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Kay Burley on enchanting Cambodia, where and heaven and hell seem to collide

There's a new kid on the Indo-Chinese bloc. Actually Cambodia is not that new to the seasoned traveller, but hardly a blip on the radar for most British tourists. Only about 100,000 of us visited last year. Compare that to Spain, where more than 11 million Brits headed to the Costas in 2012.

On the face of it, there's a good reason why so few of us holiday in Cambodia. Quite simply it's where heaven meets hell, offering wide-eyed wonderment and unspeakable tragedy in equal measure. Ascending to the land of the gods involves clambering up seemingly endless steps to the pinnacle of the heavenly 12th Century Angkor temples, viewed by many as the eighth wonder of the ancient world. Descending into hell includes the barbarity of the evil Khmer Rouge regime which brought the country to its knees.

Pause for thought: Kay by one of the smiling faces at the Angkor complex

It's savagery remembered by the S21 torture facility and the now undulating serenity of the Killing Fields, where tens of thousands were butchered. Both should be experienced to get a true sense of the country whose people are, despite their history, or perhaps because of it, some of the kindest and gentlest souls I have ever met. I started in the capital Phnom Penh, a bustling, chaotic city where everyone seems to be late for something, hurtling around by zippy Moto, rickety tuk-tuk or, for the wealthy, air-conditioned Western car. Stately white colonial houses, a hangover from French rule, are now home to the Cambodian elite.

Many own factories just off the main boulevards where thousands work long days manufacturing beer, shoes and clothing for the West. Staying at the Intercontinental hotel meant I was ideally placed to walk around the city or barter with tuk-tuk drivers for a tour. With much excitement, I sought out the Foreign Correspondents' Club, these days a bar and restaurant billed as being 'on the banks of the Mekong river'. Unfortunately, there's a busy road between the two and if you're also travelling to Siem Reap, I'd wait to experience the FCC there instead. A short stroll along the newly developed riverfront is the splendid Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda.

Wonder: The amazing Bayon at Angkor Wat

Built to face the rising sun, the palace is home to the King of Cambodia and is only partially open to visitors. The Silver Pagoda is magnificent in its opulence and I found it to be a perfect place to spend a couple of hours escaping the fury of the city. Don't forget to dress appropriately – and ladies, cover your shoulders and legs. Wandering back outside, I found hordes of tuk-tuks touting for business. With some trepidation I asked 'Mr Neang' – I still have his proudly proffered laminated card – to take me to S21, a school that was commandeered by the Khmer Rouge to become their pitiless torture HQ in the 1970s. I really wasn't sure about the appropriateness of a visit there, but several locals assured me it was part of their history and should be experienced.

I wasn't prepared for what I saw. Lining the walls are blank-faced photos and diaries of those who were dragged to this godforsaken place. Some of the classrooms, still with blood-spattered walls, metal bed frames and ankle shackles, are kept exactly as they had been. Gentle sobbing from disbelieving visitors was the only sound as I walked around. At the exit sat Chum Mey, one of only seven people to have survived of the 17,000 who were tortured here. His blessing? He could fix the typewriters used to take confessions.

Face of poverty: A girl carries a snake as she begs from tourists

Astonishingly, he holds no malice against the brutal guards, questioning what he would have done in their own life-or-death position. Another example of a peaceful, forgiving people. A smiling Mr Neang was waiting outside for me bowing, palms in prayer – the traditional greeting in Cambodia. I responded with a slightly awkward British version. Clambering aboard the tuk-tuk, Mr Neang whisked me to a market to 'cheer me up'.

There are certainly plenty to choose from. I picked the jam-packed Russian Market, where stall after stall offered fake Prada handbags and silver bracelets nestled next to motorbike parts and fresh fruit and vegetables. Be prepared for the smells, not all pleasant! The following day was my last in Phnom Penh and I needed to go to Choeung Ek – the Killing Fields – to pay my respects to those who suffered at S21. It's now a tranquil place of reflection that nevertheless reminds everyone who walks there of one of the most distressing acts of butchery in modern history.

Again, though, the delightful people, while wanting recognition for what happened, are also keen to make visitors welcome. A guide asked me if I was from Australia. 'No, London.' 'Ah, lovely jubbly. Welcome.' Cambodia is an optimistic country trying to put behind it a history blighted by a torturous regime to build a brighter future based on tourism. If I'd had time, I would have visited the white-sand beaches of Sihanoukville, but instead I followed in the footsteps of Lara Croft to Siem Reap, a 45-minute flight south from the capital.

It's the gateway to Angkor Wat, compared by many in its breathtaking magnificence to Machu Picchu or Petra. The pace in Siem Reap is much less frenetic than in Phnom Penh for now, but tourists are coming and top-class hotels springing up all the time. I stayed at the established La Residence d'Angkor, a sort of gentlemen's club on the edge of the jungle. It is simply charming, with more staff than guests, a tranquil swimming pool and a spa to help with those temple-weary feet. And what a lot of temples there are! Begin with a good, English-speaking guide who can bring alive the buildings. I chose three of the most renowned structures: the sandstone towers of Angkor Wat, described as the largest religious building in the world; the smiling faces of Angkor Thom; and Ta Prohm, made even more famous by its role in Tomb Raider.

A 5.30am alarm call and sturdy shoes are the best start. My guide, a farmer during the monsoon season, took me to the east gate of Angkor Wat, well away from the hordes of other visitors vying for the best view of the sunrise. We stood completely alone admiring the most remarkable architecture, so revered by Cambodians that it takes centre stage on the country's flag. Wandering slowly to admire every aspect of the five-towered temple, we eventually reached the central sanctuary. It's a massively steep climb to the top, but worth it to admire the statues of Buddha that replaced Vishnu when Cambodia converted from Hinduism in the 16th Century.

Water delight: Kay took a trip out to Chong Kneas, a floating village on Tonle Sap Lake

The early start put us well ahead of the South Korean, Chinese and Japanese tourists as we drove to Angkor Thom, old capital of the Khmer empire. Spreading over four square miles – hence the need for comfortable shoes – the Bayon temple is the most memorable. Fifty-four towers bear the image of more than 200 smiling stone faces thought to be the founder – keen to be remembered when he was gone.

After lunch we headed to Ta Prohm, overwhelmed by giant banyan trees and determined tourists. Be careful of Temple Rage here as visitors jockey for position to have a photograph taken at the very spot where Angelina Jolie emerged from the tomb into the daylight. I couldn't understand the Chinese lady next to me, but she left me in no doubt she wanted to be unencumbered by Europeans! It could take days or even weeks to visit all the temples, but I also wanted to witness the floating village of Chong Kneas on the Tonle Sap river, where tens of thousands fled from the Khmer Rouge and never returned to dry land.

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A steady stream of ferries charge $25 (£16) to transport inquisitive tourists the 45 minutes out to the floating village. It's an unbelievable sight. A floating police station, a Catholic church, a school and rickety shacks are dotted everywhere, defying the laws of buoyancy. Locals eat, drink, sleep, carry out all bodily functions, die and are buried in this water. We were approached by a very young girl who had paddled furiously towards us in a tiny, stainless steel bowl smaller than any in my kitchen. She had a snake around her neck and smiled in the hope of coaxing $1 from each of us. Our guide warns us against succumbing to her begging.

Rewarding her means her parents will send her again tomorrow rather than to school. When a majority of the population lives on less than $1 a day, it's hard not to. If travel for you is not about following a bloke waving a brolly but opening your mind, then try Cambodia. Go soon before its beauty is discovered by too many others.

Travel facts

Trailfinders (020 7368 1500, trailfinders.com) offers seven nights in Cambodia from £1,299. This includes return flights from London on Singapore Airlines, three nights' B&B in the Intercontinental Phnom Penh (intercontinental.com), flight to Siam Reap and four nights' B&B at the Residence d'Angkor (residencedangkor.com) with transfers. 




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