Cambodia is another common stop along the Southeast Asian Backpacker’s Circuit. A country on the rise, Cambodia is still finding its way after the terrifying genocide of the Khmer Rouge regime. While the main tourist draws in the country tend to focus primarily on the historic (the ruins of the Angkor Wat temple complex near Siem Reap) or the horrific (The Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum of Phnom Penh), Cambodia itself is beautiful, with lush green fields and rolling hills. Cambodians themselves- perhaps in response to their country’s terrible past- are some of the friendliest people in the region- always anxious to help, always there with a smile. While it is true that any visit to Cambodia inevitably involves confronting the darkest side of mankind, it also provides a unique opportunity to witness the genius of the human mind, and the astounding resiliency of the human spirit.
