CAMBODIA: What I Did, What I Ate, and Everything Else
WHAT I DID
SIEM REAP. Where do I even begin! We spent 2 whole days at the Angkor Wat - mainly because it was too much to take on in one day, partly because of the heat, and very minutely because we planned to do a regular tour and a sunrise tour but we bailed on the sunrise tour at the last minute. We did not use a tour guide because we went to the Angkor National Museum the day before and that was extremely helpful - the museum helped us understand exactly what we are looking at in the Angkor Wat, the significance of it and what makes the Angkor Wat so unique. Not to mention, the Angkorian era itself, the Khmer Empire, and the role of Hindu and Buddist influences in Cambodian temples. Angkor Wat has been one of my must-see places since I was a kid and I was just really happy and grateful to have been able to finally see it! And like I said, going to the Angkor National Museum made us perfectly equipped to wander around and explore things for ourselves at our own pace. Small bad on my part, because it’s still an active site of worship, I thought the Angkor Wat would be flawless and did not expect to see the level of erosion as I did. I.e., I built up the temple a lot more in my head and forgot it’s almost a millenium old. There are ongoing conservation efforts but I would say if you want to see the Angkor Wat too, you should go ASAP! Of the numerous other temples around Siem Reap, we only chose to go to Pre Rup and Prasat Kravan (no, we did not go to Ta Prohm, the temple featured in Tomb Raider for a variety of reasons). The former is a huge Sivan temple while the latter is a small Vishnu temple. Overall, it was fascinating to see a different take on the Hindu gods, the gopurams, and the motifs compared to the South Indian diaspora's perspective that I am so familiar with. The fact that the temples were constructed out of sandstone and bricks rather than the granite I’m accustomed to added to the intrigue and enchantment! I considered buying a small replica of the Angkor Wat at the Made in Cambodia market but instead landed on jams and Kampot peppers. I highly recommend this place for souvenirs. The Wat Preah Prom Rath was a stone’s throw from our hotel and we had a pleasant walkabout one morning. The Cambodian Cultural Village, however, was a slight disappointment as it has been mostly abandoned during the pandemic and gave the eerie vibes of wandering through an abandoned theme park.
PHNOM PENH. Apart from the Angkor Wat, my most favourite place of visit during my holiday was the National Museum of Cambodia! It was a great way to learn about Cambodia’s history and culture through Khmer artifacts in bronze, ceramics, and sculptures as well as some important history on lost Khmer art. The museum itself is a gorgeous building so all in all, it was a highly educational and pleasant (read: shiny because of the bronzes and jewelleries) way to pass time. Or in my world, the PERFECT way to pass time. We spent an afternoon strolling through the Royal Palace, which is a testament to traditional Khmer architecture and French colonial influences. The Silver Pagoda and its Emerald Buddha was an intriguing sight. Wat Phnom was such a peaceful and holy visit for me. A little boy saw me picking up the incense sticks and took it upon himself to teach me how to pray correctly purely through gestures and actions. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum was a sobering morning for us with its comprehensive presentation of the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime. The museum is a former high school that had been converted into the S21 prison by the Khmer Rouge. The knowledge that a place where students once climbed ropes was converted into the gallows is one I can’t soon forget. The detailed stories of the victims such as the hanging of a pregnant woman were gut-wrenching and a shocking reminder of how cruel mankind can be, while also acting as a demonstration of Cambodians’ resilience and human spirit. The bustle of the Central Market was an engrossing food and cultural experience.
WHAT I ATE
Both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh were HEAVY with vegetarian options and even had enough gluten-free options in most places that I was a very happy camper!! I tried “Lok Lak” for the first time in my life and while I understand it’s technically a beef dish, the mushroom and tofu versions I tried were scrumptious (the tofu was the superior choice between mushroom and tofu in case you were wondering). The lime, black pepper dipping sauce had me wondering WHERE it had been all my life and WHY it never occured to me to mix the two and see what happens. I’ve been incessantly looking up vegan recipes. They also use Kampot pepper, which I perceive as a slightly more floral version of the Indian black pepper (of course, I bought some back home). Another distinctly Cambodian dish I tried was Amok which I sadly wasn’t a fan of. Then again, I understand Amok is often made with fish while I only had vegetables so this is a completely unfair assessment from my part. Something I found interesting was that food in Siem Reap felt a little more Thai while food in Phnom Penh felt a little more Vietnamese.
Our first meal in Siem Reap (and essentially, Cambodia) was at Tevy’s Place and it really was the perfect choice! It’s run by Tevy, who has a smile so bright it can rival the sun and serves up food that hits the spot. I also really liked Banlle Vegetarian Restaurant, I felt their portions were generous enough to serve two. I had Lok Lak for the first time here and adored it. I got pineapple vegetable curry through room service one day that was just as delicious while the spring rolls in Brother Bong Cafe were unique! And if like me, you start jonesing for Indian food no matter where you are, I highly recommend Travancore! Brolaom coffee was a great refuge from the heat one day with exactly the kind of aesthetics I imagine for my future home. Meanwhile, my first meal in Phnom Penh was at Backyard Cafe in the form of a gluten free breakfast burrito. Pu Rock Cafe is where I had the Tofu Lok Lak I can’t seem to shut up about and Taste Budz had Malaysian-Indian food vibes!
EVERYTHING ELSE
Where I stayed: I stayed at Lynnaya Urban River Resort & Spa in Siem Reap and I cannot recommend it enough. The rooms were beautiful, the service was INCREDIBLE that their 3 star rating feels unjust, and it was just the perfect escape from city life in Singapore. The location was great too, 15 minutes from the Angkor Wat (which was the focus of our stay) and pretty much everything else we went to as well. I would go back in a heartbeat just to sit in the hotel room for a week.
Getting around: We took Grab EVERYWHERE in both cities and have no unhappy experiences to report! It was easy, almost no waiting time and no differences between Google Maps and Grab’s inbuilt map so no heart attacks as a result of unexpected/ “wrong” turns. The remorque worked better in Siem Reap, while the car was a better option in Phnom Penh which is intuitive to understand considering Siem Reap is mostly rural while Phnom Penh is a bustling city. You can walk to most places in both cities but we landed in the middle of a heat wave so we didn’t even try. (Hey! You try walking in the heat with an eczema flare up!)
Other notes: We thought we were visiting during the tail end of their heat wave and expected Singapore weather with one rainy day as per the weather forecast. Turns out, the heat wave went on a whole week longer than the Cambodians themselves were expecting - climate change is very real and killing us all. Matter of fact, it POURED an hour before we left for our flight, with thunderstorms predicted for the rest of the week which again, was “not right”. People speak English just fine in the “tourist-y” locations, and are warm and kind although some can feel a little pushy and persistent with the things they want you to buy (including Grab drivers who want to strike a deal with you). Just stand your ground. The children are pure and adorable, with smiles that melt your heart and remind you of the kid you once were. And as with any country, try to say “hello” and “thank you” at the very least in Khmer!
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