A few weeks ago, I described a short walk on the north riverside of Siem Reap, and attempted to paint a picture of a lively slice of of the town, one that you won’t see around Pub Street or wandering through the temples. It’s a part of ordinary, everyday Cambodia, full of bustle and barking, gossipy roadside haircuts, the heave-ho of negotiations over prices for food and materials, and the smells of dinners being cooked. Here was the sound of kids playing up and down the road, women gathered and laughing, of weddings being celebrated (usually, it must be said, to the horror of expats), of music, and the clatter of motorbike repairs. It was real life, in all its mess and beauty.

A sewing workshop, whose workers have reportedly been given an alternative location nearby so they can continue to work in the area by the RiverGarden Hotel.

Last Monday many of the people who make up that lively scene received their marching orders, and were given a week to pack up their things, walls and all, and leave. They went about the task quietly, and the only real sounds came from the bang of hammers, and the scrawch of rusted nails being hauled out of old planks of wood. An air of resignation prevailed. There was no chat and laughter, but no crying either. Some have been compensated and given an alternative site on which to relocate, though not all. That some are happy about the move and its conditions, there is no question. But there had been protest the day before I went to have a look, and the police and army were present for the rest of the week to keep a lid on things.

This view is of the same stretch as appears in the Travelfish.org covershot for Siem Reap.

The principal reason for the eviction is that the river is going to be widened, and the riverside developed, which seems a bright idea, especially in view of the devastating floods that hit Siem Reap last year, and stayed for six long weeks. Others point to the amount of litter constantly ejected from the stilt-houses that line the riverside, polluting the river, and creating an unsightly mess in downtown Siem Reap, hence the net drawn across the river to trap it all, which was never going to be an adequate long-term solution.

It’s true too that in any country, you can’t expect people to continue living such a precarious existence, in darkened, dishevelled huts perched on scrawny stilts over the edge of an unpredictable river. The fact that these structures survived the merciless hammering of the floods is a testament to the capacity and know-how of their builders; but they couldn’t survive the smooth stroke of a supposedly benign administrator’s pen. They would have had to move one day, that was inevitable. Questions remain, however, about the justifications, the timing and also the manner in which the eviction was conducted.

Not all the buildings went at once, but they will.

With regard to the justifications given for the eviction, it seems questionable whether any widening would be sufficient to prevent the incredible scale of flooding that we saw last year, and in 2010. I'm not sure what's happened to the plan to divert part of the Siem Reap River to Roulos, which seems a more effective solution (to my admittedly non-expert mind).

Moreover, there are questions about the need to evict entire communities in such a manner, when the authorities have failed to dredge the river as promised, a significant factor in the flooding last year, and they've certainly had much more than a week to do so. I wonder too about the littering, and the extent to which any attempt was made to educate people about waste disposal, or an alternative solution offered.

While the residents have long known that they would have to move, the sudden order to do so, with a deadline of a week, seems harsh. Questions remain about the compensation that has been awarded to the riverside residents. It would seem there are differences in the amounts of compensation paid, and the Vietnamese community in particular appears to have received almost nothing. There are also some who may have received compensation they did not deserve, having set up camp on the riverside as soon as they heard a census was being made for removal purposes.

Even the kids were quiet.

There are questions too about the site chosen for this relocation of almost 1,000 families. It's on a flood plain, five kilometres from Siem Reap. That may not seem much to some people, but when you're earning $3 a day that's a petrol bill that quickly becomes unsustainable. For others, building up a business again will be difficult and, for many who relied on passing trade, impossible. The new development has government built stand-alone brick toilets, of the kind I've seen littered around parts of the countryside, filthy and unused. The site is next to a sewage processing plant.

I guess the questions in relation to all of this can be distilled into one basic one: is the eviction for the benefit of the people that live here or for the benefit of tourists? Sadly though, little in Cambodia is done for the benefit of Cambodians (or the Vietnamese communities that live here), unless they happen to be members of the elite.

Skeletal remains.

One of the children's drop-in shelters in Siem Reap is trying to raise funds so that they can set extend micro-loans to some of the families affected in order to help them deal with the move, as some of the children who are registered come from families affected by the relocation. I'm familiar with the organisation (disclosure: I stepped in to help out briefly three years ago while the director was sick), and they are one of the few with their heart and their head in the right place. If you'd like to help, Anjali House has a donation page on Virgin Giving.

Floods, fire and eviction, all in the space of six months. How's your day been?

The same shot from a few weeks ago.

In relation to the walk it is, of course, still doable and it will still give you a wonderful slice of Cambodian life to appreciate and take home with you. It'll be a bit quieter though. And oddly enough, removal of the houses has revealed that there are not so many trees after all, and that much of the cool and shelter came from the presence of the close-knit homes that these families lived in.

Tags: evictions, floods, walking tours

Downtown Siem Reap is dusty, hot, traffic-clogged and as ideally suited for a walk as a rubber-ducky is for lunch (not unlike KL in that regard). It may look like there's potential, but you’ll soon be sorry you ever started. Willing walkers often try the circuit on the south river, striking out from the bridge at Old Market up to the bridge on Route 6 and back down the other side again. It’s cool under the trees, the one-way system means you’re not much in the way of traffic, and it’s pretty. On the other hand, you could almost be anywhere on this route. There’s not a great deal that makes it stand out as distinctly Cambodia.

Downtown nice, but not good for relaxed, happy, fun, carefree, entertaining walks. At all.

A more interesting suggestion is to start at the bridge where Route 6 crosses the Siem Reap River, and then head north. Here you’ll find local markets and businesses, pagodas, riverside houses on stilts, a quirky hotel quarter, the home of French archaeological study in Cambodia, and even a free Angkor-era temple. You don’t need anything except comfortable shoes, a few dollars for drinks/snacks and your camera.

A precarious existence.

Starting on the Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor side of the Route 6 bridge (number one of five during this exploration), you’ll walk through the genteel Raffles Riverside Gardens before getting to the next bridge (number two). They sometimes hold exhibitions in the gardens here.

Passing the second bridge, the tree cover thickens overhead and the temperature drop is just delicious. On your left hand side is the back wall of The Amansara, one of the most exclusive hotels in Siem Reap and a former residence of the King Father, Sihanouk.

On the right, you’ll notice the reason why the Siem Reap River looks so wonderfully litter-free on the town-side. Things are not quite so sweet after you pass this barrier.

How Siem Reap creates the illusion of being clean.

Difficult to reconcile with the steady abundance only a mile or two down the road, the first stilted, patchwork houses emerge. Incredibly, the section after narrow, metal bridge number three was burned to the ground only a few months ago in a late night fire. Fortunately, no-one was killed, and the new structures went back up in double-quick time (the residents may have been fearful of losing their right to stay there, or their right to be compensated when the authorities finally relocate them, as seems inevitable). The trees still bear scorch marks.

Hard to imagine this "shanty town" is newly built, around the trees that still bear the scars of the fire.

Further along you’ll arrive at the lively local markets. Clothes, furnishings, housewares, food, repairs, laundry, lunch, almost all daily needs are met here by the streetside vendors and a small covered market. As you walk on, you’ll pass bridge number four, guarded at each end by two nagas. Nagas are thought to protect water sources, bringing rain and thus fertility, though it would seem they got rather carried away with their job last September. Looking up the river, you'll see broken trees and pulverised banks, part of the legacy of the floods.

Roadside snacks, human petrol.

The next section is where you’ll find a group of three interesting hotels: The RiverGarden, a tropical, jungle hide-away, with great food; 1961, eccentric, creative, inspiring, always surprising, and; La Villa Loti, a peaceful garden hotel, whose chef is very proud of their Thai food.

Like it says...

On the right hand side, you'll see a neat little children's play area that might not be completely lethal, and shortly after that some "art" that might not be quite Turner Prize ready yet. But who knows, they might have a really quiet year sometime.

Beyond the duality of deer: this challenging work shows the artist's attempt to confront the sometimes conflicting, sometimes harmonious tripartite aspects of life in a deer family

About 150 metres past here, you’ll get to bridge number five, the turn-around point. On the other side is Wat Preah Enkosei. Wandering into the pagoda grounds, behind the main building you’ll find the remains of a tenth century temple, Prasat Enkosei. There’s not a lot left, but what is there is remarkable for the carved reliefs on the lintels.

Everybody loves a lintel...

Going back out on to the road, you’ll wander past more riverside houses, another pagoda (at the naga bridge), and the Ecôle Français d’Extrême Orient. Over more than a century, the dedication and hard work of this organisation’s representatives account for so much of what we know about Angkor today, and are continuing to learn. There is a certain romance in imagining them striking out to jungled Angkorian temples, with little in the way of protection, roads, transport, medicine, insurance or any of the things we take for granted today. Not even a decent cappuccino!

You’ll have noticed by now that there are tons of dogs. As a general rule, they’ll leave you alone if you leave them alone. Don't walk too close, don't try to make friends. If one does start to get menacing, remember that it’s mostly for show -- they don’t really want to fight; they’re just making a point. Simply walk calmly away without making eye contact and that is, in my experience, the end of it. There are lots of locals about, and they will likely step in to help if this isn't working.

I'm like so totally a lover not a fighter anyway.

You’ll be coming back down now to the metal bridge, number three. I’ve no idea why, but there’s something incredibly romantic about metal bridges, even this one that looks more than ready for the scrapheap. Now the road opens up and the trees start to thin out along here as the riverside shanties give way to trimmed river banks. You can either continue down, and dive into a delicious, refreshing lime soda at Rosy Guesthouse, or take a detour to Dy Proung’s Miniature Angkor Wat (follow the sign).

Back to the beginning.

The walk should take an hour to an hour and a half, depending upon your pace. The slower, the better. Early in the morning or after 17:00 are the best times, because of the cooler temperatures, and better light for photos. However, the road can get busy after 17:30, though never oppressively. This is Cambodia, after all.

Tags: Amansara, bridges, dogs, La Villa Loti, markets, miniature Angkor, nagas, Prasat Enkosei, Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, RiverGarden, Rosy Guesthouse, shanty towns, Sihanouk, The 1961, walking tours

Unlike most other places in Southeast Asia, you cannot freely rent a motorcycle or scooter here in Siem Reap. Considering you can rent bikes elsewhere in Cambodia, this may seem incongruous and indeed it is, but there is no real clarity on why it’s the case.

A guide to beating the Cambodian traffic blues.

A number of reasons have been suggested, however. These include the tendency of tourists to have accidents when confronted with the highly unpredictable and frankly loopy driving of the locals, which seriously makes you question everything you ever thought you knew about human nature, in particular whether the will to live is innate or acquired. And then there’s the tuk tuk mafia, which would be aggrieved at the loss of business. The rude comments that I still see cyclists get from tuk tuk and moto drivers would support that contention.

If you do happen to spot a foreigner on a motorbike in or around town, the odds are good that they’re an expat. Unfortunately, wandering up to them and wistfully enquiring where they got their bike won’t help.

You're not getting it, no matter how nicely you ask.

But driving, especially, on a motorbike or scooter, is still one of the best ways of seeing Cambodia and the spectacular countryside where, for good or ill, life hasn’t really changed a great deal (bar the addition of loudspeakers) since the days of the Khmer Empire.

It is still possible to get out there on two wheels however, provided you do it with a tour company and it’s not necessarily as expensive as you might think.

Experience, while always helpful, is not even strictly necessary. If you go with Khmer Ways, a newish outfit founded by a group of German guys who have been booting around the back roads of Cambodia for years, their small 125cc Honda Dream motor-scooters are perfect. They’ll give you a lesson before departure, and will make sure to drive as slowly as you need them to go.

Like most motorbike tour companies, they steer clear of the main roads as well. After all, you’re not paying them so you can spend the whole time looking at the back of a bus wondering when some lunatic is going to come shooting out of a side-road and straight into your path without even a sideways glance.

Getting away from it all.

Their prices too are excellent. Their signature one-day tour is $50, and includes a ride to Phnom Bok, a reservoir for a swim and inclusive barbecue picnic, and then the ruins of Chao Srei Vibol, a tough to get to temple where you’ll find divinely few fellow travellers.

For those wanting a little more adventure, then it’s time to saddle up on one of the 250cc dirtbikes that can be hired from either Siem Reap Dirtbikes, or Hidden Cambodia Adventure Tours.

Both of these operations are very experienced, maintain their own bikes, and pride themselves on their safety records. You can go on simple one-day trips of the countryside around Siem Reap, and it’s gorgeous, or on bigger cross-country tours, staying in local accommodation, eating local food, and really getting into the thick of it.

And if you’re looking to really burn up some road, and cash, well then a Harley Davidson is the only thing for you. Harley Tours Cambodia, though based in Phnom Penh, also offer one-day Siem Reap tours, to Beng Melea and Kampong Khleang, for $300. Now, where did I put my Steppenwolf?

Tags: Beng Melea, Chao Srei Vibol, Harley Tours Cambodia, Hidden Cambodia Adventure Tours, Kampong Khleang, Khmer Ways, motorbikes, Phnom Bok, Siem Reap Dirtbikes, tours

Christmas is the height of the tourist season in Siem Reap and when the temples are mobbed, the streets are mobbed, the bars and restaurants are mobbed, it can seem like the only escape from the crowds is in your bed. And sometimes, if you’re lucky, even that’s busy! For those seeking a quieter time this holiday season and across the New Year, a better bet (especially if you're not in the mood for an island getaway) might be Battambang.

Not a soul in sight.

Cambodia’s second city is not Siem Reap, but Battambang, the capital of a province that is the breadbasket of the country. It’s a busy town that retains its colonial heritage and Cambodian identity all at once, and is surrounded by lush, green, breathtaking countryside. You couldn’t describe it as fantastically beautiful, and there’s not a great deal to do, but Battambang is very charming, and if you’re looking for an escape from the crowds, then it's the perfect answer (we covered a weekend away here some time ago).

Maybe the odd monk for a chat.

However, that’s not to say that there is nothing at all to do in Battambang, au contraire. As the home of the very highly reputed Phare Ponleu Selpak arts and circus school, Battambang is vying hard to compete with Phnom Penh as the artistic hub of Cambodia. New galleries are popping up, starting off with Sammaki, and plenty more are promised by the energetic young talents that graduate every year from this school. Moreover, one of the highlights of visiting Battambang and, indeed, Cambodia, has got to be the regular circus show. Schedules are available in town, or ask your hotel to call 012 890 360.

Hanuman and another young student.

For a different kind of artistry, hitch a ride on a moto out of town and explore the gorgeous countryside around Battambang. This is nothing like the rest of Cambodia, and you can boost your spiritual as well as your natural desires by visiting a number of hilltop pagodas. Phnom Sampeou, Phnom Banan and Ek Phnom all offer exceptional views of the countryside, and beautiful insights into Cambodian architecture (without the $20 fee at the Angkor Park). And with this many steps to get up to see them, you’ll be boosting your behind at the same time. If you’ve only got time for one, we recommend Phnom Sampeou.

Cambodian graffiti, and the view from Phnom Sampeou.

There are some surprisingly good restaurants in Battambang as well. If you feel like you deserve a treat, then The Villa, a beautiful colonial building restored with wonderful art deco flourishes, is where you should head. Here, the menu is short and well thought out and at this time of year dining in the garden is gorgeous.

Another view.

One of our favourites is also The Apple of Love (Pomme d’Amour). Small and sweet, this French/Khmer restaurant is very romantic, and the dishes are inventive and beautifully presented.

More graffiti.

Battambang has a lot to offer those who take the step of going there; get there now, before the crowds start to follow you. Make it your Christmas present to yourself.

To get there, either take the ferry across the Tonle Sap lake and along the Sangkor River which connects directly to Battambang. At this time of year, the waters are still high and the trip a relatively short six to eight hours. Tickets are $18 to $25 per person. This is a fabulous opportunity to see the some of the floating villages of the Tonle Sap, including Prek Toal, which is adjacent to a bird sanctuary which is at its most populous at this time of year, so keep a look out.

If you're in a hurry, the trip by road is quicker and cheaper at about three hours and $5. If you can, we thoroughly recommend taking the ferry.

La Villa
185 Pom Romchek 5 Kom
Rattanak Srok, Battambang
T : (053) 730 151, (017) 411 880
www.lavilla-battambang.net

Apple of Love (Pomme d’Amour)
Street 2.5
www.apple-of-love.com

Tags: Battambang, Christmas