Journey to the ‘Lost City’ of Angkor

Colonial and modern politics sometimes create unusually shaped countries, which do not reflect the shape of ancient kingdoms. ‘Indo-China’, a term created by the French, is a case in point with Vietnam and Laos two long North/South countries with contrasting cultures and which necessitate flying to visit the whole country. The greatest ancient kingdom here was the Khmer Empire which ruled the southern parts of ‘Indo-China’ until the 15th century. Its lands spread from Cambodia, which is still a more logical geographical entity, to the Mekong Delta and Thailand. Southern Vietnam and Saigon were once known as the ‘Cambodian City’ or ‘Downstream Cambodia’, linked by the common thread of the mighty Mekong River, and a meeting point with the Cham Kingdom of central Vietnam. It was the rise of the Siamese Kingdom of Ayutthaya in Thailand that pushed the capital eastwards from Angkor to Phnom Penh by the 15th century (Angkor’s modern name of ‘Siem Reap’ means ‘Siam defeated’). Cambodia is now sandwiched between its powerful Thai and Vietnamese neighbours.

Angkor was reclaimed by the jungle and only the stone temples survived to mark a city once the greatest in the world, until re-discovery by 19th century French explorers. The temples, built between the 9th and 15th centuries, are most spectacular at Angkor Wat, the Bayon and the Ta Prohm temple, still dramatically enveloped by jungle. The original Hindu Temples with later Buddhist additions create a unique fusion of style, with Buddhist and Apsara carvings overlaying the original Hindu temples. Pre-Angkor the Khmer state, also known as Chen La, was based at Isanapura, reaching its pinnacle in the 6th century.This tour utilises improved roads and river transport between Vietnam and Thailand without internal flights, enabling a greater understanding of the geography and history of ancient times. It also highlights the importance of the great Mekong River whose delta is a prolific producer of rice, vegetables and fruits. Life on the Mekong is enlivened by the many colourful river traders and floating villages.