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In all my years in Asia,
I'd always wanted to visit Cambodia and especially
Angkor Wat so when the opportunity eventually arrived, I
leapt at the chance. Then, to my astonishment, I was
told to "bring your golf clubs!". "Why?" I inquired,...
"Well, you will want to play the new course near to
Angkor Wat..." Golf, Angkor Wat? Now I was REALLY
interested! A short 1 hour flight from Bangkok to Siem Reap would reveal
all...!
Nestled between rice
paddies and stretched along the Siem Reap River, this
small provincial capital serves as the gateway to the
millennium-old temple complex of Angkor Wat. A designated
UNESCO World Heritage
site, the Angkor
Archaeological Park encompasses dozens of temple ruins
whose significance is on a par with the Pyramids, Machu
Pichu and the Taj Mahal. The town is a cluster of old
villages, originally developed around individual
pagoda's which were later overlaid with a French
colonial era centre.
Met on arrival by
Mr Hak, the DTC Travel ground handler for the
past 14 years and Mr. Phrom, I was soon heading
into town in the company of 100’s of motorbikes.
The town, I was told, had grown dramatically
over the last couple of years as more people
come to visit what should be classed as the 8th
Wonder of the World. But Siem Reap has retained
its charm, it reminded me a little of New
Orleans with it’s French colonial style
buildings, many now restaurants with balconies
overlooking the bustling streets. I was checked
into the very grand Sofitel Phokeethra Hotel,
then headed off to the hotels golf course – The
Phokeethra.
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Venue of the
recent inaugural Johnnie Walker Cambodian Open,
the course manager said the locals were kept out
of the event after being told the moat that
surrounds the course had been filled with
crocodiles for the occasion! I was pleasantly
surprised at the contours of the course,
considering its right in the middle of flat
fertile rice fields. The condition was excellent
with the 4th (par 5, stroke index 1)
and their own Amen-Corner of the 15, 16 & 17th
the most memorable of holes. I ended up playing
to just over my handicap which, in my book is
always a sign of a well thought out course.
After a shower, change and excellent lunch, my
driver/guide took me off for my first encounter
with the wonders of Angkor, and where better to
start than Angkor Wat itself! It’s actually
bigger than I had imagined and the glory of the
ancient Khmer empire was immediately apparent
with the intricate stone carvings and murals of
a fairly bloodthirsty race of people. For me it
was more impressive than the pyramids of Giza.
For 2 hours I
wandered corridors and climbed ever higher
towards the very seat of the Khmer King.
Unfortunately, you cannot get right to the top
at the moment as a few months back a drunken
Korean tourist had lost his balance and fell to
his demise…. but they are in the process of
installing safer wooden steps.
Getting back to
the car I thought we would be heading to the
hotel for sundowners but within 15 minutes I was
standing in the basket of a tethered hot air
balloon, taking photos of Angkor Wat as the
setting sun gleamed gold on the ruins –
Spectacular!
In the evening I
was again picked up and taken “downtown” for an
introduction to Khmer food at the famous Red
Piano. Looking over the balcony I indulged in
local lake fish prepared in a variety of ways,
some stir fried dishes (not spicy like Thai
food) and Pharok – a strong fermented fish paste
that didn’t agree with my palette!
The nightlife is
good too and while much calmer than Bangkok,
there’s still plenty of places to enjoy watching
and meeting people in the numerous bars, bistros
and clubs.
The next morning
after an early breakfast, we were again
transported back a 1,000 years as we discovered
the glory of Ta Phrom, well before the tourist
buses turned up. If you like photography it’s
perfect, as the early morning sun pierces
through the trees, creating an astonishing
atmosphere in this temple that has all but been
taken over by the surrounding jungle.
By 10am I was on
the 1st at Angkor Golf Resort, quite
probably Nick Faldo’s greatest achievement yet!
I’ve been very lucky to have played many great
courses around the world, Asia in particular,
but I must admit, this is now my favourite. In
true Faldo style, you are challenged to “make
the shot” and if successful you are rewarded
with a “I don’t want that one back” feeling and,
“Glate Shot!” from the cute Khmer caddie. Apart
from the dastardly 13th, I had a good
round and after a couple of the local Angkor
beers and a sandwich, we were off to Preh Rup
for yet another stunning sunset and plenty of
photo opportunities.
The following
day, we travelled to the ladies temple, Bante
Sreah, a wonderful pinkish coloured temple
before heading up into the hills bordering on to
Laos. A 30 minute easy climb and I was at Kbal
Spean where Linga’s (Hindu symbols of worship)
are actually carved into the river bed floor –
it’s really impressive. A light lunch of noodles
and then off to Beng Malea. This was the
prototype to the prototype of Angkor Wat and
it’s really deep in the jungle – Tomb Raider
stuff and definitely my favourite!
By late afternoon
we had arrived at a small river next to a
village where I boarded a motorbike taxi which
then took me out towards Tonle Sap, South East
Asia’s largest fresh water lake and source of
the previous night’s excellent fish! A boat was
waiting and off we went through the mangrove.
After 20 minutes we were now in a village of
floating houses – Kampong Pluek. The village is
very poor, there is a Bhuddist temple and
everyone was very friendly. The children ran
around shouting “Goodbye!” which felt strange,
as if they knew we would not be staying long…
Then back on to the boat and out to the lake
itself for one of the most memorable sunsets I
have ever seen.
The next morning
I was taken to another pier – they are movable
as the lake’s edge moves in and out around 6km
as the Siem Reap River is the only river in the
world to flow in both directions, depending on
the time of year. I had chosen to take the ferry
to the capital, Phnom Penh which was a bit long
at 6 hours but you can take the short flight or
a car journey of around 5 hours with a couple of
interesting stops along the way including lunch
in a wonderful setting, I’m told.
Arriving in Phnom
Penh by boat was fantastic and my guide was
waiting to take me to my hotel, The Raffles
Royal, a colonial hotel with those rare
attributes of both history and style. Phnom Penh
reminded me of the old Asia when I first arrived
here 25 years ago; bustling, chaotic but somehow
it all works!….
A late lunch at
the Foreign Correspondents Club (FCC)
overlooking the river and a wander around the
famous market finished off a long but excellent
days travel.
My last morning
and I was taken to the sobering Toul Sleng
School, more infamously known as the torture
centre during the Khmer Rouge regime’s rule.
Then the Killing Fields, much smaller than I had
imagined but nevertheless, the potency of the
place was all apparent, fragments of bone still
peaking through the paths and there were no
signs or sounds of birds….
In the afternoon,
I played the Cambodian Golf & Country Club which
was above average but nothing to compare with
the Angkor courses. My guide, Mr. Kim told me
the other course in the city, Royal Cambodian is
the Prime Ministers favourite but in his opinion
was “a field not worthy of a buffalo!” I’m not
sure if this was a critique of the course or
something entirely different… In the evening I
caught my flight back to Bangkok.
All in all,
Cambodia more than bettered my expectations and
I’m back off there next month to explore the
upcoming beach resort of Sihanoukville plus Kep
and Kampot – Asia’s undiscovered beach
destinations.
Cambodia is
easily accessible by air from 7 destinations
around Asia and I really have to recommend it to
all you adventure golfers! Paying in US dollars
in an already cheap country was a bonus, the
friendly people, great food, excellent golf and
off-course sights and sounds makes Cambodia a
must-do!
-contact
us for more information and bookings!
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