Travel in Cambodia – Hotels, Cambodia Vacations, Lodging, Trips, Attractions and Travel Guide
Experiencing The Wonders Of Cambodia
Cambodia is located in Southeast Asia and was once the successor state of powerful Hindu and Buddhist Empire. The main industries of Cambodia are textiles, garments, construction and tourism. Cambodia has a tropical climate with average temperatures that range from 69øF and 95øF, so it makes for ideal traveling.
Angkor Wat is famously known as one of the top, “Seven Wonders of the World”, and is an UNESCO World Heritage Site. The site was also recently voted as one of the second best “Wonder of the World”, by Wanderlust magazine. Angkor Wat is the largest and most impressive of all the temples in Cambodia and contains more stonework than the pyramids of Egypt. The temple is surrounded by a moat and a central tower that stands more than 65 meters high.
Angkor Archaeological Park was named as an UNESCO World Heritage Site and contains the ruins of Bayon, Banteay Srey and Angkor Wat. Siem Reap Town is located close to the temple ruins and has been host to foreign tourists for over one-hundred years. It is here where tourists can witness the traditional, Khmer dance performance also referred to as an Aspara Dance. There are four genres of traditional Khmer dancing; Classical or Palatine Dance, Shadow Theater, Lakhon Kol, which is an all male masked dance and Folk Dance, which is ceremonial and theatrical in nature. As per tradition only the Theatrical Dance is displayed in public, with the Ceremonial Dance being specially reserved for rituals, holidays and celebrations. Much of the dancing remains the same as it did several centuries ago and has remained unchanged through the years.
Anchor Thom, the word Anchor comes from the Sanskrit language and means Holy, so the literal translation of Anchor Thom is “Holy City”. The city covered over twelve square kilometers and was larger than any European city, and was surrounded by laterite walls and moats. It was constructed in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. All the moats surrounding the city were designed as part of defending the region, containing thousands of crocodiles for protection.
The temple of Ta Phrom means Ancestor Brahma and was one of the first major temples built by King Jayavarman in 1186. It was built in honor of the kings mother and was dedicated to Buddha. In the Angkor era this temple was the home of the Royal Buddhist Monastery. Ta Phrom at one time had 3,140 villages, 18 high priests, 2,740 politicians, 2,202 assistants and 615 royal dancers. Among the items found in the temple were a set of 500 golden dishes, 35 diamonds, 4,000 pearls, 4,500 precious stones and 500 silk beds. In 2000, the movie “Tomb Raider”, starring Angelina Jolie, was filmed at this location. The Indian and Cambodian Governments have joined forces to preserve and restore the temple to its former glory.
For the travelers who want to immerse themselves in breathtaking scenery and encounter some wonderful people, a visit to Mondulkiri is perfect. This is the largest province in Cambodia, but the least inhabited. It has waterfalls, national parks, indigenous culture and elephant trekking. The waterfalls of Mondulkiri are; Bou Sra, Sen Monorom, Rum Near and Chrey Thom. The inhabitants live entirely off the land by planting rice, fruit trees and a wide array of vegetables. For tourists who enjoy visiting this area, the Pich Kiri Guesthouse is a popular place to stay, which is situated perfectly in the heart of Modulkiri.
Cambodia offers travelers the chance to experience a taste of life that is reminiscent of times long ago. It is an area rich in religious culture and history. It is a culture that reveres respect and permission should be asked before taking a picture of someone, especially monks. Another custom that is strictly frowned upon is touching someone on the head, which is considered to be the most sacred part of the body. With its pleasant climate and ancient temples that rise up out of the jungles, Cambodia is a tourists dream come true and holds many delightful attractions that bring an estimated three-hundred thousand visitors to the country every year.
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