Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, the iconic 90-year-old luxury hotel on the doorstep of the ancient Khmer archeological sites of Angkor, has appointed Joseph Colina as its new General Manager. The American national brings nearly two decades of experience with Accor to his new posting in Siem Reap. Colina most recently served as General Manager of MGallery Sapa in northern Vietnam. He also previously worked as Hotel Manager for Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi, after launching his career in the U.S. with positions in Washington, D.C., Chicago and elsewhere. “This is an exciting moment in Siem Reap not only as international travellers flock back to one of the world’s most extraordinary UNESCO World Heritage Sites but also as Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor writes the next chapter in its own legendary history, after celebrating its 90-year anniversary last year as a landmark heritage hotel in Southeast Asia,” Colina said. The hotel reopened its doors in June 2022 following a major restoration project and pandemic-related closure that shut the hotel for nearly three years. Under the guidance of the Raffles Hotels group, Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor is once again at the forefront of travel to Southeast Asia. The hotel was recognized last year by the U.S.-based publication Travel + Leisure as one of the world’s top 500 hotels. Nearly all of the hotel’s 119 guest rooms and suites were fully refurbished in the restoration, including with all-new Italian tiling and fixtures in the bathrooms. One of the hotel’s most distinctive attributes—its classic metal and timber elevator in the lobby—remains, as does the vintage ambience of The Elephant Bar. Colina takes the reins amid other significant changes at Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, including the launch of the Khmer fine-dining restaurant 1932 and the addition of the Raffles Marquee, an elegant events space overlooking a lush green lawn. Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor originally opened in 1932 and is a national treasure whose storied history is a testament to Cambodia’s colourful past. The hotel was originally built as a rest stop for archeologists and adventurers seeking to explore the ancient kingdom of Angkor Wat. For more information on Raffles Grand Hotel d’Angkor, or for bookings, please call +855 23 982 598 or visit www.raffles.com/siem-reap/.

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I have always wondered what Henri Mouhot, the French explorer and naturalist who wandered for years in Southeast Asia, might have felt when, breaking his back to make his way through branches and vines in the Cambodian jungles, one fine day, as in fairy tales, he was faced with the monumental complex of Angkor Wat. Mouhot the explorer I deliberately started the article with plenty of inaccuracies: in the first place I would exclude that Monsieur Mouhot made his way alone in the intrigue of branches and roots of a forest that tends with a certain speed to regain the spaces that man insists on stealing from it. Mind you, if I look at his face in the photos that have been handed down to us, it all makes sense. Mouhot had that wilful look of someone who would not have stopped in front of a few tufts of grass. I believe, however, that it was much more likely that he had a certain number of people, natives, who by shedding tears, sweat and blood, opened those gaps in that tropical vegetation that would have led him to what was undoubtedly his most important achievement. I wrote achievement and not discovery, and here we come to the second inaccuracy of my initial paragraph: in all truth, Monsieur Mouhot did not discover anything, or almost anything, at all. The only thing he is credited for is the discovery of a shell found on the banks of a Cambodian river, which will be named after him. Before our French naturalist, others had already written about the city of Angkor and its groups of temples, pools and ‘smiling faces’, including the inevitable priest, a French missionary who had visited the archaeological site a few years earlier. The diffusion of Angkor historical discovery If Monsieur Mouhot has a merit in this story, it is definitely not for the discovery but, at the most, for the diffusion. His travel diaries “Voyage dans les royaumes de Siam, de Cambodge, de Laos” have in fact been able to instill an interest around Angkor, both thanks to the charm created by his descriptions, and to his detailed illustrations. He did not even have the well-deserved success for these contributions, as his diaries were published after his death. The latest inaccuracy is however the result of that sort of all-Italian provincialism that always leads us to see reality in a distorted way, tailor-made on the basis of our imagination. In fact, how could one think that while the French naturalist was collecting larvae or chasing some butterfly with his net, moving a branch he would have found himself facing, for instance, the Bayon temple with one of his faces observing him sternly.  I am perhaps talking too lightly about a topic which feels quite close to my heart, and I would like to clear it of any misunderstanding: Henri Mouhot deserves respect. He lost his life at the age of 35 struck by malaria, a disease that regularly killed a huge number of travellers, and he also helped expose the Angkor archaeological site, one of the most beautiful and evocative places I have seen in Asia. I have been to Siem Reap – the location where Angkor Wat temples are located – four times, one of these times negotiating a series of dirt and rather bad roads on my old orange Vespa 150cc! Angkor complex The Angkor complex is nothing short of breathtaking: the gigantic smiling stone faces of the Bayon temple; the pyramidal constructions with irregular steps on which to climb to the limits of the climbing; the low reliefs of the dancing Apsara; all sights that convinced (and I don’t think it took long) UNESCO officials to give Angkor Wat the title of World Heritage Site. Beautiful, enchanting images which contrasted, at least during my first two trips there, with the images of poverty hidden behind the smile-less faces of begging children, of disabled war-veterans’ improvised orchestras along the avenues or, even worse, by survivors of that collective drama represented by the infamous genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge against their own people, justifying the climate of terror behind the intention of wanting to create the new, pure peasant society. These scars are difficult to heal when you see a third of your fellow citizens die without a real reason and, without a doubt, in that third of the population you have a relative, a friend, an acquaintance. It is for this reason that when I first visited Siem Reap, after having crossed a good portion of Cambodia and after having stopped in Phnom Penh, the epicentre of Khmer horror and madness, I could not help but feel a deep affection for these people who until then had had nothing but suffering. In the long term, time is known to soothe the wounds, and so it was for Cambodians, who also thanks to tourism started to rebuild their lives. However, a place like Angkor can only attract masses of curious, sometimes ignorant, often disrespectful people. This is perhaps the price that Cambodia will have to pay to forget its unhappy past. Start over by selling a piece of its soul and culture in exchange. Photos by Guglielmo Zanchi (Pluto) COME ON TOUR WITH US Join us for a unique adventure! Discover these fascinating places and let yourself be swept away by the beauty of the world with our travel branch FANTASIA ASIA – click on the following programs to know more: https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/offbeat-siem-reap-6-days-5-night/ https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/the-wonders-of-angkor-7days-6ights/ https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/angkor-heritage/ https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/siem-reap-battambang-phnom-penh-7-days-6-nights/ https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/siem-reap-phnom-penh-tour-6-days-5-nights/ Watch here for our VIDEO on Siem Reap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-SvjBjyWfc   

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Located in Siem Reap, truly magical Angkor Wat was to be my first visit to a UNESCO World Heritage destination. I had heard that Angkor Wat was truly magical thanks to UNESCO great commitment to preserve these archaeological and historical sites and their surroundings in impeccable conditions. Siem Reap in itself is lively and surprisingly trendy when it comes to accommodation, restaurants and hotels, with countless boutique hotels for a 21st century hip traveller. Magnificent ancient religious and cultural monuments,  beautiful  scenery and landscape, happening nightlife and not to mention friendly locals of Siem Reap have all help to make it one of my most memorable trips, and this triggered my passion to further explore Southeast Asia. It was in early May, the temperature was simply burning hot and humid. The sun was strong, but as I was well equipped with a hat and sun protection among the several travelling gadgets, the heat wasn’t a nuisance at all. The  timing was not the best in terms of weather; however, for those serious enough to visit Angkor Wat and take photos, it was the right time to come: the excessive heat had driven away the majority of overseas tourists, leaving only those from neighboring countries who are used to such climate. Thus, it was a heaven for young travelers and photographers for they could take all the time needed in each of their favourite photo spots. Angkor Wat First destination was Angkor Wat, one of the seven wonders and most renowned religious and cultural site in Siem Reap. It was exciting for me, especially not knowing what to really expect, though I had had a slight photo glimpse from my loyal DK Traveler Guidebook. My first glance of Angkor Wat was along the walkway across the surrounding water reservoir. As we entered the causeway, my friends spotted this popular photo angle from where most professional photographers – definitely not us – take shots of the temple’s reflection on the pond in front of it. My shot was indeed an attempt version, and I promised myself to return with a more advanced camera and better skills. The temple – or Wat – is an incredible construction in classic Khmer architectural style, and its interior design truly represents the clash between the two most astonishing civilizations and faiths: Hinduism (12th century) and Buddhism (14th Century). The laterite building material covered with soft sandstone really passed the chill feeling of how ancient, sacred and magical the site once was and still is at the present day. Its cultural, religious and historical significance is so tremendous that it became a national symbol and was placed on the flag of Cambodia. Angkor Wat could well be comparable to Istanbul‘s Hagia Sofia, with its assimilation of Islam and Christianity. Angkor Wat outline was not just a simple one straight causeway to the main temple section. Before reaching the Central Sanctuary, I discovered that Angkor Wat’s outline is not just a simple one straight causeway to the main temple section but an interesting series of galleries, chambers, porches and courtyards in almost a maze-like number of paths and stairways. Walking along the galleries, I passed besides several Buddha Statues, feeling slightly let down when I saw that some part of these statues were dissected. What a magical sight all of this would have been if it had been preserved exactly the way it was in those days, though logically I understand this was impossible to achieve. As we all reached in the main part of the Central Sanctuary, the mountain-like pyramidal shape temple, we marveled at the wall carvings of Apsara dancing girls, each one different from the other, all wearing carved ornaments and circlets. To get to the top of the Central Sanctuary was a very steep climb, so much so that the government had to build additional steps to assist visitors and assure their safety. Once I reached the top, I was impressed by the surrounding landscape and scenery, an endless panoramic view covering hundreds and hundreds of acres. We were so spellbound by the scene that It took us quite a long time before we could move on to another significant attraction: the Bayon Temple. Bayon Temple Despite being much smaller than Angkor Wat, the impact from Bayon Temple was equally overwhelming. Perhaps it was the physical vicinity of all the bodhisattva stone faces and the dark colours of the stones that made me feel like I was in those ancient times. This archaeological site also has some great bas-relief in fine details, including depictions of Khmer Army in procession. The best treat for me was the sight of Bayon Temple’s well defined towers and sculptures from its Southern gate. Ta Prohm Ta Prohm is another magnificent site within Angkor Thom. This area combines jungle surroundings and an archaeological site where ancient tree crawl around ruins and temples, providing a truly distinctive character. There are three significant attractions there, namely crocodiles, waterfalls and the popular Tomb Raider tree, part of the filming location for Lara Croft’s Tomb Raider movie.  Worth mentioning also astonishing sites such as Pre Rup (Crematorium), Preh Khan (a temple with famous bas-reliefs of the Hall of Dancer), Preh Neak Pean (the Sacred Pond) and Banteay Srei, a 10th Century temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva and made with a hard red sandstone that can be carved like wood. The Sunset Apart from an endless lists of archeological sites, Siem Reap is also blessed with incredible landscape and scenery. Tonlen Sap is Cambodia’s largest freshwater lake, one the several popular sites where to marvel at the floating villages, and a great place where to enjoy breathtaking sunsets over the horizon. The idea of a spectacular sunset triggered a climb to Phnom Bakheng; once there, we had plenty of time to relax, rest and chill while enjoying the view of the almighty Angkor Wat from the top of the hill. This completed my collection of great sunsets! Restaurants and Night Out...

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Angkor Wat: is located about 7 kilometers north of Siem Riep Provincial town. The temple was built in the early 12th century during the reign of King Suryavarman II (AD 1113-1150). Originally, the temple was called Prasat Paramavishuloka. Angkor Wat covers a rectangular area of about 200 hectares. Temples between Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom: Ta Prohm Kil Temple: is located on the way from Angkor Wat to Angkor Thom, about 300 meters from the west entry gate of Angkor Wat. This temple was built in the late 12th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. Phnom Ba Kheng Temple: was built on a natural hill and is lacated on the left side of the road from Angkor Wat to Angkor Thom and attracts scores of tourists who come to watch the sunset or sunrise. The temple was constructed in the late 9th century and early 10th centuries during the reign of King Yasovarman I (AD 889-910). Baksei Cham Krong Temple: is loacated about 150 meters north of Phnom Ba Kheng. The temple was perhaps begun construction by King Harshavarman I (AD 910- 944) and completed by King Rajendravarman (AD 944-968). Thma Bay Kaek Temple: was built in the 10th century. Bey Temple was constructed of brick in the 10th century. Angkor Thom: the last capital of Angkor Period (AD 802-1431) until the 15th century. It served as the religious and administrative center of the vast and powerful Khmer empire. Bayon Temple is located in the center of Angkor Thom which is one the most popular sites in the Angkor complex. It was built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries by King Jayavarman VII. Preah Ngok: is north of the Bayon. From 13th to 15th centuries, it was one of the Buddhist temples in Angkor area. Preah Ang Kork Thlork or Wat Kork Thlork: is located west of Bayon temple. Baphuon Temple: is west of the road to the Dei Chhnang Gate and near the Bayon temple. The temple was built in the 11th century, around 1060 by King Udayadityavarman II (AD 1050-1066). Phimeanakas Temple: is south of Baphuon temple. The temple was built in the late 10th and early 11th centuries by three different kings Rajendravarman, King Jayavarman V, and King Suravarman I. Royal Palace: is situated at the heart of the city of Angkor Thom. Terrace of the Elephants: is located directly in front of the east gopura of the Royal Palace rampart. The terrace was built in late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. Terrace of the Leper King: is located on teh ways from the Bayon temple to the Dei Chhnang Gate on the left and north of Terrace of the Elephants. It was built in late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. Tep Pranom Temple: is located of the Terrace of the Leper King. The temple was built in the reign of King Yasovarman I. Palilay Temple: is located north of Phineanakas temple and behind Tep Pranom. The temple was built in the 12th century by King Jayavarman VII’s father, King Dharanigdravarman (AD 1150-1160). Preah Pithu Temples: is a group of temples located northeast of the Terrace of the Leper King. Suor Proat Temple: is located at the beginning of the road leading to the Victory Gate, in front of the Royal Palace. The temple was built in the late 12th century by King Jayavarman VII. North and South Kliang Temples: are behind Sour Proat temple and facing the Terraces of the Elephants and the Leper King. These temples were built in the late 10th and early 11th centuries by King Jayavarman V and King Suryavarman I. Vihear Prampi Lveng: is south of the Victory Gate. Mongkul Leat Temple: is in the forest about 900 meters south of the Victory Gate. The temple was built between the late 13th and early 14th centuries. Wat Tang Tok: is located north of the Victory Gate and east of Suor Proat temple. Top Temple: is located west of Bayon temple, midway to Takao Gate. Wat Preah Indra Tep: is located south of Bayon temple. COME ON TOUR WITH US Join us for a unique adventure! Discover these fascinating places and let yourself be swept away by the beauty of the world with our travel branch FANTASIA ASIA – click on the following programs to know more: https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/offbeat-siem-reap-6-days-5-night/ https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/the-wonders-of-angkor-7days-6ights/ https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/angkor-heritage/ https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/siem-reap-battambang-phnom-penh-7-days-6-nights/ https://www.fantasiaasia.com/tour/siem-reap-phnom-penh-tour-6-days-5-nights/ Watch here for our VIDEO on Siem Reap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-SvjBjyWfc   

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Amanresort Siem Reap, the former guesthouse of King Sihanouk, is situated on the edge of Siem Reap just 10 minutes from the entrance to the Angkor UNESCO World Khmer Heritage Site. It derives its name from the twinning of two Sanskrit words – aman (peace) and apsara (the heavenly nymphs of ancient Hindu mythology). Set in a garden compound, the 24-suite resort has the ambiance of a private home and is the ideal base for travelers seeking to explore Khmer culture and the majestic ruins of Angkor. A variety of temple tours and cultural walks is available as part of the guest experience. Amansara, the former guesthouse of King Sihanouk, is situated on the edge of Siem Reap just 10 minutes from the entrance to the Angkor UNESCO World Heritage Site. It derives its name from the twinning of two Sanskrit words – aman (peace) and apsara (the heavenly nymphs of ancient Hindu mythology). www.amanresorts.com Amansara Road to Angkor, Siem Reap – Kingdom of Cambodia tel    (855) 63 760 333  –  fax    (855) 63 760 335 email amansara@amanresorts.com mailing address – No 262, Krom 8, Phum Beong Don Pa, Khum Slar Kram Siem Reap, Kingdom of Cambodia

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