5 THINGS TO DO IN CAMBODIA
ADVICE FOR TRAVELING DIFFERENTLY.
Dear fellow travellers,
A popular bucket-list destination, Cambodia is familiar with welcoming tourists eager to explore its rich and diverse cultural and natural landscapes. Being a country with an undeniably complex history, the choice of cultural activities and natural beauties is sure to impress even a seasoned traveller.
But what if your trip was an opportunity to discover the world differently? The NGO Children of the Mekong gives you 5 ideas to re-discover Cambodia, the 5th being, obviously the most beautiful… Happy reading to all!
#1 Visit The Forgotten Temple Of Banteay Chhmar
“Banteay Chhmar is a magical and mysterious place in the northwest of Cambodia far from tourist highways and easy cliches, where the temple, surrounded by greenery, is both the lung and the heart. This is the real Cambodia, the one of resourcefulness and confusion, the authentic one. The one that, sometimes, tourists are looking for without really finding it.”
Antoine Besson is a journalist and photo reporter for the Children of the Mekong’s magazine. He regularly goes on mission to Asia, to meet sponsored children, actors of change, and to write beautiful reports on the treasures of Vietnam, Cambodia or Laos. Intended for our sponsors and all lovers of Asia, we believe that: “To love, you must know”. Read his report on the Bantaey Chmar temple.
#2 Rediscover The ancient art of silk weaving
Cambodia’s silk weaving technique was renowned throughout the world, from the 19th century until the establishment of the Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s. Today, Cambodian silk enjoys an excellent reputation in international markets. It is highly valued for its exceptional quality, and the handcrafting of the fabric pieces contributes to its value.
📍🗺️ Koh Dach, the island of silk
Discover the workshops of Soieries du Mékong: an ethical brand and a social reintegration project in the very poor region of Banteay Chhmar. Today, 66 women and their families live from silk weaving thanks to the brand.
#3 Admire The Mondolkiri Waterfalls
Mondulkiri province is a popular destination for travellers looking for unspoilt wilderness. It is full of natural beauty, with thickly wooded mountains, powerful waterfalls and green spruce hills.
Whether you are looking for a serene picnic spot or to take a dip in their cold waters, Mondulkiri’s waterfalls have plenty to offer beyond their sublime beauty. Among many, a must-see destination is the Bou Sra Waterfall, which sits 15 kilometres from the Vietnamese border. Famed for its triple-tied drop, Bou Sra is a popular destination among both tourists and locals.
#4 Breathe Black gold plantations: Kampot pepper
Despite a turbulent history, the Kampot region now relies on this unique pepper in the world in hundreds of plantations that attract both gourmets and the curious!
Having entered a Khmer Rouge labor camp at the age of 11, Sister Marie-Ange might never have wanted to return to Cambodia. However, after a few years of exile in Quebec and France, she returned to Cambodia to help poor families in the remote countryside. She then opened an agricultural farm to exploit the Cambodian national treasure: pepper!
Marie-Ange is responsible for the follow-up of 8 children sponsored by the Children du Mékong in the Kampot region.
#5 And the most beautiful moment of the trip...Meet your sponsored child
The most beautiful moment of the trip for our 3,000 sponsors is without hesitation the meeting with their sponsored children — a moment out of time, sincere, which gives the trip its full meaning.
How to travel in a useful way? How to add a touch of solidarity to a trip? How can you help the country you are visiting? The NGO Children of the Mekong offers you an innovative way to help and travel!
Since 1958, Children of the Mekong has been adapting to meet the demands of the field. Desired as a link of friendship with the peoples of Southeast Asia, it has remained faithful to its primary vocation: to love and help poor and suffering children by offering them a future through education.
Child sponsorship is a long-term commitment to a child who needs financial support to go to school.