Heading into Mon State the first up was Bago – formerly Pegu and the old capital of the Mon kingdom – which whilst not the most scenic town in Burma, (it got a bit trashed during WW2), was certainly a good spot to break up the drive to the Golden Rock. For our upcoming tour we’re planning to do this section by local train though which ought to be fun and we’ll try and organize some bicycles for the visit to the town’s sites!

Next stop was the famous Golden Rock!

Now we quickly realised that this wasn’t just about a gold coloured boulder perched on a mountain top; yes spectacular enough but after 5 minutes……..It was the whole, ‘Golden Rock experience’ that was great: a roller-coaster ride up the mountain in an open truck with 40 Burmese, a 45 minute hike up to the summit with assorted pilgrims, locals and Thai tourists, the tiny town, cafes and tacky Buddhist souvenir stalls on the narrow mountain ridge, the incredible all round views and an overnight stay in a spectacularly located hotel right on the peak! The strangely balanced rock covered in gold leaf almost paled next to the fascinating scenes of all the devotees, holy-men, monks and pilgrims. This is a very sacred site and most visitors are locals.

The climb up was a stiff one, to be taken at a slow pace, but the views and fellow hikers made it both stunning and fun as well as sticky and taxing on the thighs. Yes they do have cold beers at the summit plus coffee shops, a choice of local style or tourist eateries and a couple of fine hotels. The hotel was very conveniently situated just a few minutes walk from the rock itself though which allows for sunset, sunrise and nighttime visits.

Hotel breakfast wasn’t frankly up to much but then it has got to be one of the most spectacular settings for a coffee you could find anywhere in Burma. After that it was downhill all the way with a relatively easy, albeit tough on the knees, climb down to the halfway point to pick up the local truck again to the foot of the mountain. (Private transport isn’t allowed to use the road to the summit.)

Time to check out the local tea shop then off south to Moulmein. Cheers!

from All Points East.

What you need?

8 Chicken Quarters or 16 chicken thighs
450 gms chopped onions
3 large garlic cloves
15 gms plain flour
115 gms crunchy peanut butter
2 x 400 gms tins of chopped tomatoes
1.5 tsp tumeric
2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cardamoms
1 tsp chilli powder
0.5 tsp pepper
2 tsp sugar
4 tbs vinegar
5 tbs soya sauce

How you do it?

1. Place chicken in a large oven-proof dish
2. Combine onion, garlic, flour, peanut butter and tomatoes until smooth
3. Stir in remaining sauce ingredients
4. Pour sauce over chicken and cover with foil
5. Cook for 2 hours in a medium oven
Serve with rice

from All Points East.

…..whilst other mornings could be like this….

Now we realise watching sunrise unavoidably involves getting up at some ungodly hour in the morning, (well unless you haven’t gone to bed yet),  and if you are expecting, or at least hoping for, a dramatic red and orange backdrop to your view of the famous towers and you get a  dull grey one you may be disappointed but…
Despite what certain may infer we at All Points East are not responsible for early morning weather conditions in Siem Reap and firstly no-one is obliged to take the ‘risk’ of an early rise and secondly we reckon the view as the iconic silhouette emerges from the darkness – even if it is lacking bright colours – is still worth missing a couple of hours kip for.

Anyway one of the best images we’ve seen of the famous 12th century frontage is Gary Latham’s star-lit photo, (Cambodia photography tour),  above where he hadn’t even waited to see how the sunrise would shape up let alone wished afterwards he’d stayed in bed but just used a bit of imagination, (and very slow shutter speed), and took that awesome shot.

Now though we pride ourselves on avoiding the crowds on our itineraries sunrise at Angkor Wat can get, especially during high season, very crowded but, since you’re probably only going to experience Angkor once then it’s got to be done hasn’t it? (We do occasionally get asked – “what happens if it rains?” Brilliant! The temple glistening in the rain – nobody else there – and that’s what we’ve got umbrellas for!)

We’ve used Angkor Wat as an example but there are plenty more dawn visits on our various itineraries – again all of which are optional. We reckon another must is Bagan on our Burma tour where the early morning light across the temple strewn plain shows the site at it’s most spectacular.  A convenient advantage at Bagan is that, unlike Angkor, there is no single dawn vantage point and a wide choice of possibilities makes it easy to find an uncrowded spot.

Lake Inle’s another Burma site that definitely merits a dawn visit and a big plus here is that for whatever reason not many other visitors seem to do it. Checking out the views and iconic fishing boats on the serene lake before anyone else gets there is certainly well worth getting up early for.

Sigiriya on the Sri Lanka tour is another World Heritage Site best sampled at dawn and the winding climb up to the summit in the dark is pretty exciting stuff!

Plenty more dawn visits to be taken into consideration include; the Can Tho floating market in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta, Mandalay’s early morning fish market, early morning wildlife spotting expeditions  at Kinabantang and Danum in Borneo or the optional sunrise over the rice terraces in Yunnan Province’s Yuanyang.

As one of our guests said, (thanks Carrie), “…no problems – there’s so much to see – I’ll sleep when I get home instead!”

Cheers!

from All Points East.

Guide books

Even within the same collection guide books can vary considerably depending upon the researcher/author and in our opinion Lonely Planet Laos is not one of their best but as usual it is handy for the generic, intro sections on history, culture, food and so-on.

On-line

Same goes for on-line guides too but we do like Travelfish’s Lao coverage and much of it has been recently updated. As per usual, please add a huge pinch of salt if you feel inclined to consult tripadvisor and bear in mind there is little or no verification of reviews and that they may be written by either the establishment owner’s best mate or worst enemy!

Reference books

Travels on the Mekong – Louis de Carne (White Lotus)

Another excellent White Lotus offering is the tale of a French expedition in 1866-68 to explore the upper reaches of the Mekong River. Several more books in the same collection deal with French exploration of Indochina. 150 years ago much of this area was a blank on the map – ‘Unexplored’!

The Ravens – Christopher Robbins (Asia Books, 2000)

More recent history with this account of events in the Lao theatre during the war in Indochina with emphasis on the pilots; Hmong, Lao and US, who flew recce and bombing missions against the Pathet Lao and North Vietnamese. Note Robbins is a British not US writer though.

Shooting at the Moon – Roger Warner (Steerforth Press, 1995)

The story of the CIA’s clandestine war in Laos; -”This is a book about…..the cruel sacrifice of small countries for the convenience of large ones. Nothing better has been written about the CIA in the years when it thought a handful of Americans in sunglasses could do anything with planeloads of arms and money to burn”

Air America – Christopher Robbins (Asia Books, 2001)

More on the US air war in Lao with this study of the CIA run Air America but also looking at the operation’s funding and the connection with the opium trade. “….a handful of Americans in sunglasses” & Hawaiian shirts on remote Lao mountain tops. Astonishing stuff and well documented as usual by Robbins.

The Politics of Heroin – Alfred McCoy (Various editions)

The book’s subtitle – CIA Complicity in the Global Drug Trade, says it all really. Brilliant book which originally concentrated on opium in Laos and the Golden Triangle region whilst re-editions were broadened to include Nicaragua, Afghanistan etc.

The Bamboo Palace – Christopher Kremmer (Harper Collins, 2005)

Half history book and half travelogue this engrossing account relates the author’s travels in Laos in search of the lost royal family – the 60 year old ancient Lao dynasty. Brilliantly written and an enthralling read! (See also ‘Stalking the Elephant Kings’ by the same author.)

One Foot In Laos – Dervla Murphy (John Murray 1999)

One of our favourite travel writers Dervla Murray turns her attention to Laos with this excellent travel book including insights and comments on the history, current situation and fears and hopes for the country’s future. Great stuff!

Ant Egg Soup – Natacha Du Pont de Bie (Hodder and Stoughton, 2005)

And now for something completely different; Natacha’s, (we won’t do the full name again), anecdotal account of a food tourist travelling through Laos. The people she met, places she visited, dishes she sampled including some recipes and sketches. fascinating and you could even try out some of the recipes at home – well if Tescos started stocking ant’s eggs!

The Mekong – Milton Osborne (Allen and Unwin, 2000)

Could put this in the Cambodia and Vietnam sections too; a history of the River over 2,000 years from the renowned Southeast Asian scholar Osborne. A fascinating book – great travel writing and history!

Novels

Colin Cotterill – the Dr. Siri Paiboun series (Soho Crime)

You may not be surprised to hear there aren’t very many novels set in Laos but we are saved by Colin Cotterill who has actually penned an entire series of thrillers in the country no less. And good fun they are too as you follow the intriguing cases of a fictional Lao coroner; – kind of a 70′s Lao ‘Silent Witness’.

Villa Incognito – Tom Robbins (Random House, 2003)

Probably the best of the rest and there really isn’t a lot to choose from. Slightly odd that cult American novelist Robbins – of Even Cowgirls Get the Blues and Another Roadside Attraction fame – set this 2003 tale in Laos but he did, though this somewhat confused story of MIAs, a mythical Japanese badger and the opium trade is certainly not one of his best.

Documentaries

Little Dieter needs to Fly – Werner Herzog

The eccentric German director turns his attention to Lao with this part documentary, part recreation of the true story of a US pilot, Dieter Dengler, held in a Lao POW camp during the Vietnam war. Herzog takes him back to Lao to relive the tale but also later made a feature film of the same story, Rescue Dawn, starring Christian Bale. As with much of Herzog, odd but compelling though doesn’t really tell you a lot about Laos.

Feature films

Air America – Roger Spottiswood

A feature film drawing substantially from one of our above reference book selections this 1990 movie stars Mel Gibson and a young Robert Downey Jr as pilots for the CIA airline Air America. Nowhere near as bad as you may imagine the film features US pilots posing around in shades and Hawaiian shirts again but does actually touch on anti-war themes as well as the opium trade and CIA involvement and a less than complimentary portrayal of famous Hmong commander Vang Pao. Worth a look.

from All Points East.

Money

Gone are the days of changing bank notes down dark alleyways or haggling over rates; official exchange bureaux can now be found at any tourist hotspot with a set exchange rate of approximately 850 kyat to a US dollar. Yes you do still need pristine notes to change – no folds, creases or discolouration – and rates may be slightly less if changing smaller denomination notes or also when changing up-country from Rangoon. US$ is still the favoured currency though Euros are widely accepted and even pounds sterling for what they’re worth. We recommend changing a reasonable amount of dosh on arrival at Rangoon airport, (to cover drinks, tips, souvenirs etc), then topping up if necessary in Bagan or Inle.

Cashpoints or ATMs are increasingly common, taking Visa and Mastercards though we’ve heard they’re still not always 100% reliable.

Communications

Things are also improving on the communications front though, whilst there are more and more locations claiming ‘free Wi-Fi’, reliability is still generally pretty bad. Most hotels we use on our tours offer Wi-Fi and should it not be working there would usually be an alternative hotel or cafe within easy walking distance. We did say pretty bad though!

Mini-sims are still not readily available for smart phones and even if you can find one internet is not available. Pay as you go GSM top up Sim cards are now available in Rangoon if your cell phone is not locked or if you buy a phone locally. Sim cards are available outside of the capital but we found top-up cards very difficult to come by. Note even if you have a Burmese Sim card SMS does not work for overseas in either direction. We found that roaming only worked in Rangoon but that would obviously depend upon your network provider.

We would recommend considering yourself out of phone contact for the duration of the tour and perhaps use Skype or similar in internet cafes for emergencies.  If you absolutely have to remain in contact then buy a 2nd hand phone locally with a GSM Sim card and get a spare top-up card in Rangoon if you think you may be making several calls. (Overseas rates are expensive!)

Visa and entry

There are several e-visa sites on the internet but we have been warned to stear clear of them so for the time being avoid! Visa on arrival does work but is something of a  hassle and not totally reliable either so for the present should only be used as a last resort. If you do not have any choice then you would be best to go through a licensed local operator.

Officially, unless you have specific permission from the Burmese government, you can only enter by Rangoon or Mandalay international airports. Whatever tales and rumours you may see to the contrary land crossings are not officially open except for visits to the immediate area around the crossing point. Yes you can obtain a temporary entry pass at Mae Sai to visit Tachilek and you can enter from Thailand’s Ranong Province to visit the Kawthaung area but you are  not supposed to travel any further inside Burma.

Our recommendation: obtain a visa in advance from your nearest Burmese embassy and stick to the rules, however tempting it may be otherwise,  to avoid problems and a possible future ban from entering the country. Any visa problems please contact our UK office.

Travel within the country.

Yes the country is opening up fast and peace talks have been held with most of the ethnic groups in conflict with the government but many areas are still off limits. Travel may be restricted for 3 major reasons: 1. Burmese govt. restrictions. 2. Foreign govt. travel advise and 3. A basic lack of travel infrastructure. Communal conflict of a primarily religious nature has occurred in Rakhine and in central towns around Meiktila and travel in both areas is advised against by the UK FCO and most other Western governments. Rightly or wrongly we are legally advised to abide by said advice and note that travel in those areas would then void your travel insurance. Independent travel to Sittwe and Mrauk U is possible but unfortunately at present we can’t help out.

Note on our current Burma itineraries we will travel from Bagan to Kalaw by way of an internal flight to Heho in order to avoid Meiktila until the FCO sees fit to change it’s advice.

Elsewhere conflict is on going in Kachin State so all but the man towns are off-limits and we have heard of recent problems in northern Shan State so much of eastern and northern Shan State is also a no-no. Agreements with Mon and Karen groups are at best tenuous and travel in these areas may be restricted in particular overland travel south of Moulmein.

Anyway overall most aspects of travel to and in Burma are improving though changes occur so rapidly writing this post is rather like painting Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Cheers!

from All Points East.

So – we’ll see you on Instagram – cheers!

from All Points East.

In order to help you ensure the correct paperwork is obtained from the appropriate embassies with time to spare, we've compiled some tips on what is required for most UK, US and EU travellers going to different parts of the sub-region.

Often this will need to be done in advance, but this is not a prerequisite for travel to all countries in Southeast Asia. Either way, it is worth ensuring you know which these are with plenty of time to spare.

Advance visas

Visitors to Vietnam, Burma, China and Sri Lanka must organise their visas in advance. It is recommended that this is done through the appropriate embassies around a month before departure so that the passport and visa are returned well before you are due to travel.

A Vietnam single entry visa for one person lasts up to 30 days and will cost £40, but there must be a blank page in your passport so that the documentation can be affixed.

Burma has been known to change its visa requirements on a regular basis, but currently travellers should apply to the embassy in advance with three passport photos and a fee of US$20 (£13).

A single entry visa lasts 28 days from the date of entry into the country, but expires 90 days after it has been issued, so the most organised people must ensure they do not apply for the travel document too far in advance.

The Chinese embassy issues single entry visas valid for 30 days at a cost of US$30 (£19.60), which cover the majority of China with the exception of restricted areas such as Tibet.

While those travelling to Sri Lanka must also apply for a visa in advance at a cost of US$30, which can be done through the country's Electronic Travel Authorization website.

Some embassies will require additional travel information, including the point of entry and/or the name of the main accommodation you intend to use in the country, which can be obtained from All Points East.

As embassies are liable to change their policies on visa application processes at short notice, we recommend you always check before travelling.

Visas on arrival

Visas can be obtained upon arrival in Thailand, Malaysia, Laos and Cambodia if you are a citizen of the EU or US.

These visas last for a standard 30 days if entering via an airport for all of these countries bar Malaysia, where travellers can stay for up to 90 days without having to apply for a different type of entry document.

Visitors to Thailand arriving from a neighbouring country over land or by boat should be aware that they will only be issued with a 15-day visa.

Thirty days is more than adequate for the tours offered by All Points East, but anyone planning to extend their trip should take this into consideration.

While Thailand and Malaysia issue these visas free of charge, Laos and Cambodia require fees of US$35 (£23) and US$20 (£13) respectively.

In order for these visas to be processed, we suggest you bring passport sized photos with you to avoid queuing.

from All Points East.

Ok – sunbathers are grown adults so it’s up to them and of course they’re not doing anyone any harm – we’re just curious really! What’s the fun in it? You lie there slowly cooking, oiled up and greasy all over, brushing off the encroaching sand on your sticky towel, waving off the sand-flies so that…? So that ideally you can go back to Monchengladbach or Milton Keynes with a healthy looking, glowing tan saying ‘hey look at me I’ve been somewhere hot and sunny for my hols’? (You’re not going to see many Aussies sunbathing are you – they know better.) Ok fair enough if that’s a priority except that for every sexy looking tan we’ve seen on a tourist there’s another one round the corner with horrible and painful looking red blotches and peeling skin.

Now ironically for the locals brown leathery skin means one thing – you’re a poor farmer and for them looking like a rude peasant is to be avoided at all costs! So the locals wrap up when outside, even if it’s 35 in the shade, wear t-shirts and shorts for swimming, (and that’s not only for modesty’s sake), and spend fortunes on dubious whitening creams and products.

We do offer plenty of beach and island extensions but generally on our regular tours coastal visits involve activities such as snorkeling or boat trips rather than sun-bathing but both of which obviously provide opportunities to get sun tanned, and or, seriously burnt! Lying on your front with a thin film of water covering your back above a coral reef is perfect for either. To our minds a compromise between local and tourist solutions being optimal. Covering up when snorkelling is the best way to avoid getting sun burnt and reduces the need for sun cream which damages the marine environment and coral reefs. (The amount of cream you may be coated in might seem unimportant but imagine the litres that end up over the fragile reefs at popular snorkeling spots such as the Perhentians or Trang’s islands.)  Without resorting to the elbow length gloves of a Vietnamese motorcyclist or the balaclava of a Thai farm worker a t-shirt’s generally acceptable to most and whilst we wouldn’t suggest snorkeling in a pair of jeans either the loose, thin cotton trousers known as ‘Thai fisherman’s pants’ are perfect for swimming and cover up a lot of bare skin.

We’ll leave you with a link to some ‘reef-safe, biodegradable sun block’ which sounds good so….happy snorkelling, sunbathing, swimming.

Cheers!

from All Points East.

Guide books

Lonely Planet Myanmar (Burma)
We’re not LP bashing and, as with other editions, the generic intro section on history, culture, food etc makes for a good potted read but even more so than with other destinations Burma is changing very, very fast and much of the travel section will be wildly out of date even on the day of publishing.

On-line

Our mates at Travelfish, on-line travel guide, are promising to add Burma to their repertoire during the course of 2013 so look out for that whilst for coverage of  Burma events, news and articles we recommend the excellent Irrawaddy Magazine site.   You’ll also find plenty of relevant articles and photos by both All Points East staff and guests in the archives of our travelblog Burma category. As usual, please add a huge pinch of salt if you feel inclined to consult tripadvisor and bear in mind there is little or no verification of reviews and that they may be written by either the establishment owner’s best mate or worst enemy!

Reference books

The Indianized States of Southeast Asia – George Coedes (University of Hawaii Press 1968)
For early history this classic from the great historian Coedes covers all early states of Southeast Asia including  the Pyu, Mon, Pegu and Bagan civilizations of Burma. A fascinating background read on Burma and any of these regions.

The Burma Campaign – Frank McLynn (Vintage 2011)
Very readable and very comprehensive coverage of the Burma campaign of WW2 from the Japanese attempts to invade India in 1942 to the fall of Rangoon in ’45. The Chindits, Merrill’s Marauders, the Flying Tigers, Stillwell, Wingate et al – fascinating stuff!

The Road Past Mandalay – John Masters (Cassell 1961)
Also on the Burma theatre during WW2 but this time a personal account is the account of John Masters’s time with the Gurkha Rifles and the famous Chindits in the jungles of Kachin State in northeastern Burma. Yes tragic stuff but a gripping read and, all apparently true.

Finding George Orwell in Burma – Emma Larkin (Penguin Press 2005) Larkin follows the traces of Orwell across Burma from Kachin State, Maymyo & Mandalay to Rangoon, the Delta and Moulmein and concludes that not only Burmese Days but also 1984 & Animal Farm were very pertinent to Burma. Interesting insights into Orwell and the British rule.

From the Land of Green Ghosts – Pascal Khoo Thwe (Harper Collins 2002)
The experiences of a man from a remote Padaung village as a student in Mandalay then a guerrilla fighter in the jungle before ending up at Cambridge University. Astonishing, moving and sometimes harrowing stuff that purports to be all true!

Among Insurgents – walking through Burma – Shelby Tucker (Flamingo 2001) Simply astonishing account of a man who decided to walk from China to India through the war zone of Burma’s Kachin State. Communist rebels, the opium trade, the myriad ethnic groups of this remote region are the background to this incredible travel story.

Presenting Myanmar – Maung Kyaa Nyo (Today Publishing 2000)
Great little introduction to numerous aspects of the country with info on; food, culture, religion, farming and so-on. May be very difficult to find outside of Burma but you can ask your tour-leader to help you find a copy once there.

Sacred Sites of Burma – Donald Stadtner (River Books, 2011) Mid-size format book with tons of photos and etchings and detailed info on most of the country’s most sacred sites as well as descriptions of myths, legends, folklore and religion, Buddhist and pre-Buddhist. Great images of Shwedagon, the Golden Rock, Inle Lake and so-on.

Letters from Burma – Aung San Suu Kyi (Penguin 1997)
Fascinating collection of Aung San Suu Kyi’s letters and articles covering her personal life as well as many aspects of Burmese culture, religion, society, family life and of course politics. Wonderful insights from the Nobel Prize winner and, more than likely, future president.

Novels

Burmese Days – George Orwell (Our edition Penguin 1986)
Probably the best known novel set in Burma but opinions vary on how accurate it is and to what extent it’s autobiographical. The ultimately tragic tale of Flory a timber merchant in northeastern Burma is certainly a classic though some more recent novels may give you more of an insight into the country.

The Piano Tuner – Daniel Mason (Picador 2003)
“On a misty London afternoon in 1886 piano tuner Edgar Drake receives a strange request from the War Office; he must leave his wife and quiet life in London to travel to the jungles of Burma….” so begins one of our favourite novels set anywhere in Southeast Asia.

The Glass Palace – Amitav Ghosh (Harper Collins 2001)
No reading list of novels set in Burma would be complete without Ghosh’s epic tale of 3 generations of a family across the 19th and 20th centuries. Set in India, Burma and Malaya and described by some as the “Doctor Zhivago for the Far East”. Got to be good!

Documentaries

As usual we’ll head to John Pilger’s back catalogue for our recommended documentary on Burma; Inside Burma – Land of Fear produced by Central Independent Television in 1996. Par for the course with Pilger the documentary is well researched and presented but shocking and tragic. Portrait of Courage from the same director in the same year is also well worth a peak and includes an in depth interview with Aung San Suu Kyi herself. Watching these will put the recent and long awaited changes in Burma into pleasing perspective.

Feature films

The Lady – Luc Besson 2011
Back to Suu Kyi of course for what’s certainly the most famous feature film on Burma of recent times, Besson’s 2011 The Lady starring Michelle Yeoh. Some actually filmed in Burma but it is a feature film not a documentary & it has come under some criticism for it’s factual correctness. Nevertheless, extensively researched and for all its faults remains a good movie.

from All Points East.

Guide books

Cambodia – Nick Ray (Lonely Planet)
As you may have noticed we’re not huge fans of guide books; our tour-leaders visit the sites every month whilst guide book researchers may visit every 2 years or so though Nick Ray has done a good job compiling the Cambodia guide and as usual we recommend LP for it’s introductory section on culture, history, food etc rather than the travel info which changes so frequently.

On-line

Travelfish is our favourite on-line guide; comprehensive and regularly updated and they also do an excellent Angkor Wat app for smart phones plus a regular Cambodia blog. You can also check  out the Cambodia category on our own travelblog for masses of reviews, articles, info and photos on all things Khmer. As usual, please add a huge pinch of salt if you feel inclined to consult tripadvisor and bear in mind there is little or no verification of reviews and that they may be written by either the establishment owner’s best mate or worst enemy!

Reference books

The Civilization of Angkor – Charles Higham (Phoenix 2001)
Excellent overview of the history and culture of the Angkor and pre-Angkor civilizations from their origins to their decline. Comprehensive without being too lengthy, well researched and well written. A fascinating read.

The Khmers – Ian Mabbett & David Chandler (Silkworm Books 1995)
Another very good and very readable potted history of some 2,000 years of Khmer history. David Chandler is one of the foremost scholars on Cambodia and any of his books on the subject are well worth a read.

Ancient Angkor – Michael Freeman and Claude Jacques (Asia Books, 1999)
Jacques, a renowned Angkor scholar, combines his temple by temple guide to the main sites as well as lesser known ones with some superb photographs by Micheal Freeman. Includes maps, background info – probably the best in this genre.

Celestial Temples of the Khmer Empire – Jon Ortner (Abbeville Press)
Kind of a pocket coffee table book with brief descriptions but plenty of superb photos of, not only the temples of Angkor, but many spectacular Khmer temples across Southeast Asia including Preah Vihear for example..

Pol Pot; History of a Nightmare – Philip Short (John Murray 2005) Again a multitude of books have been published on the Khmer Rouge era including plenty of personal accounts. Tragic as these ‘what happened to me…’ accounts are they are highly personalized and this is a more scholarly study of what to many is an incomprehensible episode of history.

Travels in Cambodia and Parts of Laos – Francis Garnier (White Lotus) Many fascinating reads in the White Lotus collection re the 19th century French explorations in Indochina. Men with pith helmets and serious facial hair wandering around in the middle of nowhere. Boys own stuff but incredible tales & etchings of 19th century Southeast Asia.

Birds of Thailand – Boossong Lekagul & Philip Round (Saha Karn Bhaet, 1991)
Covers 95% of birds you’d be likely to come across in Cambodia too and this is to our minds the most comprehensive and user friendly field guide to birds of the region. Well illustrated and well laid out.

Documentaries

John Pilger – Year Zero and The Betrayal
Anything investigative reporter John Pilger has done on Cambodia is well worth watching. Year Zero about the Western humanitarian boycott of Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge and The Betrayal documenting Western assistance to the Khmer Rouge are no exception. Shocking but essential viewing!

Feature films

Several films have featured Angkor as a backdrop in recent times – notably of course  Tomb Raider – light hearted fun, though some of the others are truly awful, but photogenic Phnom Penh too appears in several domestic and international movies.

City of Ghosts – Matt Dillon, 2003
Convoluted thriller with an all star cast set in Phnom Penh and Kampot. The extras, and even some co-stars, were just locals ‘dragged off the street’ giving the movie a very authentic feel. Great actors but worth watching for the awesome soundtrack alone!

Un Soir Apres la Guerre. (An Evening after the War) – Rithy Panh, 1998
Tragic but beautiful film from the great Cambodian film director tells the story of a soldier returning home to Phnom Penh after the war against the Khmer Rouge. The Sea Wall - a period drama starring Isabelle Huppert and set in 1930s Sihanoukville by the same director is also well worth watching.

Holly – Guy Moshe, 2006
Tale of an initially innocent American’s attempts to save a young Vietnamese girl from child trafficking. Set mostly in Phnom Penh and Battambang; a well acted, well filmed and moving discovery of Cambodia’s sordid underbelly.

from All Points East.