We travelled to the country for our 25th wedding anniversary. It wasn’t the season (the right time is November – February when it’s cooler) and although it was warm and humid on the first two days (it rained during the last 2 evenings of our stay), we had fun. It was our first real holiday on our own- without the children, family or friends. I am filled with gratitude for the opportunity to go. One thing and another, it hadn’t seemed like we would be able to go (my Dhaka visa expired and it had to be renewed. With the fall in the government, our leaving the country, my passport was sent only on the 4th of September) but every hurdle in our path cleared (I got it back on the 10th), making the trip possible.

We took a flight to Thailand (there are no direct flights to Cambodia from Dhaka) and from there to Siem Reap, in Cambodia. We did not do Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. We stayed 5 nights and 6 days in Siem Reap, which anybody who’s traveled there will tell you, ‘You just need 2 or 3 days there.’ But, we wanted a relaxed break after all the upheaval we had been through over the last two months and Siem Reap was the perfect choice. It is as vibrant as Ubud in Bali in the evening and during the day, it’s quiet and peaceful. It’s a country with a lot of history and beauty and yet, for some reason, it’s forgotten because it lies in the shadows of ‘The land of smiles’, Thailand and the ‘Land of blue dragons’, Vietnam.

With a population of 1 million and a land area of 10,299 sq. km, it’s not crowded. Miles and miles of paddy fields, grazing cows and oxen, fruit and flowering trees that do not compete to reach the sky and blue-grey mountains greet you on your arrival.

The 39 kms drive to Hotel Viroth, where we spent our 5 days, was scenic- a lush green carpet as far as the eye could see. It is a boutique hotel, close to the city centre and perfect if you don’t mind a little walk to and fro, do not want to be in the middle of the noise but close enough so you can get to it in 5 minutes by foot.

Having traveled through the night (we left home at 11 p.m. on the 11th and reached the hotel at 12.00 p.m. on the 12th), we crashed for a while before stepping out for lunch. We had a late lunch at a restaurant close to the hotel after our nap. The restaurant is not worth mentioning. It was our first taste of Cambodia and it was bland.

But we enjoyed every meal that followed it. After lunch, we walked to the city center while the sun was still blazing (we had just arrived and we wanted to make the most of our freedom. Remember, where we were coming from), and explored the stores in the new market.

We had fried ice-cream and got a foot massage done ( USD 6 for an hour) which was so amazing that we went back to the place, the next day and the next.

The city centre was quiet during the day. There are two parts to it- the new market and the old market. The new market has stores selling quality touristy things, accessories, western clothes (some major clothing brands have their manufacturing in Cambodia), Cambodian silk and artefacts, cafes and restaurants.

The old market is where you get to see Cambodian culture. The stores in the old market also sell clothes, paintings, wall art, jewelery and other artefacts and I’m sure you’ll be able to clinch a good deal if you are good at bargaining. As neither my husband nor I have the knack for it (If they reduce the price easily to what I ask, I turn away because I feel maybe it’s not worth even that price. You can call me nuts. My children pull my leg over it), we shopped at the new market where the prices are displayed and so is the percentage of discount.

Streetside food stalls managed by women come alive in the evening. Red plastic chairs and tables are laid out for people to sit and dine. Cambodians throng to the market after a hard day’s work to eat and socialise under the open skies. It’s amazing how clean these places are despite the amount of food being cooked and served every evening- meat, vegetables, fruit juices and alcohol. We did not venture eating street food because I don’t have a strong gut.

With lights that go up at night, music playing, the street has a holiday vibe after sunset.

We walked back to the hotel after dinner. It was still humid but it was a beautiful walk past the river and the night market.

Not one to forget Thursday Doors, these are a few pictures of doors that I took on Day 1.

On Day 2, we went to Angkor Wat- Siem Reap’s jewel. A Unesco Heritage site, it has temples from the 10th century. The bas reliefs, stone carvings and strangler trees growing above the temples, choking it, took our breath away. Since there’s too much to share about the temple, I’ll have to write it in a separate post.

If you enjoyed reading and traveling with me to Siem Reap, be sure to check my next post. That’s all from my side today.

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