Find Zen perfection in Siem Reap

Published Mar 20, 2016

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Phnom Penh - The beauty of the vanished Khmer Empire remains in the awe-inspiring temples, city gates, palace compound and moats of Angkor, outside the town of Siem Reap in north-western Kingdom of Cambodia.

This Unesco world heritage site – considered a man-made wonder of the world – could intrigue you for days, as will the vibrant life of contemporary Siem Reap.

Here are a few suggestions about how to enjoy the experience:

 

Find a dancing girl

In Hindu and Buddhist mythology, a female spirit of the clouds and the waters is an Apsara. Khmer classical dance today is based on the thousands of carvings of the dancing women of ancient Angkor, in their different dance positions. In the magnificent Angkor Wat – the largest of the temple complexes – there are more than 1 800 Apsara carvings, each with a unique face, clothing and headdress. During the appalling rule of the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s, this ancient classical dance form was almost wiped out completely. Rous Sok Khon is one of the few dancers, who survived the barbaric genocide, to keep the classical tradition alive and teach young women the skills.

Every Cambodian girl who takes up Khmer dance hopes that one-day she will be good enough to dance in Angkor itself, where some private and exclusive dinners are held.

 

Phare Cambodian Circus

Enjoy a delightful evening of entertainment at the renowned circus, where young acrobats, dancers, jugglers and painters come together in a high-energy production, with gravity-defying moves.

Expect to be moved by the poignant stories, woven around themes from the terrible time of suffering brought by the Khmer Rouge regime of 1975-79, which affected every Cambodian family.

This raw talent comes from a school where orphans, street children and young people who have had challenging and difficult backgrounds, are educated. As well as experiencing an upbeat, exhilarating and professional performance, the cost of your ticket will be contributing to a worthy cause.

 

Water blessing in Wat Athvea

At the 12th-century Temple of Wat Athvea – on the outskirts of Siem Reap – you can receive a water blessing, said to cleanse your spirit. A Buddhist monk performs this purifying and calming ritual, a sacred tradition as ancient as the temples of Siem Reap. Even if you are not keen to experience this for yourself, it is interesting to observe and makes for exotic photographs.

 

Foodie Fun

Cuisine Wat Damnak

A Khmer house has been decorated stylishly but minimally, to provide a tranquil ambience with a choice of three separate dining areas. Chef Joannès Rivière sources fresh local ingredients – some of them unusual or rare – to combine in an innovative way, to serve Cambodian taste sensations for his dégustation menu, which is changed every Tuesday.

Khmer tasting menu at Shinta Mani Club

Sit at traditional low tables set on swings in the public space on the veranda of Kroya Restaurant at the Shinta Mani Club – a boutique hotel in a leafy setting – to sip fresh coconut milk and enjoy a prolonged dinner of authentic Khmer food.

Chef Chanrith will tell you as much as you want to know about some of the traditional Cambodian dishes and their ingredients as gentle staff serve you.

Khmer breakfast in the countryside

Motor or cycle through rice fields with Palmyra palms, where the Phnom Kulen hills overlook wooden Khmer houses raised on stilts and surrounded by fruit trees. Amansara Aman Resorts has its own Khmer Village House with a view of the 10th-century Royal Bathing Pool of Srah Srang, set in the jungle among the ruins of Angkor. Enjoy a leisurely breakfast, while you spot sunbirds, or have a cookery class from an expert.

Siem Reap is the cultural capital. Exploring the temple precincts – to experience the astounding beauty of these rich archeological treasures – should be on everyone’s travel list. In addition, the Khmer people are so sweet, gentle and welcoming that you are sure to have fun interacting with the locals.

 

IF YOU GO

Cathay Pacific flies from OR Tambo International Airport in Joburg, via Hong Kong, to Saigon, leaving in the daylight.

Hotels

In Siem Riep:

Shinta Mani Club: In a quiet verdant area – yet near to the Old market, and bustling bars and restaurants – this tranquil boutique hotel offers a warm welcome to chic minimalistic rooms, looking down on to a feng shui space with a swimming pool.

Amansara Resort: Find Zen perfection with immaculate suites, gourmet food and a sublime spa.

In Phnom Penh:

The Plantation Urban Resort: A colonial-style hotel – situated behind the Royal Palace, in the historical centre of this vibrant city – with long swimming pool, surrounded by palm trees.

In Kep:

Knai Bang Chatt Resort Kep sited on the seafront of the Gulf of Thailand, near the bustling crab market, has bold modern architecture from the 1950s with an infinity pool and great restaurant.

To cruise the Mekong River:

Aqua Mekong: Elegant, spacious cabins on an intimate 5-star cruise ship, with gracious staff to pamper you, delicious cuisine styled by consultant chef David Thompson and fascinating excursions – in their fleet of private tenders – to remote bamboo stilt villages, Chinese Pagoda Temples and Buddhist monasteries.

l Contacts:

www.aboutasiatravel.com

www.pharecambodiancircus.org

www.cuisinewatdamnak.com

www.shintamani.com

www.aman.com/resorts/amansara

www.cathaypacific.com

www.shintamani.com

www.theplantation.asia

www.knaibangchatt.com

www.aquaexpeditions.com/luxury-cruise-ships/aqua-mekong

Gillian McLaren, Saturday Star

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