MEDICUS FEBRUARY 2016

T R A V E L

Royal Palace and the fascinating river front area. All visitors should seriously consider visiting either Tuol Sleng or Choeung Ek which provide a window into the bloody recent past of the nation, when Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge systematically went on its murder spree.

Must visit: Tuol Sleng, a former school communicates the horror of Pol Pot’s bloody dictatorship.

If you need to choose just one, my suggestion is to visit S61, or Tuol Sleng, the main centre of torture. In the centre of Phnom Penh, the former school communicates the horror but is not as confronting as Choeung Ek, the main killing field, with buried human skulls, bones and scraps of clothing still gradually rising to the surface. For many people, Siem Reap and the amazing system of more than 100 interconnected temples captures Cambodia. To me, however it showcases the nation’s incredible past and the amazing cultural history.

Angkor Wat, described as the world’s largest religious structure, has started opening its gates at 5am to allow visitors to see its profile of towers rise with the morning sun. Other temples, such as Ta Prohm, made popular thanks to the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider , are the sort of attractions that you can really get lost in. Seemingly endless passages offer a sort of adult hide and seek that causes great angst for tour groups on a tight time limit as they search for lost members.

Other towns such as the coastal resort of

Sihanoukville or the northern town of Battabang also offer visitors a great experience. My recommendation is to add Cambodia to your list of countries worth visiting. An intoxicating mixture – wonderful scenery, a fascinating if bloody and sometimes depressing history, friendly people, accommodation, great, great food and a growing modern tourist infrastructure, combine to make any visit a truly memorable experience. ■ reasonably priced but extremely comfortable

Bustling: Phnom Penh.

F E B R U A RY 2 0 1 6 M E D I C U S 63