Cheap flights to Cambodia
Cambodia, sometimes known as Kampuchea, certainly has a chequered and tragic past extending, not just back to the late 20th Century, but hundreds of years to the time of the enigmatic Khmers and earlier.The legacy of Cambodia's tumultuous history is evident throughout the country in numerous and various ways. For a first-time visitor like myself, the most obvious first impression is the recovering infrastructure, clawing its way out of the "year zero" nightmare inflicted on it during the insanity of the Khmer Rouge regime of the late '70s. Clumsy rickshaws, rickety carts and smoky old mopeds all compete for space with modern Toyota 4WDs and sleek minibuses on the inadequate, dusty roads. And through intricate and expressive stone-masonry, Cambodia's abundant archaeology tells vivid tales of savage conflict and regal intrigue.
Even in the capital of Phnom Penh, the city streets are only now being treated to a layer of bitumen where the newly mobile are helping to create an air of bustle and activity. Once a virtual ghost town under the iron fist of the KR, Phnom Penh is blossoming again into a mini-metropolis with all the trappings of a vibrant SE Asian hub.
After spending some time observing the quiet chaos in the downtown districts, the distinct lack of older folks becomes evident. This fact is even more apparent when you travel into the rural heartland. During the mayhem of the '70s and '80s, the population of Cambodia was almost halved through war, genocide, disease and starvation, leaving barely four million inhabitants to rebuild the shattered land. Some twenty years later, over ten million people are now dispersed across the countryside, with a demographic distinctly skewed to the under-25s. A visit to either the infamous 'killing fields' or the macabre prison museum leaves one in no doubt about the deplorable acts perpetrated on this hapless community.
Timber and tourism now make up the bulk of Cambodia's foreign trade, with the latter being particularly enthusiastically embraced by the populace.
The country's key attraction, the Angkor Wat complex near Siem Reap is driving the turnaround almost single-handedly. Rediscovered by French colonialists in the mid-1800s, the huge temples were soon cleared of hundreds of years of jungle growth and revealed in their entirety. Apart from the widely-known Angkor Wat, (it's on the flag) a dozen or more impressive temples come together to make up an enormous fortress city around the central complex of Angkor Thom.
This thriving, ornate city was the seat of power for some twenty-seven Khmer kings from 802 AD until around 1327 and finally abandoned to the jungle one hundred years later. For over four centuries Angkor lay dormant under its verdant shroud, and the damage to its intricate structures during this time was enormous. Huge Banyan trees, still evident at Lara Croft's temple (Ta Prohm), took root amongst the ruins, prising apart walls and foundations. Historians and archaeologists have been trying to put the heritage and the stonework back together for nearly one hundred years, their efforts continually thwarted by war, vandalism and looting.
Further supporting its significance, UNESCO listed Angkor as a World Heritage area in 1992, acknowledging the 400 square kilometre Angkor Archaeological Park as one of the most significant such sites in SE Asia. At the same time it was inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger.
Shortly after UNESCO's blessing, the final pockets of Khmer Rouge were dissolved, removing the single greatest obstacle to the return of tourists, and in just ten years, visitor numbers are soaring. In 1998 nearly 50,000 visited Angkor. This year (2002) well over 200,000 are expected, with the trend continuing steeply upward. Some predict this figure will top 1,000,000 annually before 2005.
This latest foreign invasion is placing enormous stress, not only on the structures themselves as tanned, sandalled rock hoppers scramble over the ancient pavilions, but on the local villagers and infrastructure too. Sewage systems are over-stressed and water supply is well short of the mark. Wranglings are brewing too amongst local merchants, vendors and transport operators as concessions are gifted to foreign operators. UNESCO proposes to ban all petrol vehicles within the immediate Angkor precinct, instead bringing in a foreign-owned fleet of electric buggies.
Under the banner of "Ancient Heritage, French Perfection" the huge Accor group recently opened their opulent five-star Sofitel Royal Angkor Resort, replete with 239 rooms, five restaurants, pools, bars and health facilities; indeed, a monument to extravagance rivalling the mighty Wat itself. With some measure of altruism, Accor co-founder, Paul Dubrule, put US$1million of his own money on the table to establish a hotel and hospitality school to supply, not only Accor's requirements, but the wider Siem Reap region. Topped up by UNESCO and government contributions, the Paul Dubrule Hotel School will open in early 2003.
"The Sofitel Royal Angkor employs almost five hundred local workers and contributes to the restoration of the Bat Choum Temple here in Angkor via UNESCO," says General Manager, Philippe Bissig.
In the midst of this burgeoning prosperity, pessimists could still be drawn to wonder when the ubiquitous "golden arches" and famous colonel will preside over the nearby shopping and market precinct, neatly completing the multinational transition. Clearly the delicate remnants of the famous walled city are facing yet another crisis.