What photo takes you right back to Cambodia?

It’s got to be us in front of Angkor Wat, the iconic symbol of Cambodia. We were in awe of the temples and each picked out our favourites from the many we saw. Read Andrew’s top temples, or Julie’s top temples, or both!

Julie and I at Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Summarise Cambodia in three words.

• Temples – It had to be, right?!
• Tuk-Tuks – In Vietnam, the motorcycle is easily the dominant mode of transportation, but in Cambodia, it’s the tuk-tuk. The Cambodians have their own style of tuk-tuk, which could be more accurately described as an auto-rickshaw – a standard motorcycle that pulls a little carriage. They’re very comfortable, but the open sides mean you can get a face full of dust when speeding along the back roads.
• Rouge – The horrifying history of the genocide at the hands of the Khmer Rouge is one the Cambodian people want the world to know about and remember in the hope that it never happens again, anywhere.

You really know you’re in Cambodia when…

When you’ve walked the length of a block and said “te, aw khun” almost non-stop. That phrase means “no, thank you” in Khmer, and tuk-tuk drivers will watch you walk past and refuse any number of tuk-tuks then still ask you if you want to get in theirs. “Te, aw khun.”

What one item should you definitely pack when going to Cambodia?

Your best set of knees. It seemed we were forever stepping up to and down from pavements, avoiding obstacles such as drying fish, potholes, scooters (both parked and in motion – apparently they have right of way on pavements too), street cafes and shop fronts. And in Angkor, those temples have lots of steep, steep steps!