I read an article this week in Wanderlust Magazine (no relation, but I will note that this is one of the best travel magazines printed – it comes out of the U.K.). The article is about a program that’s been set up in the rarely visited northeastern part of the Cambodia. The purpose is twofold: to help save the dwindling numbers of Irrawaddy river dolphins and to increase tourism by creating an infrastructure that’s conducive to hosting more travelers.
I was in Cambodia in 1992, when there was NO infrastructure, anywhere. A person literally was taking their life in their own hands if they stepped off of the beaten path just to pee. Landmines were everywhere and were being laid nightly by the Khmer Rouge and other warring factions.
There were few accommodations available in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Rarely could you find running water to bath in and electricity was so scarce that you were lucky to find a fan to cool you down from the 120 degree temperatures.
Fast forward 16 years. Five-star hotels can be found in these now-major tourist “cities” and you have to work at finding a silent moment at Angkor Wat, now overrun with adventure seekers.
I took the photo above at a time when my friend and I were the only ones visiting the temple. There were probably another three or four tourists in Siem Reap on that day, but they certainly weren’t at the temple.
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Fida says
I was there in early 1998 – the year when Pol Pot died, and it was pretty much the same (in Siem Reap) as you describe, though there were a few more tourists. We got shot at at the boat from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh (no injury, though close). In Phnom Penh I could literally ‘feel’ how the people still where scared (from the police, the military, the rebells) and the streets were empty soon after sundown.
pam says
I was at Angkor Wat in February and while, yeah, it’s a zoo, at one point I got separated from our guided tour and was all alone. I wandered around through the stones and temple archways for probably 1/2 hour by myself before catching up with everyone. It’s not the same, I get it, but I wanted to mention that it’s still possible to find surprising moments of silence there.
Beth says
Great to hear that, Pam. The Wanderlust article does mention that mid-day is a good time to go (when everyone’s in Siem Reap for lunch) but I’ve also seen photos of dozens and dozens of people clambering around the temples.
kristen says
Wow, nice picture Beth. You’ll never be able to get a shot like that again. I was just there in July, and as a photographer, it was frustrating to have SO MANY people at Angkor Wat. I actually decided to focus ON the tourists, capturing their emotions and actions while looking at this amazing place.
However, I was able to ride a bike to some of the further out wats, and found a few spots where I was the only one there (kinda creepy, but cool).