AsiaLIFE

Visitors to Siem Reap often find themselves enamoured with the surprisingly cosmopolitan town and its excellent bars and restaurants. However, there is a perceived void in finding things to do during the daytime. AsiaLIFE took some time to delve into the various activities on offer around Siem Reap. Jed Byrom focused on things you can ride.

Five or six years ago it was odd to see any vehicle other than a moto in Siem Reap. Over time cars began to appear and tuk tuks began to ply their trade delivering locals on errands and tourists to the temples. Two years ago a French expat opened a business using quad bikes to help tourists access the lovely country just outside of town. Their office is a short jaunt over the river from the Old Market, and is easily reached by following signs for Quad Adventure Cambodia.

As we arrived, four bikes rolled in bearing a tourist each. One of the advantages of the quads is that anyone can ride them regardless of skill, age or girth. The less intrepid members of our group breathed a sigh of relief as the possibly septuagenarian riders dismounted. All adventures begin with a brief introduction to the bikes delivered by Herve Nicole, the owner of Quad Adventure Cambodia, on the idiosyncrasies of Quads as a species and the potential errors riders might make. There are not too many things to worry about. “But hit a bump and boom, you’re in the river,” Herve says. “Funny for the children, but not funny for you.”

The Polaris bikes are imported from America. At 250cc they represent the lower end of the power spectrum, but are more than enough for the sort of tours on offer. They appear quite sturdy and seldom break down – a blessing as the nearest parts store is somewhere in the USA. The tours are full-service and no prior experience is necessary. Herve starts the bikes and puts them in gear for each rider. Once the bikes are rolling, the speed is controlled by a Quad Adventure Cambodia guide who takes the lead position on a dirt bike. At least one other guide splits time between riding at the rear of the pack and moving among the riders, ensuring that everyone moves along without problems.

The sunset tour departs the office at around 4.30pm. The route takes you along the outskirts of town. Children run out to greet the quads at each house passed, providing a bit of atmosphere. It’s also a bit nerve-wracking as any one who has driven a vehicle of any sort here knows. The quads easily slot into Cambodian traffic laws – size alone matters – falling between large motorbikes and small cars in terms of right-of-way. After four or five kilometres the route turns off onto a dirt track leading through verdant paddy fields. The sunset area lies about a kilometre further along, with a profile of Phnom Krom in the distance. All visitors to Cambodia should experience a countryside sunset at least once – the light is unique.

The pause for pictures at sunset is brief as the return ride is best done before total darkness. The guides again start the bikes, put them in gear and turn on the headlights for the ride home through the approaching night. The ride back is notable for the multitude of dusk-loving insects that assault riders as they drive. Keep your mouth shut to avoid consuming said insects or buy a mouth mask in town before you set off. The route back to town winds through village and countryside, and then through Wat Damnak just before reaching the office. Driving through the Wat as night fell was picturesque, but seemed invasive, as temples are not usually places for growling gas engines.

Quad Adventure Cambodia offers people a chance to access the countryside without requiring fitness, a motorbike, a driver, or any prior skill. There are a variety of different rides on offer. If you’re looking to get out and see a bit of Cambodia you would otherwise miss, it is a great choice. If you’re a thrill-seeker, looking to see how fast or how high it can go, get on a dirt bike instead.

The House of Elephants

Most tourists in the Angkor Complex come across the elephants of Angkor at some point in their trip, whether it is at the sunset temple of Phnom Bakheng or around the citadel of Angkor Thom. Far fewer tourists discover that it is possible to visit the elephants at their home. English expat Gavin Bourchier has been living in Siem Reap since 2001. Gavin is one of the very few true experts on elephants in the world, and for those curious about elephants he represents a treasure trove of information. The cost of a visit to Gavin and the information he gave was an extracted promise not to put the location of the Elephant House in this article. It's not that Gavin doesn't want visitors – he just wants the right sort of visitors.

“I don't mind people coming out here,” he says. “But I want them to be the sort of people who are willing to work to get here. If you ask the right questions around town, you'll find your way here.” If you can find directions, 3pm is a good time to arrive. The elephant house is a large round structure somewhere in the Angkor temple complex. Constructed of wood and other local building materials, according to Gavin the elephants actually helped build the place by lifting the log pillars into place. The centre of the building is open to the sky. It is here the elephants are given their showers between their morning and evening work shifts. The mahouts climb aboard and around them, hose in hand, washing away the dust and grime. The elephants appear to revel in the attention.

By 4.15pm, all the elephant on the sunset shift are fitted-out in their uniforms and on their way to work. “The elephants are never late,” says Gavin. If the mahouts are late the elephants depart without them, forcing their ‘keepers’ to catch up with them further down the trail to work. The domestic elephants of Cambodia, are aging as they are not traditionally bred in Cambodia. Habitat loss is a problem to both domestic and wild elephants. There are no real avenues to replace Cambodia’s elephants. Most of the domestic elephants outside Phnom Tamao near Phnom Penh and the elephants of Angkor are kept for transport by minority tribes in Mondulkiri and Rattanakiri provinces. Like youth everywhere, the children of the elephant keepers mostly want to own motos, televisions and cellphones – not pachyderms.

“The elephant culture is dying out in Cambodia,” says Gavin. “People want to see the picturesque grass huts and working elephants they imagine, but the descendants of Cambodia’s traditional elephant owners would rather have the girl in the karaoke video. They aren’t getting her riding on an elephant.”

Gavin’s programme does not seek to buy new elephants, but they are occasionally sought out by owners looking to sell. While they are not averse to adding a new elephant this way, the long-term prospects of elephants at Angkor Wat are not strong. As elephants age they are susceptible to all of the maladies which plague humans. Senility, cancer, digestive problems and arthritis all regularly occur in any ageing elephant population. Gavin retires the elephants from work as they become unable to keep up. The retired elephants look quite happy, ambling about the place. In ten years or so, virtually all of the elephants here now will need to be retired. Then the programme will focus on elderly care rather than tourist rides. It is hard to see how the pensioners can possibly be replaced. Gavin predicts that within fifteen years there will be only a handful of elephants working in the temple complex.

Cambodian Cowboys

The Happy Ranch is closer than you think. A five-minute tuk tuk ride from town puts you in a setting straight out of the American West. Horses graze in the pastures surrounding the stable, a fenced riding ring offers a place for lessons, and the owner may well sidle out to meet you in his cowboy hat. The Happy Ranch is clearly a going concern. The horses are nearly all 100 percent Cambodian, bought from around the country and trained by the staff at the ranch. They can accommodate most skill levels. For those just learning to ride, or for small children, ring rides can be arranged on a lead rope. Those staying longer can have a lesson with qualified teachers.

All the equipment is in good shape. Though saddles can never really be called comfortable, they are no more painful than a saddle in the United States. If comfort is a main concern, giving the cart rides a try is a good idea, as the carts are brimming with cushions, ride smoothly, and allow for shifts in position as needed. Helmets are provided and the ranch requires you to wear them at all times. The best part of a ride with the Happy Ranch is the chance to move quietly through the mayhem of a rural Cambodian scene. They deliver on their promise to get you out into countryside and village life. Some of the rides stop at Wat Atvea, a very popular temple with expats because it is rarely crowded and is a beautiful reminder of what it was like to see the temples ten years ago, before the entrance of buses and flag-waving tour guides.

Happy Ranch is a wonderful addition to the tourist options here, and a much better choice for the equine-inclined than any of the other horse-cart options around. Prices range from a low of US$18 per person for a cart ride (2 person minimum) to a high of US$64 per person for a four-hour ‘Completely Cambodian’ adventure with a number of affordable choices in between. Don’t worry about the health of the animals. An equine veterinarian upon visiting the Ranch told me that half of the horses she sees in her practice in the United States are not as well looked after as the Happy Ranch horses, and in a country where such care for animals is rare, it’s nice to see someone setting as high a standard for their animals as they do for the tourists.

Quad Adventure Cambodia, Tel: 092 787 216

The Happy Ranch, Tel: 012 920 002, www.thehappyranch.com

Tips from the Top

1) Up, up and away! A balloon ride offers a great aerial view of the temples – one which you otherwise won’t find unless you shell out for a helicopter ride. Tel: 012 520 810

2) Shell out on a helicopter ride. Two companies, Sokha Helicopters (24 Sivatha Street, Tel: 063 966 072) and Helicopters Cambodia (658 Hup Quan Street, Tel: 063 963 316) have rides ranging from US$90.

3) Take a punt. Go to the lake, but away from Chong Khneas where the tours head – Kompong Pluk is great.

4) Make a splash. Spend US$5 on a pool and gym pass for the day at the Prince D’Angkor Hotel & Spa, Sivatha Street, Tel: 063 963 333. Use this day to recover from an evening spent sampling our nightlife.

5) Tommy Girl or Rambo? There’s a paint-balling course out on route 6, towards Phnom Penh heading out of town, run by the Pyramid Mega Entertainment Club, Tel: 063 967 778-9. Avoid the three-story VIP karaoke bar and shoot at each other instead.