A Cambodian man puts his cow pasture in a paddy field at Baray village, Kampong Thom province @ Heng Sinith/AP
There's a magic about this charming yet confounding kingdom that casts a spell on visitors. In Cambodia, ancient and modern worlds collide to create an authentic adventure.
Contemporary Cambodia is the successor state to the mighty Khmer empire, which, during the Angkorian period, ruled much of what is now Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The remains of this empire can be seen at the fabled temples of Angkor, monuments unrivalled in scale and grandeur in Southeast Asia. The traveller’s first glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate expression of Khmer genius, is sublime and is matched by only a few select spots on earth, such as Machu Picchu or Petra.
Just as Angkor is more than its wat, so too is Cambodia more than its temples, and its urban areas can surprise with their sophistication. Chaotic yet charismatic capital Phnom Penh is a revitalised city earning plaudits for its sumptuous riverside setting, cultural renaissance, and world-class wining-and-dining scene. Second city Siem Reap, with cosmopolitan cafes and a diverse nightlife, is as much a destination as the nearby iconic temples. And up-and-coming Battambang, reminiscent of Siem Reap before the advent of mass tourism, charms with graceful French architecture and a thriving contemporary art scene.
Experience the rhythm of rural life and landscapes of dazzling rice paddies and swaying sugar palms in Cambodia's countryside. The South Coast is fringed by tropical islands dotted with the occasional fishing village. Inland lie the Cardamom Mountains, part of a vast tropical wilderness providing a home to elusive wildlife and a gateway to emerging ecotourism adventures. The mighty Mekong River cuts through the country and hosts some of the region’s last remaining freshwater dolphins. The northeast is a world unto itself, its wild and mountainous landscapes home to Cambodia’s ethnic minorities and an abundance of natural attractions and wildlife.
The Cambodian Spirit
Despite having the eighth wonder of the world in its backyard, Cambodia’s real treasure is its people. The Khmers have been to hell and back, struggling through years of bloodshed, poverty and political instability. Thanks to an unbreakable spirit and infectious optimism, they have prevailed with their smiles intact. No visitor comes away without a measure of admiration and affection for the inhabitants of this enigmatic kingdom.
Chong Kneas, a floating village on the Tonle Sap lake Siemreap, Cambodia, March 1, 2001. (Thierry Falise/LightRocket/Getty Images)A Cambodian farmer on an ox-cart heads to a rice field for work at Krang Tnung village on the outskirt of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, early Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2013. (Heng Sinith/AP)A reflection from the sunshine rises above a fishing wooden boat on the Tonle Sap river as Cambodian fishermen catching fish for their daily income in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Wednesday, May 27, 2009. (Heng Sinith/AP)A Cambodian farmer cleans lotus flowers and stems by using his feet before collecting them at a lotus farm, and then he prepares them for selling to the Buddhist followersA Local Cambodian villager, Choeung Soeung, 73, looks on as his plows farm field before planting rice in Kob Srov village, about 18 kilometers (11 miles) northwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, June 10, 2010. (Heng Sinith/AP)A boy herds ducks in a canal in Samroang Kandal village at the outskirts of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Saturday, March 1, 2014. (Heng Sinith/AP)Local villagers fall onto the ground from a cart pulled by oxen as they take part in a ceremony to exorcize evil spirits and pray for rain amid the rice planting season at Pring Ka-ek village, about 20 kilometers (12.5 miles) northwest of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Thursday, June 13, 2013. (Heng Sinith/AP)
I began my career in the banking industry in 1997, and stayed approx 6 years in it. This industry boost his knowledge about the economic condition in Indonesia, both macro and micro, and how to
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understand it. My banking career continued in Yogyakarta when I joined in a program funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB),as the coordinator for a program aimed to help improve the quality of learning and teaching process in private universities in Yogyakarta. When the earthquake stroke Yogyakarta, I chose to join an international NGO working in the area of ?disaster response and management, which allows me to help rebuild the city, as well as other disaster-stricken area in Indonesia. I went on to become the coordinator for emergency response in the Asia Pacific region. Then I was assigned for 1 year in Cambodia, as a country coordinator mostly to deliver developmental programs (water and sanitation, education, livelihood). In 2009, he continued his career as a protocol and HR officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Surabaya, and two years later I joined the Political and Economic Section until now, where i have to deal with extensive range of people and government officials, as well as private and government institution troughout eastern Indonesia.
I am the founder and Editor-in-Chief in Good News From Indonesia (GNFI), a growing and influential social media movement, and was selected as one of The Most Influential Netizen 2011 by The Marketeers magazine.
I also wrote a book on "Fundamentals of Disaster Management in 2007"?, "Good News From Indonesia : Beragam Prestasi Anak Bangsa di dunia"? which was luanched in August 2013, and "Indonesia Bersyukur"? which is launched in Sept 2013. In 2014, 3 books were released in which i was one of the writer; "Indonesia Pelangi Dunia"?, "Indonesia The Untold Stories"? and "Growing! Meretas Jalan Kejayaan"
I give lectures to students in lectures nationwide, sharing on full range of issues, from economy, to diplomacy
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