The BEST of CAMBODIA: Kingdom of Wonder

The Best ofCAMBODIA Kingdom of Wonder KNOWLEDGE MEDIA GROUP







The Best ofCAMBODIA Kingdom of Wonder



The Best ofCAMBODIA Kingdom of Wonder KNOWLEDGE MEDIA GROUP CHIANG RAI, THAILAND

PUBLISHER / EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jaffee Yee Yeow Fei EDITORS Don Ross James PruessCONTRIBUTING WRITERS CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Helen Jarvis Arjay Stevens Barry Broman PAST and PRESENT PEOPLE and CULTURE L. Bruce Kekule Keith Lyons Ric Gaz Keith LyonsFESTIVALS and EVENTS ATTRACTIONS and HIGHLIGHTS Alberto Cosi FLORA and FAUNA Jaffee Yee Arjay Stevens ART DIRECTOR ARTS and ARTISTS Richie Chan Li Qi Jim Algie HOTELS and RESORTS RESTAURANTS and CAFÉS CRUISE and GOLF Marissa Carruthers RESTAURANTS and CAFÉS PUBLISHED BY Knowledge Media Group LimitedPO Box 188, Chiang Rai 57000, Thailand www.knowledgemediagroup.com Copyright © 2018 Knowledge Media Group Ltd.All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system or transmitted in any form of by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the permission of the copyright holder.National Library of Thailand Cataloging in Publication Data Yee, Jaffee THE BEST OF CAMBODIA: Kingdom of Wonder — Chiang Rai: Knowledge Media Group, 2018 132 pp 1. Cambodia I. Jaffee Yee Yeow Fei II. Title 959.1 ISBN 978-616-92724-1-0 Printed in Thailand byDarnsutha Press Company Limited, Bangkok

CONTENTS PUBLISHER’S MESSAGE 9 PAST and PRESENT 10 PEOPLE and CULTURE 20 FESTIVALS and EVENTS 30ATTRACTIONS and HIGHLIGHTS 40 FLORA and FAUNA 60 ARTS and ARTISTS 70 HOTELS and RESORTS 80 RESTAURANTS and CAFÉS 106 CRUISE and GOLF 120 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 130



MESSAGE FROM THE PUBLISHER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEFIt was in the year 1993, that I first timidly set foot on Cambodian soil during the closing days of the civil war. I took a calculatedrisk to visit the country that I had long desired to see, but was unable to visit due to a perpetual unstable political situation.Confident in the knowledge that I would be surrounded by UN Blue Berets assigned to provide security ahead of an historicelection, I finally mustered enough courage to take the plunge when invited by a colleague, who was then heading the UNESCOOffice in Cambodia.I was very pleased to have made that first of many subsequent trips and in someway I witnessed history in the making, whileseeing with my own eyes how the country has evolved during the past 25 years.And incidentally making a small piece of history of my own in the office of Diethelm Tours, Phnom Penh, by being the first personto use a credit card in Cambodia.Phnom Penh looks much like a big provincial town of Thailand in 1993 and Siem Reap, a smaller one. There was zero nightlife asno sane person would risk going out after dark with random shootings on the streets still a daily affair.The highlight of Siem Reap then, and now, is the same world- renowned UNESCO World Heritage site Angkor Wat. I wasextremely fortunate to be there alone walking among the ancient monuments taking photos in the eerie silence during the day.Admiring the stone sculpture of a mythical lion, I contemplated on how human beings could create such a wonderful piece of artthousands of years ago.My next memorable trip was a high profile visit in 1999 with a group of about 40 Bangkok-based international journalists. Wewere honorable guests of the Cambodian government and spent several days at the newly refurbished luxurious Raffles Le Royaland were honored to travel on an antique train belonging to the late King Norodom Sihanouk with a renovated Pacific 231 steamlocomotive built in France in 1930s for a day trip from Phnom Penh to Kampot.The break neck speed of development since my early visits, has changed many areas of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Kampotalmost beyond recognition. Phnom Penh today is evolving to become a modern, cosmopolitan metropolis to rival any otherbig modern capital in Asia. Siem Reap is a hotspot for millions of tourists from all over the world eager to see one of the rarewonders of the world and the sleepy seaside town and fishing village Kampot is also gradually waking up to the waves of tourism.The BEST of CAMBODIA is intended to be the first premium armchair travel guide highlighting most, but not all, of the best thecountry has to offer today, from top attractions, festivals, arts and culture, flora and fauna, cruise and golf, luxurious hotels andresorts to fine dining. We hope you enjoy reading this handsome volume and will take home a copy as a souvenir to share withyour loved ones, friends, and family.Jaffee Yee Yeow Fei

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PEOPLE and CULTURE 19PEOPLE and CULTURE

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ATTRACTIONS and HIGHLIGHTS 37ATTRACTIONS and HIGHLIGHTS

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FLORA and FAUNA 61FLORA and FAUNA

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ART and ARTISTS 71ARTS and ARTISTS

ISBN 9786169272410 9 786169 272410KNOWLEDGE MEDIA GROUP