Our 39th Anniversary in Cambodia, 6 - 11 December 2010 (edited)

Shah Alam, December 2010

Getting away to a quiet place in a natural setting to celebrate our wedding anniversary has been a tradition with us since our first Wedding Anniversary.

So, we boarded an AirAsia flight to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on the first leg of a trip overland and upriver to a little wonderland oasis nestled in the folds of the Cardamom Mountains; it was in the jungle by the river in the middle of nowhere, a place so remote that even Google Maps is vague about it. Our friend Amanda, the inveterate Asia traveller, had discovered the Rainbow Lodge (click for details), and her description convinced us that this would be the perfect place to spend our 39^th anniversary.

After a restful night at the charming Pavilion Hotel in Phnom Penh, we were on a bus heading west out of the city on National Highway 4. The bus was full but was air conditioned and had comfortable reclining seats and the conductress distributed water bottles and cold tissues. It took a couple of hours to clear the city and be well into the Cambodia countryside which at first was flat and featureless with huge walled industrial compounds on either side of the road, one after the other, most of them still empty land. Gradually the scene morphed into paddy fields, then we turned right onto Highway 48 towards the coast and Kaoh Kong Province near the Thai border. A couple of hours later we crossed two wide rivers and before long were winding our way through forested, hilly countryside. There was a 20-minute rest stop where we could buy fresh fruit and snacks.

Our instructions were to disembark on the far side of Bridge No. 4, tha Phum Doung Bridge at the village of Tatai, where the boat from the Rainbow Lodge would meet us. Sure enough, after a journey that lasted 5 hours, we alighted by a roadside hut advertising German Food and were greeted by the boatman. We were soon loaded into a small wooden boat and were chugging up the calm Tatai River between densely forested hills.

The Rainbow Lodge is really one of a kind! There are just seven chalets arranged in a Vee on the forested hillside with the open end facing the Tatai River below and the hills beyond. The chalets are raised on stilts above ground and are connected by a raised walkway to each other and to the dining room-cum-lounge-cum bar located at the apex of the V.

The Lodge is owned and run by Janet and Gee, an English couple, with the help of local staff. The food is plentiful and delicious with ample choice of European, fusion, and local fare for all, including vegetarians. My personal yardstick of quality of any hostelry is the breakfast and I was not disappointed!

The Rainbow experience is crowned by the extremely modest price - just USD 68.00 per chalet - and that is for two persons, all meals and drinking water included, as well as the boat transfer and use of the lodge's kayaks!

The resort is entirely solar powered, and each chalet has lights and a fan. Every unit faces outwards and has a private deck from where you can gaze over the distant hills, drink in hand. There were surprisingly few mosquitoes, which was so nice!

After a comfortable and restful night, we joined Gee and a couple of other guests from Luxembourg on a 3-hour hike through the jungle. We came across a series of interesting spiders and flowers and had a jolly time flicking away the leeches. The jungle was predominantly bamboo and was so thick in places that Gee had to clear the path with his machete. We were heading for a tributary of the Tatai River and it was with some relief that we began hearing rushing water in the distance. Suddenly we were at the jungle's edge and before us lay a stunning vista of cascading waterfalls, glistening rocks, and crystal-clear pools. What a sight! Off came our sweat-soaked clothes and we were in the water! Bliss!

True to Rainbow Lodge hospitality, planning and flawless execution, the boat was waiting for us in the river below. Lunch had been brought by the Lodge staff and was served to us on the rocks along with a selection of refreshing fluids. Later, a swim, and soon we were chugging our way downriver towards the Lodge jetty, arriving in time for a leisurely sundowner in the lounge.

The next day we decided to visit Tatai Village and were joined by the couple from Luxembourg. The village is spread along the opposite bank of the river. The houses are large and well kept, with extensive compounds surrounded by paddy fields, and many water buffalo. We came across uniformed children walking or on bikes on their way home from school. These kids politely greeted us with folded hands and were thrilled to speak with us in broken English. We passed a large monastery and what appeared to be a community centre where the lady in residence welcomed us and offered refreshments. The school is of recent construction and has ample grounds and a basketball court. Outside, the road is lined with plastic bags for recycling and trash disposal. It was spotlessly clean everywhere!

That afternoon, after a nap, we took the sundowner cruise. Starting at 4 pm, the boat cruised downriver towards the sea which lies about 30 km to the west. Soon the river widens, and one cruises past forested islands and a few riverside resorts.

At about 6:30, as the sun was setting, our boatman cut the engine and we just floated on the calm river in complete silence as the sky turned from blue to pink to red and before we knew it, we were in near total darkness.

As we cruised homeward the boatman used a powerful LED torch to navigate the way.

Inevitably, every good thing must come to an end - and so it was that we caught the bus by the Phum Doung Bridge at 8:00 the next morning, reaching Phnom Penh in time to explore the Royal Palace and the Russian Market. The Palace was recently constructed, and is beautifully and tastefully decorated, with extensive and well-kept grounds. The Russian Market is a vast covered market with thousands of stalls selling everything from crabs and spinach, to clothing, artifacts, jewellery, and motorcycle parts.

A word of advice to those who would like to visit the Rainbow Lodge. We highly recommend a visit, but one must book well in advance as the Lodge is always full!

We spent our final night at the Blue Lime Hotel and left for the airport at 6:00 the next morning for our flight home. It's always a relief to return to our beloved home, and this time was no exception, but we look back on our Cambodia experience with great affection for that beautiful country and its gracious people. They have come out of so much suffering and trauma and are always ready to welcome you with wide smiles and an infectious zest for the future. We hope to return to Cambodia someday.

Here's a final selection of images from Cambodia's capital city, Pnom Penh.

More photos> on Flickr...