Travel

In the far northwestern corner of Cambodia the looted Angkorian temple of Banteay Chhmar sits teetering on the brink of a revival. A paved road scheduled to start construction this year is bound to increase visitors. Craig Gerard braves the bumpy journey to find a slice of Cambodian tranquillity. Commissioned by King Jayavarman VII and situated some 15km from the Thai border, Banteay Chhmar is often compared to Angkor Thom in size and structure. The complex is full of sandstone bas-reliefs that tell stories of ancient Cambodian battles. Witnessing the preservation of the temple and experiencin…

With few exceptions, all visitors to the Kingdom make it to Angkor, but how many of us truly visit the Wonder of Cambodia? Photographer and tour leader Nathan Horton provides a few tips on how to make the most of a weekend inside the temple complex.It’s never going to be like visiting the temples 15 years ago but one of the key factors in getting the best out of an Angkor experience today is to make sure you are at the right temples at the right time. Half my job as a photography tour leader is to make that happen as much as possible. This involves a constant battle between two conflicting dem…

For many years Ratanakiri was hard to reach, especially during the wet season. Now that the roads are much improved, Mark Jackson takes the eight-hour drive to Banlung, but has he left it too late? Russian helicopters first brought Pierre-Yves Clais to Ratanakiri. He used to patrol the road from Stung Treng to Banlung in machines flown by Afghanistan veterans as long ago as 1992. “It was a great time,” says the current owner of Terres Rouge. Pierre-Yves describes the remote northeastern province then as being a “wonderful discovery made of deeply interesting local people and customs in the mid…

Exploring the temples of Angkor with young children can be challenging. But it's also rewarding to see these wonders through your child's eyes, as Angela Savage reveals.I first visited Siem Reap and the surrounding temples in 1992. Back then, the United Nations was running Cambodia, civil war was still raging in the countryside, and there was just me and my partner — literally. We barely saw another living soul. Sixteen years later, we returned with our nearly-three-year-old daughter to a town that had changed so much it was unrecognisable, and temples crowded with foreign tourists. It was a v…

The green travel movement has been gaining a lot of momentum in recent years. Concerns over global warming and the negative impact of tourism on ecosystems and indigenous cultures has inspired many travelers to tread more thoughtfully. A defining component of this growing movement is the greening of hotels. AsiaLIFE sought out the best green hotels and ecolodges in Asia, focusing on green credentials, design and diversions. Whether you’re seeking opportunities to interact with wildlife, surfing on private beaches or a luxurious, low-impact spa getaway, each of these accommodations features som…