Cambodia Travel

Cambodia is not a magic formula that projects many who visit the kingdom this fascinating and confounding. Rise to the kingdom of god mother of all temples, Angkor Wat, a magnificent blend of symbolism and symmetry of spirituality. Tuol Sleng to sink into hell and come face to face with the Khmer Rouge and the killing machine. Welcome to the enigma that is Cambodia: land, history, and an inspiring and depressing, exhilarating place where the future is waiting to be molded.

Just as there are more than Angkor Wat is, so it is more than the temples of Cambodia. The charismatic and chaotic capital of Phnom Penh has a lively political intrigue, economic vitality and intellectual debate. Too often overlooked in hit-and tourists-tick the regional tour of Angkor, a bustling town of Siem Reap is finally gaining acceptance as a thank you for a position on the great river, a cultural renaissance, and the restaurants and bars to compete with the best scene the area. And do not forget the rest of the country: Relax in the sleepy seaside town of Kampot, near Bokor National Park and trekking, touring elephant in the jungle of Mondulkiri Province, watching the dolphins in the Mekong River in Kratie, or simply choose a beach near Sihanoukville.

The years of fear and disgust have been completed and Angkor is once again a symbol of the nation, attracting pilgrims from around the world. Peace has come to this beautiful land is still broken after three decades of war and the Cambodian people have opened their arms to the world. Tourism has well and truly out, but a trip here is as much an adventure holiday.

Contemporary Cambodia is the successor of the powerful Khmer Empire, which during the Angkor period, which is much of what is now Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The remains of this empire can be seen in the famous temples of Angkor, monuments without equal in magnitude and grandeur of southern Asia. First glimpse of Angkor Wat traveler, the epitome of Khmer genius, is simply amazing and is accompanied by only a few select spots on earth, like Machu Picchu and Petra.

Contemporary Cambodia is the successor of the powerful Khmer Empire, which during the Angkor period, which is much of what is now Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The remains of this empire can be seen in the famous temples of Angkor, monuments without equal in magnitude and grandeur of southern Asia. First glimpse of Angkor Wat traveler, the epitome of Khmer genius, is simply amazing and is accompanied by only a few select spots on earth, like Machu Picchu and Petra.

The southern coast is adorned with tropical islands with barely a beach hut in sight. In addition to Ko Samui, or wait for Gili Trawangan Discovery and, now, visitors can play Robinson Crusoe. The inland from the coast lies the Cardamom Mountains, part of a vast desert, tropical, which offers a home environment is difficult, and is the gateway to the emerging eco-tourism Adventures. Mighty Mekong River cuts across the country and is home to some of the area the last remaining freshwater dolphins, and wheels of dirt fans can follow the river winds through the length of traditional communities. North-east is a world unto itself, its wild and mountainous ethnic minorities in Cambodia, and rich in natural attractions, like thunder, waterfalls and pristine crater.

Despite the beautiful landscape, life is no picnic for the average Cambodian. It remains one of the poorest countries in Asia, and it's a hard life for many people they can fight against the vagaries of nature and sometimes by their politicians. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP www.undp.org), Cambodia is still poorer than Mongolia and El Salvador, just scrape in front of the Mauritania, while Transparency International (www.transparency.org) , the watchdog against corruption, the country rates a lowly 151 out of 163 countries ranked. Income is still disappointingly low for many Khmers, with an annual salary of several hundred dollars, not thousands, of public employees such as teachers, unable to earn their meager wages.

Cambodia's pristine environment can be a great attraction, but a large part of it is currently in danger. Ancient forests are razed for plantations road, the rivers are sized to large hydroelectric plants and the south coast is being studied with the major oil companies. All this will help match a stronger economy, which grew an incredible 10% a year, but is unlikely to promote nature-based tourism, which has just been launched.

Cambodia is like the teen who has just been discovered by an adoring public: everybody wants something from her, but not everyone wants the best for her. The government always rejected by major international companies, is eager to take advantage of these opportunities to find. The contracts are signed, such as autographs and fears for long-term interests of the country.

Tourism has brought many benefits to Cambodia provides the opportunity for employment and a new generation of red, has helped trigger a revival of traditional arts and gave the country a renewed sense of pride and optimism, as it recovers dark decades of war and genocide. However, not all tourism is a good country and there is a dark side of sex tourism, human exploitation and a culture of the casino. Cambodia is well positioned to benefit from the mistakes of other countries in the region, and the road to sustainable development of tourism. However, it may be that the government is more focused on short-term profits that the mega-dollars of investment can offer. Cambodia could be all things to all visitors? So far everything has gone well, but the new era is about to begin, and the beaches are the next battlefield.

There are two faces of Cambodia: a bright and happy, the other dark and complex. For each illegal eviction of villagers or land grabbing by a general, there will be a new NGO schools provide better education, clean water or a new initiative to improve the lives of the average villager. Such is the yin and yang in Cambodia, a country that inspires and confuses. Like an onion, the layers the more you defeat, the more you feel like crying, but they are spontaneous tears, sometimes sadness, sometimes joy.

Despite the fact that the eighth wonder of the world for its courtyard, Cambodia, the greatest treasure is its people. Red is a hell and back, struggling from years of bloodshed, poverty and political instability. Thank you for your unwavering spirit and contagious optimism, have persisted in their smiles intact, not a visitor arrived from Cambodia without a measure of admiration and affection for the mysterious inhabitants of Great Britain.

Cambodia: the beautiful beaches of Thailand, but without the tourist tide, a desert out of Laos, but even less studied, as fine as the food in Vietnam, but yet to be discovered, and temples that leave Burma and Indonesia in the shade. This is the heart of Southeast Asia, where the region has to offer, all in a bite-sized country. If you're only going to spend a week in Cambodia, it is time to think again.