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Siem Reap, Angkor Oct. - Dec., 2010 0

Inside this Issue...

Culture Shock: Driving in Cambodia Understanding Khmer Cuisine Cambodia, Land of Contrasts …and more

Cambodia’s Premier 5 Star Luxury Spa Resort Angkor Palace Resort & Spa in Siem Reap-Angkor

Legends...history...romance...embrace them in Siem Reap, home of the magnificent Angkor Wat temples.

Just over 20 minutes from the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the five-star Angkor Palace Resort & Spa evokes the lush serenity of a secluded retreat. Experience fine Khmer artistry in the 259 spacious rooms, suites and

villas. Savour the hallmark Royal Khmer cuisine. Chill out by the swimming pool or work out at the tennis courts and the gym, practise your swing at the 16-bay driving range. After a day of temple touring, get pampered at Kainnora Spa with its choice of traditional Khmer and modern therapies. You will be totally charmed.

ASEAN Hotel Standard 2010-2011

No. 555, Phum Kruos, Khum Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia Tel:(855) 63 760 511 Fax:(855) 63 760 590 / 63 966 335 info@angkorpalaceresort.com www.angkorpalaceresort.com

PUBLISHER’S NOTE Dear Readers, Cambodia’s official marketing slogan is “Kingdom of Wonder”. And, indeed it is.

Siem Reap boasts the historic temples of Angkor, more than 150 hotels ranging from luxurious 5-star resorts to amazingly inexpensive guest houses, dozens of restaurants offering food from around the world, interesting shops and boutiques. Close to 2 million visitors will experience the pleasures of our “home town”this year.

The capitol city of Phnom Penh, with the mighty Mekong River flowing through its center, is one of the major cities of Southeast Asia, a bustling hub of business, magnificent museums and palaces, art galeries, and chic riverside hotels and cafes.

And yet, with its recent dark past, Cambodia still has more than its share of poverty and suffering and human needs being addressed by dozens of NGOs doing their part to lift the country into a prosperous and peaceful new century.

In the following pages we spotlight just a few of Cambodia’s wonders, and we’ll continue to focus on the people, history, culture, and business and investment opportunities in future issues.

Join us, and join the people of Cambodia - truly a Kingdom of Wonder.

Sincerely,

The seaside resort of Sihanoukville offers visitors a laid-back beach lifestyle, with abundant fresh seafood, inexpensive guest houses, and 5-star resort/casinos.

Rural Cambodia, where most local people live, offers rural villages and farms, wildlife refuges, and provincial towns where local produce and handicrafts are available at amazinglyCredit: low prices.

Lamai 2

Charles R. Evans, Publisher Tel: +855 (0) 63.969.200 Fax: 63.969.201 H/P: 017.906.721 Charles@CorporateMarketingIntl.com

OCT. - DEC., 2010

CONTENTS 06

Business Manners & Etiquette in Cambodia...

08

Cambodia’s New Anti-Corruption Law Goes Into Effect

12

Cambodia – Kingdom of Wonder… and a land of contrasts

14

Culture Shock: Driving In Cambodia

18

Lions, Tigers and Bears...Wow!

20

Khmer cuisine: diverse and original

22

Cambodia Is Still a Hard Sell for Investment Companies

26

The Russians Are Coming

28

What makes a “5-Star” hotel a 5 - Star hotel?

A Quarterly Magazine on Business, Economy, Tourism, Culture and Society in English for Cambodia. Founded in Siem Reap City in January, 2010 by Evans Marketing Charles R. Evans Jonathan P. Helms Don Finck Kanyapat Evans Savuth Sao Atchariya Priabnan Seriya Chan Bunleab Hong Eric Larbouillat Peter Richards

Publisher and Managing Director Editor - in - Chief Senior Creative Director Creative Director Manager, Graphic Design & Print Production Graphic & Web Design Sr. Webmaster & Programmer Jr. Webmaster & Programmer Sales Executive Thailand Bureau Chief

Evans Marketing Business Adviser Co., Ltd., Wat Damnak Village, 0453 Sala Kamroeuk Commune, Group 4, Siem Reap - Angkor, 17000, Kingdom of Cambodia Tel: +855 (0) 63.969.200/201 Fax: +855 (0) 63.969.201.

Advertising & Subscriptions E-Mail: Advertising@CambodiaInsight.com E-Mail: Subscription@CambodiaInsight.com @Copyright Evans Marketing Business Adviser Co., Ltd. All rights reserved. The name Cambodia Insight.com, in either English or Khmer languages, its associated logos or devices and the contents of this publication and website may not be reproduced in whole or in part, in print or electronically, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without written permission of Evans Marketing Business Adviser Co., Ltd. Cambodia Insight.com is a wholly owned publication and website of Evans Marketing Business Adviser Co., Ltd. Licensed by the Ministry of Information.

Although every care has been taken in the production of this magazine and website, no responsibility for errors or liability is assumed through the use of the information contained herein.

Cambodia Insight.com is an independent publication dedicated to providing our readers with informative content presented in a positive light helping to boost business investment, tourism, cultural awareness and the image of the country.

OCT. - DEC., 2010

5

“…in the search for consensus, issues may be ‘set aside’ while appearing to the foreigner to be settled.”

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eeting and GreetingFirst impressions matter – everywhere. As Cambodia is a hierarchical culture, the business world follows suit in terms of protocol and behaviors. What does this mean in practice? First, even from the initial introductions, respect and deference must always be shown to the most senior person present.

Business Manners & Etiquette in Cambodia When meeting a group of Khmers (Cambodians) you will always be introduced to the highest ranking person first; similarly you should have the most senior of your group greet them. You should then introduce people in your group according to their rank, so that your Cambodian counterparts can understand the dynamics of the group.

This is very important in a hierarchical society like Cambodia’s,

where standing – and status – within the group are clear-cut and always recognized.

Handshakes are normal in business environments, although the traditional Khmer greeting, similar to the Thai wai (hands clasped as in prayer, at chestlevel) may also be offered.

When shaking hands with Cambodian men, be careful not to be too firm in your grip, as this may be construed as aggressive -- a desirable trait in New York but not in Phnom Penh. Their lessthan-hearty handshake, similarly, should not be mistaken for lacking in manliness.

If foreign men are dealing with Khmer women, wait to see if they extend a hand before doing so yourself. Return a wai if it is extended to you.

6

OCT. - DEC., 2010

Eye contact should be kept to a minimum. Prolonged eye contact is considered aggressive and may be taken as a challenge or disrespect.

Cambodians address people with the honorific title “Lok” for a man and “Lok Srey” for a woman with the first name alone, or with both the first and surname. Similarly, “Mr.” or “Ms.” first name may be used without showing too much familiarity.

Business Cards Business cards should be exchanged after the initial introductions.

If possible, have one side of your card translated into Khmer. Present your card so the Khmer side is readable to the recipient.

Use the right hand, or better yet both hands, when offering or receiving a business card. It is important to treat business cards with respect, as the way you handle the card is indicative of the way you will treat the person.

Business Meetings Meetings do not stick rigidly to any schedule or agenda. Issues may be tackled separately or altogether. Once an issue has seemingly been resolved it may later be addressed again. This is because, in the search for consensus, issues may be “set aside” while appearing to the foreigner to be settled. What has happened in that case is that some in the group (or a senior person not present) do not agree with the decision but will not say so directly. This is not duplicity. It simply reflects the need for harmony over confrontation.

It is sometimes difficult for foreigners, comfortable with “butting heads” until a firm decision has been reached, to find matters they thought settled coming up again and again, but this is Cambodia and that is how things are done here. It is better to accept this with good grace and continue in good faith.

Building a relationship based on mutual trust is crucial. Time should be invested in getting to know your counterparts. Small talk should always be employed at the beginning of meetings.

Cambodians are very indirect communicators, so the ability to “read between the lines” is a necessary and valuable skill.

Khmer business people will always consider the implications of making statements or using

particular words, especially if it involves anything negative, as this draws in the issue of face.

Face isn’t the Most Important Thing – It’s the Only Thing.

In fact, if Cambodians disagree with someone they would rather remain silent than make any comment that would show their disagreement with the idea.

Khmers will typically express disagreement with an idea by remaining silent. If unsure about statements be sure to double check with a trusted Khmer associate. Cambodians prefer ideas to be brought forward in a gentle way and to wait for others to respond.

Pushy, pressuring or boastful styles are definitely – and always – to be avoided. There are few mistakes (other than expressing anger publicly) more offensive to Cambodians than appearing boastful.

importantly for you than for the object of your ire. Being “open” or overt is not part of the culture in Cambodia, as it is considered a sign of weakness as well as of poor manners.

Modesty and humility are emphasized in the culture, so compliments and praise are generally responded to by a selfdeprecating comment. Compliments are appreciated, especially if addressed to the entire group rather than to individual.

Follow these suggestions and you’ll be taking a major step forward in successfully doing business in Cambodia.

About the Author: Lillian Boucher has lived in Phnom Penh for more than a decade.

Punctuality is important. In this respect Cambodians are not typical of some other Asian cultures. Arriving late shows a lack of respect for the person with whom you are meeting.

Non-verbal behavior is just as important to be aware of. For example, smiling in Cambodia is situational and can have many meanings; it may be friendly, but it may alternately mean a person does not understand what has been said, that they are nervous, or even that they are irritated.

Showing emotions is considered an undesirable behavior. Anger, impatience or frustration should be hidden as it would lead to a loss of face, even more OCT. - DEC., 2010

7

Cambodia’s New Anti-Corruption Law Goes Into Effect “If we do not enforce the law properly or have dishonest intentions, please, all spirits and demons, condemn us to misery, death by bullets, death by car crash, death by lightning strike, separation from our families, and 500 lives’ worth of misery” fact well known to government leaders and investors.

Neighboring Thailand and Vietnam have made strong progress in fighting corruption in recent years.

Cambodia now hopes to gain recognition as a country making its own strides toward the rule of law.

Car crashes, lightning strikes, gunshot wounds...

M

ore than 15 years after it was first proposed, Cambodia’s new anticorruption law has gone into effect with the swearing-in of the first 14 special investigators.

While critics complain that the law is still not up to international standards, it offers the hope of progress in an area of great concern to Cambodians foreign residents and investors alike.

Currently, Cambodia ranks near the bottom in rankings of corruption among Asian nations, a

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These grisly fates – along with 500 lives’ worth of karmic suffering – await officials from the government’s newly established Anti Corruption Unit who fail to discharge their duties properly, assuming that their ceremony at the Appeal Court in the capitol city of Phnom Penh holds cosmic force.

The 14 recently sworn-in officials were granted powers equivalent to those of judicial police in a prakas, or edict, signed by Minister of Justice Ang Vong Vatthana. ACU head Om Yentieng presided over the ceremony, imploring the spirit world to seek swift revenge against any officials from the group who stray OCT. - DEC., 2010

from their responsibilities.

“If we do not enforce the law properly or have dishonest intentions, please, all spirits and demons, condemn us to misery, death by bullets, death by car crash, death by lightning strike, separation from our families, and 500 lives’ worth of misery,” Om Yentieng said.

“If we perform legally and honestly, please, all spirits and demons, help us to have long lives and health, wealth and prosperity in our next lives.”

Ouk Savuth, prosecutor general of the Appeal Court, said the 14 officials vested with police powers in the recent ceremony had to serve as paragons of morality in the eyes of the Cambodian public.

“If our high-level justice police let us down morally, who can

He pledged to set up a website that would detail the unit’s activities and publicize the sworn asset declarations of government officials.

SRP spokesman Yim Sovann said, however, that those expecting a successful assault on corruption by the ACU may have to wait for another lifetime.

“These kinds of oaths – oaths to preserve territorial integrity, to fight corruption, to protect national assets – are not enforced in practice,” Yim Sovann said.

“Assuming that this precedent continues, I don’t believe the ACU’s work will be effective.” the people rely on?” he said.

Sok Sam Oeun, executive director of the Cambodian Defenders Project, said last week’s prakas seemed to have given the first 14 ACU officials the power to open investigations, gather evidence and question witnesses.

Financial disclosure statements submitted under oath are the primary tool for the anticorruption cops. They will search for evidence of lifestyles or assets beyond what can be lawfully obtained on an official salary.

The ACU was one of two bodies created earlier this year when the National Assembly passed the Kingdom’s long-awaited Law on Anti corruption. Om Yentieng said last month that some ACU officials would be issued weapons as they began their battle against graft.

“We need to prepare for safety, because those behind corruption crimes will also have weapons and we have to ensure that our officials will not get injured,” Om Yentieng said.

OCT. - DEC., 2010

United States Ambassador Carol Rodley said last year that the Kingdom lost roughly US$500 million in revenue to corruption, a remark government officials later labeled “politically motivated and unsubstantiated”.

About the Author: Meas Sokchea is a reporter for the Phnom Penh Post.

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Cambodia – Kingdom of Wonder… and a land of contrasts

C

ambodia is a land of stark contrasts. It has stunning natural beauty, the awe-inspiring temples and monuments of a great civilization, unique ecosystems, and it has made considerable progress from the dark days of the Khmer Rouge regime of the 1970s. Nevertheless, in common with many developing countries, the benefits from this progress are not evenly spread.

It is still one of the world’s poorest nations and unbelievable, grinding, poverty is a brutal fact of life for many people.

In Siem Reap province over half of the population lives below the official poverty line, existing on less than 40 cents per day.

Poverty impacts every aspect of life for these people.

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Poverty and Water: A lack of proper sewage and waste water treatment, coupled with poor standards of hygiene, results in many people being forced to drink contaminated water.

Both surface and ground water are contaminated in some areas.

Poverty and Education: Education is officially free in Cambodia and available to all, though there are many costs, (both official and unofficial), and other barriers that prevent children from attending.

Children go to school for half a day, either mornings or afternoons, and a credible 80%+ of children enroll for primary school. Costs of school uniforms, books and other materials, the need to travel greater OCT. - DEC., 2010

distances, and unofficial fees, mean that only 25% start lower secondary school and just 9% start upper secondary school; (these are the averages for both sexes - the situation is far worse in rural areas and for girls).

Teachers’ salaries are only $30 to $50 per month and they cannot survive on this so are forced to charge unofficial attendance fees, or fees for extra tuition, or for examination results etc. Such fees are beyond the means of the poorest families, and as children get older they are needed to work at home, so the problem is doubly difficult.

Completion of the secondary school certificate, and increasingly, being able to speak, read, and write English, are impor-

rainfall determines the size and quality of the crop that is produced, with the potential for large variations from year to year.

Many subsistence farmers who grow rice to feed themselves and their families lack the skills and knowledge to change their farming methods to produce crops

tant prerequisites for getting a decent job. Without basic literacy and numeric skills it is difficult to get any job. A lack of education locks many people into a perpetual poverty cycle.

Poverty and Healthcare: As a provincial capital, Siem Reap has a government hospital offering a fairly comprehensive range of services to those who can pay there is very little state funded provision. In addition, nursing and post treatment facilities are very limited, and patients are not provided with meals while hospitalized. As a result, a member of the patient’s family also has to stay at the hospital to feed and generally take care of them.

Poverty and Landmines: Cambodia is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world and has the longest minefield the world has ever seen. Demining efforts since the early 1990s have cleared large areas of land but mines continue to pose a serious threat. A shortage of land, and the need to collect food and firewood, mean that people have little choice but to go into the mined areas. In 2009,

there were 243 reported cases of injury or death from land mines and other unexploded ordnance.

Poverty and Agriculture: Improvements in agricultural yields and practices, coupled with improvements in education, have the potential to bring real benefits to millions of Cambodians. More than 80% of the population lives in rural areas, (one of the highest percentages in the world), and agriculture remains the largest sector of the economy in terms of GDP. It employs the vast majority of the workforce, a large proportion of which are subsistence farmers.

Rice is Cambodia’s major crop, and its staple food. There has traditionally been just one rice crop per year because Cambodia lacks the extensive irrigation systems needed for double-cropping. In addition, without irrigation systems, the amount of

commercially, and many don’t have the luxury of being able to experiment with alternative crops and methods, as failure could well lead to severe food shortages.

Poverty and the pressure on communities: Cambodian traditional society, in common with much of Asia, is very much community-based, with extended families taking care of less fortunate members. It is quite common for a poor mother with a large family to send some of her children to live with a sister or aunt or other relative who is better able to take care of them.

Poverty places these structures

Continued on page 24 OCT. - DEC., 2010

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Culture Shock:

Driving In Cambodia Rule #1: There are no rules…

F

lying straight west, Cambodia is about 12,000 kilometers from my home in Winnipeg, Canada. So, why am I in Siem Reap city in Cambodia, hanging off the back of a motorized rickshaw – known locally as a “tuk tuk” - that’s piloted by a local man who apparently has a death wish?

Let’s get back to that tuk-tuk in a minute.

Before my wedding in March, I worked double-time to be able to take three-and –a-half weeks off for a honeymoon in Southeast Asia. While we visited Thailand, Indonesia and Vietnam, I fell in love with Angkor Wat in Siem Reap Cambodia.

Why? One reason was our adventures with local transportation. How hubby Ilya and I got around Siem Reap, and toured the ancient temples of Angkor Wat, created plenty of thrills and scares. And plenty of unforgettable memories.

As you might expect, Cambodia is not “touristy” in any way.

We were dropped right into the culture and the raw spirit of the land . . . and it didn’t hurt that we were greeted at the airport by guides from our hotel in a

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vintage 1960s Mercedes.

with streets dotted with quaint and casual restaurants.

It was immaculate: shiny black, and the interior was covered in fresh white linens. If you know that I’m a car girl, you likely have an idea of how impressive this greeting really was. The driver wore a white cotton outfit, had upright posture, and had his hands perfectly placed in the 10 and 2 o’clock positions on the huge steering wheel. It felt like something from a 1930s movie.

People of all ages rode various vehicles -- mostly bicycles and Japanese motorcycles -- to their destinations along a crowded two-lane highway. Women rode what I would consider to the very first hybrid vehicle -the half-bike, half-motorcycle moped -- carrying baskets of fruit and sugar cane. And children. And chickens.

Driving through Cambodian villages we saw simple, colorful and weathered -- yet charming -- stone and wood architecture,

I learned a little about Cambodian life, and a lot about Cambodian traffic. I’ll share a few thoughts on the traffic.

OCT. - DEC., 2010

Most intersections (other than major intersections on the national highways) are unmarked by traffic control signals.

have licenses – which is to say, have had any driver training – so it’s the law of the jungle. The bigger guy always rules.

RULE #6: If you have an accident and you’re a foreigner – it’s entirely your fault.

It’s clear that “lane discipline” hasn’t caught on here yet.

Drivers look both ways, then take their chances crossing or merging into traffic. Since on busy streets there’s never really a break in the traffic, drivers “merge” into traffic by simply pulling out and driving along the side of the road until an opening in the traffic allows them to merge – or to cross.

RULE #2: Traffic in Cambodia drives on the right-hand side of the road – mostly.

That’s why you’ll often see vehicles driving on the “wrong” side of the road; they’re simply bid-

RULE #1: There are no rules.

Few people actually wore helmets and many of the drivers were kids, often appearing to be as young as 12, which was a little shocking. The roads are flat and mostly straight, so they are not challenging to navigate, but the speeds aren’t steady and there is a lot of weaving in and out of traffic.

About 3 years ago the government passed a law requiring that registered vehicles be equipped with lefthand drive, to accommodate driving on the right side of the road. (In neighboring Thailand they drive on the left, so traffic doesn’t really flow between the two countries.)

However, an alarming number of vehicles – trucks, buses, and cars – are still right-hand drive, the two modes mixing quite confusingly to a newcomer but perfectly comfortable for locals.

RULE #3: You’re on your own at most intersections.

ing their time until there’s room to cross the lane and merge into the traffic on the other side.

Turns onto a crossing road are begun when there’s a break in traffic, which may be some distance away from the actual intersection you approach.

RULE #5: Right-of-way goes to the bigger vehicle.

Under no circumstances should you assume that because you’d have had the right-of-way back home, you have it in Cambodia.

It’s estimated that as few as 10% of drivers on the road actually OCT. - DEC., 2010

Since so few drivers have licenses, it stands to reason that they don’t have insurance. So try very, very hard not to have an accident. It comes down to this: If you hadn’t been here, the accident wouldn’t have happened.

Ergo, it’s your fault.

By the way, in Siem Reap local

officials don’t allow foreigners to rent cars or motorcycles. Which, on balance, I’ve decided was a good decision. Which brings me back to my tuk-tuk adventures.

Men (always – I think it’s a macho thing) rocketed the tourists around in tuk-tuks, which are basically motorcycles with carriages pulled behind. It’s actually, a comfortable and inexpensive way to get around.

There are also motorbike taxis – known here as motos – that will drive you even less expensively than tuk-tuks. If you’re a woman, you’ll ride side-saddle behind 15

meters on paved roads to the various temples that are spread throughout the miles of the Angkor Wat complex. Getting close to each one meant travelling for the last half-kilometer or so on bumpy and rutted dirt roads.

I actually felt the safest on this part of the tuk-tuk journey, even while bouncing around the back of the carriage, because at least there was no oncoming traffic that we were about to crash into.

the driver, who will also always be a man. Lots of women drive motorbikes and cars here, but for some reason they don’t work as professional drivers. Blame it on the male motorbike mafia!

On to our temple-viewing adventure. The temples of Angkor Wat are a major attraction for Cambodia. They were built by Hindus in the early 12th century. The largest, Angkor Wat, (or Angkor temple), is the largest religious structure ever built, but there are many others. Apparently, the prime time to get on the road for a visit is 5:30 am, to see a magnificent sunrise over the entire complex.

amplified by the fact that I’m a terrible backseat driver. If backseat driving was an Olympic event, I would have won gold for the last three games.

Somehow, I managed to keep quiet. Perhaps it was out of sheer terror, as I closed my eyes -- a lot -- and rationalized that the driver must be good at what he does, or he wouldn’t be alive to drive us around in the first place. Sometimes you must hang on to anything.

As death-defying as it all seemed, I didn’t see a single crash/accident/collision/mishap. And, obviously, I’m alive to recount the story.

Husband Ilya arranged it, and if we had had any trouble waking up at 4:30 to meet our driver, our personal tuk-tuk cowboy helped get the blood flowing.

He was speedy and erratic, seemingly narrowly escaping head-on collisions to get us to the spot where Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, starring Angelina Jolie, was filmed back in 2001.

It’s worth noting, too, that none of the other drivers on the road were the least bit fazed by the non-stop thrills. Maybe they’re just used to it, or maybe it has something to do with the Buddhist acceptance of that which cannot be controlled. But there was no cursing, no road rage, just lots of patience.

This experience was somewhat

Anyway, it was several kilo-

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OCT. - DEC., 2010

As we exited the tuk-tuk, we were greeted by the sight of ancient, grand, stone staircases of the temples leading up several hundred feet, just like a vision from a story book. It was truly breath-taking, making the nervous trip well worth the taking.

It was absolutely my most exhilarating experience of a lifetime.

The ornate hallways are a sight to behold, as are the small passageways and the temples intertwined with massive iridescent trees that had a beautiful silver and gold sheen.

After each temple hike, we were back in the tuktuk carriage for an equally adventurous ride back to our hotel.

You can be sure I’ll be back to Cambodia. As soon as I can.

There’s still lots I haven’t seen, but already -- I love this place!

About the writer: Courtney Hansen is a Winnipeg, Canada-based travel ravel writer.

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Lions, Tigers and Bears...Wow! “There are over 60 rare or endangered species of wildlife in Cambodia, many of which are now extinct elsewhere in South East Asia” OK, there are no lions in Cambodia (lions being native only to Africa), but there are indeed tigers and bears…and much more to see.

While Cambodia is best known for the mighty Angkor Wat temples, beyond these temples the natural beauty of the country is waiting to be discovered.

Cambodia offers many opportunities for adventure travel, and ecotourism, such as: trekking in tropical forests; sighting rare wildlife; water-based adventures on rivers and beaches; cycling along dirt roads through traditional villages, and more…

Cambodia has unique ecosystems and impressive landscapes 18

within the country’s 23 protected areas, from pristine beaches and coral reefs to evergreen and deciduous forests.

Its abundant natural resources and rich biodiversity hold huge untapped potential for ecotourism development. Because of decades of war and isolation Cambodia’s countryside remains largely unexplored by travelers. Ecotourism in Cambodia offers much for the traveler with a sense of adventure.

There are over 60 rare or endangered species of wildlife in Cambodia, many of which are now extinct elsewhere in South East Asia, including: the Asian Elephant; Tiger; Clouded and OCT. - DEC., 2010

Common Leopards, Asiatic Black Bear; Asiatic Wild Dog; Eld’s Deer; Irrawaddy Dolphin; Siamese Crocodile; Banteng; Bengal Florican; Douc Langur; Pileated Gibbon; Elongated Tortoise; Freshwater Sawfish; Giant Catfish; Giant Carp; Grey Ox; Javan; and Sumatran Rhinoceros.

Cambodia’s seasonally flooded forests also provide an ideal habitat for several highly endangered water birds: the White Shouldered Ibis; Sarus Crane; and the Greater and Lesser Adjutant and beautiful Storks.

Indeed, much of the nation’s culture is connected to water.

Every year, revelers flock to the capital city of Phnom Penh —

where the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers meet — for the annual Water Festival, always a fun time.

The festival draws more than one million people to the city, and the rest of the nation all but shuts down. Rural Cambodians flood into the city, eager for a brief respite from the hardship of their daily routines.

Cambodians depend on fish for 70 percent of their protein. So intertwined are the Cambodians and their fish that the country’s currency, the riel, is named after the small silver carp that is the staple of many diets here. Images of fish and fishermen are etched into the walls of stone buildings around Angkor Wat, the majestic temple complex that was once the center of an ancient empire nearly 1,000 years ago.

Indeed, the Mekong Delta is one of the most productive fisheries in the world. Two million tons of fish are harvested from the Mekong every year — more

than the Amazon, more than the Congo, more than the Yangtze, more than the Mississippi.

An unusual seasonal occurrence is one of the reasons: The monsoon rains pour so much water into the Mekong River that it briefly forces the Tonle Sap River to flow backwards, swelling the Tonle Sap Lake in western Cambodia to several times its normal size.

Ecotourism in Cambodia is helping to protect this wildlife as well as the natural environment and local cultures while offering opportunities for employment and sustainable development to poor, often remote, local communities. Ecotourism is a much welcomed alternative to the exploitation of the wildlife and local natural resources.

About the Author: Kay Kimsan is a Phnom Penh based journalist.

By Kay Kimsan OCT. - DEC., 2010

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Khmer cuisine:

diverse, and original Over the centuries, Khmer cooking has been enriched by its contact with various countries.

Over the centuries, Khmer cooking has been enriched by its contact with various countries.

Cambodia has drawn on influences from the cuisines of China, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and France, all of whom are powerful players in Cambodian history.

T

o discover the cooking of Cambodia is to take a step back in time, to the era of the kingdom of Angkor, the cradle of Khmer civilization. It was then that Cambodian cooking first developed its identity and began to flourish. Rarely written down, recipes were instead handed down from mother to daughter. From this ancient origin has come a traditional cuisine of unsuspected sophistication -- a unique blend of flavors and colors that enhance the always fresh, natural ingredients.

From these multiple influences, Khmer cuisine took on a unique diversity. Thus you will find a surprising and enchanting blend of flavors -- sweet, salty, bitter and sour, side-by-side in harmony, sometimes even within a single dish, to offer a most original melody.

A multitude of colors and a blend of flavors.

The staple food for Cambodians is rice. Almost every meal includes a bowl of rice, although noodles are also popular. A wide range of curries, soups and stirfries are served with rice. Many rice varieties are available in Cambodia, including aromatic rice and glutinous or sticky rice.

The latter is more commonly found in desserts with fruits like durian or mango.

Khmer cuisine shares much in common with the food of neighboring Thailand, although it is generally not as spicy as Thai

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OCT. - DEC., 2010

food; and with Vietnam, with which it shares many common dishes and a colonial history, both being part of the French colonial empire in Southeast Asia.

One notable legacy of the French is the baguette, a small loaf of crusty bread which the Cambodians often eat with pâté, tinned sardines, or eggs. One of these with a cup of strong coffee, sweetened with condensed milk, is an example of a common Cambodian breakfast.

China brought steam cooking, soy sauce, and noodles; India contributed curry.Curry dishes, known as kari, show more than a trace of the vast cultural influence from India. The many variations of rice noodles show the influences from Chinese cuisine.

Preserved lemons are a unique ingredient not commonly found in the cooking of Cambodia’s neighbors, but used in some Khmer dishes. Coconut milk is the main ingredient of many Khmer curries and desserts.

One popular skewer or “kebab” is the “golden sapeck,” small pieces of pork tenderloin interspersed with bits of bacon and slices of Chinese sausage grilled over hot coals.

Typically, Cambodians eat their meals with at least three or four separate dishes. A meal will usually include a soup, or samlor, served alongside the main courses. Each individual dish may be either sweet, sour, salty or bitter. Chili and garlic are served on the side, and left up to individual diners and to their taste. In this way Cambodians ensure that they get a bit of every flavor to satisfy their palates.

During the meal, water or cold tea is drunk (unlike the Chinese, who drink their tea hot).

At the end of the meal, and outside of meals, Cambodians drink “choum,” a rice liquor, and a locally made cognac.

You will also come to see the importance that Cambodian cooking places on color. Since

we “eat first with our eyes,” the ingredients that make up a dish are like a painter’s palette.

Gleaming red chilies, bright green limes, orangish shrimp on a white coconut background -the painting is colorful and harmonious, the flavors distinct yet all the more subtle.

When visiting the “Kingdom of Wonder”, do not shy away from exploring the wonders of Khmer cuisine. You’re sure to enjoy the adventure of it all!

About the Author: Tsai Yen is a Taiwan-born, Los Angeles-based restaurateur.

TASTE OF INDIA

OCT. - DEC., 2010

21

Cambodia Is Still a Hard Sell for Investment Companies

… The traditional private equity strategy of buying out and investing in profitable, pre-existing businesses is rarely an option here …

P

HNOM PENH — Douglas Clayton arrived in Phnom Penh in 2007 to start a private equity fund, looking to get $100 million in funds under management. His firm, Leopard Capital, started in 2008, is one of four private equity funds here backed by overseas investors, and the first to have completed an investment.

“Anyone can announce they want to start a fund, but getting investors to back you is a challenge,” Mr. Clayton, Leopard’s chief executive and managing partner, said in an interview. “All the groups that started here had no track record, including us. It’s a doubly hard story to sell.”

Mr. Clayton was drawn to Cambodia after experiencing years of double-digit growth in Thailand, where he worked for a hedge fund during the 1990s.

Now ranked at 145 out of 183 countries in the World Bank’s “Doing Business” report, Cambodia is going through its own period of rapid growth. Before 22

the global economic crisis hit in 2008, gross domestic product grew about 9% a year for almost a decade. After shrinking by 2.5% in 2009, growth is forecast to reach about 5% this year.

With $34 million collected so far from an array of international investors, Leopard has completed six investments, including a $2 million, 55% stake in Kingdom Breweries, a new microbrewery, and a 31.5% share in a new shrimp-processing factory.

Leopard has also loaned about $1 million to an electricity supplier in Kompong Cham Province, in eastern Cambodia.

very entrepreneurial and blaze their own trails, Cambodia is a beautiful paradise.”

After decades of civil war and a deadly communist regime that between 1975 and 1979 killed some 2 million people, Cambodia remains very deeply underdeveloped, with 4 million of its 14 million people living below the poverty threshold, according to the United Nations.

Leopard raised its first $10 million before the financial crisis struck. Cambodia Emerald, a would-be rival, also started in 2008, was not so lucky.

The traditional private equity strategy of buying out and investing in profitable, pre-existing businesses is rarely an option here, Mr. Clayton said. “The biggest range of opportunities are the businesses that have not started yet.”

As the crisis bit, “we sort of basically put the fund on hold,” Peter Brimble, founding partner of Cambodia Emerald, said recently. Still, U.S. investors are starting to show interest again, and “we have plans to bring it back,” he said.

Still, in a country where everything is still to be done, “for people who are willing to come in and work very hard and be

Beyond the problems of attracting foreign capital, businesses here say they are confronted with numerous local barriers,

OCT. - DEC., 2010

the most frequently cited being the extremely limited access to domestic capital, and high transportation and electricity costs.

In 2008, Cambodian bank lending was worth about 25% of gross domestic product, compared with more than 90% in Vietnam and Thailand.

“Capital is one of the main constraints here,” said Joshua Morris, managing director of Emerging Markets Investments, a private development fund backed by the International Finance Corp. — the World Bank’s private arm — and the Norwegian and Finnish governments. Small and medium-size enterprises “struggle to raise the money they need for expansion,” he said.

Lending is limited by low confidence in the judicial system and a lack of credit information, investment managers say.

Mr. Morris, whose $10 million fund operates in both Cambodia and Laos, says he has been “incredibly careful” in identifying prospective business partners and has so far found just two in which he hopes to complete investments this summer.

Apart from their lack of access to cash, Mr. Morris said, Cam-

bodian businesses rarely build proper corporate governance into their strategies and fall short on accounting and most auditing standards.

“While many businesses excel in generating revenue, there is still a lot of work that needs to be done in terms of the internal processes of the company,” he said. Skilled labor is also limited, although “a pretty solid set of business managers” is starting to emerge from the country’s universities, he added.

Yet, for all the shortcomings, Cambodia is at the heart of developing Asia, surrounded by dynamic economies in Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. Its currency, the riel, is pegged by the central bank at a stable rate of about 4,300 to the U.S. dollar, and inflation is low, at about 4 percent a year.

International road links are developing quickly, and last year Toll Group of Australia signed a contract to operate the longneglected rail network, which is being rehabilitated. Toll says the first line, between Phnom Penh and the port city of Sihanoukville, will be open to freight soon.

“It’s a very pro-business government here,” Mr. Morris said.

“They have placed very few restrictions with regards to where you can invest.”

“The private sector is our engine of economic growth,” Sun Chanthol, vice chairman for the Council for the Development of Cambodia, the government’s investment board, told a business seminar in Phnom Penh this month. “We want to be the facilitator of the private sector.”

Bretton G. Sciaroni, an adviser OCT. - DEC., 2010

to the government and a partner at the law firm Sciaroni & Associates in Phnom Penh, said Cambodia had advantages that did not exist elsewhere in the region.

Foreign investors are allowed to own a company outright, without a local partner. There are no restrictions on fund transfers, no exchange controls, and Cambodia is one of the few least-developed countries to have joined the World Trade Organization.

The government is also hoping to establish a stock exchange within the next year.

“Senior government officials are focused on attracting investment and creating jobs,” Mr. Sciaroni said. “In addition, because Cambodia is a relatively new country with a new economy, there are business opportunities that do not exist in more developed economies. Much needs to be done in Cambodia, and opportunity abounds.”

Still, the cost of doing business is higher there than in many other countries in the region. Electricity costs are high because much 23

of the energy is imported, while transportation is costly and slow because of poor infrastructure. Moreover, “the courts do not provide an adequate venue for commercial disputes,” Mr. Sciaroni said. “Dispute resolution remains an important issue for the business community.”

Corruption is another problem.

“Corruption exists at many levels and is sometimes only the manifestation of a former

From page 13 under great strain and sometimes whole communities become so poor that they are unable to take care of each other.

Parents then are faced with terrible choices and have to take unimaginable decisions including abandoning or even selling

their children.

Poverty and Orphanages: While the total number of Cambodian orphans is unknown it is estimated that the figure is well in excess of 600,000. Of these, 12,000 are in Cambodian orphanages. Therefore at least 98% of orphans are being cared for by their extended family, or their wider community, or maybe by no one at all. In addition, only 24

economy based on informal processes,” said Christophe Forsinetti, vice president of the venture capital fund Devenco.

Yet, the fact that Cambodia’s development lags behind that of its neighbors means there is a higher growth potential as the country catches up, Mr. Forsinetti said.

Reap — and in Pharm@link, a Phnom Penh pharmacy chain.

Devenco has invested in Gaea, a waste collection company in the main tourist hub — Siem

Alvin Greene lives in Hong Kong and frequently writes about business.

about 25% of children in a typical orphanage are true orphans; 75% are from poor families who are simply unable to take care of their sons and daughters.

prove the lives of large numbers of children in need.

Poverty and Human Trafficking: Human trafficking, including child sex abuse, is inextricably linked to poverty. Human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes of forced labor or commercial sexual exploitation. Put simply, it is 21st century slavery -- and it is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world. It is now the second largest after the drug-trade and is equal in size to the illegal arms industry.

As in other parts of the world, the larger non-government organizations are increasingly focusing their efforts away from

orphanages and into community-based care for orphans, where children are taken care of by their own communities and extended families.

This is seen by most child care experts as the best way forward, but woven into this complex background is the question of how to best use the extremely limited resources available to imOCT. - DEC., 2010

“Many sectors are under-developed and companies with a specific knowledge can become a leader on their market with small investment amounts,” he said. “We work on a smaller pie.

But it is a growing one.”

Cambodia continues to recover from the total destruction of social, health, education and economic structures as a result of the Khmer Rouge era and years of civil war. Extreme poverty and an infrastructure that’s still weak create an ideal environment for the abuse of human rights.

About the author: Michael Horton is the founder and President of ConCERT Cambodia, a Siem Reap-based NGO working to connect foreign volunteers with legitimate non-profit organizations working to alleviate Cambodia’s poverty. To contact Michael or see how you can help, visit www.concertcambodia.org.

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The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming! As soon as the first snowflakes start falling in Moscow, I remember how much I miss Cambodia.

V

isitors to Sihanoukville, Cambodia’s main beach resort, might be surprised by the sizeable number of Russian tourists and residents.

This beach resort, Cambodia’s most popular with a population of 150,000, is home to at least two Russian restaurants that serve home-made herring, pickles and borscht (Russian beet soup with sour cream), as well as a nightclub that plays Russian music that was built around an old Soviet aircraft.

Many people know that the Russians “discovered” neigh26

boring Thailand a decade ago, and today some 200,000 Russians visit Thailand every year.

They also do more than visit – it is estimated that as much as 40% of condominium sales in the beach tourist destination of Pattaya, for instance, are made to Russian investors. Some retire there, some visit during the cold Russian winters, and some use the condos as income-generating rental investments.

Now, the Russians are starting to move next door to Cambodia.

Russian businessmen recently leased a beach and four islands off the popular resort town of SiOCT. - DEC., 2010

hanoukville for 99 years, and are now developing them for upscale tourism. Tellingly, the map of Sihanoukville now includes several advertisements in Russian.

This might be surprising enough, but the Russian population here is expected to grow significantly in the coming months.

“It turned out that it was cheaper to live in Asia on money I made from renting out my apartment than to stay in Russia,” said Tatiana Luts, 32, who moved south after seeing her wages in Saint Petersburg plummet during the economic crisis.

Now she spends only $5 a night for a clean room in a guesthouse named Sunset Garden just a short walk from the beach.

“I was the first from my group of friends to leave the country,” she said, as she gulped down

Tom Yam soup with a mango shake in one of the many inexpensive restaurants on Sihanoukville’s Victory Hill. “They were shocked, but now they are thinking of doing the same.”

Until very recently, Russian “snowbirds” favored Goa, India, where their population was estimated in the thousands. But after India changed its visa rules this year, requiring foreigners to leave for two months before renewing, Russians started looking for another warm beach to spend the cold winter – and they found Sihanoukville.

Among them is Anastasia Chernakova, a 30-year-old single mother from Moscow who moved to Cambodia with her three-year-old. She had spent her winters in Goa since 2002, returning to Moscow only during the summer. Now, she and several of her friends from Goa have moved to Sihanoukville, with more on the way.

“I think there will be a lot of Russians here because it’s an optimal place – it’s affordable, the sea is beautiful and Cambodians are nice people,” she said.

Yet the Russian discovery of Sihanoukville started with just one man: a snake specialist from Uzbekistan, who now holds a Cambodian passport and runs the country’s only clinic for snake-bite victims.

Nikolai Doroshenko moved to Cambodia in 1993 after the fall of the Soviet Union left him without a job. He became Sihanoukville’s first Russian-speaking resident.

When he arrived in the Kingdom, he had only $37 in his pocket, but he had big dreams.

The country’s snake population, he says, was virtually undocumented, and there was nothing more exciting for him as a biologist.

“I always dreamed about coming to Southeast Asia, but during the Soviet times it was impossible,” he said.

After coming to Cambodia, Doroshenko worked at a Chinese cobra farm (the cobras were raised in Cambodia for export to China, where they are valued by traditional doctors), and helped build the Phnom Tamao zoo.

Somehow he worked his way up through real estate ventures to owning a 99-year lease on an island off the coast of SihaOCT. - DEC., 2010

noukville’s Victory Beach.

Perhaps most famously of all, he also owns a restaurant named Snake House that has dozens of poisonous snakes in glass terraria, crocodiles, and a screaming white parrot that constantly demands his attention.

He also owns Airport, the nightclub on the beach with an Antonov An-24 turboprop airplane inside. (Doroshenko says he purchased the plane after a joint Russian-Cambodian company stopped flying domestic routes in the Kingdom. He originally planned to sink it as an attraction for divers, but ended up turning it into a nightclub with an Aeroflot logo above the door.)

“I almost built everything with my bare hands,” Doroshenko says, insisting that neither he, nor his business partners, partake in any criminal activities.

“People see three Russians together and they assume it is the mafia,” Doroshenko says. “We have to destroy the mafia myth.”

Doroshenko and six other Russian investors, each of whom owns his or her own investment company, are currently developing four islands off Sihanoukville’s coast. The first island, called Koh Dek Koule, already has a luxury hotel where prices reach $2000 per night.

Other islands – the largest of which is ironically named Koh Puos, or Snake Island – will house a casino, restaurants, hotels, luxury cottages for families, and a sanatorium that will offer special diets for the ill. Snake Island is also about to get connected to Cambodia’s mainland courtesy of a new bridge being built by the Chinese company Continued on page 31 27

What makes a “5-Star” hotel a 5-Star hotel?

“Reflecting the lack of international standards for awarding hotel ratings, it has recently come into fashion for certain luxury hotels to award themselves more than 5-Stars.”

F

or years, the words “5 Star” and “luxury” were interchangeable when it came to hotels. What many travelers may not realize is that the 5-Star rating might be viewed most realistically as a semi-reliable standard, meaning different things in different places.

But it is in general a good overall guide as to what to expect from a given hotel.

28

However, obscuring the picture is the recent rise of hotels described (or describing themselves) as 6-Star and even 7-Star properties. Regardless of whether they are 5, 6 or 7 Stars, and of what exactly those ratings really mean in different locations, they all still mean luxurious accommodations and top noteh service.

OCT. - DEC., 2010

What is a 5-Star Hotel?

When it comes to hotels, “luxury” is usually synonymous with “5 Stars.” However, what a 5-Star rating actually means can vary in each country, depending on where you are, remembering that there may actually be no official standards.

Most European countries have a standardized review and ratings system, usually administered by their tourism officials.

France has recently announced that the government will review all hotels and assign them a new rating of 1-5 stars. No more “no stars” hotels in France. The French government ordered this review after recognizing that hotels initially awarded a 4-5 star rating were not maintaining their standards or upgrading their facilities.

But such government oversight is not always the case. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, the system is standardized, but administered by the national hotel association and not a government agency.

In the United States, star ratings are issued by multiple reviewing organizations, (Mobil Travel Guide and Forbes Travel Guide being perhaps the most widely recognized) and sometimes simply self-declared by the hotel itself.

In Cambodia, the Ministry of Tourism has a program that awards a star-rating when a new hotel opens, and then reviews that rating periodically when the operating licenses come due for renewal. However, some hotels built before the ratings law came into effect (which is to say,

most hotels in Cambodia) have refused to submit their properties for review, for reasons that are unclear but may be related to uncertainty about the ratings standards, which have not yet been published.

An independent rating review by www.asiahotels.com evaluates all the country’s major tourist and business properties. It reports that Cambodia’s tourism

OCT. - DEC., 2010

center, Siem Reap (adjacent to the famed Angkor Wat complex of temples), hosts the largest number of 5-Star hotels in the country, including: Amansara Resort; Angkor Palace Resort & Spa; Hotel de la Paix; Le Meridien Angkor; Raffles Grand Hotel d’ Angkor; Royal Angkor Resort; Sofitel Golf & Spa Resort;

29

The Advent of “7-Star” Hotels: Continuing with the game of one-upsmanship in hotel luxury ratings are the handful of hotels that have claimed 7-Star status.

The first to do this was the Burj al-Arab in Dubai. The Burj alArab was followed by the Town House Galleria of Milan, and then by the Grace International of Bangkok.

That the 7-Star rating started by the Burj al-Arab is even more dubious than the preceding 6-Star rating is symbolized by the Burj’s own stand on the matter; they alternate between calling themselves “the world’s first 7-Star hotel” and a “5-Star Deluxe hotel.” Certainly rooms at the Burj al-Arab are not cheap, starting at $1,000 per night, but they are certainly not unique in that price scale.

Luxury Chains: Sokha Hotel Resort.

In the capital city of Phnom Penh, there are four 5-Star rated properties, including: Intercontinental Phnom Penh; Nagaworld Hotel Phnom Penh; Raffles Hotel Le Royal, Sofitel Phnom Penh.

Cambodia’s beach resort, Sihanoukville boasts its first 5-Star rating with the new Sokha Beach Resort & Spa. Despite the lack of international standardization, and sometimes of the lack of standardization even within countries, meriting a “5-Star” rating does mean high marks for the hotel restaurant and other food services; for entertainment availability that 30

includes a classy night club or bar; for the area and view; for room variations and décor; for having spas and fitness facilities; and for the desirability of the hotel’s location.

“6-Star” Hotels: Reflecting the lack of international standards for awarding hotel ratings, it has recently come into fashion for certain luxury hotels to award themselves more than 5 Stars. Examples include the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok, and the Crown Macau in China. Australia’s Palazzo Versace was reviewed as a 6-Star Hotel by Australian Traveller magazine, and therefore at least received the accolade from an outside sponsor.

OCT. - DEC., 2010

One way to sidestep the doubt about just how luxurious your luxury hotel may be is to go with a chain. Even if there might be no reliable ratings standards, there are reliable standards within a hospitality corporation.

For example, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel of Bangkok is the shining jewel of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, which has hotels around the world.

Others include, but are not limited to, the Ritz Carlton, Sofitel, J W Marriott Resorts, the Starwood Group, and the long established Four Seasons Group.

About the Author: Lana Kristofson is a travel writer residing most of the year in Stockholm.

From page 27 Sinohydro (which recently announced a delay in the completion of the project due to funding difficulties.)

As his Cambodian business ventures grew, Doroshenko recruited his friends from the former Soviet Union to work with him.

Sihanoukville became home to a former employee of the Moscow zoo, a Russian pilot who once miraculously survived a crash in Cambodia, biologists, landscape designers, computer programmers – and, most recently, a Russian DJ who moved to the Kingdom to work at Doroshenko’s nightclub.

Because there is no travel guide on Cambodia in Russian, Doroshenko says he is planning to

start a Russian-language newspaper in Sihanoukville to educate Russian people about Cambodia. In particular, he would like to get the word out to the wealthy Russian tourists.

The backpackers can’t afford three-course meals at the Snake House or a night at the Mirax resort on Koh Dek Koule Island.

But they do hold long conversations late into the night.

“Rich Russian tourists don’t come here yet, because they don’t know about Cambodia”.

“I don’t miss winter at all,” Chernakova told a friend one evening. She said her son, who is ethnically Russian but is fluent in both English and Hindi, was almost three years old when he saw snow for the first time.

“I don’t miss Christmas trees, sleds, snow or anything,” she said. “But as soon as the first snowflakes start falling in Moscow, I remember how much I miss Cambodia.”

At the moment, though, Sihanoukville is currently becoming home to dozens of Russians from a much different income bracket. They spend their days lazily smoking, sipping, and chatting together in inexpensive restaurants. Doroshenko says Russian-speaking tourists started moving from Goa to Sihanoukville last year, and in the upcoming months their numbers will continue to grow.

About the Author: Victor Andrews is a prolific writer and traveller based in Vladivostok.

Welcome to the Kingdom of Cambodia Hello my name is Vebol. I welcome you to the country of my birth and to the beautiful land that we Khmer people love. I will be happy to be your local driver, guide and assistant while you are in Siem Reap. Your business will be greatly appreciated!

Telephone : (+855) 012.53.93.48 / (+855) 092.19.44.22 E-mail : veboloung@yahoo.com Website : www.SiemReapTukTukDriver.com Face Book : Veboloung I have a lot of experience, I speak very good English. I am friendly, honest, helpful, reliable, and very knowledgeable about local culture. I can provide you with transport in my Tuk Tuk or if you prefer an air-conditioned vehicle. I charge very reasonable rates! My years of experience allow me to provide excellent itineraries. I look forward to making your stay in Siem Reap a most memorable adventure !

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31

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Angkor National Museum The Legend Revealed The Angkor National Museum is the most important museum dedicated to the Angkor civilization in Cambodia and Asia. It is located in Siem Riep City, in the exclusive Charles de Gaulle Avenue, at the north of the National Road.

Lintel Style: Banteay Srei Date : 10th Century Display in Gallery C

Its collection, exhibited in eight galleries (the Exclusive Gallery and the other ones identified from A to G), numbers several masterpieces of theAngkor temples and it is the most complete representation of the culture, history and archeology of the Golden Age of Cambodia.

The Charles de Gaulle Avenue is not far from the temples itself (about two kilometers from downtown). The facade keeps the harmony of the Angkorian unique architecture.

Comparable to any modern museum in the world, it has a fast ticketing service system (and it is possible to book online), a Guide Map and Audio Tour Set (personal translation device) with eight languages (Khmer, English, German, Korean, Japanese, French, Chinese and Thai.)

It is a highly recommended place to complete visits to the temples. The combination of modern technologies with its multimedia presentations is ready to introduce the visitor into the magic of the Angkor world.

Wooden desk : The Museum Mall

The Museum is placed in 20 thousand square meters (65,616 sq. feet) surrounded with the Cambodian traditional gardens and the exclusivity of the northern area of Siem Riep City.

The Museum is the product of a joint eort of the Royal Ministry of Culture and Fine Art, the APSARA Authority and the Museum Co., Ltd. on a 30 year concession period. No doubt, it is a world class museum dedicated to the preservation of the Khmer artifacts, collections and restorations of the fascinating Angkor Civilization.

The Angkor National Museum is unique in Cambodia. It has its own style and its full inspiration in the ancient glorious time of the Khmer Empire, just at the doors of the temples.

by A. Rodas

OCT. - DEC., 2010

Gallery 6 : Ancient Costume

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Camb dia Insight

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et

Stre

Al

Vong Tep ech amd

Wat Bo Area

Oum Khun Street

Al

Angkor Palace Resort

No .1

0

W AT Wat

DAMNAK Camb dia Insight AREA

Ta Phrom Hotel

Damnak

Magazine & Website

Siem Reap City Map (Town Center) Restaurant & Bar

Shopping / Boutique

Tour/Travel Agent

Spa / Massage

Jayavarman VII Hospital Borei Speak Neak Inn (Performances by Beatocello) H

Hotel with restaurant

Bank / ATM

Sofitel Royal Angkor (Couleurs d’Asie Located Inside)

Other

Pagoda

0

50m

100m

150m

Tara Angkor Asia Craft Centre(ACC) Online D’mouj

E S

200m

250m

Cathelic Church Golden Orange Angkor Discover Inn

Sivatha Blvd

Taphul Road

Lucky Mall (Lucky Supermarket lucky Department, Store, Monument Toys...)

SBC

Prince d’Angkor

Kazna Hotel

Street 05

Cambodian Red Cross/ Angkor Panaorama

Helistar

Street 21

La Résidence of Angkor

Wat Bo Area Wat Bo Road

ACLEDA

Achar Sva Street

Curry Walla 1

14 Street

Nest Mekong Bank

Mekong Angkor Palace

European New Apsara Guesthouse Market Peace of MotherHome Guest House Angkor Tours Home Sweet Home GH Two Dragons

Home Cocktail Angkor World Travel Claremont Angkor and Street 20 East India Curry

Siem Reap River

hello point

Oum Chhay Street

Tany Khmer Family Kitchen

Paris Saigon Vong Street Samdach Tep

Viroth’s Restaurant

Wat Bo

Angkor Hospital Angkor Rivieara Hotel/Gingkgo Spa ANZ Royal Bank Charming Cambodia for Children Adidas Tours Common Grounds UCB Selantra Pich Reamker Asian Trails Central Boutique Frangipani Spa Street 22 Good Nah Hotel de la Paix Angkor ng Street Vo Tep Terre Cambodge Le Café The Villa Siem Reap Ivy Senhoa Nail Spa Samdach City River Hotel Phsar Guesthouse The Emerald Lotus Kandal Street 23 Boutique Hotel (Center Viroth’s Hotel MPA Naga Guesthouse Market) Bopha Angkor Soria Moria it Stands King AngkorVilla SBC Phnom Penh Fresh Fru Street 24 Sorya Transport Hong Kong Restaurant Canadia PROVINCIAL Shadow of Angkor II Happy 2 thHerb Pizza HOSPITAL Tany Family Lodge Wat Preah nou Street 25 Intra Co. Stre Prom Rath et Happy Special Pizza Relax Massage Khmer Butterflies Gardent Vattanac Bank Home Cocktail Happy Angkor Pizza Street 26 Blue 7 Massage Dead Fish Tower Bodia Spa Tell Restaurant U-Care Maharajah Singing Tree 7 Girls Khmer Massage Be VIP Khmer Massage Tourex Asia Café Brickhouse Bar Little Traditional Happy Angkor Pizza Pumpkin Banana Leaf India Kokoon/Blue Movie Mall Angkor Candles Angkor Trade Center Temple Club/Balcony Traditonal Curry CAB Bank Angkor Street 27 Island Massage Viva Khmer (Pizza Co., Swensens) Rajana Cambodian Walla 2 Night ViVa Khmer Family Champey Senteurs Shadow of Angkor BBG Market d’Angkor Le Grand Red Piano Rehab Craft Chamkar Amok Mekong Guilts Les Orientalistes Body Tune Massage McDermott Gallery Neak Garden Village Sao Mao Aha Krorhorm Kampuccino Guesthouse Molly Malone’s Cherry Blossom Boutique Baca Villa Sala Bai

Zone One Salina Hotel

Sam Veasna Center

Apsara Theater Angkor Village

St r

M O eet 9 A LD R K E T

St re et

8

St re et

7

Old Market Area

Leu Phsar Thom Thmey

Not to Scale Mom’s Guesthouse

Pokambor AV

Royal Day Camintel Inn Angkor POST Casa Angkor Resort OFFICE Oum Khun Street L’Escale des Shinta Mani Arts et des Sens

Angkor Market Master Suki Soup

Green Garden Home

Angie’s Villa

Yaklom Lodge & Sawasdee Food Garden

MC Dermott Gallery Red Gallery Visaya Spa FCC Angkor

Street 03

Not to Scale

La Noria Hotel and Restaurant

Park and Promenade

Old French Quarter

Obriot Gallery

Golden Mango Inn (150 meters) Dara Reang Sey Hotel (350 meters) Bus Station (800 meters) Roluos Group (12km) Phum Stoeng Trocheat (13km) Phnom Penh (314km) Reaksmey Star Travel/CTV Phsar Samaki Freedom Hotel

Angkor Wat in Miniature (Artist Dy Proeung) Borann I’Auberge des Temples

Royal Residence

Ya-Tep Shrine

Street 02

Khmer Inn Angkor

Taphul Village Area

gkor

Caltex Ta Som Guesthouse

Mysteres d’Angkor

Wat Po Lanka

Angkoriana Hotel Tonle Chaktomuk and Chaopraya Coffee Tourism Department

f An

Royal Independence Preah Ang Chek Gardens Preah Ang Chorm Shrine

Victoria Angkor Angkor Shopping Center National Route No 6 Panida CAB Bank

Airport Road

Jasmine Lodge

ple o

Wat Kesararam

Bou Savy Guesthouse

e tem

Angkor TK

Wat Preah An Kau Sai

Suki BBQ

to th

Jasmine Lodge

Wat Preah An Kau Sai

River Village Manor Morokat Mart & Coffee Shop The Emerald Lotus Boutique

Road

The Museum Mall (Monument Books) Angkor M National Museum Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor

La Villa Mona d’Angkor Shining Angkor Boutique

Dragon Royal 7 Makara ECU (Office)

Royal Yoga Madamsachiko: Angkor Cookies & Café Puka Puka

Not to scales

N W

Hidden Cambodia Adventure (workshop)

Not to Scale

Angkor Village Resort

Hidden Cambodia Adventure Tours(office)

Le Méridien

g

WAT

Ta

Peace of Angkor Palm Garden Lodge

Artisans d’Angkor Ancient Angkor Inn Tanei Questhouse Angkor Trek Tour

DAMNAK AREA

Golden Banana IKTT Five Star Villa Siem Reap Reverside (50 meters) Sayon’s House (300 meters)

Wats Up Golden Banana Boutique Resort

Green Village Palace

or t Phnom Dei

Phokeethra Country Club (5km Past Baray) National Silk Center (16km from town) Dragon Rayal City - Puok Dragon Royal City - Kralanh

Phnom Bok

Wat Bakong Loley Prasat Preah KoPrasat Prei Mont

Prasat Banteay Samrae

Prasat Banteay Srey

1 km.

Prasat Touch Prei Prasat

Eastern Baray (dried up)

E Reaksmey Crystal

GSO Travel Senteur d’Angkor (workshop)

First Travel Reasmey Tep Pranom Diethelm Apsara Angkor New Market Angkor Total

Khiri Travel

66 A

Prasat Ta Ney

Te m Ar p ea le

Dragon Royal Hotel

Healthy Hand Massage The One Massage Bangkok Airways Angkor Home

Kroi koPrasat Prey Neakpean

Banteay Kdei 66 B

Prasat Ta Prum

Prasat Takaeo Thommanon Chao Say Tepda

Angkor Oasis Vietnam Airlines

Angkor Wat

Phimeanakas

Prasat Banteay Thum

Angkor TK

Airport Road National Route #6 between town center and the Siem Reap International Airport

SIEM REAP

Ta Prohm Ke Prasat Baksei Cham Krong Baphuon

To To

Phnom Bakheng Prasat Reaob Kanda

nle S a

p La

ke

63

Prasat Prey Prasat Patri

Prasat Kraom Prasat Ta Noreay Siem Reap Airport Western Mebon Prasat Kaoh Ho Western Baray Pralay

Prasat Kouk Pou

Prasat Ak Yum

Prasat Phnom Rung

The Kool Hotel

66 A

Nokor Krau

Cambodia Angkor Air

Abacus ACLEDA

Preah Enteak Kosei

Prasat Prey Khan Kraol Romeas Angkor Thom Bayon

6

et

N

S

Prasat Dounso Tram Neak

Prasat Banteay Prei

The Sothea

Earthwalkers

Prasat Toep

S W

6

Kuk Talech

Prasat Kravan

Royal Angkor Resort Empress Angkor

Angkor Palace Resort & Spa

67 Prasat Leak Neang

E

N

Prasat Prey Roup Prasat Ta Som Eastern Mebon Prasat Bat Chum

Pacific Hotel Royal Angkor Inn Hospital

Angkor Miracle Resort & Spa

Prasat Kamnap

To Po ip

W

To Ph nom Kule n/Kb al Sp ean

Ecole d’Hotellerie at de Tourisme Paul Dubrule/ Le Jardin des Délices

Cambodian Cultural Village

Prasat Ou Koek

To Phno m Penh

p Air

Mandalay Inn Divine Lotus Inn Angkor Friendship Inn Angkor Spirit Palace

Siem Reap Hospital

Alliance Café

Passaggio Boutique Hotel

Wat Damnak

Pr o H hm ot el

Sawasdee Angkor Inn

250 m. 500 m.

Old Market Bridge

E M van ar s ke tin

Stre Wanderlust V & A Encore Angkor Neng Sinath Europe-Asia Tours/ et 10 Tattoo Machine Massage Sok San Red Piano Khmer Taste StreAmary Golden Guesthouse et 1 TNT India Gate Temple 1 Terrasse des Villa Elephants

Prasat Prel Wat Chedei

THAILAND BORDER CROSSING

POIPET

SISOPHON

LAOS BORDER CROSSING

TEMPLES OF ANGKOR

BANLUNG (RATANAKIRI)

STUNG TRENG

SIEM REAP

Cambodia

BATTAMBANG PAILIN BORDER CROSSING

KOMPONG THOM

PURSAT

KRATIE KAMPONG CHNNANG

BORDER CROSSING

KOH KONG

KAMPONG CHAM

UDONG

PHNOM PENH

KAMPONG SPEU

TAKHMAO PREY VENG TAKEO

SIHANOUK VILLE

SENGMONOROM (MONDULKIRI)

KAMPOT

SVAY REING

VIETNAM BORDER CROSSING

SAIGON BAVET

KEP BORDER CROSSING

Wat Damnak Village, 0453 Sala Kamroeuk Commune, Group 4, Siem Reap - Angkor 17000, Kingdom of Cambodia Charles@CorporateMarketingIntl.com

Private Touring Small Group Tours Unique Travel Experiences

Multi Day Packages Different Destinations Community Connections

H/P : +855 (0) 17.906.721 Tel : +855 (0) 63.969.200

Cambodia’s Premier 5 Star Luxury Spa Resort Angkor Palace Resort & Spa in Siem Reap-Angkor

Locally known as The ‘Palace’, this is the only international five-star resort designed and built by a Cambodian architect; its décor and furnishings reflect the finest in Cambodian architecture, befitting dignitaries and guests

from all over the world. Nestled invitingly within a spacious 11-hectare estate, the lush resort evokes the serenity of a secluded retreat dotted with lush tropical landscaping, waterfall and Cambodian sugar palm trees.

ASEAN Hotel Standard 2010-2011

No. 555, Phum Kruos, Khum Svay Dangkum, Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia Tel:(855) 63 760 511 Fax:(855) 63 760 590 / 63 966 335 info@angkorpalaceresort.com www.angkorpalaceresort.com