CAMBODIA
–
Kingdom of Wonder!
The Kingdom of Cambodia is a tropical nation bordered by Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, and the Gulf of Thailand. The country is characterized by a central floodplain, formed by the inundations of the Tonle Sap Lake, surrounded by the Cardamom Mountains, Dângrêk Mountains, and the coastal-marine ecosystem in the southwest. Much of Cambodia’s rich biodiversity is contained around the Tonle Sap Lake and the surrounding biosphere reserve.
Cambodia is the oldest nation in the Southeast Asian region. During its peak, Cambodia’s Khmer civilization stretched to large parts of Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Vietnam. In this glorious era, thousands of temples were built and decorated with beautiful and priceless ancient sculptures, and stunning architecture, as well as a highly developed infrastructure.
Traditional arts and crafts are abundant in Cambodia. Sculptures, paintings and curving are done with great care and attention. After a big drop in artists’ activities during the Khmer Rouge regime, today there is a revival of the arts, due to a great deal of restoration work. Throughout the country, many centres have been established to keep the ancient methods craftwork alive.
Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital, boasts several market places selling carvings, paintings, silk, silver, gems and even antiques. During the 1960s, Phnom Penh was renowned as the Paris of the Orient. Today, due to its provincial charm, its traditional Angkorian monuments, French colonial mansions and tree-lined boulevards, Phnom Penh is a tranquil oasis compared to the modernity of other Asian capitals.