I’ve had some great meals in Cambodia, but standard fare is pretty basic and imitations of Western dishes are often overpriced and sometimes inedible. Do not order nachos with spicy bean dip under any circumstance.

Rice is the staple food for all Cambodians. For years soldiers were paid in kilos of rice, which was preferable to cash because it always had value. In the countryside, a meal is usually just a bowl of rice with some soup poured over the top - filling, but not exactly gourmet.

To get an idea how simple Cambodian cuisine is, let me tell you about a common dish called bai moawn. Bai means rice. Moawn means chicken. Bai Moawn is a plate of rice with some chopped chunks of chicken on top, bones and all. That’s it. Starving people aren’t choosy about their food, and most Cambodians know what is like to go hungry.

In towns you’ll find street vendors offering munchies like baguettes, noodles and fruit shakes. I’ve gone days in Cambodia without stepping into a restaurant - just wandering around and grabbing street food when I feel hungry. Look for glass cases full of various kinds of fruit and ask for “tuk a lok,” or fruit shake. If you don’t want sweetener added say “skaw tik-tik”. Most street food costs around 2000 riel, or 50 cents.

Even better than fruit shakes is a drink called Tuk M’Pao, or fresh squeezed sugarcane juice. You’ll see Tuk M’Pao stands all over the place – look for push carts with a little awning covering a hand powered metal grinder. The stalks of sugarcane are run through the grinder and the juice is then served in a bag over ice. Ambrosia at only 500 riel.

I’ve caught a few stomach bugs in Cambodia, but in general the food is safe to eat. Just use common sense and avoid meat if you’re uncertain how fresh it is. Don’t drink the water. Cheap local bottled water is fine – look for the blue plastic bottles that cost 500 riel. Tea is safe and usually available for free in Cambodian restaurants.

My warning about foreign food doesn’t apply to restaurants with foreign chefs. You can find great Italian, Japanese, Indian and even Mexican in the cities at prices that are expensive by Cambodian standards, but still a pretty good deal. The problem is knowing which places with foreign menus actually have foreign cooks. Here are a few of my favorite Western restaurants in Sihanoukville, a beach town where I lived for a couple of months.

Holy Cow – Great salads and sandwiches, on Main Street, up the hill from the Golden Lions.

Starfish Café – Delicious breakfasts and baked goods for a good cause – I wrote an article about Starfish for Matador called “The Beauty of Compassion”.

Kukai/Happa – Two fantastic Japanese restaurants (and I say this having lived in Japan for two years) side by side near Serendipity Beach.

Bamboo Light Café – Awesome Sri Lankan curries – look for the buffet on Monday and Thursday.

In Siem Reap I love to eat at the Singing Tree Café, a garden restaurant and community art space with tasty Cambodian dishes and great fruit shakes, off Wat Bo Road near the Butterfly Garden.

Finally, a word about Happy Pizza, which is pizza that comes with a layer of marijuana under the cheese. I’ve had a couple of these pizzas, but I can’t recommend them because the potency varies tremendously. If you indulge, make sure you have a safe and comfortable place to go and wait for the herbs to kick in.

“Drink not Drunk? Drink for What?”

Booze is cheap and plentiful in Cambodia. Big cities and tourist towns like Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville are packed with bars run by foreigners who are taking advantage of Cambodia’s laissez faire approach to bar legislation. Rice whiskey and palm wine are both popular in the countryside - the more impoverished the village, the more drunks you’ll see stumbling about.

I drank a fair bit while living in Japan and America, but as a rule I don’t drink more than the occasional beer in Cambodia. This is partly because it’s easy to see the debilitating effects of alcoholism in the countryside, partly because Cambodia is already packed with boorish tourists who spend their holidays in bars, and in large part because I don’t want to have anything to do with the sex industry.

Prostitution is huge in Cambodia. A double standard applies to sex – men can sleep around, but if a woman even sets foot in a bar, she is viewed as a prostitute. Thousands of lonely Western men go to Cambodia to get drunk and sleep with young women. The whole scene totally repels me, so I avoid the bars.

That said, if you want to go out and have a few drinks, go for it. Just pick your bar carefully. One place where you won’t find sex tourists and prostitutes unless you look for them is in Siem Reap, especially on Pub Street near the Old Market.

There is one bar I recommend wholeheartedly: The Middle of Somewhere in Sen Monorom, Mondulkiri. Tell Jack and Ray I said hi.

It’s impossible for me to write a comprehensive report on all the hotels and guesthouses in Cambodia, so in this section I’ll give you a general sense of the various types and costs of accommodation and then recommend a few of my favorite places.

In the big tourist towns you’ll find everything from backpacker crash pads to luxury hotels. In provincial towns there are generally at least a few standard guesthouses. If you ever find yourself in the boondocks with the sun going down, never fear – Cambodian villagers are usually quite hospitable and I’ve had some memorable nights crashing in farmhouses. Folks might not ask for money, but if you stay overnight in someone’s home it’s a good idea to give at least a few dollars.

The standard guesthouse room price in Cambodia is $5. Any more than that and I feel indulgent, any less and I’m not surprised if there are bugs in the blankets. For $5 I expect a clean, safe room with a fan and it’s own bathroom, but not hot water. For that you’ve got to pay a couple bucks more. Air conditioning bumps the price up to around $10. It never hurts to ask for a discount, especially in low season or if you’ll be staying for a while.

In Siem Reap I stay at Home Sweet Home guesthouse on Wat Bo road, next door to Two Dragons. Home Sweet Home has big, airy rooms for $5 in a quiet part of town and the staff is friendly.

In Phnom Penh I stay at the Lake, a backpacker ghetto on the North end of town that’s due for demolition. I don’t like the Lake very much, but I haven’t found a better place, and I don’t go to Phnom Penh much anyway. Rooms are cheap and each guesthouse has a patio over the water where you can chill out, have a smoke and watch the sun go down.

In Sihanoukville I stay downtown at Geckozy Guesthouse, a lovely atmospheric place with a beautiful garden, but when I left Geckozy was sort of in chaos as a staff member ran off with the motor bike. Cloud 9 is the best place on Serendipity Beach, and if you’re hard up for cash, you can crash for free at a compound called Utopia or at one of the shacks at the far end of the beach.

My favorite guesthouse in all of Cambodia is Le Bout de Monde in Kep, a laid back place with bamboo bungalows on a hillside overlooking the sea. Down the shore in Kampot I like the Bodhi Tree, and in Koh Kong I stay at Otto’s.

One rule of thumb is to avoid places that taxi drivers seem desperate to take you to. Many crappy guesthouses fill their rooms by paying drivers a commission to bring customers.

Traditional Cambodian culture was systematically destroyed over the past 50 years by civil war and the Khmer rouge. It’s sort of making a comeback these days – there are art schools and such in places like Siem Reap – but Cambodia is a long way from reclaiming it’s soul.

Buddhism is making a comeback, and it’s common to see young monks walking barefoot through town in orange robes, collecting alms. Visits to monasteries are especially rewarding, because the monks are always eager to converse with foreigners and practice their English. You won’t see many old monks though, and the young ones are not terribly knowledgeable about their religion.

Owning a TV is pretty much the life dream of many ordinary Cambodians. That and a motor-bike. Karaoke is popular. Weddings are a big deal, and families will spend all their money on a huge party.

Cambodia has been at war for a long, long time. The longer the war, the more people focus inward. There is no room for culture during a prolonged and brutal civil war. The Cambodians alive today just had to survive, and they are still just surviving. There is a constant sense of desperation in Cambodia, a hopelessness and yearning. Picture a shirtless farmer squatting in a shack in a hot and dusty field under a banner advertising Luxury cigarettes. That banner, which shows a laughing white couple in a city, is the farmer’s idea of culture.

There is really only one must-see destination in Cambodia, and that’s Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples. Angkor Wat will blow your mind. The sheer size of the temple itself is impressive, but scale alone can’t explain the overwhelming spiritual impact that confronts those who approach the central sanctuary. Pillaged by invading armies, abandoned to the elements for generations and now overrun by tourists, the temple still retains enough pure power to send shivers straight to the core of your soul.

Angkor is accessible from Siem Reap and the temples are spread out across a large area. See the transport section for my advice on getting around between the temples.

The great thing about the Angkor temples is that even though hundreds of thousands of tourists pass through every year, there are so many temples that it’s easy to find a quiet place and feel like an explorer in the jungle. Preah Khan is one of my favorite out of the way temples.

There are three passes you can buy for Angkor – a one day pass for $20, a three day for $40 and a seven day for $60. If you’ve got the time, seven days is not too long. Here’s an insiders tip – passes are good for a free sunset if you buy them after 5 pm. If you head out to the gate at 5 pm and buy a one day pass, you can go in and check out Angkor Wat and then still use the pass the next day.

The Aki Ra land mine museum in Siem Reap is definitely worth a visit, especially if you don’t plan to go anywhere else in Cambodia. Aki Ra laid countless land mines as a child soldier and has devoted his adult life to dismantling them, one explosion at a time. His story is an inspiring example of what one determined individual can accomplish.

The Killing Fields and Tuol Seng Prison are two places in Phnom Penh that many people would describe as must see destinations. Both will leave you gasping, but in my opinion, coming to grips with the horrors of war is a highly personal process that everyone needs to deal with individually. It’s important to understand how Cambodia has suffered, but if you don’t want to come face to face with skulls at the Killing Fields or peer into the cramped cells at Tuol Seng, don’t feel obligated.

This is more like it! The awesome thing about travel in Cambodia is that so much of the country is virgin territory. War kept most of the Cambodian countryside off limits to travelers for the last 50 years, but it is finally safe to explore just about everywhere. Prepare to set foot on island beaches that only a few foreigners have ever seen, boat down jungle rivers as clear as rain and ride elephants between hill tribe villages in uncharted expanses of upland forest. For now I’ll focus on the Cambodia islands, but I’ll expand this section in the near future. In the meantime, feel free to e-mail me with specific questions.

For a truly ambitious adventure, check out my guide to Koh Rong island right here on Matador. Koh Rong is one of the largest and most remote of the Cambodian islands, but all 62 islands are off the beaten path. Here is a quick rundown of the islands. From East to West they tend to get more remote and my descriptions get more confusing.

Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island)

Accessible from Kep, Koh Tonsay has basic bungalows and a couple of shack style restaurants that dish up fresh seafood. There are rumors that a casino will be built on this island in the near future. I’ll believe it when I see it. The beaches are nice but there isn’t much snorkeling.

Koh Ta Kiev

A largish island off Ream National Park near Sihanoukville, Koh Ta Kiev has some new bungalows and white sand beaches.

Koh Russei (Bamboo Island)

This was the first island near Sihanoukville to get developed and its getting a little too crowded, with at least three bungalow operations up and running. There are better places to maroon yourself.

Koh Tang

I’ve never been to Koh Tang. Few people have. It’s way offshore, a 5 or 6 hour boat ride from Sihanoukville. The U.S bombed the hell out of it at the end of the Vietnam War in an attempt to pressure the Cambodians into releasing the crew of an American ship. The battle killed about 40 U.S. Marines and who knows how many Cambodians. The ship’s crew was already on their way to safety. Known as the Mayaguez incident, this pointless battle is acknowledged as the high point of the Ford administration. Apparently the diving off Koh Tang is outstanding – one Sihanoukville operator predicts it will eventually become the Koh Tao (Thailand) of Cambodia. Now it’s totally deserted apart from rare birds and a few morose navy men.

Koh Rong

(see my exclusive guide here on Matador)

Koh Rong Samloem

A bit closer to Sihanoukville than Koh Rong, this large island has a gorgeous protected bay where you can arrange overnight camping. There is at least one small village with basic supplies at the western top of the island.

Koh Manou

There are wild pigs in the hilly jungle of Koh Manou, a navy base, and a few fishermen. With no notable beaches and no regular transport, this island is not on the way to anywhere. Or am I just being coy about my favorite, super secret island? I dare you to go and find out.

Koh Smach (or maybe Koh Samit)

Maps and locals can’t seem to agree on the name of this medium sized island near Koh Sdach. This might be because there is a lot of marijuana grown in the interior. Or not. I have my suspicions but I really don’t know for sure. I think a Swiss couple is opening a guesthouse on this island that they are determined to keep out of the guidebooks.

Koh Sdach

Also known as King’s Island, Koh Sdach is where the ferry boat between Sihanoukville and Koh Kong makes a stop. It’s a small island with a bustling fishing village, a pleasant guesthouse and a couple of waterfront restaurants. A local guide named Ken is a good friend of mine – tell him I sent you and he’ll hook you up. There is one slightly scruffy beach on Koh Sdach, but a few small islands nearby have gorgeous white sand beaches at low tide. Little Tamarind has the best snorkeling. A village on the mainland across from Koh Sdach is called Port Japon, because once a Japanese man had a cannery there. It is a truly desolate place but there are nice views from the hill tops beyond the village. Watch out for snakes.

Koh Kong

Koh Kong is the largest island in Cambodia. It’s off the shore of Koh Kong province, a mountainous and remote region of wild rivers and bandits. Koh Kong Island is most easily accessible from Koh Kong town, a place that is not an island itself, despite what the guidebooks say. Confused? Me too. Apparently the beaches are absolutely freaking gorgeous, but as a French mercenary in Angelina Jolie’s private army told me, “Eez good place for zee illegal activity.”

Roads have improved in Cambodia over the past few years and most bus service is reliable and inexpensive. One unfortunate side effect of this trend is that as pavement hardens, boat services disappear. Sadly, it’s no longer possible to take boats up the Mekong from Phnom Penh to Kompong Cham, Kratie and Stung Treng, although you can still float south from Phnom Penh to Vietnam. The ferry between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is a bit of a tourist rip off at $25 (the bus costs $4) but it is a cool way to see the Tonle Sap, Cambodia’s great lake. In dry season (Dec-April), forget about taking the boat between Siem Reap and Battambang – there will be little water and after a quick float the operators will just load you into the back of a pickup truck. The road between Phnom Penh and Koh Kong is being built at this moment. When it is completed look for the price of the ferry between Sihanoukville and Koh Kong to jump dramatically.

Unfortunately, one of the worst roads in Cambodia is the track from the Thai border (Poipet) to Siem Reap. This is the road you’ll travel if you get suckered into booking a ticket from Bangkok to Siem Reap. Word is that a certain airline company pays bribes to certain Cambodian politicians to keep this road in horrible shape. Whether this is true or not, as long as the road stays in bad shape it is a better option to fly if you have the means. Or, alternatively, you could sneak into Cambodia the back way, taking a bus from Bangkok’s Eastern bus station (Ekkamai stop on the sky train) to Trat, crossing into Cambodia at Koh Kong and then traveling by boat to Sihanoukville or bus to Phnom Penh. This is the route I recommend to friends.

Renting a big-ass dirt bike is a great way to get around the provinces, but Cambodia is not a great place to learn how to ride a motorbike. Body armor is key.

Moto-taxis are ubiquitous in towns and you’ll get used to waving the drivers off like flies. One time in Sihanoukville I was approached by 37 different drivers during a ten minute walk to the market. It’s a good idea to confirm a price before hopping on the back of the bike. One dollar is a generous fare for a ride of 15 minutes or less, more if it's late at night. Most drivers speak a little English, but it’s a good idea to confirm that they actually know your destination, especially if you aren’t sure of the way yourself. Drivers don’t want to lose a potential big spender by admitting that they have no clue where you want to go.

Bicycles are often available to rent for around $1 per day and are a great way to explore at your own pace.

Finally, here’s an article I wrote about the fine art of getting around the temples of Angkor:

There are literally hundreds of temples scattered about the jungle near the town of Siem Reap, so making the most of your Angkor experience requires covering some serious ground.

Transportation isn’t hard to arrange locally, but there are a lot of options to consider. It can be confusing and intimidating to figure everything out on the spot, so in this article I’ll give you the heads up on how to get around the Angkor complex.

The easiest way to explore Angkor is to hire a driver for the duration of your stay. Indeed, from the first moment you step foot in Siem Reap, drivers will start offering to show you around the temples, hoping to score an extended stretch of steady work. Most drivers are professional, reliable and hard-working, but it’s important to choose one who speaks decent English and is relatively experienced. If the fellow who gives you that very first ride to your guesthouse seems to fit the bill, and you already know when you want to set out for the temples, by all means make arrangements to have him pick you up the next day. If you’re not sure, just say “No plans yet,” get his phone number, and decide later.

All guesthouses have a few ‘resident’ drivers who hang out in the courtyard and get most of their business from guests of that establishment. It can be very convenient to hire one of them, because they will be easy to get a hold of if you need to change plans or suddenly want to go somewhere. Plus, all guesthouses appreciate when you spend money within their ‘sphere of influence’. After you get settled into your room, ask someone to introduce you to a good driver.

Choosing a driver is important, but you also need to decide what kind of vehicle to use. The most popular choice is a remorque-moto, or tuk-tuk, a neat little carriage pulled by a moto bike. Riding around in one of these can be almost as much fun as exploring the actual temples. Tuk-tuks are quite comfortable, with well-padded seats and a canopy to keep the sun off. With no windows, a nice breeze cools you off while moving. There is enough space for four people in one carriage, but they are ideal for couples, who can sit side by side, talk, and watch the countryside roll by.

Hiring a tuk-tuk and driver for the day costs between $8 and $20, depending on which temples you want to see and how many hours your idea of “a day” encompasses. If you want to sleep in, eat a leisurely breakfast, see a few of the most accessible temples and be back home in time to shower before dinner, $8 is probably plenty, but if you want to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat, head out to a distant temple like Banteay Srei and then watch the sun go back down, think $15 or $20. It’s usually a good idea to agree on a price before leaving, especially when dealing with a driver for the first time. Be clear about your plans or, better yet, ask the driver for his opinion. These guys have been touring Angkor for a long time, and probably know what you want to see better than you do.

Your other transportation options include bicycles, electric-bikes, moto-bikes and cars. Most guest-houses rent pedal bikes for between $1 and $3 per day. It can be a lot of fun to explore Angkor on your own wheels, but bear in mind that the climate is tropical and it’s an 8 km ride between town and the closest temples. If you want to enjoy the sunset at a temple, count on a long ride home in the dark.

Electric bikes are an interesting new option. You can rent them from a shop a few hundred yards before the ticket booth for $4 a day. To read my full review of these bikes, click here.

Moto-bikes are marginally cheaper than tuk-tuks and a decent option for solo travelers, but are better suited to quick rides around town than a full day exploring the temples. As for cars, they’re obviously comfortable and air-conditioned, but you miss out on the breeze. Hiring a car is also expensive, with a going rate of about $25 per day.

While you explore the temples, your driver will wait in the parking area. At some of the more spread-out temples, like Ta Prohm and Preah Khan, he will drop you off at one entrance and pick you up at another, which saves time backtracking. To avoid confusion, be sure to confirm exactly where your driver will be waiting. Most tuk-tuk drivers keep a map with them, which helps with arranging pick-up spots.

No matter how you get around Angkor, a visit to these ancient monuments is truly awe-inspiring. However, contemporary Cambodia is also a fascinating place. If you only have a few days in Siam Reap, a trip to one of the more distant Angkor attractions is a good way to experience the Cambodian countryside, but an even better option is to extend your holiday and head for one of the blissfully deserted beaches of the Cambodian coast.

Cambodia is safer now than at any point in the last few decades, but that’s not saying much. It remains a desperately poor country loaded with weapons. Oddly enough I feel most comfortable in the countryside, even in territory that was recently controlled by the Khmer Rouge. It’s the cities that scare me a bit, especially Phnom Penh. Petty crime is on the rise, especially in Sihanoukville, where I woke up last month at 3 am with a thief in my room. Keep you wits about you, especially at night, and walk in groups if possible or use a moto-driver who you trust. If you are mugged, the most important thing is to just let the bad guys take what they want without resisting.

Landmines are a danger for children playing in the woods and farmers working in fields, but if you stay on paths they aren’t anything to worry about. Most mines are in the North and West along the border with Thailand.

The malaria question is one I’ve researched extensively and the short story is that you really don’t need to take anti-malarial pills. The risk is low, the side effects are potentially severe and the medicine isn’t always effective. If you’re only going to be in the Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville then there is absolutely NO NEED to take the pills. It IS a good idea to get vaccines for Typhoid, Hepatitis and possibly rabies. Don’t worry about Japanese Encephalitis.

You’ll probably get the runs at some point in Cambodia. Drink plenty of water and hope for the best.

It’s very important to have travel insurance in Cambodia because if something serious happens you’ll need to get evacuated to Bangkok, which costs thousands of dollars without insurance.

Nice to meet you. = Jum Riap Sue.
(for extra points make a traditional greeting by holding your hands together in front of your chin and giving a slight bow.)

What’s up? = Susabai?

I’m fine = Soksabai.

Yes = Ba (men) Ja (women)

I = Khnyohm

You = Niyak

Please = Sohm

Money = Loi

Check, please = Sohm Kuht Loi.

I have no money (very useful!) = Khynohm Ot Men Loi.

Have = Men

Water = Tuk

Ice = Tuk Kaw

Tea = Tuk Tai

One = Moouy

Two = Bii

Three = Bai

Eat (lit. eat rice) = Nyam Bai

Cambodia has three season – dry, hot and wet. Dry season is from November to March. From April to June it gets hot, hot, hot. June to October is rainy. The high tourist season is from December to March

U.S. dollars are the currency of choice in Cambodia, and they go a long way. Cambodian currency (riel) is used for small purchases. $1 equals about 4000 riel.

Visas cost $20 and are available on arrival. A tourist visa is good for 30 days and you’ll need If you’re asked to pay more than $20 or to pay in Thai baht, get the name of the officer and ask for a receipt. The officials at the Koh Kong crossing consistently overcharge for visas. If you like Cambodia enough to stick around, it’s worth getting a business visa. These cost $25 for 30 days but are renewable indefinitely.

You can get just basic toiletries in Cambodia so there is no need to pack your entire bathroom. A small pack with a change of clothes is sufficient. Cambodians dress modestly. You are advised to do likewise.

Why is Cambodia the way it is today? Here is a quick historical rundown.

There is a large lake in the middle of Cambodia that is actually a backwater tributary of the Mekong River. This lake is called the Tonle Sap. During the rainy season the river fills its banks and reverses flow, flooding the lake, which spills out over the landscape. When the rains stop and the dry season sun beats down, the lake contracts and the river flows back to the sea. This ebb and flow of water is the heartbeat of Cambodia, slow and steady, nourishing the land and providing rice and fish for its people, the Khmers.

For centuries the Khmers lived within the stultifying rhythms of sun, rain and harvest, worshipful of their God-Kings, who feuded amongst themselves and lost land to the expansionist Vietnamese and Thais. When the first Europeans arrived, Cambodia was already a shadow of its former self, the massive temples of the Angkor empire forgotten in the jungle. For a while the French half-heartedly governed Cambodia, but they were more interested in the colonial potential of Vietnam. Life among the rice fields didn’t change.

Cambodia became an independent state in the 1950s, ruled by a flighty young king who spent much of his time directing films. Roads and factories were built, a small cosmopolitan elite developed and for a brief time Cambodia was an oasis of stability in a turbulent part of the world. A delegation from newly independent Singapore arrived to learn how to run a successful country. The great lake flooded, the farmers planted rice and caught fish, the sun came back out and the water flowed into the sea. And then the earth itself began to explode.

B-52 bombs fall faster than the speed of sound and give no warning to those they are about to destroy. Countess tons of American bombs were dropped indiscriminately on Cambodia, which was viewed by White House officials as a sideshow to the Vietnam war. The attempt to keep the bombing of Cambodia secret is what led to the Watergate scandal and President Nixon’s resignation.

As war spread into Cambodia the fabric of society collapsed. The King was overthrown and Vietnamese soldiers swarmed across the border. Officials in the capital lived lavishly off American aid while the rest of the country burned. Cambodian farmers began to support an indigenous communist movement called the Khmer Rouge, which pledged to expel foreigners, destroy the corrupt urban elite and reinstate the King. A truly vicious cycle of war developed. As the Khmer Rouge gathered strength, the bombing intensified, and each bomb created new recruits for the communist guerrillas. When the Khmer Rouge took the capital in 1975, most of their soldiers were teenagers who knew nothing of life without war. Cambodia was already bloody wasteland, but the brutality was only just beginning.

The Khmer Rouge systematically destroyed Cambodia. The country became a vast gulag work camp. Monks, teachers, doctors, intellectuals and artists were rounded up and killed. Families were separated. Crying at night was grounds for execution. No one knows how many people died. Estimates are in the millions. Cambodia under the Khmer Rouge was simply hell on earth.

In 1979 the Vietnamese couldn’t take the madness any longer and invaded Cambodia, pushing the Khmer Rouge into the mountains and up to the Thai border, where they were kept alive by well-intentioned humanitarian aid. The fighting continued. Cambodians killed Vietnamese who killed Cambodians who killed other Cambodians. Countless landmines were scattered throughout the forests and rice-fields. This ugly civil war lasted for a long time, until there was hardly anything left to fight over. The Khmer Rouge maintained strongholds along the Thai border until the late ‘90s.

Today Cambodia is ruled by a strongman named Hun Sen, a former Khmer Rouge soldier who defected to the Vietnamese side during the civil war. Hun Sen lost a democratic election sponsored by the United Nations during the mid ‘90s, but when the UN troops pulled out he and his soldiers simply ignored the results. Hun Sen continues to rule today. He and his cronies are fabulously wealthy.