Off The Beaten Path – Cambodia

Like all countries, Cambodia is diverse and rich in culture. Newly opened to the tourism scene (within the past 20 years), it is fast becoming one of the most popular travel destinations in Southeast Asia.

The ancient temples of Angkor Wat, the major cities of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and Cambodia’s gorgeous beaches are all must-see places when planning a vacation there, but other places continue to be overlooked by the average traveler.

Beng Mealea

There are hundreds of temples in the Angkor Wat temple complex just outside Siem Reap. They are all magnificently beautiful and each of them is worth exploring. But unfortunately, as with so many popular world monument sites, they are also crowded with tourists.  As Cambodia becomes more developed and open to tourism, the crowds flocking to these monuments are only going to increase over time, making Angkor Wat a beautiful but crowded adventure.

If you stay within the main complex, however, you will be missing one important temple
that will take you away from all the crowds and allow you to explore in peace. Beng Mealea, otherwise known as the Jungle Temple, is at an isolated location about an hour’s drive outside Siem Reap. A Hindu temple built around the end of the 12th century, this location is largely un-restored and left alone amidst the enclosing jungle. It is in fact one of the larger temples of the Khmer empire.

Beng Mealea, due to its location and condition, attracts very few people. The massive stones lying in ruins, the trees and brush climbing up the thick walls, and the intricate Hindu carvings are yours to see and appreciate in peace.

Kep’s Art Deco Retreats
Kep is a small seaside town on the southern coast of Cambodia. A former retreat for French colonialists, the city’s hillsides were once covered in art deco mansions busy with rich and colorful parties.

When Cambodia gained its independence in 1952, these homes were abandoned and eventually ransacked, when the communist Khmer Rouge regime took over. The architectural beauties that had known so much life and wealth were left empty and decayed.

The houses make for beautiful scenery. Most tourists come to Kep and spend their time on the water- the city is known for its beaches and crab market. Nearly a dozen or more houses dot the landscape and few people venture up to see them.

You cannot only see the homes but explore them as well. The blackened, empty shells sitting alone on the hillside are rather post-apocalyptic feeling, yet that also makes them ripe for your imagination. 

Bamboo Island (Koh Russei)

Bamboo Island, AKA Koh Russei, is located just off the southern coast of Cambodia in the Bay of Thailand, near Ream National Park. While this used to be the site of a small bungalow resort, that business has since been abandoned, leaving the island largely unpopulated and undisturbed. For some reason this island does not attract the same number of tourists as places like Rabbit Island- although it is just as accessible. You can either commission a personal guide to take you there or you can often arrange a boat ride from your hotel in nearby Sihanoukville.

Smooth white sands, calm, clear blue waves, and stretching horizons may all sound cliché, but this place has them all. You could spend hours just floating in the soothing waters and staring out into the endlessly stretching waves. It is on this island where you can get a true taste of Cambodia’s majestic beauty and feel the pulses of its peaceful rhythm.

Call Rawhide Travel and Tours and start planning that special vacation or event today. 602-843-5100 or visit our website rawhidetravel.com

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