We enjoyed the AMAWaterways Danube River cruise so much that the same year, we booked a river cruise on the Mekong River. This was a 7 day cruise on the AmaDara. December is a great time to visit this country as the weather is quite pleasant. The added bonus is that you can escape the endless Christmas ads and commercials that start right after Halloween. The cruise lines recommended a stay at the Sofitel Saigon Plaza hotel pre-cruise. Fabulous recommendation! We especially enjoyed the extensive buffet.
Cambodia was an eye-opener. We took a shore excursion and the guide was a survivor of The Killing Fields. He explained the atrocities during the Pol Pot regime. To prepare for this experience, I read “First They Killed My Father” by Loung Ung. We also visited Ta Prohm, a temple which was used in the 2001 movie, Tomb Raider. This area gives you the feeling of discovering something hidden and truly ancient.
At the end of the cruise, we boarded the bus which took us to the Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort in Siem Reap. Since we had a late flight, the lovely staff allowed us to wait at the hotel, shower and have dinner at a local restaurant without getting a hotel room. The people in Cambodia are super nice and friendly.
When we flew out of Cambodia, via Shanghai and back to Hawaii, there were rumblings of a strange new virus that was affecting people quite seriously. It was supposed to have originated in China and we were concerned that we might have been exposed to it. Thankfully, we weren’t. But by February 2020, it was full blown and given the name of coronavirus, eventually renamed Covid. And thus the pandemic began which curtailed many people from traveling for the next two years.
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We loved Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. The other temples in the greater Siem Reap area were equally fascinating but Angkor Wat was truly amazing and jaw dropping. We even did the Floating Village boat tour. We would good back again to Siem Reap as there is more to see and enjoy again. Magical place. Mahalos Mike
I agree, Siem Reap and Cambodia is a magical place. What’s amazing is how the people are so resilient. They endured so much and they going strong. Will definitely go back to Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam.