Cambodia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 62

is royal extravagance on a grand scale,
its imposing features enhanced by a
dramatic setting amid lush jungle and
verdant fields.
he capital, Phnom Penh , is also an
alluring attraction in its own right. Wide,
sweeping boulevards and elegant, if
neglected, French colonial-style facades
lend the city a romantic appeal. However,
there's also stark evidence that you're
visiting one of the world's poorest
countries. Halfway between Angkor and
Phnom Penh, it's worth stopping off for
a day at Kompong Thom to make a side
trip to the pre-Angkor ruins of Sambor
Prei Kuk where there is scarcely another
tourist in sight.
Miles of unspoilt beaches and remote
islands offer sandy seclusion along the
southern coastline. Although
Sihanoukville is the main port of call, it's
easy enough to commandeer transport to
nearby hidden coves and offshore islands.
Ratanakiri province in the northeastern
corner of the country, with its hill tribes
and volcanic scenery, is also becoming
increasingly popular with visitors, while
neighbouring Mondulkiri is less well
known, but equally impressive, offering
dramatic woodlands, villages and
mountains. Battambang in the central
plains, Cambodia's second city, is a sleepy
provincial capital, and the gateway to a
region rich in Khmer Rouge history.
CHRONOLOGY
First century AD The area to the west of the Mekong
Delta, along the trading route from India to China, begins
to become an important commercial settlement, known
by the Chinese as Funan.
Sixth century Now known as Chenla, the region is occupied
by small, disparate fiefdoms operating independently. The
temples of Sambor Prei Kuk date from this time.
Early ninth century Rival Chenla kingdoms are united
by Jayavarman II, and the Khmer Empire's greatest period,
known as the Angkorian period, begins. Jayavarman II
establishes the religious cult of the devaraja (god-king).
The empire lasts for 39 successive kings.
c.1181-1219 The reign of Jayavarman VII, the last major
Angkor king. After reclaiming Angkor from the Champa
Empire he embarks on a massive programme of construc-
tion, culminating in the creation of Angkor Thom.
Fourteenth century The Thai army mounts raids on
Cambodian territory, virtually destroying Angkor Thom.

WHEN TO GO
Cambodia's monsoon climate creates
two distinct seasons. The southwesterly
monsoon from May to October brings
heavy rain, humidity and strong winds
- especially in the latter two months
- while the northeasterly monsoon from
November to April produces dry, hot
weather, with average temperatures
rising from 25°C in November to around
32°C in April. The best months to visit
are December and January, as it's dry
and relatively cool, though Angkor is
at its most stunning during the lush
rainy season.

2

Mid-fifteenth century The capital of Angkor is
abandoned in favour of more secure locations to the south;
the Khmer Empire is in irreversible decline.
1594 The Khmer capital falls to the Thais; vast swathes of
land are lost in tribute payments to both Siam and Vietnam.
1863 King Norodom, wanting to reduce Thai control and
secure his own position, exchanges mineral and timber
rights with the French in return for military protection.
1904 King Norodom dies; the following three kings are
chosen by the French.
1941 Eighteen-year-old Prince Norodom Sihanouk succeeds
King Monivong; World War II interrupts French control and
Japan invades.
1945 Following the Japanese surrender, King Sihanouk
campaigns for independence; France, preoccupied by
Vietnam, grants it.
May 1954 Independence is formally recognized by the
Geneva Conference. Sihanouk abdicates, installing his father
Norodom Suramarit as king, to fight in the elections.
1955 Sihanouk's party, The People's Socialist Community,
wins every seat in the newly formed parliament. Political
opposition is ruthlessly repressed, and communist elements,
the “Khmer Rouge”, flee to the countryside.
1960 Sihanouk's father dies and Sihanouk appoints himself
Chief of State, in a further gesture of despotic power.
1960s Despite publicly declaring neutrality over the
Vietnam conflict, Sihanouk allows the North Vietnamese
to use Cambodian soil for supplying the Viet Cong.
1969-73 The US covertly bombs Cambodia's eastern
provinces where they believe Viet Cong guerrillas are hiding.
Thousands of Cambodian civilians are killed or maimed.
1970 General Lon Nol and Prince Sisowath Matak depose
Sihanouk. The Viet Cong are ordered to leave, but instead
push deeper into Cambodia, pursued by US and South
Vietnamese troops. As the country turns into a battlefield,
the Khmer Rouge regroup and begin taking control of
large areas.