My Cambodian Adventure

From the chaos of a circus to the calm of the jungle, travel writer CRYSTAL WOO opens up her travel journal as she chronicles her time in Cambodia.

- CRYSTAL WOO

FRIDAY, 3:30PM The flight to Siem Reap, Cambodia, from Kuala Lumpur, is a breeze. Just a little over two hours, and I am with the Khmer people. Siem Reap International Airport is modest in size, yet unmistakably modern—I arrive without a hitch. Everyone likely knows Siem Reap as the seat of the legendary Angkor Wat (early 12th century), the largest religious monument in the world that continues to capture the imagination of many. This trip, however, is to discover Siem Reap’s other sides. At the arrival hall, Chivoan (G1) from Bensley’s Pool Villa is here for the pick-up right on time. Only a short drive away from the airport, and in the laid-back neighbourhood of colonial shophouses bearing French influences, Bensley’s Pool Villas Shinta Mani Angkor is ideal for a carefree getaway.