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FAR AND AWAY THE WONDERS OF From the magnificent temples of to the wilderness of

the rainforest, then on to the regal splendour of ,

Norah Casey discovers the magic of Cambodia.

AFTER 20 YEARS OF TRAVEL WRITING I’ve in north-western Cambodia, and the gateway to come to appreciate the many facets that make a the incredible remains of the Khmer civilization. country beautiful. When I’m asked what’s the one It was hardly recognisable from my last visit nine place I recommend visiting, I always say Cambodia. years ago. Like most other Cambodian towns and My first visit was back in 2010 and I was mesmerised cities, the people of fled from the brutal by the people, so welcoming and gracious after to the countryside in 1975. Since Pol everything they have endured. Pot’s death in 1998, the tourism industry revitalised This time I went slowly but with a huge back to to surge over the past revisit these magnificent decade. The old colonial temples, but we also buildings, shopping and ventured further afield, commercial districts kayaking through are still at the heart the water villages on of the town centre, Asia’s largest lake and but there’s a distinct travelling deep into the hipster vibe to a new rainforest of Cambodia. generation of hotels, We spent our final guesthouses, craft shops days following the in and restaurants around footsteps of Jackie the Wat Bo and Psar Kennedy in the regal Leu areas. splendour of Raffles in Phnom Penh, sipping tea WHAT TO SEE in the classy Elephant Cambodia is home to Bar with the Royal over 4,000 temples Princess Sita Norodom, the niece of the current but the most revered are on the doorstep of Siem King of Cambodia. It was quite the trip. Reap. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument There are many things I love about Cambodia but in the world and considered to be one of the the people are what won me over when I first visited, ‘seven wonders’. But it was almost lost to future so proud of their Khmer heritage and culture. generations. In 1992 it became a World Heritage Art and craftsmanship is ever present and central Site. At the time, illegal excavations, pillaging and to Cambodian life. And the food is quite unlike even land mines threatened to destroy the site and it anywhere else in Asia with strong French influences was added to the List of World Heritage in Danger and an emphasis on fresh vegetables and fruit served sites. Restored and protected by UNESCO, this simply. incredible temple complex was moved off the danger Our first stop was list in 2004. My guide for the day was Lors, born in a Siem Reap, a town small village north of Siem Reap, an amiable expert

APSARA: THE ROYAL DANCE irishtatler.com

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on the history of the Angkor temples (booked through guide. Before long we were kayaking in the tranquil liveit. Indochineex.com). waters, gliding through the floating villages and Angkor Wat Temple: The most significant and world flooded forests, while keeping a watchful eye for the famous temple in the park is Angkor Wat, the one the many rare birds that thrive in this incredible vast entire site is named for. The distinctive ancient stone inland sea. The ebb and flow of the Tonlé Sap means façade appears on the nation’s flag. the villagers have to move homes, Teams of elephants and men built shops, schools depending on the TA PROHM TEMPLE Angkor Wat in the 12th century for water level. As the sun set and the King Suryavarman II as a spiritual fishermen headed home we toasted home for the Hindu god Vishnu. the quiet splendor of the lake, If you are short on time, Angkor a million light years away from Wat should be top of the list. This the bustle of Siem Reap. magnificent temple is a treasure Exploration and expert trove of art and incredibly intricate guides at Indochineex.com. wall carvings depicting Hindu legends. Robam Apsara: Part of The ‘Tomb Raider’ Temple: The the Khmer culture for jungle had all but subsumed the more than 1,000 years, beautiful temple of Ta Prohm when this classic Cambodian French archaeologists rediscovered royal dance is mesmerising Angkor Wat in the 20th century. and well worth doing the During the restoration work of this “The jungle had all ‘tourist’ thing of catching ancient Buddhist monastery, the a performance. We went precarious co-dependency of the but subsumed the to Apsara Terrace at THEAM’S HOUSE giant strangler fig tree roots and the Raffles Grand Hotel the loosened stones was maintained. beautiful ‘Tomb D’Angkor for the show and The two survive in tandem, buffet. See Raffles.com. creating such a unique façade that it Raider’ temple of Ta became world famous because of its Markets: Also known as Psah Chas, appearance in the movie Lara Croft: Prohm” the Old Market is between Pub Tomb Raider. But the lichen covered Street and the river and great for a Ta Prohm is one of the most daytime browse. Sivutha Street is spiritual and atmospheric temples, full of shadows and the main thoroughfare and home to Central Market light and a testament to how precarious and precious and Angkor Night Market. The Made in Cambodia these ancient ruins are. market opens nightly and as the name says, everything sold is made locally. One of the loveliest places to visit, WHAT TO DO especially if you want to take home something truly Theam’s House: Set amongst tropical gardens, unique and authentic, is , home to Theam’s House is the home of Cambodian artist and traditional Khmer craftsmanship. designer Lim Muy Theam where his private collection and beautiful art, and lacquer work are Tuk-Tuks: We went everywhere on foot or by tuk-tuk, created onsite. Having spent decades reviving the still the quintessential way to get around. The good Cambodian art scene Theam now trains a team of drivers know exactly where to stop to get the best protégé artisans’ apprentices. See Theamshouse.com. views of the temples at sunset. It is worth befriending one and sticking with him for the entire visit, he will The Floating Villages: A real highlight of our stay be the best tour guide and ensure you get home safely was a boat trip on the Tonlé Sap lake, the largest each night. freshwater lake in Southeast Asia with one of the world’s most vibrant ecosystems. Even better, we had Phare: This Cambodian adventurer and conservationist Nick Butler as our Circus is a social SUNSET ON THE TONLE SAP LAKE irishtatler.com

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FAR AND AWAY

entrepreneurship project that teaches young people exceptional from the gleaming black and white tiled dance and acrobatics providing them with a living floors to the handcrafted furnishings and local art. The wage and a career. We caught one of the nightly well-stocked personal bar kept us hydrated over long performances – White Gold is an incredible journey lazy sun drenched afternoons and Salas was always on through theatre, dance and acrobatic feats. hand to serve lunch in the shade of the rooftop living See Pharecircus.org for tickets. room and breakfast in the morning sun by the pool. WHERE TO STAY My own personal space at Villa No 2 was matched with The curious traveller craves novel experiences, equally dramatic surroundings with towering sculpted adventurous stays in places with emotional facades including the giant ‘hands of meditation’ and engagement and an eco-extravagance which allows a mural of King Jayavarman. We didn’t venture too an immersion in beauty without damaging the far from our palatial home but on the first evening we planet. Making hotel enjoyed a contemporary experiences that twist on some classic reshape how we engage Cambodian dishes during with borrowed spaces a seven-course Khmer

is the foundation for VILLA LIFE Tasting Menu at Shinta AT SHINTA Mani’s flagship Kroya Bill Bensley’s quest for MANI SIEM hotel design innovation. REAP restaurant. My first encounter with a Bensley designed Bensley Collection hotel was in 2009 Shinta Mani Wild: Zip when we checked lining across the trees into Hôtel de la Paix, to the landing bar for an unbelievably cool a welcome drink has oasis in Siem Reap (no to be one of the most longer there). This time exhilarating hotel I stayed in two very arrivals I have different, yet very distinctively Bensley- ever encountered. designed, retreats, both personally created Minutes later, I and operated by the designer. was stepping out ROOF TOP ENTERTAINMENT of the harness and Bensley Collection Shinta Mani Siem sipping the camp’s Reap: In a quiet cul-de-sac in the French signature tequila quarter by the river, three very different and pineapple Shinta Mani hotels co-exist, tailored cocktail, my for different travellers. I stayed at the heart hammering most exclusive of the three, in one of as loud as the the 10 opulent Khmer inspired villas at the flagship waterfall crashing beside the colonial tented lounge. Bensley-designed Shinta Mani Siem Reap. For a brief It was an invigorating start to a three day adventure period of time I stepped into the pampered lifestyle in the wilderness of Cambodia’s rainforest. It took of a luxurious villa resident with my own butler, the us many hours to get there, having flown from Siem ever attentive Salas, a nine metre personal lap pool Reap to Phnom Penh we drove for about four hours I could dive into from the bedroom, my own roof over increasingly rocky roads towards the Cardamom garden, an outdoor granite bath set in an atrium Mountains. tropical garden and a glass Set among the rosewood and teak trees this unique encased external shower tented camp is another joint project between the AL FRESCO BATHING room which piped in music creative genius of Bill Bensley and Cambodian hotelier from my personal playlist. Sokoun Chanpreda. This area, a refuge for elephants, The attention to detail in clouded leopards, and sun bears is beleaguered by this tropical paradise was poachers so for Bensley this is as much a conservation irishtatler.com

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project as a luxurious retreat. boulder to boulder to cross the fast moving river. The liveit. The camp has provided employment in this remote reward was finding and helping to dismantle a trap area, avails of locally grown produce and funds an that would have otherwise ensnared one of the forest’s essential anti-poaching organisation. A fantastic endangered species. By evening I was ready for the spa, eco-team at Shinta Mani Wild made this visit all the escorted by one of the guides through the fading light more special. Of course a tented camp created by to a tranquil treatment room among the trees. This Bill Bensley was going to be pretty incredible but the eco-friendly spa uses natural heat healing, medicinal real surprise was how sumptuous it was living under plants and herbs, and chemical-free tonics in keeping canvas in the wilderness. with the sustainable

There are just 15 THE ECLECTIC ethos of the camp. luxuriously appointed tented DESIGN IS FULL OF A full body massage SURPRISES rooms and outdoor spaces on featured stretching 865 acres of land, designed and acupuncture as exclusive private retreats pressure points. nestling in the trees and Sunshine, birdsong foliage alongside a cascading and the occasional river. The eclectic design is gibbon call joined full of surprises (a Singer us for our final few sewing machine in my room!) hours in the stunning with regal colonial touches, black steel swimming vintage ceiling fans, leather pool – designed like a bound books, travel trunks and gargantuan exterior walls adorned with bath-tub. . The outside “The outside space is comfortably Staying at one of space is comfortably opulent the world’s most with colourful soft furnishings, opulent with colourful soft exclusive luxury an outdoor cocktail bar with a camps doesn’t well-stocked fridge and a glorious come cheap but roll-top bathtub with river views. furnishings and an outdoor for a once-in-a- And even in this wilderness the lifetime experience WiFi is superb. cocktail bar” it is certainly The sense of landing at worth it. It is good a sumptuous tented camp is to know that a enhanced by the lack of hotel formalities, no reception, portion of the nightly rate goes to help fund education no check in or out, everything is included so no money and development projects in Cambodian villages changes hands during your stay. The culinary director through the Shinta Mani Foundation. Book through Patricia Yeo prepared a fresh and flavoursome lunch Bensleycollection.com of salads and cold soups, with traditional Cambodian dishes served at dinner. Treeline Urban Resort: Every now From the zip line onwards, it was and then you come across a hotel that a rollercoaster of great adventures. you really regret leaving, not for the We headed out one morning on THE ZIP LINE LANDING plushness and pampering (although ZONE BAR mountain bikes with the Wildlife Treeline has all of that) but because Alliance rangers (equipped with the team are so incredibly welcoming AK-47 rifles) and hiked for hours into and kind. By far the nicest general the dense Tmor Rung forest to check manager we encountered over the for illegal poaching. Helping to spot whole month in Asia was Joni Aker the hidden hand-made traps of the and because of her, Treeline became a poachers meant scrambling through place where we wished we had stayed the undergrowth and leaping from longer. This is a newly opened eco- BENSLEY COLLECTION IMAGES: ELISE HASSEY ELISE IMAGES: COLLECTION BENSLEY irishtatler.com

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FAR AND AWAY

friendly luxury hotel so in Phnom Penh. So sipping the on the Siem Reap river. signature cocktail, Femme Fatale, COLONIAL DINING ART AND NATURE Leaving the dusty, noisy created for Jackie Kennedy when MERGE AT TREELINE streets behind you enter she visited in 1967, was on the the cool contemporary bucket list and it didn’t disappoint. lobby and beyond into This grand hotel opened in 1929 as The Royal with the central tranquil the best location in town and in the presence of King courtyard with eco-art Sisowath Monivong. The royal connection continues installations and witty to this day, in fact the hotel’s ambassador is the creating King’s niece, Princess Sita Norodom. French colonial a natural open air gallery. Within a few minutes of influences, art deco touches and featured pieces by local arriving we were sipping drinks on the rooftop next artisans were a strong feature of the refurbishment to the infinity pool and chatting to Joni, a native New and reopening in 1997 as Raffles Hotel Le Royal. Zealander, about all of the incredible wonders we Princess Sita maintains a low profile among the guests might try during our visit. On her expert advice and but over tea she explained that her grandfather King with her considerable help we got to see Phare Circus, Sihanouk proudly supported The Royal and it was he met up with Nick Butler of who invited the hotel’s Indochine Explorations to most famous guest, Jackie kayak through the water Kennedy to visit in 1967. villages. He in turn organised The history and Lors, our temple expert guide. heritage of Raffles is Joni also connected me again ever present with black with French Madagascar- and white portraits of born designer Eric Raisina celebrity guests and royal who designed for Yves Saint connections. Staying at THE ELEPHANT Laurent and Christian Lacroix BAR AT RAFFLES Raffles feels a bit like being before setting up his own a revered guest at a lavish couture house in Siem Reap. stately home. The original All those years ago I visited Landmark Rooms are his farm with my late husband Richard and bought named after some of the hotel’s famous guests, I stayed a silk wrap in iridescent purple. Joni and I paid him in the General de Gaulle suite and had a sneak peek at a visit and I now have a stunning yellow and vivid the more feminine Jackie Kennedy suite. These elegant orange to add to my collection (Ericraisina.com). She rooms with balconies come with a butler, antique recommended local restaurants (and made the booking) bureaus and an original claw bath and silk robes. made our hotel transfer effortless and was just an all- Our first night was spent savouring the round excellent host. There is so much to commend contemporary French haute cuisine and traditional Treeline for: the greenery, the well-appointed rooms, Khmer tasting menu prepared by executive chef witty use of art and exceptional ambiance but the real Joel Wilkinson in the palatial Restaurant Le Royal at asset of this hotel is Joni Aker and her team. We loved Raffles. The dishes are based on recipes from the Royal HASSEY ELISE IMAGES: COLLECTION BENSLEY it and so will you. Book at Treelinehotels.com. Palace kitchens, gifted to the hotel by the former King Norodom Sihanouk. Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh: I have this The stylish Elephant Bar is popular with local ex- great memory of sipping a Singapore Sling in the pats, especially at happy hour, and it was by far our very bar where it was invented, a favourite haunt favourite place to be for lunch, evening cocktails and of Somerset Maugham and Rudyard Kipling, it was after-dinner drinks. We strolled to the city’s temple expensive but so worth it. The lavish colonial style hill, Wat Phnom, from the hotel and took tuk-tuks to Long Bar at the original Raffles in Singapore is the the bustling nightlife on the riverside just ten minutes essence that pervades away. But to be honest, we didn’t venture too far from Raffles all over the our beautiful residence. Book at Raffles.com. l ART INSTALLATION AT TREELINE URBAN world but particularly RESORT irishtatler.com

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