So instead of going to the Winter Olympics, I opted to spend my Lunar New Year holiday in a slightly warmer location: Cambodia! I clearly can't get enough of South East Asia, and Cambodia seemed like the perfect next place to check off my list.
I started my 10 day solo trip in Siem Reap, the closest town to the Angkor Wat temple complex. I had limited time, so I crammed a sunrise tour and a sunset tour into the same day- meaning I was on my feet exploring from 4 AM until 6 PM. The sights are beautiful. I especially loved Ta Prohm- the grounds are covered with temple ruins that have been invaded by trees and other natural life.
Then, I took an overnight bus down to the capitol of Cambodia, Phnom Pehn. It is a chaotic and sweaty city, with a huge river flowing right through it's center (a really lively hang out spot at anytime of day). I visited the Killing Fields and S21 Prison, and it was by far the most difficult leg of the trip. I've never been so close to such a horrific atrocity in such recent history and I remember feeling overwhelmed with sadness and anger at multiple points during my visit. Also- how did the Khmer Rouge period only take up two lines in my history textbook growing up? How is it that American education can be so Eurocentric and westernized that I could barely know about such a horrific tragedy that happened less than fifty years ago?
My next stop was a quiet, beautiful riverside town called Kampot. I biked along the river (the sunset was incredible) and explored the beautiful side streets. I also managed to motorbike up Bokor Mountain- a nearby national park that houses some eerie abandoned buildings and a waterfall (which I'm sure is much more spectacular during the rainy season).
I ended my week on the island of Koh Rong, just off the south western coast of Cambodia. It was absolutely stunning- I did a local boat tour around the island, and we stopped at this quaint fishing village which seemed completely untouched by the tourism industry. We also snorkeled through incredible coral reefs, and swam with bio-luminescent plankton after the sunset.
It was such a magical week, and I think so much of that is because I was on my own and truly had time and space to take in all of my surroundings. Thank you, Cambodia!