THE LUXURY TRAVEL
MAGAZINE FOR INDEPENDENT
TRAVELLERS
CAMBODIA
| PEACE THROUGH TOURISM
Siem Reap, Cambodia:
a world away
Can luxury tourism meet responsible tourism? If you're a wealthy traveller from a developed country staying at a high-end destination, are you a voyeur of those less-fortunate? The answer is ‘yes’ and ‘maybe’. There are luxury hotels and destination resorts that make an effort to connect the tourist with the local community in ways that can be meaningful to both the traveller and locals.
A compassionate and accepting ‘voyeur’ is certainly better than a self-lauding, critical one. And with a little extra effort, mere observation can translate to an action-packed, meaningful experience that transcends cultures. Have a read of some of Executive Editor, Denise Hummel's thoughts on the subject.
A compassionate and accepting ‘voyeur’ is certainly better than a self-lauding, critical one. And with a little extra effort, mere observation can translate to an action-packed, meaningful experience that transcends cultures. Have a read of some of Executive Editor, Denise Hummel's thoughts on the subject.
Text Denise Hummel
Photography Courtesy of Amanresorts, Hotel de la Paix and Denise Hummel
I don’t exactly remember what my expectations were when I got off the plane in Siem Reap, Cambodia, but I think it was along these lines. I would leave the aircraft, walk from the tarmac to a small terminal, my head surrounded by swarming, malaria-carrying mosquitoes, and be confronted at the door by machete-fortified Khmer-Rouge. About the only correct portion of this fantasy was the part about the small terminal, and while there was a police presence that I would simply describe as overkill, other than their stern faces, my visa was issued with efficiency and I was on my way to visiting a land beyond my imagination.
I was greeted at the airport by a driver and staff of Amansara Resort in a beautiful, vintage Mercedes that made me feel like a returning diplomat. The customary cold towel and refreshing bottle of water helped ease me into my new surroundings. I arrived during Monsoon season, but the humidity in this jungle region, year-round, averages about 95 percent, and without preparation to battle the heat (appropriate clothing and plenty of water), the average Western tourist would soon become uncomfortable.
I had come to Cambodia to review some beautiful properties, but also in an attempt to understand a culture completely unlike my own, and with an eye towards how I might help be an ambassador of tourism for this complex place, upon my return to the Western world. While sitting in the luxurious vintage Mercedes that was whisking me off to one of the most prestigious resorts in the world, I wondered if my experience was going to be at all culturally genuine.
Immediately upon leaving the airport, I was immersed in a world that I thought would have vanished decades ago. A long time has passed since the visual images of the Cambodian war were taken, and I'd assumed that over the past thirty years, the country would have undergone a significant economic and perhaps technological transformation. Instead I kept jockeying from the right to the left of the vehicle for the entire fifteen minute journey to the hotel, to feast my eyes on the lush landscape, and on such sights as the water buffalo feeding near rice paddies, three people from multiple generations to a motorbike, dozens of uniform-clad youngsters biking home from school, bicycles laden so high with coconuts or so wide with fire wood that the feat of pedaling, let alone actually moving forward, seemed impossible. I saw thatched huts on stilts out of the left-hand window, and bare-footed children playing by the side of the road on the right.
At Amansara,
I took a peek around the grounds. This Aman Resort was once the guest villa of King Norodom Sihanouk, so its private setting has all the warmth and inviting ambience of a gracious home. It has 12 suites, and 12 new Pool Suites each with
their own, glistening pools. The original suites are set around a grassy courtyard with a 17-meter pool, lined with black and navy blue tiles, near the pergola-styled
restaurant. They are finished in earthy shades with cool gray terrazzo, dark timber and ivory walls. A glass shower looks out onto a small, private water
garden with a peaceful, trickling fountain, ideal for sipping a cool drink, meditating, reading the paper, or having a chat. A large soaking tub also looks out over
this garden. Spa treatments are performed in the room as are a number of other possible services.
I enjoyed having my fortune told by a Khmer fortune-teller. She correctly informed me that I had two children, one who was interested in politics and the other undecided. She mentioned that my husband likes to cook (in fact, he is a wonderful chef) and that we had two houses (also true as we had one in Varese, Italy, and one in Pound Ridge, New York) and a third one in our future. Most importantly, that we would come into some money that we did not expect in the months of November and December… I’m counting on this prediction being correct!
Later that day, I was taken to the home and temple of a Buddhist monk to have a traditional Khmer water blessing. I disrobed in a cabana built by the Amansara on the site and dressed in a sarong. As the monk dipped his wooden ladle in a barrel of lotus water, he chanted my blessing and poured the water repeatedly over my head for what seemed like an eternity, until I was suitably refreshed, smelling beautiful and infused with good luck for the coming year. I left feeling surprisingly renewed and I will remember the experience fondly for many years to come. I wondered how many Western tourists knew about the spiritual side of Cambodia and how it might melt their war-worn images if they could experience what I had.
Dinner was lovely and there was traditional music accompaniment by a Khmer ’master’, 76 years of age, and his ensemble. Amansara is doing its part in trying to resurrect and support the musical arts, which like many other professions and traditions run the risk of disappearing forever in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge devastation. I was relieved that such a luxurious place was doing its part to promote an art that had thrived in peace-time and had been all but destroyed during the war. Yet another small step towards Peace Through Tourism
The Amansara arranged a Remork (a small carriage pulled by a motorcycle) and a very capable driver for me. Tourists don’t usually drive themselves in this part of the world because the inexpensive form of transportation, combined with the total lack of signage in any language, muddy, rutty roads, and unpredictable traffic patterns, make self-drive unadvisable. They also provided me with lovely Cambodian guide who spoke perfect English. His name was Ly Sarith, (nicknamed ’Yokohama‘ after a bumper-sticker he had on his car many years ago) and he is a tourist officer at the Tourism Information Center, who often serves Amansara guests. As I was on this trip with the mission of writing about my experiences, so that other Western travelers would know more about the splendor of Siem Reap, and not as a tourist on a leisurely vacation, I had a lot to cover in a short time. Yokohama was so personable and knowledgeable that he proved to be just the person for the job.
The highlight of visiting Siem Reap is to take in one of the eight wonders of the world, Angkor Wat, a Buddhist temple complex, where nature entwines with the serenity of stone temples in an exquisite blend of history and heritage. It is the culmination of five centuries of Khmer civilization. The series of temples and cities surged and ebbed over this vast 20,000 hectare complex, reaching a pinnacle in the 12th century under King Jayavaram VII who built the fortified walled-city of Angkor Thom.
At the suggestion of my host, Toby Anderson, General Manager of the Amansara, I awoke at 6am, something I don’t often do voluntarily. It was a good call though, because I was able to experience the splendor of Angkor Thom before the hoards of tourists descended upon the area. Yokohama and our driver took us on a journey through a maze of dirt roads that I couldn’t have mimicked later on, even if I had tried to document every turn. Then we parked and walked into the jungle, on a small dirt path, leading to one of the lesser known Wats (temples) which, after about 15 minutes, loomed ahead of me as if it had been photo-shopped from the wrong archive. What was such a monstrous and exquisite looking ruin doing in the middle of a jungle?
Most of the Wats in this area are from the 9th through the early 13th centuries, and at that time, the jungle was suitably cleared by sheer man and elephant power. But over the centuries, the temples were abandoned, for a multitude of reasons at different times. A struggle for the throne in the 10th century interrupted some work and a historic transformation from Hinduism to Buddhism at the end of 10th century eventually caused the temples to become completely abandoned. The jungle, teeming with life, and so vibrantly unstoppable, continued to grow right around the temples, and sometimes in and through them. Ta Prohm, for example, despite its being restored, has huge jungle trees, whose roots in certain places have enveloped the stone, growing in it, on it, and through it, in a magical display of connection between mother nature and man-made edifice, neither yielding to the other. It is truly a sight to behold and one that takes days to explore properly.
The majesty of the Wats is overwhelming. Equally overwhelming is the sadness of seeing hundreds of stone sculptures of Buddhas whose heads have been cut off and sold to art collectors by foreign poachers, as well as through local corruption. I pray that one day there will be a worldwide campaign to return these stolen treasures, as they truly belong to the Khmer people.
The beauty and grandeur of these beautiful ruins is a significant contrast to the poverty of the people, which is often difficult for the outside observer to contend with. I found myself periodically saddened to see children barefoot, often without clothing and malnourished, playing in muddy, stagnant water. The area is suffering from a plague of Dengue Fever and in some areas, malaria, which is often deadly to little ones without the strength or immune system to fight off the disease. Tourists, on the other hand, have the advantage and preparation of bug spray, combined with utilizing a dose of Malarone, and I have yet to meet a tourist who has even seen a mosquito at Angkor Wat
'the Khmer people are in need of foreign dollars,
and we, in the Western world, are in need of perspective'
I was greeted at the airport by a driver and staff of Amansara Resort in a beautiful, vintage Mercedes that made me feel like a returning diplomat. The customary cold towel and refreshing bottle of water helped ease me into my new surroundings. I arrived during Monsoon season, but the humidity in this jungle region, year-round, averages about 95 percent, and without preparation to battle the heat (appropriate clothing and plenty of water), the average Western tourist would soon become uncomfortable.
I had come to Cambodia to review some beautiful properties, but also in an attempt to understand a culture completely unlike my own, and with an eye towards how I might help be an ambassador of tourism for this complex place, upon my return to the Western world. While sitting in the luxurious vintage Mercedes that was whisking me off to one of the most prestigious resorts in the world, I wondered if my experience was going to be at all culturally genuine.
Immediately upon leaving the airport, I was immersed in a world that I thought would have vanished decades ago. A long time has passed since the visual images of the Cambodian war were taken, and I'd assumed that over the past thirty years, the country would have undergone a significant economic and perhaps technological transformation. Instead I kept jockeying from the right to the left of the vehicle for the entire fifteen minute journey to the hotel, to feast my eyes on the lush landscape, and on such sights as the water buffalo feeding near rice paddies, three people from multiple generations to a motorbike, dozens of uniform-clad youngsters biking home from school, bicycles laden so high with coconuts or so wide with fire wood that the feat of pedaling, let alone actually moving forward, seemed impossible. I saw thatched huts on stilts out of the left-hand window, and bare-footed children playing by the side of the road on the right.
Amansara: a peaceful and private sanctuary
At Amansara,
I took a peek around the grounds. This Aman Resort was once the guest villa of King Norodom Sihanouk, so its private setting has all the warmth and inviting ambience of a gracious home. It has 12 suites, and 12 new Pool Suites each with
their own, glistening pools. The original suites are set around a grassy courtyard with a 17-meter pool, lined with black and navy blue tiles, near the pergola-styled
restaurant. They are finished in earthy shades with cool gray terrazzo, dark timber and ivory walls. A glass shower looks out onto a small, private water
garden with a peaceful, trickling fountain, ideal for sipping a cool drink, meditating, reading the paper, or having a chat. A large soaking tub also looks out over
this garden. Spa treatments are performed in the room as are a number of other possible services.
I enjoyed having my fortune told by a Khmer fortune-teller. She correctly informed me that I had two children, one who was interested in politics and the other undecided. She mentioned that my husband likes to cook (in fact, he is a wonderful chef) and that we had two houses (also true as we had one in Varese, Italy, and one in Pound Ridge, New York) and a third one in our future. Most importantly, that we would come into some money that we did not expect in the months of November and December… I’m counting on this prediction being correct!
Later that day, I was taken to the home and temple of a Buddhist monk to have a traditional Khmer water blessing. I disrobed in a cabana built by the Amansara on the site and dressed in a sarong. As the monk dipped his wooden ladle in a barrel of lotus water, he chanted my blessing and poured the water repeatedly over my head for what seemed like an eternity, until I was suitably refreshed, smelling beautiful and infused with good luck for the coming year. I left feeling surprisingly renewed and I will remember the experience fondly for many years to come. I wondered how many Western tourists knew about the spiritual side of Cambodia and how it might melt their war-worn images if they could experience what I had.
Dinner was lovely and there was traditional music accompaniment by a Khmer ’master’, 76 years of age, and his ensemble. Amansara is doing its part in trying to resurrect and support the musical arts, which like many other professions and traditions run the risk of disappearing forever in the aftermath of the Khmer Rouge devastation. I was relieved that such a luxurious place was doing its part to promote an art that had thrived in peace-time and had been all but destroyed during the war. Yet another small step towards Peace Through Tourism
The Amansara arranged a Remork (a small carriage pulled by a motorcycle) and a very capable driver for me. Tourists don’t usually drive themselves in this part of the world because the inexpensive form of transportation, combined with the total lack of signage in any language, muddy, rutty roads, and unpredictable traffic patterns, make self-drive unadvisable. They also provided me with lovely Cambodian guide who spoke perfect English. His name was Ly Sarith, (nicknamed ’Yokohama‘ after a bumper-sticker he had on his car many years ago) and he is a tourist officer at the Tourism Information Center, who often serves Amansara guests. As I was on this trip with the mission of writing about my experiences, so that other Western travelers would know more about the splendor of Siem Reap, and not as a tourist on a leisurely vacation, I had a lot to cover in a short time. Yokohama was so personable and knowledgeable that he proved to be just the person for the job.
'it loomed ahead of me as if it had been photo-shopped from the wrong archive'
The highlight of visiting Siem Reap is to take in one of the eight wonders of the world, Angkor Wat, a Buddhist temple complex, where nature entwines with the serenity of stone temples in an exquisite blend of history and heritage. It is the culmination of five centuries of Khmer civilization. The series of temples and cities surged and ebbed over this vast 20,000 hectare complex, reaching a pinnacle in the 12th century under King Jayavaram VII who built the fortified walled-city of Angkor Thom.
At the suggestion of my host, Toby Anderson, General Manager of the Amansara, I awoke at 6am, something I don’t often do voluntarily. It was a good call though, because I was able to experience the splendor of Angkor Thom before the hoards of tourists descended upon the area. Yokohama and our driver took us on a journey through a maze of dirt roads that I couldn’t have mimicked later on, even if I had tried to document every turn. Then we parked and walked into the jungle, on a small dirt path, leading to one of the lesser known Wats (temples) which, after about 15 minutes, loomed ahead of me as if it had been photo-shopped from the wrong archive. What was such a monstrous and exquisite looking ruin doing in the middle of a jungle?
Most of the Wats in this area are from the 9th through the early 13th centuries, and at that time, the jungle was suitably cleared by sheer man and elephant power. But over the centuries, the temples were abandoned, for a multitude of reasons at different times. A struggle for the throne in the 10th century interrupted some work and a historic transformation from Hinduism to Buddhism at the end of 10th century eventually caused the temples to become completely abandoned. The jungle, teeming with life, and so vibrantly unstoppable, continued to grow right around the temples, and sometimes in and through them. Ta Prohm, for example, despite its being restored, has huge jungle trees, whose roots in certain places have enveloped the stone, growing in it, on it, and through it, in a magical display of connection between mother nature and man-made edifice, neither yielding to the other. It is truly a sight to behold and one that takes days to explore properly.
The majesty of the Wats is overwhelming. Equally overwhelming is the sadness of seeing hundreds of stone sculptures of Buddhas whose heads have been cut off and sold to art collectors by foreign poachers, as well as through local corruption. I pray that one day there will be a worldwide campaign to return these stolen treasures, as they truly belong to the Khmer people.
The beauty and grandeur of these beautiful ruins is a significant contrast to the poverty of the people, which is often difficult for the outside observer to contend with. I found myself periodically saddened to see children barefoot, often without clothing and malnourished, playing in muddy, stagnant water. The area is suffering from a plague of Dengue Fever and in some areas, malaria, which is often deadly to little ones without the strength or immune system to fight off the disease. Tourists, on the other hand, have the advantage and preparation of bug spray, combined with utilizing a dose of Malarone, and I have yet to meet a tourist who has even seen a mosquito at Angkor Wat
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
I visited a children’s hospital called the Angkor Hospital for Children and run by ’Friends Without Borders’, also known as Doctors Without Borders, consisting largely of foreign doctors and volunteers. Together, they have treated 264,992 out-patients and 13,921 in-patients since January 1999.
With no government subsidy or support of hospitals, the average Cambodian, who comes to receive treatment, pays about 1,000 Riel a visit, the equivalent of 25 US cents, but to some, it might as well be the equivalent of $25,000. The hospital which has approximately 50 beds, and two surgeons who perform approximately 70 surgeries a month, is a surging sea of humanity, with weak, crying children waiting for hours to be seen. Many of the victims of Dengue Fever, Malaria, and Aids would not survive for more than a matter of days, without medical intervention, and Siem Reap has volunteer doctors from all over the world to thank, as well as 14 newly trained Cambodian doctors. These doctors, traveling from afar to do the work they were trained to do, without compensation, are part of the movement of Peace Through Tourism, in their own right.
When I wasn’t feeling sad, I was feeling grateful that fate had seen fit to spare my children this kind of difficult life. Was my personal gratitude yet another step toward Peace Through Tourism? It would be if I could share it with others back at home.
Doubly determined to make my Cambodia experience enriching, I summoned the courage to ask difficult questions. When I first met my guide, Yokohama, for example, I asked him to share with me what he observed growing up in the era of the Khmer Rouge. He took a deep breath and I wasn’t sure just when he would exhale. When he did, his words came flooding forward, as did his tears:
‘I was 15,’ he said, but he retold the story with such intensity, it could have happened a month ago.’ My father was called to a meeting by the Khmer Rouge. Many important people were called too: doctors, lawyers … important people … educated people … My father was so honored. “We need your help to develop a new order to help our country,” they told him. He got dressed up in his finest police uniform. He looked so handsome. Even my mother said so. He got in the truck with the other important people…’ The tears were coming faster now. My heart needed to take these steps in gradual increments, but there was no time for it to catch up. I knew the ending to this story would be unbearable and as the Remork bounced precariously over the ruts, my peripheral vision was taking in bikes and motorbikes heavy with multiple people, pigs, firewood, and coconuts, whizzing by in a blurred wash that reflected my own sobbing. ‘He waved to me from that truck with a big smile … a big, big smile … and he said, I’ll see you tonight … and that was the last time I ever saw him. That was the last time we saw any of them. It was April 21st, 1975 … April 21st … 1975.’
The Khmer Rouge was determined to create a totally agrarian society of people too poor, too uneducated and too isolated from the rest of the world to do anything but follow orders. Intellectuals and people of any stature and education, were systematically eliminated, and common people were moved out of the cities to the countryside. Stripped of its educators, doctors, businessmen, and other professionals, Cambodia plunged into a state of poverty from which it must still recover today. There is still an incredible deficit of trained professionals such as doctors and teachers. The subsistence lifestyle of most Cambodians, means little or no income, little or no tax base, and no government subsidy or support of hospitals. Corruption is rampant at high levels of government and trickles down in disturbing patterns.
‘Is public education free to Cambodians?’ I asked Yokohama. ‘The school is free,’ he explained, ’but not the teachers. The teachers will not teach unless the parents pay. I have to give each one of my eight children money to give the teacher each day. The higher the grade - the more we have to pay. Most of the villagers … after a certain age, they have to stop. There isn’t enough to pay them.’ While in Siem Reap, I visited a local school. There were 50 children to a classroom, most of which had no electricity. I went home and wrote emails to all my friends and colleagues to suggest they reach out with dollars or through voluntourism. Another step toward Peace Through Tourism.
Art angels: Hôtel de la Paix celebrates
One of the luxury hotels in the area, dedicated to its connection with the local community, improving the quality of life of the Khmer people, and re-establishing ties with the country’s ancestral roots while embracing the present, is the newly opened Hôtel de la Paix. On my second night in Siem Reap, I had the good fortune to enjoy this lovely property.
The Hotel de la Paix was designed by Bill Bensley of Bensley Design Studios in Bangkok, who currently enjoys worldwide recognition for the vivid landscape experiences he and his team create. ‘A garden is never finished,’ he is quoted saying, but indeed he has finished, at least for the moment, the landscape design for some of the Asia Pacific’s top resorts, including the Four Seasons in Bali, the JW Marriott Phuket and the Anatara Spa and Resort on Koh Samui. A basic philosophy of his design is to bring landscapes to life by infusing them with the physical, cultural and spiritual surroundings of the location. To that end, Bensley's designs often include ancient Asian artifacts or modern Asian-styled statues, as well as carefully selected tropical flora, often indigenous to the location. To me, the Hôtel de la Paix is one of his Art Deco masterpieces.
To make an already interesting hotel more interesting, designers, owners, and hotel managers teamed together to create the concept of an ‘Arts Lounge’. It is a huge, indoor, courtyard-like space, in the middle of the main floor of the hotel, dedicated to the exhibition of local artists. The displays involve creative analysis and encourage novel art forms that promote the country’s vibrant culture. The Arts Lounge participates in the cultural scene of Siem Reap. By using more conceptual and contemporary forms of expression, the Arts Lounge seeks to create its own voice to promote Khmer culture and indeed the country is sorely in need of preserving art forms that all but died under the Khmer Rouge regime.
The creation of the Arts Lounge is in keeping with the philosophy of the hotel. Unlike many international hotels that remain insulated from the local community, Hôtel de la Paix actively supports and encourages the interaction of guests with the neighbouring environment. Guests are invited to connect with local Khmer families in a dignified way with the goal of fostering cross-cultural understanding, intercultural sensitivity through tourism and hands-on ’voluntourism’.
Doubly determined to make my Cambodia experience enriching, I summoned the courage to ask difficult questions. When I first met my guide, Yokohama, for example, I asked him to share with me what he observed growing up in the era of the Khmer Rouge. He took a deep breath and I wasn’t sure just when he would exhale. When he did, his words came flooding forward, as did his tears:
‘I was 15,’ he said, but he retold the story with such intensity, it could have happened a month ago.’ My father was called to a meeting by the Khmer Rouge. Many important people were called too: doctors, lawyers … important people … educated people … My father was so honored. “We need your help to develop a new order to help our country,” they told him. He got dressed up in his finest police uniform. He looked so handsome. Even my mother said so. He got in the truck with the other important people…’ The tears were coming faster now. My heart needed to take these steps in gradual increments, but there was no time for it to catch up. I knew the ending to this story would be unbearable and as the Remork bounced precariously over the ruts, my peripheral vision was taking in bikes and motorbikes heavy with multiple people, pigs, firewood, and coconuts, whizzing by in a blurred wash that reflected my own sobbing. ‘He waved to me from that truck with a big smile … a big, big smile … and he said, I’ll see you tonight … and that was the last time I ever saw him. That was the last time we saw any of them. It was April 21st, 1975 … April 21st … 1975.’
The Khmer Rouge was determined to create a totally agrarian society of people too poor, too uneducated and too isolated from the rest of the world to do anything but follow orders. Intellectuals and people of any stature and education, were systematically eliminated, and common people were moved out of the cities to the countryside. Stripped of its educators, doctors, businessmen, and other professionals, Cambodia plunged into a state of poverty from which it must still recover today. There is still an incredible deficit of trained professionals such as doctors and teachers. The subsistence lifestyle of most Cambodians, means little or no income, little or no tax base, and no government subsidy or support of hospitals. Corruption is rampant at high levels of government and trickles down in disturbing patterns.
‘Is public education free to Cambodians?’ I asked Yokohama. ‘The school is free,’ he explained, ’but not the teachers. The teachers will not teach unless the parents pay. I have to give each one of my eight children money to give the teacher each day. The higher the grade - the more we have to pay. Most of the villagers … after a certain age, they have to stop. There isn’t enough to pay them.’ While in Siem Reap, I visited a local school. There were 50 children to a classroom, most of which had no electricity. I went home and wrote emails to all my friends and colleagues to suggest they reach out with dollars or through voluntourism. Another step toward Peace Through Tourism.
Art angels: Hôtel de la Paix celebrates
local art
One of the luxury hotels in the area, dedicated to its connection with the local community, improving the quality of life of the Khmer people, and re-establishing ties with the country’s ancestral roots while embracing the present, is the newly opened Hôtel de la Paix. On my second night in Siem Reap, I had the good fortune to enjoy this lovely property.
The Hotel de la Paix was designed by Bill Bensley of Bensley Design Studios in Bangkok, who currently enjoys worldwide recognition for the vivid landscape experiences he and his team create. ‘A garden is never finished,’ he is quoted saying, but indeed he has finished, at least for the moment, the landscape design for some of the Asia Pacific’s top resorts, including the Four Seasons in Bali, the JW Marriott Phuket and the Anatara Spa and Resort on Koh Samui. A basic philosophy of his design is to bring landscapes to life by infusing them with the physical, cultural and spiritual surroundings of the location. To that end, Bensley's designs often include ancient Asian artifacts or modern Asian-styled statues, as well as carefully selected tropical flora, often indigenous to the location. To me, the Hôtel de la Paix is one of his Art Deco masterpieces.
To make an already interesting hotel more interesting, designers, owners, and hotel managers teamed together to create the concept of an ‘Arts Lounge’. It is a huge, indoor, courtyard-like space, in the middle of the main floor of the hotel, dedicated to the exhibition of local artists. The displays involve creative analysis and encourage novel art forms that promote the country’s vibrant culture. The Arts Lounge participates in the cultural scene of Siem Reap. By using more conceptual and contemporary forms of expression, the Arts Lounge seeks to create its own voice to promote Khmer culture and indeed the country is sorely in need of preserving art forms that all but died under the Khmer Rouge regime.
The creation of the Arts Lounge is in keeping with the philosophy of the hotel. Unlike many international hotels that remain insulated from the local community, Hôtel de la Paix actively supports and encourages the interaction of guests with the neighbouring environment. Guests are invited to connect with local Khmer families in a dignified way with the goal of fostering cross-cultural understanding, intercultural sensitivity through tourism and hands-on ’voluntourism’.
KNOWLEDGE OF LOCAL NEEDS
An underlying knowledge of local needs is paramount to providing assistance where it is most needed and where accountability is guaranteed. Connections between the hotel and community include the Sangkheum Centre for Children, the Sunrise Angkor Children’s Village, The Life & Hope Association (LHA),The Khmer Angkor Development Organisation (KADO), the Sisters of Mercy, Unicef and the Sihanouk Hospital Centre of Hope.
In addition, Amansara supports Green Gecko (Children's Welfare), Silapak Khmer Amatak (Art Revival), Osmose (Community Livelihood), Angkor Hospital for Children, Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles, Friends International (Child Watch), The Halo Trust (De-mining Program).
Guests of Hôtel de la Paix are invited to support the revival of Cambodia’s arts, culture and people through customised community-based activities such as rice sponsorship, educational support and mentoring programs. One-off contributions and longer-term sponsorships may also be facilitated via Hôtel de la Paix’s links with international NGOs and local aid organisations - all of whom are at the grass-roots level of the community and can direct contributions in the most effective manner. By participating in these programs guests can make a direct contribution to those in need.
Whether you become part of the Khmer healing process or not, most people would agree that healing starts with ourselves and Hôtel De La Paix is a great place for just that, even if you never leave the property. The Suites are exquisite, including 108 square-meter duplex spa suites featuring expansive private rooftop terraces outfitted for any spa treatment you can imagine, as well as your own garden and oversized plunge bath. The rooms all have a pre-programmed iPod, which includes an educational entry about the temples of Angkor Wat that you can bring with you to the site. Room service here is the best I’ve had in Southeast Asia, presented on an exquisite teak ’breakfast-in-bed‘- looking tray, serving all the food from the regular restaurant menu, and delivered in such record time that I’m not quite sure how the staff were able to make the journey from the restaurant to my room in the fifteen minutes it took to arrive.
Dining at the hotel’s Meric Restaurant offers the best of both worlds. Choose from international dishes or a seasonally inspired Khmer menu showcasing the distinctive harvests of local farmers. The kitchen is headed by French Chef and author Joannes Riviere. At dinner, both Khmer and European choices were excellent, but for me, the highlight was breakfast, served either in the air-conditioned restaurant, on the terrace, or on one of the king-sized swings, ‘in-bed’ style. The buffet consisted of homemade yogurt with or without mango topping, homemade donuts, bagels and pastries, signature teas, a selection of homemade jams, cappuccino and other coffee drinks made with imported Lavazza coffee and a choice of everything from eggs Florentine to waffles with caramelized apples and vanilla cream. Too yummy for words and all overlooking an exquisite courtyard with reflecting pool and stepping stones, centered by a Banyan tree. The pool is another one of those favorite spots to spend a good portion of the day. Its design was inspired by the ancient Khmer water gardens and the lounge chairs are adorned with lotus and the softest, thickest, comfiest towels I’ve felt in a long time. Snuggling up with a pool-side drink, it was truly hard to leave.
Some may say that it is patronizing or elitist to visit this poor country from the distance, safety and security of a five-star hotel room, and perhaps on some level they would be correct. But it is more true that those of us who visit, and particularly those who come here to spend money, have a unique opportunity to support sustainable tourism in a country that stands to gain greatly from the infusion of foreign capital. The Khmer people are in need of foreign dollars, and we, in the Western world, are in need of perspective. Through ‘voluntourism’, donations, and through travel, we create understanding, build cultural bridges, feed, educate and heal children. Arun, an administrator of the hospital I visited said ‘Orkun Chroeun’ [Thank you very much] when I left. And then she said, ‘Don’t forget us’ … as if I could.
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Whether you become part of the Khmer healing process or not, most people would agree that healing starts with ourselves and Hôtel De La Paix is a great place for just that, even if you never leave the property. The Suites are exquisite, including 108 square-meter duplex spa suites featuring expansive private rooftop terraces outfitted for any spa treatment you can imagine, as well as your own garden and oversized plunge bath. The rooms all have a pre-programmed iPod, which includes an educational entry about the temples of Angkor Wat that you can bring with you to the site. Room service here is the best I’ve had in Southeast Asia, presented on an exquisite teak ’breakfast-in-bed‘- looking tray, serving all the food from the regular restaurant menu, and delivered in such record time that I’m not quite sure how the staff were able to make the journey from the restaurant to my room in the fifteen minutes it took to arrive.
Dining at the hotel’s Meric Restaurant offers the best of both worlds. Choose from international dishes or a seasonally inspired Khmer menu showcasing the distinctive harvests of local farmers. The kitchen is headed by French Chef and author Joannes Riviere. At dinner, both Khmer and European choices were excellent, but for me, the highlight was breakfast, served either in the air-conditioned restaurant, on the terrace, or on one of the king-sized swings, ‘in-bed’ style. The buffet consisted of homemade yogurt with or without mango topping, homemade donuts, bagels and pastries, signature teas, a selection of homemade jams, cappuccino and other coffee drinks made with imported Lavazza coffee and a choice of everything from eggs Florentine to waffles with caramelized apples and vanilla cream. Too yummy for words and all overlooking an exquisite courtyard with reflecting pool and stepping stones, centered by a Banyan tree. The pool is another one of those favorite spots to spend a good portion of the day. Its design was inspired by the ancient Khmer water gardens and the lounge chairs are adorned with lotus and the softest, thickest, comfiest towels I’ve felt in a long time. Snuggling up with a pool-side drink, it was truly hard to leave.
Voluntourism
Some may say that it is patronizing or elitist to visit this poor country from the distance, safety and security of a five-star hotel room, and perhaps on some level they would be correct. But it is more true that those of us who visit, and particularly those who come here to spend money, have a unique opportunity to support sustainable tourism in a country that stands to gain greatly from the infusion of foreign capital. The Khmer people are in need of foreign dollars, and we, in the Western world, are in need of perspective. Through ‘voluntourism’, donations, and through travel, we create understanding, build cultural bridges, feed, educate and heal children. Arun, an administrator of the hospital I visited said ‘Orkun Chroeun’ [Thank you very much] when I left. And then she said, ‘Don’t forget us’ … as if I could.
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USEFUL WEB ADDRESSES
Sangkheum Centre for Children:
www.sangkheum.org
www.hoteldelapaixangkor.com/news
www.hoteldelapaixangkor.com/community
Sunrise Angkor Children’s Village:
www.sunrisechildrensvillage.com
Angkor Hospital for Children:
http://angkorhospital.org
Life and Hope Association (LHA):
www.watdamnak.org/lha
The Green Gecko Project:
http://www.greengeckoproject.org
Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles:
http://iktt.esprit-libre.org
www.sangkheum.org
www.hoteldelapaixangkor.com/news
www.hoteldelapaixangkor.com/community
Sunrise Angkor Children’s Village:
www.sunrisechildrensvillage.com
Angkor Hospital for Children:
http://angkorhospital.org
Life and Hope Association (LHA):
www.watdamnak.org/lha
The Green Gecko Project:
http://www.greengeckoproject.org
Institute for Khmer Traditional Textiles:
http://iktt.esprit-libre.org
The Khmer Angkor Development Organisation (KADO):
www.kadocambodia.org
Unicef:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cambodia.html
Sihanouk Hospital Centre of Hope:
http://www.hopeww.org/Netcommunity
Friends International:
http://www.friends-international.org
The Halo Trust:
http://www.halotrust.org
www.kadocambodia.org
Unicef:
http://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/cambodia.html
Sihanouk Hospital Centre of Hope:
http://www.hopeww.org/Netcommunity
Friends International:
http://www.friends-international.org
The Halo Trust:
http://www.halotrust.org
NEWS FLASH
Amansara Award 2007 Amansara is the winner of this year’s Best of the Best Hotels & Resorts Virtuoso Award, Outstanding Community Service. Amansara’s Guests Community Help Program provides creative opportunities for guest to be involved with local organisations.
Amanresorts has again been rated as the world’s leading international hotel group in the newly released 2007/2008 Zagat Survey of the World’s Top Hotels, Resorts and Spas.
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