unlike the rest of the country, they usually refuse dollars. At current exchange rates, the price in baht is significantly more expensive than the official prices of $20 and $25. Some people have had some success paying the official price in dollars by being politely insistent.

 

Border Crossing Scams/Annoyances

Be prepared for minor scams from the border guards at the overland border crossings, especially at Koh Kong and Poipet.

 Scam #1: Drivers and touts will insist that you need their help to obtain a visa. This is not true. They want to charge an extra fee. The visa process is easy, straightforward and do-it-yourself. Do not accept their ‘assistance’ as it is not necessary and will only lengthen the process and increase the cost.

 

Scam #2: Immigration police may try to overcharge 100-300 baht for the visa, or charge 100 baht for the normally free exit/entry stamp. Try asking for a receipt.

 

Scam #3: Some Khao San Road based companies sell bus tickets promising transport from Bangkok to Siem Reap via Poipet. But instead the bus goes through the much more isolated Pailin crossing where passengers are subjected to more scams (overpriced visas, extra charges for transportation, change to inferior transportation, etc.) and have little recourse due to the isolation of the crossing.

 

When dealing with officials, there is usually room for polite explanations and bargaining. One sometimes-successful approach is to smile, say "no, thank you", smile some more, perhaps act like you don't understand and walk away. This technique may or may not work but it has a greater likelihood of success than simply refusing to do what they are asking or, even worse, becoming argumentative or showing anger.

 

 

 

Cambodia Visa and Immigration

 

Visa, Entry and Exit Requirements

Cambodian Visas 

Visas are available at overseas Cambodian embassies, on arrival at all international airports and most international border crossing checkpoints, 

 

A passport with at least four month validity is required. A visa is required for most nationalities. (Philippine and Malaysian nationals do not require tourist visas for a stay up to 21 and 30 days respectively. Singaporean nationality is also exempt from the usual visa requirement.) No special permits are required. 

One-month tourist visa (Type ‘T’): US$20. Business visa (Type ‘E’): US$25. Diplomatic, Official, Courtesy, and Special (Cambodian) visas are issued free of charge. One 4x6 photo is required. Visa prices are often higher at Thai overland crossings. 

Tourist visas can be extended for one month, but only one time. Business visas can be renewed indefinitely. Renew visas through a travel agent or the ‘Department for Foreigners’ on Confederation de Russie (‘Airport Road’), located opposite Phnom Penh International Airport. Tel: . Fax: 023-890380. E-mail: visa_info@online.com.kh. Renew Diplomatic, Courtesy and Official visas at the Consular section of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

E-Visa - The Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs now offers 'e-visa' - visas available online through the Ministry's website. Scan of passport and passport size photo required. Payment by credit card. US$25 for a 30 day visa (three month validity.) Processing time: 3 days. Issued by email and print from from your computer. The Ministry recently announced that e-visa entry points now include Siem Reap International Airport, Phnom Penh International Airport, the Bavet/Moc Bai border crossing, the Poipet/Aranyaprathet border crossing and the Koh Kong/Had Lek border crossing.

Our Culture & Traditional

 

 Cambodian New Year

The Cambodian New Year takes place from April 13th -15th, during the dry season when farmers do not work in the fields. Astrologers determine the exact time and date by calculating the exact moment the new animal protector (tiger, dragon, or snake) arrives. Cambodians spend the entire month of April in preparation for the celebration, cleaning and decorating their house with candles, lights, star shaped lanterns and flowers. During the first three days, everyone travels to the pagodas to offer food to the monks. 

Pchum Ben

Pchum Ben is a religious ceremony in September when everyone remembers the spirit of dead relatives. For fifteen days, people in Cambodian villages take turns bringing food to the temples or pagodas. On the fifteenth and final day, everyone dresses in their finest clothing to travel together to the pagodas. Families bring overflowing baskets of flowers, and children offer food and presents to the monks. Everyone says prayers to help their ancestors pass on to a better life. According to Khmer belief, those who do not follow the practices of Pchum Ben are cursed by their angry ancestors.

Water Festival

Another very colorful festival is the Water Festival or the Festival of the Reversing Current. It takes place in late October or early November and marks the reversal of the Tonle Sap River so that it once again flows south from the Tonle Sap Lake into the Mekong River. The highlight of the three-day festival is the boat races that are held in Phnom Penh. Individual villages build their own boats by hollowing out a log to make a dugout canoe that is rowed by as many as forty people! The prow and the stern of the canoe turn upward and the prow is painted with an eye, just like the war vessels on the wall of the temples at Angkor Thom. On the first two days of the festival, pairs of boats race each other. At sunset on the third day, there is a big race and everyone believes that the river is happy, the fish will be plentiful and the rice crop will flourish.

Day of Hatred

Cambodia must be one of the only countries in the world which has a holiday called the "Day of Hatred!" This was a holiday in May which was created by the People's Republic of Kampuchea and the State of Cambodia as a national holiday to remember the crimes of Pol Pot and his regime. Therefore, the government tried to change this fear and resentment into an annual "Day of Hatred" in which the crimes of Pol Pot were remembered in ceremonies at village cemeteries and Tuol Sleng (the Khmer Rouge torture center). However, although this is still a public holiday, most people do not think of it as a holiday to think about hatred!

Weddings

Weddings are the most important social events in the lives of young people. Men usually get married between the ages of nineteen and twenty-four and women between the ages of sixteen and twenty-two. Most families want their children to be married by the age of twenty-five, otherwise other people might wonder why the family is unable to find people willing to marry their children!! There are traditional ways in which a family should decide if a partner is suitable or not. Each family appoints a representative to investigate the other family who makes sure that the other family is honest and, hopefully, wealthy. Once the two families agree to the wedding, they exchange gifts of plants and food and then they consult an astrologer who chooses a lucky date for the ceremony. The wedding ceremony takes place at the bride's house. The bride and groom exchange gifts and rings. Their wrists are tied together with red thread that has been soaked in holy water. A Buddhist priest delivers a sermon, and married guests pass around a candle to bless the new couple. After the ceremony, there is a grand feast. People eat fruit, meat, and small round cakes filled with rice or coconut. Musicians play traditional instruments like the ones seen in this unit's figurine collection. 

Funerals

Most Cambodians are Buddhists. Accordingly, they do not look on death as the end of life. Rather, they consider it the beginning of a new life that they hope will be better than the one which ended. Therefore, just as performing the wedding rituals correctly is very important, it is also very important to perform the ceremonies for death in the correct Buddhist tradition. Otherwise the relative will not be able to pass on to their new life. When a person dies, their body is washed, dressed and put into a coffin. Flowers and a photograph of the deceased are usually put on top of the coffin, which is then carried to a special Buddhist pagoda to be cremated. All the family members walk with the coffin to the pagoda. If the dead person was important, everyone in the village also joins the procession. Family members sometimes show their sorrow by wearing white clothing and shaving their heads. White is the traditional color of death instead of the Western idea of black. Because the rituals connected to death affect the ability of the dead person to have a happy next life, many Cambodians were distraught that they were not able to perform the correct rituals for loved ones who died under the Khmer Rouge regime.

Birthdays

Cambodian children do not celebrate their birthdays and it is not a special day for them. Often their parents just remember what season they were born in, but not the exact day so they don't know for sure. During the Khmer Rouge years, many people were separated from their families and they lost their birth certificates. However, all Cambodians know which year they were born, and what it means in the Chinese animal calendar: Do you know which year were you born in and which characteristics you should have?

Khmer Language and Literature

Language

Cambodia's national language is Khmer. It is the only language taught in the country's schools and is used in government documents. The Khmer writing system comes from an Indian alphabet that was brought into Cambodia over a thousand years ago. In Khmer, everyone refers to each other as older brother and older sister, or Aunt and Uncle. Many ancient words are borrowed from Pali or Sanskrit and many more recent words are from French, words such as "chocolate" and "gateaux." Khmer grammar is very simple. For example, there are no tenses. If you want to change "I go to the market" into the past tense, you just add the word already. But Khmer is precise in ways that English isn't. Like many languages, it has many words for articles which are useful for Cambodian people, for example there are over one hundred words for rice!! Also, there are different words for "you," depending on whether you are speaking to a child, a parent, a Buddhist monk, or a member of the royal family. Under the Khmer Rouge regime, they tried to forbid some of these pronouns so that everyone was placed on the same level. Among educated Cambodians over forty years of age, French is still a second language. In the mid 1980s, however, French was overtaken informally by English as the European language that urban Cambodians wanted to learn. In rural areas, not many people speak a foreign language.

Literature

The greatest piece of literature in Khmer is called The Reamker. It is the Cambodian adaptation of the Indian epic of the Ramayana. It dates from the fifteenth or sixteenth century. The story of Hanuman and Sovann Macha (which is described separately) is derived from this story and made into a dance. Many Cambodian dances, and shadow plays are also taken from the Cambodian version of The Ramayana. The Ramayana is found in many cultures throughout Southeast Asia. Cambodians also like to tell their children "chbap"s or moral proverbs which school children memorize, as well as stories from the Reamker of folk tales. The chbap teaches the values of Cambodian society, such as being obedient to your elders and protecting those who are less fortunate than yourself

Khmer Arts

 

The famous khmer dance the legend attribute the original of choreography khmer of king Jayavarman II, who teaches to Java. In 12th century, the god Indra descending on the earth, offered to Jayavarman II the kingdom of Cambodia, the attributer of royalty and the mythical Apsara, who delivered to khmer the secrets of choreography Apsara…. Most of Cambodia's traditional music was lost during the Khmer Rouge era. During this time many Khmers settled in the USA and Europe, where a lively Khmer pop industry developed. Influenced by US music and later exported back to Cambodia, it has been enormously popular.

 

Cambodian is famous for its sculpture. Even in the pre-Angkor era, the Khmers were producing masterfully sensuous sculpture that was no simple copy of the Indian forms it was modeled on. The earliest surviving Cambodian sculptures dates from the 6th century. In Phnom Penh at National Museum displayed all kind of statue in different period. Khmer architecture reached its period of greatest magnificence during the Angkorian era (the 9th to 14th centuries). Some of the finest examples of architecture from this period are Angkor Wat, the of Angkor Thom and Preah Vihear temple.

 

Cambodians are always celebrating a festival of some sort, and do so with relish geading out to a popular pagoda with family and friends or taking off for the provinces unsurprisingly, festivals are the busiest times for shopping and traveling. The major celebration of the year is Bonn Chol Chhnam Thmey (Khmer New Year mid- April). Another important religious festival is Bonn Pchum Ben (this religious festival for dedicating to the diets people).

 

 

People

 

Cambodia is primarily an agricultural country with 85% of the people living in rural area .The majority of the population ( about 95% ) is ethnic Khmer, with minorities made up of Chinese, Vietnamese, and Malay Muslims, along with some highlander from various tribal origins. The population was 13.04 million (in 2002). According to official statistics, around 95% of the people who live in Cambodia are ethnic Khmers ( ethnic Cambodians), making country the most homogeneous in South-East Asia. Over the centuries, the Khmers have mixed with other groups residing in Cambodia, including the Javanese(8th century), Thai ( 10th to 15th century) and Vietnamese (from the early 17th century) and Chinese (since the 18th century). Cambodia's diverse crunchiest (ethno linguistic minorities, or hill tribes), who live in the country's mountainous regions. Collectively, they are known as Khmer Loeu, literally the "Upper Khmer". The majority of the hill tribes are in the northeast of Cambodia, in the provinces of Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, Stung Treng and Kratie.

 

Many people in Cambodia speak English, French and Chinese.

 

Clothing, Traditional—Cambodia

The intricately patterned ikat silks (silks that whose threads are tie-dyed before being woven) created by the Khmer and Cham ethnic groups may come to mind when thinking of Cambodian textiles, but the peoples of Cambodia have produced many other cotton and silk textiles. Cambodians traditionally considered both domestic and imported textiles to be markers of identity, prestige, and wealth, and quantity and quality of textiles possessed by an individual or family contributed to their status within society.

Traditional dress in Cambodia is similar to traditional dress in neighboring Laos and Thailand. Sampot is the lower garment worn by either sex. The sampot for urban lower class and peasant women is a tube-skirt (sarong) approximately one and a half meters in length with both ends sewn together and is worn wrapped around the waist and secured with a cloth belt. Women of the middle and upper classes preferred to wear the sampot chang kben on a daily basis until the beginning of the twentieth century. This rectangular piece of cloth is approximately three meters long and one meter wide and is worn by first wrapping the cloth around the waist and stretching the ends away from the body. The outstretched ends are then twisted together and pulled between the legs and toward the back. The ends are tucked into the waist at the back, and the sampot chang kben is lastly fastened with a cloth or metal belt. Women of all social strata wear the sampot chang kben on special occasions such as religious ceremonies and weddings. Men also wear the sampot chang kben, but the traditional textile patterns worn by males differ from those worn by females. Traditionally, neither women nor men wore an upper garment. However, when the French colonial presence grew in Cambodia in the late nineteenth century, both men and women began to wear upper garments.

Even after the French presence in Cambodia from the 1860s onwards, Cambodians continued to wear traditional clothing. The Cambodian royalty and government officials combined the shot silk sampot chang kben (in the appropriate color for the day of the week) with a formal jacket. In the beginning of the twentieth century, Cambodians adopted forms of western style clothing such as a blouse or shirt. Men more readily adopted trousers as the lower garment for daily use, and both sexes continue to wear the sampot chang kben for formal occasions. Lower class and particularly rural women still wear a tube-skirt, but the material may be printed batik-patterned cloth bought at the market rather than hand-woven silk or cotton.

Silk Textiles

The most important silk textiles of Cambodia are the ikat silks (hol), twill-patterned, weft ikat textiles. The pattern is made by tying vegetable or synthetic fibers on sections of the weft threads before the threads are dyed. This process is repeated for different colored dye baths until the patterns are formed and the cloth is woven. The two types of hol textiles have five traditional colors: red, yellow, green, blue, and black. The sampot hol is the lower garment mentioned earlier, made from hol cloth (hol cloth can also be used for sampot chang kben). The pidan hol is a ceremonial hanging reserved for religious or sacred purposes.

The pidan hol is an example of excellent craftsmanship. It may be presented to a Buddhist temple or hung it in homes to create sacred space around the family's personal shrine. In a temple this textile is hung behind, above, or around the base of, a Buddha image. The narrative motifs of a pidan hol often depict tales of the previous lives of the Buddha.

Cotton Textiles

The various ethnic groups of Cambodia also produce cotton material for religious clothing and other purposes, such as for bedding and for various household textiles. The royal courts also imported Indian chintz with patterns especially for the Southeast Asian market.

The kroma is the all-purpose utility cotton cloth used by either men or women throughout the country as a head or neck scarf, belt, or towel. It is also used as a bag to carry things. This rectangular textile has a checkered pattern, usually blue and white or red and white, with striped ends. Political groups such as the Khmer Rouge have used the kroma to symbolize membership.

The Cham, an Austronesian group, are highly skilled silk weavers who produce cotton tube-skirts or sarongs for both men and women. Three or four hundred years ago, the Cham reportedly used to produce batiks (wax resist-dyed fabrics) in cotton similar to that of their kin in insular Southeast Asia. Cham women weave a checked or plaid cotton sarong for men. Natural or white cotton is important in Cham religious activities; it is worn by Cham priests and used as a sacred object during religious ceremonies.

Other Mon-Khmer and Austronesian minorities living in the northeastern region of Cambodia weave cotton cloth on back strap looms for clothing and domestic use. The groups of both of these linguistic families weave similar textiles by attaching the warp beam of the back strap loom to a tree or part of a house in order the achieve the lengths of woven material needed for their loincloths.

                   

                                                                  Cambodia Money

Riel (KHR; symbol CR). Notes are in denominations of CR100,000, 50,000, 20,000, 10,000, 5,000, 2,000, 1,000, 500, 200 and 100.

 

Currency Exchange

 

US Dollars are widely accepted and exchanged as are Thai Baht close to the Thai border, but other currencies are generally only recognised at banks.

 

Credit/Debit Cards and ATMs

 

Credit cards are now more widely accepted in upmarket hotels, shops and restaurants catering to visitors. There are ATMs in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. It is always best to carry cash (US Dollars if necessary) in small denominations.

 

Traveller's Cheques

 

Limited acceptance. Traveller's cheques are generally not recommended. Traveller's cheques in US Dollars can be changed at banks and some hotels, but can be difficult to change outside major cities.

 

Banking Hours

 

Mon-Fri 0800-1500. Some banks are open on Saturdays 0800-1130.

Exchange Rate Indicators

My currency is very and very beautifull colour,

these are what I would like to do. tell or publish to the web for all the people who would like to come to Cambodia,

                                                                                Khmer Cuisine

Khmer food is one of the major national identities that reflect the ways of life, thought, and mind of the Cambodian people which are hidden in the taste of consumption of meat dishes and sweet food. Cambodia has been rich in a variety of plants and crops since ancient times so that we could cook many types of foods suitable for each group of different people.

 

Food is one of our most basic needs. We cannot live without it. Food gives us the energy for everything we do – walking, talking, working, playing, reading, and even thinking and breathing. Food also provides the energy for our nerves, muscles, heart, and glands that need to work. In addition, food supplies the nourishing substances to our bodies requiring to build and repair tissues and to regulate body organs and systems.

 

 

All living things must have food to live. Green plants use the energy of sunlight to make food out of carbon dioxide (a gas in the air) and water and other substances from the soil. Other living things depend on the food made by green plants. The food that people and other animals eat comes chiefly from plants or from animals that eat plants.

 

Food does more than help keep us alive, strong, and healthy. It also adds pleasure to living. We enjoy the flavors, odors, colors, and textures of foods. We celebrate special occasions with favorite meals and feasts.

 

Favorite vegetables include beans, broccoli, cabbage, carrots, celery, lettuce, onions, peas, potatoes, and sweet corn. Vegetables are commonly eaten during the main part of a meal. They may be served raw in a salad, cooked and served with a sauce, or added to a soup,Especially, my favorite food is Amok-fish. it is very good tast but with high spicy that is more beter,

Dear Ladies and Gentlement.would you like to try it? if you would. Please come and join with me in Cambodia,

Siem Reap Info

 
Siem Reap, literally "Siam Defeated", commemorates a Khmer victory over the neighboring kingdom of Thailand. These days, however, the only rampaging hordes are the tourists heading to Angkor and this once quaint village has become the largest boomtown and construction site in Cambodia.
It's quite laid-back and all in all a pleasant place to stay while touring the temples. It's a nice compromise between observing Cambodian life and enjoying the amenities of modern services and entertainment, thanks to the large expatriate community in Siem Reap. As business has increased, so have the numbers of people wanting your custom, and so have the prices, which are often double or more what you would pay elsewhere in Cambodia. Expect to receive almost constant offers for motodop and tuk-tuk rides, along with everything else which drivers may be able to offer to you.
Siem Reap is the nearest town to Angkor Wat. The name Siem Reap actually means the "defeat of Siam" today is Thailand. It is quite a small town and you can walk around to see the city. It is reported to be safe enough to be out after dark. Siam Reap draws visitors for its world-famous monuments nearby: Angkor wat.
Visiting the hundred-or-so temples and studying the forests around Siem Reap is still the main reason for being in the city. If you are fed up with seeing more temples you can still spend a couple of extra days to relax here and findqrtyp some nice things to do in the area. The huge natural reservoir, Tonle Sap, is just to the south of Siem Reap and provides relaxing boat trips. Banteay Chhmar is located 30 km north of Angkor Wat and is a reasonable safe haven to visit.

Siem Reap History

Siem Reap was little more than a village when the first French explorers re-discovered Angkor in the 19th century. With the return of Angkor to Cambodian, or should that be French control in 1907, Siem Reap began to grow, absorbing the first wave of tourists.

The Grand Hotel d'Angkor opened its doors in 1929 and the temples of Angkor remained one of Asia's leading draws until the late 1960s, luring visitors like Charlie Chaplin and Jackie Kennedy. In 1975, Siem Reap, along with the rest of the cities and towns in Cambodia, its population was evacuated by the communist Khmer Rouge and driven into the countryside.

As with the rest of the country, Siem Reap's history (and the memories of its people) is coloured by spectre of the brutal Khmer Rouge Regime, though since Pol Pot's death in 1998, relative stability and a rejuvenated tourist industry have been important steps in an important, if tentative, journey forward to recovery. With the advent of war, Siem Reap entered a long slumber from which it only began to awake in the mid-1990s.

Today, Siem Reap is undoubtedly Cambodia's fastest growing city and serves as a small charming gateway town to the world famous heritage the Angkor temples. Thanks to those attractions, Siem Reap has transformed itself into a major tourist hub. Siem Reap nowadays is a vibrant town with modern hotels and architectures. Despite international influences, Siem Reap and its people have conserved much of the town's image, culture and traditions.

How To Get To Siem Reap

By Plane

Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport has frequent flights from Phnom Penh Internationally, there are direct flights to/from 
Low-cost carriers Air Asia and Jetstar Asia now fly to Siem Reap from Kuala Lumpur and Singapore respectively, but the popular route to Bangkok is still monopolized by Bangkok Airways, which charges accordingly (around $350 US per person, round-trip for the 1-hour flight). Thai Airways has begun service from Bangkok as of 2009.

The airport is less than 15 minutes from the town centre by car (US$7) or motodop (US$3 or less). If you have an advance booking in a hotel, you can ask them for a free airport pickup (in one of their tuk-tuks). This way you can avoid the monopolistic taxi service in Siem Reap.

There are separate terminals for international and domestic flights. International departure tax is a steep US$25 (children US$13), payable after check-in and before clearing immigration. Often this can only be paid in cash, as the credit card facility is unreliable. Airport fee upon departure on national flights, to Phnom Penh, is US$6.

 There are separate terminals for international and domestic flights. International departure tax is a steep US$25 (children US$13), payable after check-in and before clearing immigration. Often this can only be paid in cash, as the credit card facility is unreliable. Airport fee upon departure on national flights, to Phnom Penh, is US$6.

By Lane

From Thailand

New Road between Siem Reap and Poipet (August 2009)The most popular overland route from Thailand, and the most direct from Bangkok and Eastern Thailand, is via the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing. To reach Aranyaprathet from elsewhere in Thailand, see the Aranyaprathet article. Paving of the infamous Poipet-Sisophon-Siem Reap road was finally completed in April 2009 and, for time being, it's a very smooth ride that can be covered in under three hours. How well the road will stand up, especially once the monsoon hits, is another story...

A newer option fast gaining popularity is via Hat Lek/Koh Kong border on the coast. As the crossing has less trafic, the time to clear immigration on both sides is much faster. This route offers a scenic trip trough one of the last old growth forests in Asia, passing through three different densely covered watersheds. The road is in excellent condition, and the time to Bangkok is nearly the same as the Poipet route, on regularly scheduled air con buses. You can also transfer and get to and from Sihanoukville, Cambodia's main beach city.

Whichever route you take, beware of scams, touts and pickpockets at border crossings, especially Poipet; see the Poipet article for information on the irritating Visa on Arrival process. Once you're through all of that, take the free shuttle bus from outside the entry stamp office in Poipet to the transportation depot about 1 km away or find a taxi driver close by to begin bargaining.

The fastest and most comfortable way to get from Poipet to Siem Reap is by taxi. The cost of this trip varies according to your own bargaining skills. Payment can often be made in Thai baht if US dollars are not available. The cost should not exceed 1000 baht or roughly just over US$35, but corrupt police deal directly with the taxi stand "officials," increasing the price by $25 (and ticketing drivers who do not comply with the corruption). The transport monopoly in Poipet will not allow more than four tourists in one of these cars, although they often carry 10 or more Khmers at a time.

An alternative is to take the official bus for US$10/person. The bus leaves when full - and only then, even if it takes a few hours - and can take about 15 people, with all the bags on the back seat. Extra people will be squeezed onto the back seat if necessary, which might not be so comfortable. Two fold down seats in the centre aisle are also not so comfortable. The trip is advertised as taking 3-5 hours, but in reality it takes at least 6 hours when the road is not too bad. An enforced stop after 2 hours at a restaurant can add to the time of the trip, depending on how long the driver wants to stay. There is the possibility of additional delays (e.g. "mechanical faults") and these are almost certainly due to the same reasons as the Khao San scam-bus: getting you to Siem Reap late, tired and ready to take whatever guesthouse you're delivered to. If you are sharing a taxi it will cost only a few dollars more than a bus and will be a lot better.

If even this is too much, you can try to hop on the back of a pick-up truck for a fraction of the price, but these are now hard to arrange from Poipet, due to the travel monopoly operating there. Also, the ride is a lot more uncomfortable, takes longer and may require a change of vehicle at Sisophon.

Alternatively, you could join the backpacking masses and pay a couple hundred baht for an uncomfortable bus ride directly from Khao San Road all the way to Siem Reap; any travel agent in Bangkok will be happy to sell you a ticket. Buses leave Khao San Road around 8 am and arrive in Siem Reap between 5 pm and 3 am. How long it takes exactly does not really depend on road conditions, but on the mood of the driver. Because he can "sell" you to a guesthouse in Siem Reap he will try to arrive there as late as possible, because if you are tired and afraid of walking around in Siem Reap late at night, his chances increase that you will stay at the guesthouse of his choice. (There is no obligation to stay, regardless of what the guesthouse owners tell you.) Even if you start in Bangkok on a big aircon bus, you will almost certainly find yourself in the back of a pickup or stuffed minibus for the Cambodian part of the journey. For the return trip, expect to pay around US$11.

If you arrive in Poipet the Khao San Road buses, you'll be swarmed by offers of extra help and assurances that you're better off paying 1000 baht (US$30) or even more for the visa - which should cost US$20. Stand your ground - the bus won't leave without you, because the driver wants the guesthouse commission you represent. As an alternative, you can always walk from the bus stops to the Thai border exit-just keep aware of your surroundings to avoid being pickpocketed or inadvertently walking into a fake border crossing.

Instead, take a bus to Aranyaprathet from Bangkok's Norther Bus Station (Morchit). First class and second class buses leave from the ground floor of the terminal approximately every half hour with ticket costing 207 Baht and 160 Baht respectively. If travelling in the other direction, the last bus to Bangkok leaves Aranyaprathet at around 6:00 pm. The trip takes four to five and a half hours but be mindful that the border crossing closes at 8:00 pm and if you arrive too close to closing time there is a chance you will be requested to provide extra american dollars before they will process your visa. Also be mindful that the shuttle bus to the transport depot ceases to run before the border crossing shuts; if you find that you have arrived too late you will need to find a taxi to drive you the 2 hours to Siem Reap

From Phnom Penh

There are several bus companies that you can take to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The most popular bus companies with tourists include Capitol Transport, GST, and Mekong Express. Each bus company leaves from a different location, although there are many located around the Central Market. Nearly all of the bus companies have buses leaving at 7:30AM - 2:00PM, and the trip costs US$10-11. Expect to get to Siem Reap in 5-7 hours. In contrast to the Siem Reap-Poipet road, the entire road is paved, making for a much more comfortable ride. If you're driving yourself, watch out for the make-shift patrol petrol stations next to the road, selling petrol in old 2 litre Coke bottles. Much cheaper than the real thing, but who knows what the quality is... 
Most tour buses stop for a break half way between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh at Kompong Thom.

By boat to/from Phnom or Siem Reap,

Fast, Soviet style Hydrofoils also make the journey from Phnom Penh across the Tonle Sap lake. Asking price for a "foreigner" ticket is typically US$35. There are also services between Siem Reap and Battambang (asking price US$15, pay US$10). These can be fantastic trips which give travelers the opportunity to view life on the lake, floating houses, fishermen going about their work, and to get a sun tan if you choose to sit on the roof of the boat. However if you travel on a windy day and you have not kept waterproofs and sunscreen out of your luggage you could be in trouble. These journeys take anywhere from five to eight hours and without waterproofs and sunscreen you will become incredibly cold and will be burned by the sun at the same time. As the boat is generally packed with travelers, those on the roof will have to stay up there, and once your bags are in the hold, they stay there.

If you are planning a week long trip in Siem Reap, the boat journey is fine, but if you are only planning two to three days, take the bus. If you are specifically taking the boat to see the floating village, don't. The floating village is at the very end of the boat journey. You could ride the bus from Phnom Penh, get a guest house, take a tuk-tuk to the port, tour the floating village, and be back in Siem Reap before your friends arrive from Phnom Penh by boat. 

A word of caution: If you find yourself taking the boat/bus and person asks for your name to have his friend pick you up, he is in actuality selling your name to a tuk-tuk driver in Siem Reap. This is a fairly convenient way to get from the port to Siem Reap, just be prepared for an extremely hard sell to one of his select guest houses, restaurants, etc. If you just "roll with it" he will take you to a guest house and you will quoted US$10 for a normally priced US$6-8 room. Since the tuk-tuk driver has now pinned you for a "sucker", he will try to sell you on his services to the temples for about US$15-20 a day. Be firm, and negotiate, they will bend towards the market rate. You'll never really be ripped off, but keep in mind that if you are staying for longer than four days, that tuk-tuk surplus would be much better served through a charitable donation.

                                          I would like to tell you one special thing

Shooting Range

Shooting Range

Shooting Range

The shooting range in siem reap is running by commander of Para-suite military operating training military place with many real types of gun for shooting to digit or you can buy a duck and cow. buffilow. dog. cat for shooting. also all the money we got use it for project of military food and weapon for training ,it is good to see and try for one magazine like ak47 or hand grenade and M16 or Tommy gun or something more. I am not good at weapons,

                                          Apsara theather dance and buffet dinner

Apsara is a maiden beautiful girl dancing for seduction to the king and generals during of Angkor wat Empire.Apsara dance only $6 for one person start from 7h30 pm to 8h30 p m
Apsara dance with buffet dinner $12 one person start from 6h30 pm to 8h30 pm
 Apsara is khmer draditional dance has got variety hairdressers in Angkor wat temple on the column or the wall depicting about khmer girl highest position show only important people during of Khmer empire.

 Apsara dance with buffet dinners mostly show in different restaurant and different prices and most of more an expensive restaurant show name angkor village restaruant and others are Angkor amazon restaurant,Koulen 2 restaurant,Mondial restaurant all these restaurant are serving in different dishes of foods and nice breeze in air watching the show with cambodian culture.the best oppunity of tourists can visit the apsara on stone and then apsara active.

 

History

Apsara Dance is one of two major forms of Khmer dance and incorporates parts of the other, much older, traditional or popular dance, which has its roots in animism and primitive magic, with Hindu forms introduced during the time of Indian influence beginning in the 1st century; the dance in turn drew its inspiration from the mythological court of the gods and from its celestial dancers, the Apsaras. The dance took on its own unique form adding movements and meaning, during the reigns of Jayavarman II and Jayavarman VII as well as in the Angkor era. By the 13th century, the dance received a Khmer identity rather than Indian, unlike any other dance form in the world. It melded soft movement with loud, traditional Khmer music during its performance. In that era, Apsara dance was performed solely for the benefit of the upper class, and particularly for the king.

Estimates suggest that there were 3,000 apsara dancers in the 12th Century court of King Jayavarman VII. Between the 12th and the 15th centuries, Apsara dance flourished, until the Thais sacked Angkor in the 15th century; the invaders, not immune to the allure of the dance tradition, are reputed to have taken a troupe of aspara dancers back home with them. While this moment was a setback to the tradition of Khmer Classical Dance, the aspara dance tradition was nonetheless set in stone, as represented in the bas-reliefs of the Angkorian temples in Cambodia.

For centuries the dance was seemingly never performed again in public, yet it seems to have been maintained as an unbroken tradition in the courts of the Angkorian monarchs. Dance nonetheless remained culturally important in the Angkor era such as Siem Reap, Surin Province (now in Thailand) but with different styles due to uncertain knowledge for the original dance which Surin people performs apsara dance in a little fast movement and sustain with Thai-Laos musical

                 Other things you can visit beside the temples in Siem Reap.

Something else to do beside the temple temples: 

1. Landmine Museum Cambodia has a land mine problem. That's hardly news. While more than a few tourists coming to Cambodia are concerned about these mines, the land mines also exist as a curiosity to the traveler. A more accessible opportunity for Siem Reap visitors to learn more about Cambodia's land mine problem came when Mr. Aki Ra opened his land mine museum in late 1998.Located midway between the town of Siem Reap and the Angkor Park on a road parallel to the temple access road, Aki Ra's museum has quickly become one of Siem Reap's most popular attractions after the temples themselves. That is, until the local government got in the way.Aki Ra's history is a remarkable one. Orphaned as a youngster by the Khmer Rouge, he was a child soldier first for the Khmer Rouge in the early 1980s, then with the Vietnamese Army in the second half of that decade, and then with the Cambodian army beginning in 1989. He began clearing and collecting mines in 1995. He works in Siem Reap, Oddar Meanchey, and Banteay Meanchey provinces, with much of his present work in the Poipet area near the Thai border.Open everyday From 8am to 4 pm(No Entrance Fee): 

2. Silk Farm:  Angkor Silk Farm, located 16 km out of Siem Reap, is home to both the National Silk Center (Centre National de la Soie - CNS) and Artisans d'Angkor. The CNS opened in 1993 and received assistance from the French Agency for Development (AFD) from 1994 to 1996. Its aim is the revival of sericulture, of silk farming, as well as teaching the various steps involved in the production of silk goods and seeking ways of improving the techniques used.

As an extension of these activities, the arts and crafts network known as Artisans d'Angkor was established in 1998 with support from the European Union, and was also set up on the Angkor Silk Farm. Together with the CNS, Artisans d'Angkor selects apprentices, has them trained at the CNS, and settled back in their home villages at the conclusion of their training where they work in rural workshops.

Angkor Silk Farm offers guided tours of the sericulture operation, from the cultivation of the mulberry bushes to the production of silk goods. Artisans d'Angkor is also promoting Cambodian silk through its new specialty boutique featuring the Artisans d'Angkor Silk Collection, a fitting conclusion to a tour of the facilities.

3 .War Museum: The War museum has tanks and other war artifacts from previous wars and it is located just off National Road No.6 to Siem Reap airport on the right hand side, where you will see a big sign when to turn off. The war museum is US$3 to enter and opens from 8:00am to 5:30pm daily. The war museum is not as popular as the Land Mine Museum, but may be more interesting to some people. The price of a tuk tuk to the museum is between US$6 and US$7 for a return trip.

 

4. Artisant Angkor:  When the Angkor Empire with its regal builders was at its glorious zenith, thousands of craftsmen erected what is now considered one of the wonders of the world-the Angkor temple complex.In more recent times, years of war and genocide decimated a great number of the heirs of this artistic tradition. With them disappeared a vast body of skills and expertise. The Angkor site was gradually overtaken by a stranglehold of vegetation and forest growth which invaded the sanctuaries, embracing the temple roofs and walls with their serpentine roots. The Chantiers-Écoles de formation professionnelle, a professional training school, was founded to help young Cambodians rediscover traditional handicrafts and give them the opportunity to take part in the rebuilding process their country had undertaken. The CEFP is a public institution which was established in response to an urgent need to train disadvantaged young people with little formal education, living for the most part in rural areas, and offer them a job entry program. Artisans d'Angkor was established as a natural offshoot of the Chantiers-Écoles project as a school-to-work transition for the young craftsmen that had been trained. The skilled artisans could thus be organized into a self-sustaining handicraft network. Open from monday to friday from 8am to 5 pm( No entrance fee)

5. The new Angkor National Museum is expecting to open in November and will be exhibiting Khmers Art and Architecture. It is located on the road to the Angkor admission entrance. For more information seeAngkor National Museum.

 

6. Cambodian Cultural Village: Open everyday( 12usd Per Person).The construction of Cambodian Cultural Village (CCV) started in mid year of 2001, opened to the public in September 24, 2003, with total area of 210,000 meter-square, CCV assembles all the miniatures of famous historical buildings and structures, local customs and practices of all races. There are 11 unique villages, which represent different culture heritages and characteristics of 19 multi races. At each village, the tourists will be able to enjoy the excellent wood houses, carving, soft skill in stone, traditional performances in the different style such as: Apsara Dancing, performance of ethnic. The construction of Cambodian Cultural Village (CCV) started in mid year of 2001, opened to the public in September 24, 2003, with total area of 210,000 meter-square, CCV assembles all the miniatures of famous historical buildings and structures, local customs and practices of all races. There are 11 unique villages, which represent different culture heritages and characteristics of 19 multi races. At each village, the tourists will be able to enjoy the excellent wood houses, carving, soft skill in stone, traditional performances in the different style such as: Apsara Dancing, performance of ethnic minorities from Northeast of Cambodia, traditional wedding ceremony, Circus, Popular games, Peacock dancing, Acrobat, elephants shows, boxing, and more...

The minorities from Northeast of Cambodia, tradiional wedding ceremony, Circus, Popular games, Peacock dancing, Acrobat, elephants shows, boxing, and more...

7. Floating Forest in Kom Pong Pluk: Open every day( 15usd per Person)Kampong Phluk is a cluster of three villages of stilted houses built within the floodplain of the Tonle Sap about 16 km southeast of Siem Reap. The villages are primarily Khmer and have about 3000 inhabitants between them. Flooded mangrove forest surrounds the area and is home to a variety of wildlife including crab-eating macaques. During the dry season when the lake is low, the buildings in the villages seem to soar atop their 6-meter stilts exposed by the lack of water. At this time of year many of the villagers move out onto the lake and build temporary stilted houses. In the wet season when water level rises again, the villagers move back to their permanent houses on the floodplain, the stilts now hidden under the water. Kampong Phluk's economy is, as one might expect, based in fishing, primary in shrimp harvesting.

Cambodian Angkor Tours Tonle Sap Lake 

Tonle Sap Lake is the largest lake in Asia and one of the most important biodiversity sites in the world.  At its height, the ancient Angkor Kingdom used its riches to support the largest human population on the planet in its day.  Centuries later, the Khmer people still rely on Tonle Sap for food as well as for trade.

During the rainy season, tributary rivers reverse their flow and swell the lake to ten times its dry season size.  This is a unique occurence.  It does not happen in any other water system in the world. 

Life around Tonle Sap Lake is a major source of Cambodian culture.  Tourists can enjoy unparalleled access to exotic bird watching, riverboad culture, and Khmer culinary traditions.  No trip to Cambodia is complete without a visit to this fantastic natural and cultural treasure.

Dear Valued Customers

In my page, I would like to show you,

                    How to Sleep, Walk, Stand, Sit, and Speak

Every culture trains its children to become good members of society in order to insure harmony, peace, and stability. Cambodian parents teach their children how to sleep, walk, stand, sit, and speak. For the parents, the values below capture the essence of a well-mannered Cambodian.

How to Sleep

• You must wake up before sunrise or you are lazy.
• Sleeping places in the home are determined according to status. (Cambodian families often live in one or two rooms, and everyone sleeps on the same bed, a large slatted wooden platform about eight- or ten-feet square. The parents sleep at the "head" end and the youngest children sleep at the "foot.")

How to Walk

• Tell people where you are going and when you are coming back. (This is important to show respect to others and to keep them from being embarrassed if someone asks and they don't know where you are.)
• If someone of higher status is passing you, bend lower (from the waist) than that person.
• Don't make sounds with your skirt when you walk.
• Don't wear shoes or hats when you enter a house or temple.
• Close doors softly when you go through them.
• When you meet someone on the street, ask where they are going.

How to Stand

• Stand with your arms crossed at the waist. (Arms at the side means you are signaling that you are strong. Hands on the hips or arms behind your back or across the chest means you are rich, powerful, threatening, or disrespectful of other people.)

How to Sit

• Sit with your legs straight down. (Crossing legs shows disrespect.)
• Never put your feet on a table or show the soles of your feet to others.
• Men can sit on the floor in the lotus position while eating.
• Women must sit on the floor with legs aside.

How to Speak

• You must speak softly and gently.
• Show feelings only at home.
• Children have no right to speak unless spoken to.
• A guest is polite and doesn't talk unless spoken to.
• Let others talk more than you.
• There should be limited talking at meals. Speak only if spoken to.
• If you speak with anger or emotion or express feelings, you will not be respected. You are behaving like an immature and uneducated child.
• Patience is a virtue. (Parents make a comparison between a gasoline fire which ignites quickly and burns to nothing, and a charcoal fire which is difficult to start but cannot easily be extinguished and becomes more intense.)
• Do not make aggressive movements or gestures--such as making a fist, pounding the table, or throwing something--while speaking.
• Moderated feelings are best, i.e., those that are neither very happy or very angry or sad.
• Giving criticism or discussing an individual's problems must not be done in public. (That person will lose face, want revenge, and will be unable to accept your idea.) If you must give criticism, do so in private and indirectly. Talk around the issue, ask for information about the issue, and then let the individual reach her own conclusion in her own time and way.

How to Eat

• Men can eat a lot but must not eat fast.
• Women can eat only a small amount.
• Take food only when asked or directed to.
• Use the communal spoon. Not using it indicates you are insincere or not part of the group.
• People of high rank do not expect to have to get their own food (especially at a buffet). They are often seated in a private or special place and served by others to show status and respect.
• All guests must be served water or another drink even if they come for only a short visit. Give a drink rather than ask what they want which is impolite. If asked, they are obligated to choose the least expensive drink.
• If guests come during a meal, they must be invited to eat.

How to Greet

• Offer a traditional greeting with hands in front of face, palms together, in prayer-like fashion.
• Men can shake hands with men.
• Men should not shake hands with Khmer women unless they offer their hand.
• Men should not hug, kiss, or touch the body of a Khmer woman while greeting her. (She will lose respect and feel embarrassed.)
• Men should not look women directly in the eye. (They may become confused, feel uncomfortable, nervous, shy, and not respected.)
• Men should not give "strong" visual attention to other men.

How to Dress

• Formality is very important for respect in the office and at important occasions, when teaching, or when being welcomed as a guest.
• Men wear long-sleeve shirts, long pants, and shoes. No T-shirts and sandals.
• Women should avoid skirts above the knees and sleeveless or low-cut blouses.
• Shorts are not appropriate in public or when a guest.
• The goal in dressing is to blend in with others, not to stand out.
• Men's hair should be short.

How to Work

• Maintaining proper relationships in the office takes priority over the work.
• Proper behavior is more important than work performance.
• You will get honor if you show respect and politeness to those of higher status or power.
• Your performance will be evaluated based on allegiance to those in power.
• You will be rewarded with money or power or job security if you give respect and allegiance to your superiors.
• It is better to agree than to disagree, especially if the other person has a higher status.
• It is the responsibility of those in power to make decisions.

[The End]

Preparing for New Year

The Khmer New Year in 2011 is April 14-16 and all the preparations have been in full swing especially the first part of this week.  Government people started their vacation last week--and will continue through next week!—while the ordinary people looked forward to Thursday, New Year's Day, and started getting everything ready for the holiday.
	The morning of new year's eve, a municipality truck went along the major thoroughfares with a crew setting Cambodian national flags along the curb.
	All government buildings have some sort of decorations up for the holiday.  This is a government printing house.
	The royal palace has a reviewing stand along the street, overlooking the waterfront of the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers.  Their new year decoration acknowledges that this is the Year of the Rabbit according to the Chinese zodiac.
	Probably the majority of people in Phnom Penh come from the provinces, and the majority of them try to get back there for the holidays.  Drivers of crowded vans like this jack up their prices and drive like idiots to make as many trips a day as possible.
	The majority of the city streets are more deserted than usual, but the intersections along the river where the northbound highways converge, are jammed with traffic trying to go both ways in all lanes at the same time.
	This little girl, all dolled up in a new dress for the holiday, waits for a ride with her family.
	At the Catholic church compound, a new year banner waits for workmen to hang it where it is visible from the road.
	These are flowers at the house where I live.  The landlady has been out early to get her choice of colorful flowers for decorating for new year's.
	All the markets have extra vendors these days, selling the proper flowers and plants for the new year.  Just like Western countries designate pointsettias as a Christmas flower, Khmer culture has its own array of flowers that are required for this festival.

                Preparing for the Water Festival

This is the wedding season in Cambodia. Every day it is easy to ride past one or two, or even five or six, wedding banquets on the streets of Phnom Penh. They're hard to miss because the families of the bride and groom set up a large tent right in the street, sometimes cutting traffic down to a one lane or just a walkway, or even blocking the street completely.

A major reason this season is so popular for weddings is that the rainy season is soon to be upon us, and dry weather is a major asset when the common people hold their celebrations outside.

Cement is very much in evidence in many parts of Asia, and not only for roads and sidewalks and buildings. The graphic arts are often expressed in cement figures and scenes and abstract designs such as this man is creating on the side of a public building in a park. The artisans here can create cement figures in three dimensions that I couldn't even sketch on paper.

Cambodian Angkor Tour Services Countryside Tours I grew up in Siem Reap Province in a village known as Palmtree Village.  The vast majority of Cambodians live in small villages just like this one.  Exploring the modern opportunities in Siem Reap and the ancient spectacles of the temples are fantastic opportunities, but to fully explore Khmer culture and the struggles that Cambodia continues to face, a trip to the countryside is essential.  Cambodia is the poorest country in Southeast Asia and Siem Reap province remains the second poorest province in the country. There are many villages that I work with that love to receive foreigners for a visit.  Travel with me to see water buffalo, stilt houses, and traditional rice cultivation in vibrantly green paddies.  The people of the countryside are generous and friendly and life is slow.  Traveling to one of these villages brings further interest and income to them.  A visit to them is a way for generous individuals to help redress the economic imballance in Cambodian society.  Adventure Temple Tours Banteay Srei Temple Half Day Tour. Banteay Srei temple was built in 967 AD.  It is the only temple in the kingdom built of pink and yellow sandstone,

higher quality and harder stone that was later abandoned for the grey and green sandstone used to built later temples like Angkor Wat.  This superior stone has ensured that the carvings of Banteay Srei have remained in such fantastic condition, offering a rare opportunity to visitors who explore beyond the immediate temple complex.

Kbal Spean This place, holy to the ancient Khmer, still shows the sacred lingas and other reliefs carved into the rock riverbed so many centuries ago.

Flowed from this mountain, and visitors can still see the fertility symbols carved into the riverbed centureis ago to ensure continued prosperity. Holy men study here and ascetic hermits live in ancient pagodas.  It was at Kulen that the Devaraja cult was born, turning the human rulers of the Khmer into gods.  Pilgrimages are still made to the mountain,

The accomodations made for tourists at Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom have not been made here, and visitors enjoy a much quieter and adventourous experience.  It's around 75 km away from Siem Reap city and the way from Siem Reap you will see the culture  house on the Road both site .Meng Mealea Ticket US$5 Person.

It is located 80km from Kulen Mountain and around 150km away from Siem Reap city.  The trip to Koh Ker is beautiful, passing buccolic farms, rice paddies, a rubber farm, and many quiet villages.

Preah Vihear Temple Full Day Tour. It is situated in Preah Vihear Provice on the top of a mountain with spectacular views of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, and even Thailand.

The drive itself is beautiful, a journey along the lush scenery of the Prey Preas River.  Villagers in this area specialize in meals that include crickets, spiders, and frogs as well as sticky rice. The Sambo Prei Kuh temples were the second capital of the Khmer Empire and were built in the 7th Century by King Isanvarman I.

The drive is very scenic, winding through farms and poor hamlets of Khmer, many of whom have never travelled outside of their small communities or to a city. Visitors must travel from Siem Reap by Car. Entrance fees are USD$5 per person, and Transportation and Tour Guide is USD$170.

These temples are in Banteay Meanchey province, around 160km from Angkor Wat, and are easily accessed from Battambang and Poi Pet, as well as Siem Reap. Entrance fees:USD$ 5per person, and Transportation and Tour Guide is USD$160

Angkor Wat

Mr, Sam would like providing to all of visitor who would like coming to Cambodia, Kingdom of Wonder.
Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat  For 1113-1151

Angkor Wat (Khmer: អង្គរវត្ត) is a temple complex at Angkor, Cambodia, built for the king Suryavarman II in the early 12th century as his state temple and capital city. As the best-preserved temple at the site, it is the only one to have remained a significant religious centre since its foundation – first Hindu, dedicated to the god Vishnu, then Buddhist. It is the world's largest religious building.^[1] The temple is at the top of the high classical style of Khmer architecture. It has become a symbol of Cambodia, appearing on its national flag, and it is the country's prime attraction for visitors. Angkor Wat combines two basic plans of Khmer temple architecture: the temple mountain and the later galleried temple, based on early South Indian Hindu architecture, with key features such as the Jagati. It is designed to represent Mount Meru, home of the devas in Hindu mythology: within a moat and an outer wall 3.6 kilometres (2.2 mi) long are three rectangular galleries, each raised above the next. At the centre of the temple stands a quincunx of towers. Unlike most Angkorian temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west; scholars are divided as to the significance of this. The temple is admired for the grandeur and harmony of the architecture, its extensive bas-reliefs, and for the numerous devatas (guardian spirits) adorning its walls.

The modern name, Angkor Wat, means "City Temple"; Angkor is a vernacular form of the word នគរ nokor which comes from the Sanskrit word नगर nagara meaning capital or city. Wat is the Khmer word for temple. Prior to this time the temple was known as Preah Pisnulok, after the posthumous title of its founder, Suryavarman II.

King Suryavarman II, the builder of Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat lies 5.5 km north of the modern town of Siem Reap, and a short distance south and slightly east of the previous capital, which was centred at Baphuon. It is in an area of Cambodia where there is an important group of ancient structures. It is the southernmost of Angkor's main sites.

The initial design and construction of the temple took place in the first half of the 12th century, during the reign of Suryavarman II (ruled 1113 – c. 1150). Dedicated to Vishnu, it was built as the king's state temple and capital city. As neither the foundation stela nor any contemporary inscriptions referring to the temple have been found, its original name is unknown, but it may have been known as Vrah Vishnulok after the presiding deity. Work seems to have ended shortly after the king's death, leaving some of the bas-relief decoration unfinished.^[3] In 1177, approximately 27 years after the death of Suryavarman II, Angkor was sacked by the Chams, the traditional enemies of the Khmer. Thereafter the empire was restored by a new king, Jayavarman VII, who established a new capital and state temple (Angkor Thom and the Bayon respectively) a few kilometres to the north.

 

Henri Mouhot popularised the temple in the west in the mid 19th-           century

In the late 13th century, Angkor Wat gradually moved from Hindu to Theravada Buddhist use, which continues to the present day. Angkor Wat is unusual among the Angkor temples in that although it was somewhat neglected after the 16th century it was never completely abandoned, its preservation being due in part to the fact that its moat also provided some protection from encroachment by the jungle.

One of the first Western visitors to the temple was Antonio da Magdalena, a Portuguese monk who visited in 1586 and said that it "is of such extraordinary construction that it is not possible to describe it with a pen, particularly since it is like no other building in the world. It has towers and decoration and all the refinements which the human genius can conceive of".^[5] However, the temple was popularised in the West only in the mid-19th century on the publication of Henri Mouhot's travel notes. The French explorer wrote of it:

Facade of Angkor Wat, a drawing by Henri Mouhot

"One of these temples—a rival to that of Solomon, and erected by some ancient Michelangelo—might take an honourable place beside our most beautiful buildings. It is grander than anything left to us by Greece or Rome, and presents a sad contrast to the state of barbarism in which the nation is now plunged."^[6]

Mouhot, like other early Western visitors, found it difficult to believe that the Khmers could have built the temple, and mistakenly dated it to around the same era as Rome. The true history of Angkor Wat was pieced together only from stylistic and epigraphic evidence accumulated during the subsequent clearing and restoration work carried out across the whole Angkor site.

There were no ordinary dwellings or houses or other signs of settlement including cooking utensils, weapons, or items of clothing usually found at ancient sites. Instead there is the evidence of the monuments themselves.^[7]

French postcard about Angkor Wat in 1911

Angkor Wat required considerable restoration in the 20th century, mainly the removal of accumulated earth and vegetation. Work was interrupted by the civil war and Khmer Rouge control of the country during the 1970s and 1980s, but relatively little damage was done during this period other than the theft and destruction of mostly post-Angkorian statues.

The temple is a powerful symbol of Cambodia, and is a source of great national pride that has factored into Cambodia's diplomatic relations with its neighbour Thailand, France and the United States. A depiction of Angkor Wat has been a part of Cambodian national flags since the introduction of the first version circa 1863,

The splendid artistic legacy of Angkor Wat and other Khmer monuments in the Angkor region led directly to France adopting Cambodia as a protectorate on 11 August 1863. This quickly led to Cambodia reclaiming lands in the northwestern corner of the country that had been under Thai control since the Thai invasion of 1431 AD. Cambodia gained independence from France on 9 November 1953 and has controlled Angkor Wat since that time.

During the midst of the Vietnam War, Chief of State Norodom Sihanouk hosted Jacqueline Kennedy in Cambodia to fulfill her "lifelong dream of seeing Angkor Wat.

In January 2003 riots erupted in Phnom Penh when a false rumour circulated that a Thai soap opera actress had claimed that Angkor Wat belonged to Thailand.

Architecture

Site and plan

 

General plan of Angkor Wat with central structure in the middle

Detailed plan of the central structure

Angkor Wat, located at 13°24′45″N 103°52′0″E / 13.4125°N 103.866667°E / 13.4125; 103.866667, is a unique combination of the temple mountain, the standard design for the empire's state temples, the later plan of concentric galleries, and influences from Orissa and the Chola of Tamil Nadu, India. The temple is a representation of Mount Meru, the home of the gods: the central quincunx of towers symbolises the five peaks of the mountain, and the walls and moat the surrounding mountain ranges and ocean. Access to the upper areas of the temple was progressively more exclusive, with the laity being admitted only to the lowest level.

Unlike most Khmer temples, Angkor Wat is oriented to the west rather than the east. This has led many (including Glaize and George Coedès) to conclude that Suryavarman intended it to serve as his funerary temple. Further evidence for this view is provided by the bas-reliefs, which proceed in a counter-clockwise direction—prasavya in Hindu terminology—as this is the reverse of the normal order. Rituals take place in reverse order during Brahminic funeral services. The archaeologist Charles Higham also describes a container which may have been a funerary jar which was recovered from the central tower. It has been nominated by some as the greatest expenditure of energy on the disposal of a corpse. Freeman and Jacques, however, note that several other temples of Angkor depart from the typical eastern orientation, and suggest that Angkor Wat's alignment was due to its dedication to Vishnu, who was associated with the west.

A further interpretation of Angkor Wat has been proposed by Eleanor Mannikka. Drawing on the temple's alignment and dimensions, and on the content and arrangement of the bas-reliefs, she argues that the structure represents a claimed new era of peace under King Suryavarman II: "as the measurements of solar and lunar time cycles were built into the sacred space of Angkor Wat, this divine mandate to rule was anchored to consecrated chambers and corridors meant to perpetuate the king's power and to honor and placate the deities manifest in the heavens above. Mannikka's suggestions have been received with a mixture of interest and scepticism in academic circles. She distances herself from the speculations of others, such as Graham Hancock, that Angkor Wat is part of a representation of the constellation Draco.

Style of Angkor Wat By Mr, Sam

Upper gallery at Angkor Wat 

Angkor Wat is the prime example of the classical style of Khmer architecture—the Angkor Wat style—to which it has given its name. By the 12th century Khmer architects had become skilled and confident in the use of sandstone (rather than brick or laterite) as the main building material. Most of the visible areas are of sandstone blocks, while laterite was used for the outer wall and for hidden structural parts. The binding agent used to join the blocks is yet to be identified, although natural resins or slaked lime have been suggested.

Angkor Wat has drawn praise above all for the harmony of its design, which has been compared to the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. According to Maurice Glaize, a mid-20th-century conservator of Angkor, the temple "attains a classic perfection by the restrained monumentality of its finely balanced elements and the precise arrangement of its proportions. It is a work of power, unity and style."

Architecturally, the elements characteristic of the style include: the ogival, redented towers shaped like lotus buds; half-galleries to broaden passageways; axial galleries connecting enclosures; and the cruciform terraces which appear along the main axis of the temple. Typical decorative elements are devatas (or apsaras), bas-reliefs, and on pediments extensive garlands and narrative scenes. The statuary of Angkor Wat is considered conservative, being more static and less graceful than earlier work. Other elements of the design have been destroyed by looting and the passage of time, including gilded stucco on the towers, gilding on some figures on the bas-reliefs, and wooden ceiling panels and doors.

The Angkor Wat style was followed by that of the Bayon period, in which quality was often sacrificed to quantity. Other temples in the style are Banteay Samré, Thommanon, Chao Say Tevoda and the early temples of Preah Pithu at Angkor; outside Angkor, Beng Mealea and parts of Phanom Rung and Phimai.

Features

Aerial view of Angkor Wat

Outer enclosure

The Temple viewed from the northwest

The outer wall, 1024 by 802 m and 4.5 m high, is surrounded by a 30 m apron of open ground and a moat 190 m wide. Access to the temple is by an earth bank to the east and a sandstone causeway to the west; the latter, the main entrance, is a later addition, possibly replacing a wooden bridge. There are gopuras at each of the cardinal points; the western is by far the largest and has three ruined towers. Glaize notes that this gopura both hides and echoes the form of the temple proper. Under the southern tower is a statue of Vishnu, known as Ta Reach, which may originally have occupied the temple's central shrine. Galleries run between the towers and as far as two further entrances on either side of the gopura often referred to as "elephant gates", as they are large enough to admit those animals. These galleries have square pillars on the outer (west) side and a closed wall on the inner (east) side. The ceiling between the pillars is decorated with lotus rosettes; the west face of the wall with dancing figures; and the east face of the wall with balustered windows, dancing male figures on prancing animals, and devatas, including (south of the entrance) the only one in the temple to be showing her teeth.

The outer wall encloses a space of 820,000 square metres (203 acres), which besides the temple proper was originally occupied by the city and, to the north of the temple, the royal palace. Like all secular buildings of Angkor, these were built of perishable materials rather than of stone, so nothing remains of them except the outlines of some of the streets. Most of the area is now covered by forest. A 350 m causeway connects the western gopura to the temple proper, with naga balustrades and six sets of steps leading down to the city on either side. Each side also features a library with entrances at each cardinal point, in front of the third set of stairs from the entrance, and a pond between the library and the temple itself. The ponds are later additions to the design, as is the cruciform terrace guarded by lions connecting the causeway to the central structure.

Central structure

Miniature model of the central structure of Angkor Wat. In the foreground the cruciform terrace which lies in front of the central structure.

The temple stands on a terrace raised higher than the city. It is made of three rectangular galleries rising to a central tower, each level higher than the last. Mannikka interprets these galleries as being dedicated to the king, Brahma, the moon, and Vishnu.^[3] Each gallery has a gopura at each of the points, and the two inner galleries each have towers at their corners, forming a quincunx with the central tower. Because the temple faces west, the features are all set back towards the east, leaving more space to be filled in each enclosure and gallery on the west side; for the same reason the west-facing steps are shallower than those on the other sides.

The outer gallery measures 187 by 215 m, with pavilions rather than towers at the corners. The gallery is open to the outside of the temple, with columned half-galleries extending and buttressing the structure. Connecting the outer gallery to the second enclosure on the west side is a cruciform cloister called Preah Poan (the "Hall of a Thousand Gods"). Buddha images were left in the cloister by pilgrims over the centuries, although most have now been removed. This area has many inscriptions relating the good deeds of pilgrims, most written in Khmer but others in Burmese and Japanese. The four small courtyards marked out by the cloister may originally have been filled with water. North and south of the cloister are libraries.

Beyond, the second and inner galleries are connected to each other and to two flanking libraries by another cruciform terrace, again a later addition. From the second level upwards, devatas abound on the walls, singly or in groups of up to four. The second-level enclosure is 100 by 115 m, and may originally have been flooded to represent the ocean around Mount Meru. Three sets of steps on each side lead up to the corner towers and gopuras of the inner gallery. The very steep stairways represent the difficulty of ascending to the kingdom of the gods. This inner gallery, called the Bakan, is a 60 m square with axial galleries connecting each gopura with the central shrine, and subsidiary shrines located below the corner towers. The roofings of the galleries are decorated with the motif of the body of a snake ending in the heads of lions or garudas. Carved lintels and pediments decorate the entrances to the galleries and to the shrines. The tower above the central shrine rises 43 m to a height of 65 m above the ground; unlike those of previous temple mountains, the central tower is raised above the surrounding four.^[33] The shrine itself, originally occupied by a statue of Vishnu and open on each side, was walled in when the temple was converted to Theravada Buddhism, the new walls featuring standing Buddhas. In 1934, the conservator George Trouvé excavated the pit beneath the central shrine: filled with sand and water it had already been robbed of its treasure, but he did find a sacred foundation deposit of gold leaf two metres above ground level.

Decoration

Devatas are characteristic of the Angkor Wat style.

The bas-relief of the Churning of the Sea of Milk shows Vishnu in the centre, his turtle Avatar Kurma below, asuras and devas to left and right, and apsaras and Indra above.

Integrated with the architecture of the building, and one of the causes for its fame is Angkor Wat's extensive decoration, which predominantly takes the form of bas-relief friezes. The inner walls of the outer gallery bear a series of large-scale scenes mainly depicting episodes from the Hindu epics the Ramayana and the Mahabharata. Higham has called these, "the greatest known linear arrangement of stone carving". From the north-west corner anti-clockwise, the western gallery shows the Battle of Lanka (from the Ramayana, in which Rama defeats Ravana) and the Battle of Kurukshetra (from the Mahabharata, showing the mutual annihilation of the Kaurava and Pandava clans). On the southern gallery follow the only historical scene, a procession of Suryavarman II, then the 32 hells and 37 heavens of Hindu mythology.

On the eastern gallery is one of the most celebrated scenes, the Churning of the Sea of Milk, showing 92 asuras and 88 devas using the serpent Vasuki to churn the sea under Vishnu's direction (Mannikka counts only 91 asuras, and explains the asymmetrical numbers as representing the number of days from the winter solstice to the spring equinox, and from the equinox to the summer solstice). It is followed by Vishnu defeating asuras (a 16th-century addition). The northern gallery shows Krishna's victory over Bana (where according to Glaize, "The workmanship is at its worst" and a battle between the Hindu gods and asuras. The north-west and south-west corner pavilions both feature much smaller-scale scenes, some unidentified but most from the Ramayana or the life of Krishna.

Construction techniques

The stones, as smooth as polished marble, were laid without mortar with very tight joints that were sometimes hard to find. The blocks were held together by mortise and tenon joints in some cases, while in others they used dovetails and gravity. The blocks were presumably put in place by a combination of elephants, coir ropes, pulleys and bamboo scaffolding. Henri Mouhot noted that most of the blocks had holes 2.5 cm in diameter and 3 cm deep, with more holes on the larger blocks. Some scholars have suggested that these were used to join them together with iron rods, but others claim they were used to hold temporary pegs to help manoeuvre them into place. The Khmer architects never made the curved arches used by the Romans. They did create a corbelled arch, but this often proved unstable and collapsed.

The monument was made out of enormous amounts of sandstone, as much as Khafre's pyramid in Egypt (over 5 million tons). This sandstone had to be transported from Mount Kulen, a quarry approximately 25 miles (40 km) to the northeast. The stone was presumably transported by raft along the Siem Reap river. This would have to have been done with care to avoid overturning the rafts with such a large amount of weight. One modern engineer estimated it would take 300 years to complete Angkor Wat today. Yet the monument was begun soon after Suryavarman came to the throne and was finished shortly after his death, no more than 40 years.

Virtually all of its surfaces, columns, lintels even roofs are carved. There are miles of reliefs illustrating scenes from Indian literature including unicorns, griffins, winged dragons pulling chariots as well as warriors following an elephant mounted leader and celestial dancing girls with elaborate hair styles. The gallery wall alone is decorated with almost 1,000 square metres of bas reliefs. Holes on some of the Angkor walls indicate that they may have been decorated with bronze sheets. These were highly prized in ancient times and were a prime target for robbers. While excavating Khajuraho, Alex Evans, a stone mason and sculptor, recreated a stone sculpture under 4 feet (1.2 m), this took about 60 days to carve. Roger Hopkins and Mark Lehner also conducted experiments to quarry limestone which took 12 quarrymen 22 days to quarry about 400 tons of stone. The labour force to quarry, transport, carve and install this much sandstone must have run into the thousands including many highly skilled artisans. The skill required to carve these sculptures was developed hundreds of years earlier, as demonstrated by some artifacts found that were dated to the seventh century before the Khmer came into power...

View of the moat surrounding Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat today

World Monuments Fund video on conservation of Angkor Wat

The Archaeological Survey of India carried out restoration work on the temple between 1986 and 1992. Since the 1990s, Angkor Wat has seen continued conservation efforts and a massive increase in tourism. The temple is part of the Angkor World Heritage Site, established in 1992, which has provided some funding and has encouraged the Cambodian government to protect the site. The German Apsara Conservation Project (GACP) is working to protect the devatas and other bas-reliefs which decorate the temple from damage. The organisation's survey found that around 20% of the devatas were in very poor condition, mainly because of natural erosion and deterioration of the stone but in part also due to earlier restoration efforts. Other work involves the repair of collapsed sections of the structure, and prevention of further collapse: the west facade of the upper level, for example, has been buttressed by scaffolding since 2002, while a Japanese team completed restoration of the north library of the outer enclosure in 2005.World Monuments Fund began work on the Churning of the Sea of Milk Gallery in 2008.

Angkor Wat has become a major tourist destination. In 2004 and 2005, government figures suggest that, respectively, 561,000 and 677,000 foreign visitors arrived in Siem Reap province, approximately 50% of all foreign tourists in Cambodia for both years. The site has been managed by the private SOKIMEX group since 1990, which rented it from the Cambodian government. The influx of tourists has so far caused relatively little damage, other than some graffiti; ropes and wooden steps have been introduced to protect the bas-reliefs and floors, respectively. Tourism has also provided some additional funds for maintenance—as of 2000 approximately 28% of ticket revenues

Khmer (ភាសាខ្មែរ), or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language (after Vietnamese), with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious registers, through the vehicles of Hinduism and Buddhism. It is also the earliest recorded and earliest written language of the Mon-Khmer family, predating Mon and by a significant margin Vietnamese. As a result of geographic proximity, the Khmer language has influenced, and also been influenced by; Thai, Lao, Vietnamese and Cham many of which all form a pseudo-sprachbund in peninsular Southeast Asia, since most contain high levels of Sanskrit and Pali influences.

Khmer has its own script, an abugida known in Khmer as Aksar Khmer. Khmer differs from neighboring languages such as Thai, Lao and Vietnamese in that it is not a tonal language.

The main dialects, all mutually intelligible, are:

• Battambang, spoken in northern Cambodia.
• Phnom Penh, the capital dialect and is also spoken in surrounding provinces.
• Northern Khmer, also known as Khmer Surin, spoken by ethnic Khmer native to Northeast Thailand
• Khmer Krom or Southern Khmer, spoken by the indigenous Khmer population of the Mekong Delta.
• Cardamom Khmer, an archaic form spoken by a small population in the Cardamom Mountains of western Cambodia.

Angkor (Khmer: អង្គរ) is a region of Cambodia that served as the seat of the Khmer Empire, which flourished from approximately the 9th to 15th centuries. The word Angkor is derived from the Sanskrit nagara (नगर), meaning "city".^[1] The Angkorian period began in AD 802, when the Khmer Hindu monarch Jayavarman II declared himself a "universal monarch" and "god-king", until 1431, when Ayutthayan invaders sacked the Khmer capital, causing its population to migrate south to the area of Phnom Penh.

The ruins of Angkor are located amid forests and farmland to the north of the Great Lake (Tonlé Sap) and south of the Kulen Hills, near modern-day Siem Reap (13°24′N, 103°51′E), and are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, said to be the world's largest single religious monument. Many of the temples at Angkor have been restored, and together, they comprise the most significant site of Khmer architecture. Visitor numbers approach two million annually.

In 2007, an international team of researchers using satellite photographs and other modern techniques concluded that Angkor had been the largest preindustrial city in the world, with an elaborate system of infrastructure connecting an urban sprawl of at least 1,000 square kilometres (390 sq mi) to the well-known temples at its core.^[2] The closest rival to Angkor, the Mayan city of Tikal in Guatemala, was between 100 and 150 square kilometres (39 and 58 sq mi) in total size.^[3] Although its population remains a topic of research and debate, newly identified agricultural systems in the Angkor area may have supported up to one million people.

Suryavarman II (Khmer: ព្រះបាទសូរ្យវរ្ម័នទី២) (posthumous name Paramavishnuloka) was king of the Khmer Empire from 1113 AD to 1145-1150 AD and the builder of Angkor Wat, which he dedicated to the Hindu god Vishnu. His reign's monumental architecture, numerous military campaigns and restoration of strong government have led historians to rank Suryavarman as one of the empire's greatest kings.

Early years

The king appears to have grown up in a provincial estate in the area of present-day Lopburi in Thailand, at a time of weakening central controls in the empire. An inscription lists his father as Ksitindraditya, his mother as Narendralashmi. As a young prince, he maneuvered for power, contending he had a legitimate claim to the throne. “At the end of his studies,” states an inscription, “he approved the desire of the royal dignity of his family.” He appears to have dealt with a rival claimant from the line of Hashovarman III, which held sway in the south, then to have turned on the elderly and largely ineffectual King Dharanindravarman, his great uncle. “Leaving on the field of combat the ocean of his armies, he delivered a terrible battle,” states an inscription. “Bounding on the head of the elephant of the enemy king, he killed him, as Garuda on the edge of a mountain would kill a serpent.”^[1] Scholars have disagreed on whether this language refers to the death of the southern claimant or King Dharanindravarman.

Suryavarman was enthroned in 1113 AD. An aged Brahman sage named Divakarapandita oversaw the ceremonies, this being the third time the priest had officiated coronation. Inscriptions record that the new monarch studied sacred rituals, celebrated religious festivals and gave gifts to the priest such as palanquins, fans, crowns, buckets and rings. The priest embarked on a lengthy tour of temples in the empire, including the mountaintop Preah Vihear, which he provided with a golden statue of dancing Shiva.^[2] The king’s formal coronation took place in 1119 AD, with Divakarapandita again performing the rites.

The first two syllables in the monarch's name are a Sanskrit root meaning "sun". Varman is the traditional suffix of Indian kshatriyas that is generally translated as "shield" or "protector", and was adopted by Khmer royal lineages.

The Reign

During his decades in power, the king reunited the empire, reversing many of the benign policies of his predecessor, historians believe. Vassals paid him tribute. In the west and north, his soldiers expanded the borders to cover new parts of present-day Thailand, Laos and Peninsular Malaysia. He staged large military operations in the east as well, but these were largely unsuccessful, at least according to accounts from the empire's rivals. As is common in reconstructing Khmer history, there is plenty of room for debating these and other precise events. Khmer inscriptions, a major source of information, may exaggerate the empire's accomplishments, while accounts from rival states may do the same with its shortcomings.

Inscriptions in the neighboring Indianized state Champa and accounts left by writers in Đại Việt, a Vietnam precursor state, say that Suryavarman staged three major but unsuccessful attacks on Dai-Viet, sometimes with the support of Champa. In 1128 AD, he is said to have led 20,000 soldiers against Dai-Viet, but they were defeated and chased out. The next year he sent a fleet of more than 700 vessels to attack its coast. In 1132 AD, combined Khmer and Cham forces again invaded, to no real success. Later, the Cham king Jaya Indravarman III made peace with Dai-Viet and refused to support further attacks.

In 1145 AD, Suryavarman appears to have invaded Champa, defeated its king and sacked the capital Vijaya. On the Cham throne he placed a new king, Harideva, said to be the younger brother of the Khmer ruler's wife. In subsequent fighting, Cham forces recaptured the capital and killed Harideva.^[3]

In addition to war, Suryavarman practiced diplomacy, resuming formal relations with China in 1116 AD. A Chinese account of the 13th century says that the Khmer embassy had 14 members, who after reaching Chinese soil were given special court garments. “Scarcely have we arrived to contemplate anear your glory than we are already filled with your benefits,” one of the ambassadors is quoted as telling the Chinese emperor. The embassy went home the following year. Another embassy visited in 1120 AD; in 1128 AD, the emperor conferred high dignities on the Khmer ruler, deeming him “great vassal of the empire.” Problems concerning commerce between the two states were examined and regulated.^[4]

The king's reign saw great innovations in art and architecture. He presided over construction of Angkor Wat, the largest temple ever built in the capital, and in many modern minds the ultimate masterpiece of Khmer architecture. Its five central towers evoke the peaks of Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods. It was resplendent with more than 1,860 carved apsara, or heavenly nymphs, and hundreds of meters of elaborate bas reliefs depicting the Hindu legends and scenes from contemporary life. Other temples dating to his reign include Banteay Samre, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda and, east of the capital, the huge Beng Mealea complex.

Suryavarman married, but no record exists of his wives' names.

 Religious Life

Suryavarman II was unusual among Khmer kings in making Vishnu rather than Shiva the focus of court religious life. The reasons for this decision are not known. Scholars have long debated whether his association with Vishnu helps explain why Angkor Wat faces west, the cardinal direction with which Vishnu is associated, rather than the common orientation for Khmer temples of east Court and Military Life

For reasons unknown, Suryavarman II is the first Khmer king to be depicted in art. A bas relief in the south gallery of Angkor Wat shows him seated on an elaborate wooden dais whose legs and railings are carved to resemble naga snakes. On his head is a pointed diadem, and his ears have pendants. He wears anklets, armlets and bracelets. His right hand holds what seems to be a small dead snake—its meaning is unclear. His torso curves gracefully, his legs folded beneath him. The general image projected is one of serenity, and comfort with power and position.

His image is part of a unique and detailed portrait of court life in the Angkor period. The scene's setting appears to be outside, amidst a forest. Kneeling attendants hold over His Majesty a profusion of fans, fly whisks and parasols that denoted rank. Princesses are carried in elaborately carved palanquins. Whiskered Brahman priests look on, some of them apparently preparing things for a ceremony. To the right of His Majesty, a courtier kneels, apparently presenting something. Advisers look on, kneeling, some with hands over hearts in a gesture of obeisance. To the right we see an elaborate procession, with retainers sounding conches, drums and a gong. An ark bearing the royal fire, symbol of power, is carried on shoulders.

Further on in the gallery is a display of Suryavarman's military might. Commanders with armor and weapons stand atop fierce war elephants, with ranks of foot soldiers below, each holding a spear and shield. One of the commanders is the king himself, looking over his right shoulder, his chest covered with armor, a sharp weapon in his right hand.

Death and Succession

Inscriptional evidence suggests that Suryavarman II died at some point between 1145 AD and 1150 AD, possibly during a military campaign against Champa. He was succeeded by Dharanindravarman II, a cousin, son of the brother of the king’s mother. A period of weak rule and feuding began.

Suryavarman was given the posthumous name Paramavishnuloka, He Who Has Entered the Heavenly World of Vishnu. Angkor Wat appears to have been completed only after his death.

A modern sculpture that adapts his court image in the Angkor Wat bas reliefs today greets visitors arriving at the Siem Reap airport. Parasols shelter this image of the king, as real ones did the real Suryavarman almost nine centuries ago.

Popular culture

Suryavarman II is a civilization leader in the 2007 PC computer game Civilization IV: Beyond the Sword. In the game, Suryavarman is the leader of the Khmer Empire and has the leader traits "Creative" and "Expansive" (these traits were previously used for Cyrus of Persia in the original Civilization IV game).

In the Cambodian legal system, an oath to tell the truth is also required.  Because Buddhism--the prevailing religious belief in Cambodia--does not believe in a god, the oath is typically sworn to Buddha, the spirits of the courtroom, or the ghosts of famous Khmer warriors.  The wording threatens dire punishments for those who would testify falsely:

"If I am home, let fire destroy my house for 800 reincarnations; if I am in a boat, let it sink for 800 reincarnations; when I become a ghost, let me eat bloody pus, or swim in boiling chili oil for 800 reincarnations."

Cambodian Culture

Eating then and now

At the end of the rainy season, the water recedes; fish are trapped in drying up ponds, unable to reach the Tonle Sap River.  Generally, the Khmer people used salt for preserving fish. They transported salt from the coast and mountain mines.  At least some of the fish from the December-January harvest must have been preserved.

The Khmers did not know how to make soy sauce. They ate some fruits such as bananas, coconuts, mangoes, lichees, papayas, and oranges (but not guavas in ancient times). There were some vegetables: onions, mustard, leeks, eggplants, watermelons, squashes, cucumbers, okra, and many vegetables that grew in water. The Khmer people continue to eat lotus pods and roots and the whole of the water lilies.

They drank milk from cows and goats. Khmer people were not vegetarian because they ate meat from pig and deer as is shown in a bas-relief at Bayon. They grew some fruit trees near houses and they cleaned their teeth with small pieces of poplar wood.
                                                                                          Researched and written by Samoeun Sok called Sam

Christmas 2002 in Cambodia

Christmas in Phnom Penh Christmas Dinner 27 December 2002 Everyone worked all day on Christmas Day and then the Maryknoll family plus a few of the regulars who join us on Wednesdays got together for a Christmas dinner of turkey and all the trimmings. Quite good! We had about thirty people, just about the limit we can handle at our house. By 8:00 PM people were already heading home because the next day it was back to work. And this is the end of the Christmas 2002 reporting!

Christmas in Phnom Penh Santa and His Elves 25 December 2002 Each year John and Kathy Tucker dress up in full Santa Claus regalia and visit the various Maryknoll group homes for AIDS patients and for children with developmental disabilities. None of them have a clue what Christmas is all about, but they certain enjoy the arrival of Santa's jeep, this year with the addition of Elf Ed McGovern! Here Santa puts some gifts under the tree at the Maryknoll center house and then poses with our kitchen staff. Charlie found himself restocked with peanut butter and jelly, thanks to Santa!

Christmas in Phnom Penh At the sisters' house 24 December 2002 On the Sunday before Christmas, there is always a lot going on at the Maryknoll sisters' house. Earlier in the afternoon children from the neighborhood and the kids of the motorcycle drivers are invited over to decorate Christmas cookies. They all go home with gifts and bags of candy. Then at supper time, the big Maryknoll kids come over for a pizza supper. This year we had several Korean guests, friends of Cho Hae In, a Maryknoll associate priest from the Seoul diocese.

Christmas in Phnom Penh The Ecumenical Service 22 December 2002 The five major international Christian congregations held a joint Christmas service again this year. Pictured are the congregation and children's choir (above); two of the prayer leaders (left); and the regular and Filipino choirs (below). About 425 people from many nations attended the service held in a hotel ballroom.

Christmas in Phnom Penh The second event... 20 December 2002 Today was supposed to be a general staff meeting for the Disability Action Council but last week the director suggested that we take a boat ride together instead, in honor of the Christmas season. None of the staff are Christian, except for the three of us ex-patriates seconded to DAC from other organizations, but everyone thought it was a grand idea. We had a three-hour trip upriver, farther up than I had ever been before. The boat stopped at its turnaround point at a well-organized river village where we saw local women weaving silk material in beautiful traditional Khmer designs. The village was full of children who provided the only connection with Christmas that I could make on this trip. I do hope very much, you will enjoy my web.

The first event...

19 December 2002

Christmas Day itself is a work day in Cambodia where few of the Cambodian people would know what Christmas is all about. In the foreign community, though, some Christmas events take place. Some NGOs have parties for their staffs, schools have parties in the classrooms, and the odd few public events are scheduled. One of those took place last night when the Filipino choir who sing at the Saturday night mass of the English-speaking Catholic community held a Christmas song session at the Sunway Hotel. It had been announced at the mass last Saturday and five of us Maryknollers decided to go to show our support for the choir. Unfortunately the choir's announcement failed to mention that reservations were needed, the music program was in conjunction with a buffet dinner, and there was a $6.50 charge. We finally got in and sat in extra chairs set up in the aisles (there are no such things as fire-safety rules here). The photo shows our group lighting our candle for the singing of Silent Night.

Tour guide services/sample itinerary:

Driver and tourist guide.

Meeting Places - To pick up and Transfer :

- Siem Reap Airport.

- Bus station in Siem Reap.

- Phnom Krom Ferry boat.

- Cambodian - Thai border.

- Cambodian - Lao border.

- Vietnamese - Cambodian border.

All information and price guides or Tuk tuk are shown in the following web pages. Please feel free to contact us if you have any other enquiries or need any further information.

I am ready and happy to serve you deligently! I would like to offer different tour programs and packages that suit your time, budget and style. Flexible Tour Itineraries: - Main Historical sites to explore in Siem Reap Province

• Small Circle temples: Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom (South Gate, Bayon, Baphuon, Phimean akas, Terraces of Elephants, Terraces of the Leper King, Prasat Sour Prat, Preah Palilay, and Tep Pranom), Chau Say, Thommanon, Ta Keo, Spean Thmor, Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, Srah Srang, Brasat Kravan
  
• Grand Circle temples: Great temple of Preah Khan, Neak Poan, Ta Som, East Mobon, Pre Rub
• Beyond Temples/sites: Over 37km away where you'll discover the great and detail carving of Banteay Srey temple, Kbal Spean and Phnom Kulen waterfalls & River of 1000 lingas on the submit of the mount.
  
• Remote/Jungle temples: Great temples of Beng Mealea and Koh Ker Group and Preah Vihear temple near Cambodian - Thai borders!
  
• Floating villages: Chong Khneas, Kampong Phluk, Kampong Khleang & Me Chrey Areas
  
• Countryside tours: See how typical Cambodian farmers/villagers live & work. Come & get dirty with them in the muddy rice fields..
  
• and a visit to one local-run orphanage: Spend some time with the local kids in their home environment. It's not far from the town center - children are really in need there and they really appreciate your presence.
  

Siem Reap - Angkor has an ever-growing number of hotel/guesthouse rooms, and a variety that is wide enough satisfy all tastes and requirements. There are now several 3 star, 4 star and 5 star hotels in Siem Reap town, especially along the airport road and Angkor road and old market areas. Less expensive mid-range rooms with A/C, Cable TV and hot water are available in a variety of styles and look and begin at around US$30 or US$50 but average US$60 - US$120. More expensive usually means newer, more stylish rooms and more hotel services. Budget guesthouse, usually Khmer family-run, cost US$10 - US$25 per night. Dozens of budget places are scattered across town. If you are interested in the hotels, please send me a query. We are very pleased to reply to all of your Questions and Queries within 24 hours. All budgets can be catered for. We look forward to seeing you soon. I will act as your agent in package holiday/Tours in Siem Reap - Angkor and Phnom Penh city. If you wish to do. Please contact us with your requirements. I promise to show you the real Cambodia in a fun, and safe and affordable fashion.

Transportation by tour guide: PRIVATE TRANSPORT :

1 . Bus ( 25 , 35 , 40 seat ). The prices: USD 70 per day per bus plus gas

2 . Mini Van ( 8 , 12 and 15 seat ) The prices: USD 40 per day per Mini Van plus gas

3. Car ( 4 seat ) : The price is USD 30 per car per day plus gas

 4. Big side tuk tuk (2-4 seat) : It is very and very reasonable price,

I do hope very much, Ladies and Gentlemen will contact and ask me about tourist information for traveling to Cambodia

which is a wonderful Kingdom,