Observing Pol Pot at close quarters during the one and only official visit he ever made abroad, to China in 1975, Philip Short was struck by the Cambodian leader’s charm and charisma. Yet Pol Pot’s utopian experiments in social engineering would result in the death of one in every five Cambodians—more than a million people.
Laos and Cambodia maintain a formidable allure for travellers - thoughts of paradise beaches and ancient temples are enough to set feet itching. Be inspired to visit by the new edition of Insight Guide Laos and Cambodia, a comprehensive full-colour guide to this fascinating and dramatically beautiful country, home to eight of the world's ten highest mountains.
Only one person has given us a first-hand account of the civilization of Angkor. This is the Chinese envoy, Zhou Daguan, who visited Angkor in 1296-97 and wrote A Record of Cambodia: The Land and Its People after his return to China. To this day Zhou's description of the royal palace, sacred buildings, women, traders, slaves, hill people, animals, landscapes, and everyday life remains a unique portrait of thirteenth-century Angkor at a time when its splendors were still intact.
Work hard. Raise children. Retire. And in between all that, have a little fun, eat good food, and travel. A normal life, for normal people.
For Kim and Helen Chuor, normal was what they desperately sought, without the in between stuff. During the five traumatic years of starvation and deprivation at the hands of Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, all they wanted was the basics: food, a home, their family and most of all, safety.
The widespread destruction of Cambodia’s forests in recent decades saw the loss of the last major area of pristine tropical forest in South-east Asia. The proceeds of often indiscriminate logging and sale of forest and plantation concessions have enriched the country’s ruling elite but cost its rural population dearly. It was, moreover, a process in which foreign aid donors were deeply involved, even if the outcome was contrary to their intentions.
Selected by the Washington Post as one of 2012's best works of non-fiction. "Showcasing the work of an unknown author of exceptional ability. ... an ire-inspiring account."
We've heard of China's buying sprees. That it's plowed billions of dollars into some of the poorest nations in the world. But the story we don't know is what this money means for the people there.
In this short and entertaining travelogue, Michael Desrosiers tells the story of a slow journey overland across the Kingdom of Cambodia, a small, rural, and often-overlooked corner of Southeast Asia. The journey is unforgettable, but not always pleasant. Along the way he and his incredibly patient girlfriend contend with wild monkeys, a raging Typhoon, baguettes, jellyfish, and the dastardly "twerking bug".
Blogging from Paradise blogger and author Ryan Biddulph shares his tales of woe and wow during his 2 month trip through Cambodia in 2013. From Phnom Penh, to Siem Reap, to Sihanoukville, to Battambang, to Kampot, Ryan braved wicked typhoons, swinging bags of vomit and intense meditation sessions in Cambodian wats to share these stories with you. If you're a sucker for a good travel story, kick back, relax and enjoy.
Between 1975 and 1979 the Khmer Rouge regime in Cambodia enacted a program of organized mass violence that resulted in the deaths of approximately one quarter of the country’s population. Over two million people died from torture, execution, disease and famine. From the commodification of the ‘killing fields’ of Choeung Ek to the hundreds of unmarked mass graves scattered across the country, violence continues to shape the Cambodian landscape.
Insight Guide Laos and Cambodia is the only full color travel guide to these two fascinating countries, and its lively narrative and stunning images provide both inspiration and information to plan a memorable trip to Indochina. The Best Of section shows you the unmissable sights and experiences – Angkor, the region’s most spectacular sight, as well as the two contrasting capitals: laid-back, French-influenced Vientiane in Laos and Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s animated capital on the banks of the Mekong River, plus markets, temples, relaxing beaches and islands.
You have allowed cookies to be placed on your computer. This decision can be reversed.