For centuries, Cambodia has held a certain magnetism. It is a country where the layers of history are thick and the contrasts stark, from the grandeur of Angkor, seat of the once-mighty Khmer Empire, to the restless energy of modern Phnom Penh.
The journey begins in the capital, where Raffles Hotel Le Royal has been standing since 1929. Its French colonial architecture carries the quiet confidence of a place that has seen empires rise and fade. The hotel’s rooms mix Khmer accents with Art Deco lines, and the scent of frangipani lingers in the air. A resident historian is on hand to share its past, weaving stories of visiting dignitaries and wartime intrigue.
Phnom Penh offers an intimate introduction to Cambodia’s royal heritage. A private guide leads the way through the gilded spires of the Royal Palace and the quiet galleries of the National Museum, where Khmer sculpture is presented with scholarly care. One afternoon is given over to tea with Princess Chansita Norodom, a meeting that is less about formality and more about the country’s living traditions. Evenings bring the flavours of Khmer cuisine, with meals that balance delicacy and depth.
Midway through, the scene shifts north. A private helicopter traces the Tonle Sap River towards Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor. Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, opened in 1932, greets guests with its broad verandas and old-world rhythm.
Angkor itself remains one of the world’s most remarkable places to explore. The great temples – Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm – hold their fame for good reason, yet the smaller, more secluded structures often leave the deeper impression. A dawn visit to Angkor Wat brings a light that makes even the most familiar photographs seem inadequate.
There are diversions beyond the ruins. The floating village of Chong Kneas drifts on the waters of Tonle Sap, its stilted homes swaying gently. At Banteay Srei, the carvings seem impossibly fine, as if done by hand in the last decade rather than the 10th century. Encounters with students at a royal dance school and with the last elephants of Angkor add texture to the experience.
One evening, dinner is served by torchlight in the shadows of an ancient temple. The last morning takes to the skies in a hot-air balloon, where the temples and rice fields stretch into the haze. It is a farewell that feels less like an ending than a slow closing of a well-thumbed book.
In Cambodia, the past is not a distant place. It lives alongside the present, shaping the rhythm of the cities and the quiet of the countryside. For the traveller, this is what makes the journey linger long after the return home.
