CAMBODIA UNCOVERED
Local Khmer knowledge with a touch of Western influence |
Souen and Frances began 'Cambodia Uncovered' when they realised that many tourists to Cambodia were not experiencing the 'real' Cambodia
Souen, born close to Phnom Penh, has had a varied life being displaced multiple times during the war. Along with many thousands of other Khmer, he finally found himself in a refugee camp on the Thai border where he lived for ten years. Here he spent some years as a monk before becoming a teacher. On his return to Cambodia, his family's land had been taken and so his family settled in a newly established village a few kilometres over the river from Phnom Penh with other repatriated families. Since then he has lived and worked in numerous provinces which means he has a good understanding of the many regional differences throughout Cambodia
Frances, an Australian has been living and working as a doctor in Cambodia off and on since 2000. She has worked in many provinces so also knows Cambodia quite intimately now
The combination of a Khmer and Westerner means guests are well catered for as we are acutely aware of your needs
Souen will give you an experience that you won't have anywhere else. He is polite, witty and has a wicked sense of humour (after you have spent a few days with him you will see the 'real' Souen)! He can give first hand accounts of life under the Khmer Rouge as well as the times immediately before and under Vietnamese occupation
He has an infinite passion about Cambodia and is proud to show his culture that has survived such an ordeal. He is keen to ensure you see the things that interest you and will go out of his way to find things that suit
Frances is there to back him up and with other staff work behind the scenes to ensure all guests are comfortable and secure
We have other Khmer that help us including Souen's daughters and son:
Travel
For your comfort, we provide an air conditioned 4WD Mitsubishi that seats 4 comfortably. A few extra seats are available in the back of the car if required (we prefer less than 4 people for all trips but can accommodate larger groups if necessary).
We can recommend accommodation close to us for those who do not wish to stay in our 2 bedroom apartment. Just ask and we can provide you with some suggestions of places to stay
'.....You gave us a valuable introduction to Cambodia's recent sad history and first-hand insights into the present way of life and social/economic/political issues....many thanks for the never-to-be-forgotten experience you gave us.....'
Frances and Souen on the boat
'.....Souen needs to know, he’s not just a great cook and tour guide, but we really appreciated the fact that we could ask often quite painful questions of him and he was so generous in his response and sharing of knowledge.........'
70503-17569 (1, 1, 28, 1283)