Hm. What a vague title. You might be wondering what this post is going to be about and if you should read it. Yes, you should – you’ll soon find out why. I found both paradise and hell in Cambodia and it’s still on my mind sometimes. I realise this post is a bit different. Not the usual travel guide or travel diary, but simply something I want to share with you.

I have been meaning to write about Cambodia for a while, not quite sure how. Cambodia has impressed me in a way no other country has. That doesn’t mean it was the most beautiful or interesting country (although it’s both beautiful and interesting) but Japan had already won me over in this sense.

But there’s just something about Cambodia that makes me think about it every once in a while. A country you have to admire somehow. A country that teaches you a lesson.

It’s full of contrasts. I know, so is pretty much every country in the world.

But Cambodia… Cambodia as a nation has been through hell and back – and yet its people remain amazingly kind!

Cambodia may not be a wealthy country in terms of money, but it is definitely rich in nature and culture.

On one side you have the spectacular temples of Angkor from the 12th century – and on the other there’s the big black (or bloodstained) hole in Cambodia’s history. The Pol Pot’s genocide.

As you probably know, genocide means intentional and systematic killing of certain ethnic, religious or racial groups. The most famous one was of course the Holocaust in Nazi Germany but that’s far from the only example in the history of humankind.

In fact, genocides have been happening in many countries all over the world – and ARE STILL happening TODAY, for example in my beloved Myanmar.

The genocide in Cambodia is also fairly recent – it went on from 1975 to 1979. Almost two million innocent people died under the reign of Pol Pot, simply for being too educated or different.

I am sorry about this little history lesson, but it’s an important one.

Especially in this day and age when racist and xenophobic leaders are being elected into power. We must never forget how far such hatred can lead.

Have you heard of the Khmer Rouge and Cambodian genocide before?

It’s not something we are often told about in our western education, is it?

Which is why I urge you to stop at Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh on your travels and visit the Killing Fields and S21 – the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. I know it’s not an easy thing to do but it is the best way to learn about the horrific crimes this country (and many other for that matter) had to deal with.

Travelling is not always about beaches, mountains, fun and pretty pictures. It’s also educational. Actually, that should be the main reason we travel.

And Cambodia was a big lesson. Walking through the Killing Fields and S21 made me feel a huge respect for the people in Cambodia who overcame such dark events and are actually one of the kindest nations I have ever met.

It’s also difficult to believe the hell Cambodia has been through when I found an actual paradise here.

Peaceful islands, white sand beaches, hammocks in water, palm trees and bioluminescent plankton… that’s another side of Cambodia. I know Thai islands are super popular these days but honestly, Cambodian islands are a hidden gem!

Koh Rong Sanloem or Koh Rong are not to be missed 😉

So there you have it, two big contrasts I experienced in Cambodia.

I know this post might not make a lot of sense but I suppose the main point was to express my mixed feelings about this Southeast Asian country… And to tell you about the genocide hidden in its history.

There’s just something about Cambodia that gets under your skin. The hell, the paradise or both.