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The Best of Cambodia: Siem Reap Blessings, Camping with Cobras, Elephant Rescues and Angelina Jolie

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This was my first trip to Cambodia and I wanted to experience it with the best luxury options available, so I enlisted luxury tour operator Audley Travel. They created a top of the line itinerary focusing specially on out of the ordinary locations and experiences including the coolest five-star hotels. I loved having the trip created for me, including personable and informative guides and first class car service with good shocks. This is a useful luxury travel service that is a must when visiting exotic locations like Asia.

My journey began out of Los Angeles with my new favorite airline Eva Air. I paid for my ticket, so you can trust me when I tell you how amazing the experience was. With an on time, non-stop flight to Taipei and onwards to Phnom Penh, this was first class customer service all the way. It's almost as if there was a flight attendant for every passenger, and you never have to ask for anything.

EVA Royal Laurel Class is a luxurious front cabin business service that’s available on its Boeing 777's.  I enjoyed the fully flat comfortable seats for sleeping, and my personal attendant made my bed when I was ready while I got into my cozy EVA pajamas. The food is spectacular and resembles a fine restaurant, from Veueve Clicquot champagne to steak and lobster. Royal Laurel Class is available on New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Toronto, Paris, Amsterdam and London flights. I can’t wait to fly them again the next time I am visiting Asia and beyond. The Eva VIP lounge in Taipei is also exceptional and includes a luxury Garden Lounge for elite passengers.

Flying into Phnom Penh airport was one of the easiest experiences I have ever had traveling the world. A seamless transition for such a busy airport, so efficient and organized which made it a breeze. In just under 15 minutes I had collected my bags and jumped into my waiting private car that Audley Travel had arranged. My personal guide was there to greet me with fresh Jasmine flowers around my neck and we were off.

PHNOM PENH

With its wide, tree-lined streets and historic setting at the intersection of three rivers; Phnom Penh was once the most beautiful of the former French cities in Indochina.  It is a city emerging from the horrors of its recent past, reinventing itself as a burgeoning tourist destination.

The massive markets are the obvious place to start for an exhausting, claustrophobic, sweaty day of shopping. From carvings to sculptures, jewelry and clothing mixed with meat hanging on hooks and the most outlandish fried insects for food, this is a visual treat that cannot be missed.

Our first two nights were spent at one of my favorite hotels,the Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Opened in 1927, this regal hotel has hosted royalty, journalists and elite travelers during the cities colonial heyday. This calm oasis in the heart of Phnom Penh is also a great location for easy access to the most popular sites while being off the main roads for relaxation away from the bustle of this busy city. Decorated in colonial style, it also features a beautiful spa with some of the best therapists I have ever encountered. I was lucky to have stayed in the 2,454sf Le Royal Suite overlooking the tropical gardens and featuring two bedrooms, dining room, pantry and personal butler. It was the staff that impressed me the most, and we ended up loving them all. The hotel’s Director of Marketing, the fabulous John Neutze and his Manager of Marketing Noemie Payuno quickly became our best friends and made sure we were well looked after, including inviting us to join Prince Norodom Ranariddh for a birthday celebration at the hotel.

My private Audley Travel guide for the trip was the young, energetic and funny Eak Kong. You must ask for him when you visit Cambodia as he was our closest companion on the adventure. Our first foray into the busy streets was to visit the Royal Palace, home to the countries eccentric King Norodom Sihamoni.  We wanted to make this trip a combination of spirituality and adventure and our goal was to have as many Monk blessings as possible. My wrist is still covered in red strings tied and blessed throughout the journey.  Eak made sure we had the best private meetings with spiritual leaders and monks wherever possible.

It was an emotional day as we continued on to the Killing Fields with lingering haunting memories of the horrific Khmer Rouge crimes. Over 17,000 people were slaughtered in this area. An old Chinese cemetery, Choeung Ek was turned into an extermination camp for political prisoners. The skulls of 8,985 people are memorialized in a glass stupa here. It is strangely peaceful and calm, but filled with bones and clothing still protruding from the well-worn dirt paths. Whatever you do, make sure you have a private guide and not experience this as part of a group  as it will hinder the quiet reserve.

My friend Cheryl Schapiro leaving her prayer bracelet at the Killing Fields (photo by Jim Dobson)

Our journey continued early the next morning after an elaborate buffet at Raffles. The hotel would pack lunch boxes for us with their amazing food. We then embarked on a seven-hour drive in a luxury SUV to Sen Monorum, Mondulkiri.  The drive was easy and we stopped along the way to local villages; Skuon famous for its local delicacy of fried spiders and the Por Touch Silversmith village where I joined the locals in hammering silver into jewelry.

SEN MONORUM, MONDULKIRI

The eastern-most province of Mondulkiri is one of the last unexplored places in Cambodia and I am so glad I took the long trip. Inhabited by the indigenous Bunong Tribes, the area is scattered with small villages, surrounded with waterfalls and heavy with tropical forests. The area is also rarely visited by tourists, so it was an amazing opportunity to have an original adventure.

We checked into the modest luxury Mayura Hill Hotel & Resort boasting 14 private bungalows that embrace its natural surroundings. The eco resort is home to spectacular views of the hills of Mondulkiri, while monkeys charm you over meals.  Not having traditional luxury standards, the hotel is the best in the area and the staff is inviting and warm. We befriended the British GM Jamie, and he made sure our stay was memorable. Mondulkiri almost feels like another Cambodia; isolated, remote and adventurous. Nestled closely to the border of Vietnam, it is located at a high elevation and home to a number of rare animals; elephants, bears and leopards.

We left early the next morning to a magical experience at the Elephant Valley Project, run by the eccentric and wise young Englishman Jack Highwood. He manages several wild and captive elephant based programs of which the Elephant Valley Project is a key part.

The primary goal is to improve the health and welfare of captive elephants. The organization also helps elephant owners and keepers with the problems that face them. They started with programs that monitored the captive elephant population and provided veterinarian care to elephants that were in need. The Elephant Valley Project rescues the elephants used in transportation, logging, hunting, and tourism out of villages where there are poor working conditions. They employ mahout guides to watch over them, allowing the elephants time to rest, recuperate, and escape human activity.

A day of bonding at the Elephant Valley Project and watching the elephants bath (video below)

Jack gave us a private experience where we spent hours hanging out with the elephants as they bathed, rolled in the mud and watched over us. The highlight of the day was feeding and bonding with Cambodia’s most famous elephant Sambo, rescued from the streets of Phnom Penh where she was enslaved her entire life. She was now free and rehabilitating in the jungle surroundings of the project. One thing I will never do is ride an elephant after being educated to the pain and suffering the popular tourist activity causes these majestic creatures.

Jamie surprised us when we returned to the hotel by escorting us on a private trip to the Bou Sraa Waterfall, one of the most impressive in Cambodia; there is an unusual double drop, plunging 100 feet into the jungle below. This is where the amazing Mayura Zip line is located, 1,000 feet long, flying over the waterfall at breathtaking speeds.

Zip lining over the waterfalls (photo by Jim Dobson)

BATTAMBANG

Off the beaten path and not normally a stop for tourists, is a visit to Cambodia’s second biggest city, Battambang, 25 miles west of Tonle Sap Lake. Located at the center of a fertile plain it retains the character of a market town. The town itself is situated on the Sangker River and still includes many charming colonial buildings. It is one of the most interesting and laid-back towns in Cambodia, and nearby attractions include the hilltop Angkorian temple of Wat Banan, the sacred mountain and killing caves of Phnom Sampeau and the riverside temple of Wat Ek Phnom.

Cambodia has another reigning Queen of sorts in the form of actress Angelina Jolie-Pitt. Most Cambodians speak very highly of her and her passion for their country. Jolie purchased 150,000 acres of Cambodian land that was infiltrated by poachers and turned it into a wildlife reserve. Some of the former poachers were employed as rangers.

It all started in 2003 when she intended to reconnect her adopted son Maddox to his Cambodian heritage by purchasing a traditional home on 100 acres in the province of Northwestern Battambang. The home was adjacent to a national park infiltrated with poachers who threatened the dwindling populations of Asian black bears, Asian elephants, and Indochinese tigers. So she purchased the surrounding land and turned the area into a wildlife reserve named for her son, the Maddox Jolie-Pitt Project.  Angelina was in Cambodia during my visit beginning production on her new film based on the infamous novel "First They Killed My Father" written by Cambodian author Loung Ung.

SIEM REAP

After our long drive back to Phnom Penh from an incredible animal adventure in the jungles, we boarded a local flight to Siem Reap for our final leg of the journey. Thronged by adventurers and travelers since the 1900s, this once-sleepy Khmer village is now a bustling tourist hotspot.

Dark years may have taken Cambodia to the brink of collapse, but recovery is very obvious in Siem Reap, where a new crop of boutique hotels, trendy cafes and elaborate spas have added new life to the town. Siem Reap has always had a star attraction with the architectural glory of Angkor Wat. The Angkor temples have the grand scale of the Great Wall, the majestic beauty of the Taj Mahal and the strong symbolism of the pyramids. With its laid-back pace and happy locals, Siem Reap is a must for all travelers to Cambodia.

I was lucky to stay in two of the more popular hotels, one offbeat and unusual, and one strictly luxury and high end. Sala Lodges has taken the inspiration for their hotel from the wooden houses that dot Cambodia’s countryside. The 11 wooden houses on stilts were taken from the country, dismantled and beautifully restored to offer luxury comfort and surroundings for discerning guests. Each house has a different history and architecture and the common areas of the hotel are contemporary and relaxed. Food is also top-notch with many Western choices for spoiled tourists.

Sala Lodge in Siem Reap (photo courtesy of Régis Binard Photography)

The next morning we awoke very early (common for all visitors to Cambodia to avoid the massive crowds of tourists later in the day) and ventured to my favorite spot Ta Prohm Temple. This is the spot Angelina Jolie made famous with her movie "Tomb Raider". Our new private Audley guide Paul was a master of knowledge and he educated us to everything you would ever want to know about the area. This was a magical morning as the sun rose among the jungle covered ruins of the temple. Abandoned and engulfed by the jungle hundreds of years ago, giant trees tower above the ruins, their roots weaving into the massive stone blocks. Haunting and beautiful at the same time, I didn’t want to leave its dramatic embrace. We were the only visitors at the early hour which was testament to the guide’s good advice. Being able to photograph such a special place without hordes of tourists is a plus.

That afternoon were so exhausted from lack of sleep that we decided to bail out of the famed Flight of the Gibbon Angkor zip lining. How could we possibly outdo our previous waterfall zip line adventure. We chose to take in a local massage parlor for the best foot massages ever at the cost of $4 per hour. Now this is luxury.  They even had the option of an eight hand massage for $30 per hour.

Rested and invigorated, we ventured to the famed Angkor Thom temple, one of the most iconic temples, a huge walled impenetrable fortress and the world’s largest city in the 12th century. It had one million inhabitants at the time. Massive stone walls and deep moats over 165 feet wide guarded the city from attack. We ended at a private cocktail reception in our honor along the moat of the lake in a beautiful villa that Audley arranged.

The next morning was another early call as we were headed out to the Golden Silk farm of Banteay Srei en route to the jungle for an overnight safari. The famed silk farm produces spectacular hand-made fabrics and the lovely owners hosted us through the process, from silkworm to cocoons producing silk and then almost 7 months to create the stunning designs.  Using ancient Khmer craftsmanship, more than 100 locals are employed to produce the product which ends up as a very expensive purchase in the adjacent boutique. Managed by Madame Sophea Pheach, Golden Silk provides employment opportunity to many former orphans from the village and to other disadvantaged rural people living in the surrounding areas.

We continued on with a drive winding high into the mountainous jungle of Phnom Kulen. Kulen Mountain is one of the most sacred mountains in the world. This was a very rough, pot-holed filled drive to the top where we made a sidetrack visit to the lazy River of a Thousand Lingas. After a leisurely lunch in a private riverside pavilion we visited the giant reclining Buddha of Preah Ang, carved out of a massive towering rock with temple on top. Ultimately we ended up at our campsite, a stunning location called Preah Krai with views forever. This was not a luxurious glamping experience, but certainly memorable.

We had a private twin-bedded tent with separate shower and toilet tents. We had a large staff with a private chef, butler, attendants and four security guards wielding AK47 rifles. Protection in the jungle is of high importance although we never felt threatened, other than the random leopard wandering around our tent as we slept. The discovery of an 8 foot cobra beneath one of the suitcases was cause enough for alarm, but the guards quickly shooed it away. A massive, torrential rain storm woke us in the middle of the night, while the neighboring monks chanted in the distance. This only adding to the dramatic experience, and when the storm clouds cleared in the morning we set out early back to Siem Reap.

Afternoon was rough with a visit to the spectacular Angkor Wat. Stifling heat and humidity and massive crowds encumbered the experience which should only be viewed early morning.  This is the location that every tourist ends up when visiting Siem Reap and it feels like it, but when you book a private guide the secret is to go at 5am and enter with flashlight through the back entrance of the temples to avoid the crowds.

Chef, butler, waiters, guide and staff at the private jungle camping site (photo by Jim Dobson)

We were thrilled to check into the wildly popular and quite luxurious Amansara Hotel that night. We finally felt at home once we arrived to the welcoming embrace of the General Manager Sally Baughen and her phenomenal staff. Trust me when I tell you, Sally is one of the very best. She can make magic happen, her enthusiasm and pride for her work spreads throughout her smiling staff

Once the home of King Norodom Sihanauk, the Amansara retains the majesty of its former occupants. The gates swing open and admit us to a life of privilege. As we absorb its beautiful and clean design, we are surrounded by the smell of jasmine. We were treated royally. The televised world is banished. A local musician seated on a woven mat beneath the veranda lures us with the sounds of an unfamiliar instrument. We are led to our suite and discover it opens into a private courtyard complete with water garden and pool. This place is perfect and is deserving of its multiple awards including the Travel & Leisure Top Resort in Asia Award last year.

Once we got settled, Sally treated us to an amazing spa experience in perhaps the most beautiful large free-standing spa in Cambodia. All treatments make use of traditional Cambodian techniques and natural products to promote holistic well-being. Four treatment rooms, each equipped with a steam bath and shower, are complemented by a yoga space and a hidden lap pool. As a special treat, an authentic Cambodian fortune teller session was added into our adventurous afternoon. She read my palms and cards and was a welcome distraction from the hectic day.

The next morning we embarked on a private helicopter tour of the temples and countryside before landing at Tonle Sap Lake. Audley arranged for an archaeologist to join us on the flight to point out a lot of hidden areas that are constantly being discovered. The fishing villagers had not seen a helicopter land in their village so they all left their homes and work to watch our arrival. Even security guards had to hold the crowds safely back for our landing. What fun to be welcomed into their village with such an exciting arrival. Amansara has their own luxury boat that offers butler, chef and waiters while you enjoy brunch as you gently venture past the floating village, one of Cambodia’s most valuable ecosystems. This was true luxury and in such comfort as our boat anchored on the lake for us to dine.

On board the Amansara boat on Tonle Sap Lake for brunch (photo by Jim Dobson)

We ended the day with an amazing spiritual experience and the Amansara really hooked us up. A white gloved private driver and guide took us to a special and very exclusive water blessing known to cleanse your spirit at the authentic and beautiful Wat Athvea Temple, just on the outskirts of the city.

A Buddhist monk performed the purifying ritual at the 12th-century temple by pouring buckets of cold water over our naked bodies (wrapped only in sarong) while chanting for a lengthy time. Trust me and try to ONLY use the Amansara for these decadent excursions to ensure privacy and first class treatment. Other operators often put you into group situations with other tourists, and that is not the best way to indulge yourself. It makes perfect sense why celebrities and royalty entrust their visits with Amansara and Sally’s magic touch.

We were sad to say goodbye to this amazing resort, and as we departed we were gifted with special paintings of the temple, authentic Cambodian scarves and a gourmet box lunch for our drive. The staff lined up to wave goodbye to us until we were well out of sight.

We then boarded a quick local flight from the intimate Siem Reap airport to port city of Sihanoukville for our final leg of the journey.

KOH RONG ISLANDS

In a pristine pocket of the Gulf of Thailand, off the coast of the port town Sihanoukville, lie Cambodia's Koh Rong Islands, a handful of isles that have gained the interest of luxury seekers around the world.

This untouched archipelago includes sugar-white beaches, protected reefs and jungle-shrouded hills. For years, backpackers have been the only tourists, but these days speedboats take guests directly to Song Saa Private Island, an eco-luxe retreat on Koh Ouen and Koh Bong, where sleekly designed villas, diving sessions and sun worshipping beckons.

Reached by a one hour flight from Siem Reap or by 30 minute speedboat transfer from Sihanoukville, Song Saa is a beautiful and exclusive retreat located in one of Cambodia's most perfect locations.

The two small islands, Koh Ouen and Koh Bong are known locally as Song Saa, Khmer for 'The Sweethearts'. Linked by a footbridge, the islands form the resort of Song Saa Private Island, with 27 villas. A strong commitment to marine conservation, as well as an environmental and social responsibility underpins the resort.

Accommodation consists of stunning over water villas, each with its own private pool, perfectly placed to enjoy the stunning sunsets, as well as a choice of hilltop and beachfront villas all with ocean views. An over water restaurant and lounge provide a stunning venue.

The resorts Australian owners Rory and Melita Hunter’s have created a sustainable sanctuary of luxury that has set new standards for sustainability, community development and luxury accommodation in the still undiscovered Koh Rong Archipelago.

Melita is the creative mind behind the resort’s architecture, master planning and interior design. She has drawn on her experience as an interior designer and artist to create a retreat that successfully blends interior spaces with the spectacular natural beauty of Song Saa. Rory brings experience as a successful property developer to the resort. His strategic vision is to ensure that the resort will never compromise its environmental integrity. The couple are focused on a prosperous future for their paradise and continue to build new opportunities for the communities that surround the twin islands.

Word of warning: do NOT attempt the drive from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh on your return. This was one of the worst experiences of our trip and involved a horrific five hour long drive on worn out, narrow roads and the worst traffic of your life as the thousands of poor factory workers fill the streets with over-packed trucks and buses. Make sure to time your visit on the days that flights are in operation which is not on a daily basis to Phnom Penh. The better option would be to spend the end of your journey in Vietnam at one of their amazing beach resorts.

My last evening was spent once again at the Raffles in Phnom Penh, we enjoyed a magnificent Wagyu steak dinner with the Executive Chef and then the GM of the hotel surprised us with two massage therapists waiting for us in our in suite after dinner. The perfect way to end an overwhelming and memorable adventure in Cambodia.

The next morning as we checked out we were greeted by the staff presenting us with flowered jasmine necklaces and gifts. Our uniformed driver with Mercedes Benz was graciously provided by the hotel. As I looked back at the waving smiles of the staff, I vowed I would someday return to this magical country that has been through so much and yet still is filled with the most beautiful smiling faces. An amazing resilient and spiritual country filled with hope for their future.

 

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