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24-Aug-2005
Last Edited

The lures of Cambodia's waterfronts, beaches

By Simon Romero

New York Times


PHNOM PENH, Cambodia - The chocolate-colored waters of the Tonle Sap River, one of Indochina's richest sources of freshwater fish, unfolded around the hydrofoil as it sped toward Phnom Penh. Along the river's margins, fishing villages and pagodas melted into the landscape. Fishermen were slinging their nets in search of that day's catch, their tiny skiffs plying the water a contrast to our sleek Malaysian-operated boat.

Miraculously, little appeared to have changed along this crucial lifeline of Cambodia despite a turbulent history of more than seven decades of French colonial
rule, an experiment with independence that culminated in a fierce restructuring of society under the Khmer Rouge, a decade-long Vietnamese occupation and, at the close of the 20th century and the dawn of the 21st, a delicate effort to consolidate peace and stability.

After a few days exploring the lost-city ruins of Angkor Wat and the nearby city of Siem Reap, my wife, Carolina, and I were eager to see the other parts of Cambodia that were emerging as safe, yet still adventurous, destinations for travelers. We bought hydrofoil tickets to Phnom Penh, the bustling but laid-back capital, then continued to the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand that surround the beach town of
Sihanoukville, also known as Kampong Saom.

I had left Angkor Wat feeling almost emptied of wonder, especially after seeing the ruins of the temple of Ta Prohm, left largely unrestored, overgrown by jungle, as
they must have appeared to the awestruck 16th-century Portuguese missionaries and traders who came across the site 150 years after it was abandoned. How would the rest of Cambodia measure up?

The five-hour trip from Siem Reap to the capital was an excellent introduction, offering us a glimpse of Tonle Sap Lake. The mighty lake swells during the rainy
season, usually May to October, and flows into a river that connects to the Mekong at Phnom Penh. We rode on top  of the hydrofoil, basking in the January sun. I
thought about how far Cambodia had come since its rivers served as the backdrop for colonial ambition gone awry in the film ``Apocalypse Now.''

As memories of Cambodia as a dangerous destination fade, the country seems likely to attract a million foreign tourists this year, a third more than in 2003. For the
buses that bring in backpacking tourists, the number of border crossings from Thailand has increased to five, from two last year.

On arriving in Phnom Penh we were met by a driver, arranged for by our hotel in Siem Reap, who took us to the bus depot near Psar Thmei, the sprawling art deco market in the capital. After a quick lunch of chicken curry at a nearby restaurant packed with a French tourist group, we boarded the air-conditioned bus to Sihanoukville.

The passengers were a mixture of middle-class Cambodians, Buddhist monks in saffron-colored robes and foreign travelers like us in search of a few days'
relaxation. This sleepy beach town on Cambodia's southern coast doubles as the nation's only port. The modern highway linking Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh, 150 miles to the northeast, was brimming with trucks transporting fish, salt and beer to the capital.

Sihanoukville, named for the country's 80-year-old king, Norodom Sihanouk, began as a port project conceived by French engineers in the mid-1950s. Thus it lacks the
colonial charm of Phnom Penh's frangipani-lined avenues of old French villas. But its location on a peninsula stretching into the balmy azure waters of the Gulf of Thailand is superb.

We booked a room at the Seaside Hotel, said to be the town's best and a favorite getaway of Hun Sen, the Cambodian prime minister. For $25 a night, our room included cable TV, air conditioning, a spacious bathtub and breakfast. Most important, the hotel was within walking distance of Ocheateal Beach, a narrow stretch of sand where we watched the sunset.

At dusk, we climbed onto two ``motos,'' the small motorbikes with drivers, and asked to be taken to Chez Claude, a French restaurant perched on a hill overlooking Sokha and Independence, two other beaches. Our dinner, which consisted of a mixed salad
with scallops, seasoned fish tartar, papillotes of barracuda cooked in lemon juice and garlic and flambeed bananas, accompanied by red wine, was $19.

``When I got here 10 years ago, I thought it was wise to arrive in a country that was starting essentially from zero,'' said Claude Du Dinh Tran, the restaurant's
French-Vietnamese owner, speaking in English. ``We still have a long way to go in Cambodia, but it is exciting to think that we have a foothold to grow from.''

The ride back to the hotel was as exhilarating as the view from Chez Claude, our motorbikes speeding through winding, empty, dimly lit streets. We breathed in the warm sea air. Clearly, this corner of Indochina is poised to be discovered by more travelers than the regular visitors, such as the Phnom Penh expatriates and the tiny Cambodian elite, in evidence with their new Mercedes and Land Rovers in front of our hotel.

We spent the next day on the beach, relaxing under thatch umbrellas and devouring paperbacks. Friendly vendors walked along Ocheateal selling sliced pineapple,
langoustine, fried squid, mangoes and the Khmer snack of grated coconut with powdered sugar wrapped in thin manioc sheets. Many of the vendors, who balanced
their wares on their heads, were eager to learn a few words of English in exchange for teaching us some basics of Khmer.

Much of the rest of our time in Sihanoukville we spent hiking between the city's other beaches, one of which, Independence, we were surprised to have almost to
ourselves. Lurking above the beach was the skeleton of the Independence Hotel, built in the 1960s. All that remains are its towering, crumbling, whitewashed walls,
although a team of workers was busy cleaning the location. A Malaysian company is said to be planning to restore the hotel.

Our next stop was Phnom Penh, which turned out to be the most rewarding part of our trip. Our bus delivered us to the Renakse Hotel near the Royal Palace. Then we set out on foot along the riverfront, where more than a dozen restaurants, bars and cafes offer places to observe the boardwalk in front of the Tonle Sap River.

The city is wasting little time recovering from years of neglect and isolation. Bicycles are being replaced by motorbikes, markets are teeming with goods, and small
businesses are sprouting.

We never felt threatened around Phnom Penh. Crime against tourists was not said to be a major problem, but the persistent hawking by motorbike and cyclo drivers was a little annoying. Best to give in, we eventually decided, although sometimes we had to shut our eyes as our drivers weaved in and out of crowded intersections and somehow delivered us safely to wherever we had to go.

In the Psar Thmei market we found further evidence of Cambodia's economic rebirth. Its labyrinth of shops and stalls was packed with such items as North Face backpacks (not knockoffs, we were repeatedly assured), designer sunglasses and name-brand athletic shoes, for about a quarter to a fifth of the price in the United States. Carolina's biggest find, aside from a manicure for $1 ($2 including tip), was the colorful selection of locally produced silk scarves.

One day, after shopping and visiting the National Museum, a sprawling colonial building with an extensive collection of Khmer folk art, we repaired to the
luxurious Elephant Bar in the Hotel Le Royal for a snack and a game of pool. Listening to soft jazz and looking at the bar's old colonial photographs, we escaped
the buzz of the city for a few hours.

We later got a taste of Cambodia's on-the-edge way of life at a bar called Heart of Darkness.

The Heart, as the locals call it, was cavernous and decorated, lounge-style, with cushions on the floor as well as banquettes and sofas. Around midnight, when the DJ began playing dance music, it quickly filled with a mixed crowd of foreigners and Cambodians.

``This place is virtually establishment these days,'' a longtime Australian patron of the Heart lamented over cold drafts of Angkor beer. ``Before you know it Phnom
Penh will be as developed and boring as Bangkok.''

IF YOU GO

Getting there: Round-trip flights from San Francisco to Phnom Penh in November (dry season) is $853 on Korean Air and Bangkok Airways. Flights in June (rainy season) begin at $1,163 on Delta, EVA and Thai airlines.

Getting around: Boat tickets between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, about $25, can be bought through any hotel in each city. Bus tickets from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville, $3, can also be arranged by hotel managers.

Sihanoukville: We stayed at the Seaside Hotel, Fourth Quarter, Mittapheap Section, Ochhoeteal, 011-855-34-933-641, fax 011-855-34-933-640. A double runs $25 to $40. It is favored by expatriates living in Phnom Penh and by Cambodia's small political elite. Continental and Cambodian breakfasts included.

Our favorite restaurant in all of Cambodia was Chez Claude, 011-855-12-824-870, where a dinner for two with wine cost $19. Claude Du Dinh Tran, the proprietor, also offers snorkeling and scuba-diving excursions to nearby islands for $60.

Phnom Penh: We stayed at the Renakse Hotel, 40 Boulevard Samdach Sothearos, 011-855-23-215-701, fax 011-855-23-722-457, a renovated colonial building that is surrounded by a lush garden with towering palms. A double is $30, including breakfast.

Luxury seekers should consider the Raffles Hotel Le Royal, 92 Rukhak Vithei Daun Penh, 011-855-23-981-888, (800) 323-7500, fax 011-855-23-981-168, built in 1929 and magnificently renovated in 1997. A double costs $192. At the very least, visit the hotel's elegant Elephant Bar to hear jazz or play billiards.

Our best meal in Phnom Penh was at Shiva Shakti, 70 Sihanouk Blvd., 011-855-012-813-817. We shared an appetizer of tomato shorba soup and vegetarian
samosas, lentil soup and an entree of spicy chickpeas with yogurt, for $10 (without drinks).