Somerset Maugham, the British novelist and lifelong Francophile who visited Cambodia in 1922, said: “The French brought France to their colonies as the English brought England to England. to their colonies.” He described the capital, Phnom Penh, as “wide streets and arcades with Chinese shops, formal gardens and river-facing piers neatly planted with trees, like a French riverside town. the pier.”
After independence in 1953, the enduring image of Orientalism was quickly interrupted. “In 1975, we started to have the Khmer Rouge,” said Sokagna, an architecture graduate at the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh. “They moved people from the cities to the provinces to work in the rice fields. It was very difficult. There was not enough food. Most people died – about two million. They killed all the intellectuals, all the managers. I lost my grandfather.”
Contemporary reports say the city has been abandoned. After Vietnamese troops occupied Phnom Penh on January 7, 1979, people returned to the city to find buildings empty, their owners and their families “shattered” in the regime’s nihilistic zero-year race. Many people need shelter and are simply squatting and converting apartments and municipal buildings into homes. A law passed in 1993 gave these new residents legal title to part-ownership of much of Phnom Penh’s colonial architectural complex.
In the city’s French Quarter today, the post office’s bright yellow neoclassical landmark weathered the storm. Steps lead to where modern counters still serve the public, and wooden post office boxes line the walls. Iterative renovations since Daniel Fabra’s original 1890 construction have kept the structure relevant. “There’s a garden square ahead,” Socagner said, surveying the scenery as we passed through the city in February. “Now it’s turned into a car park.”
While some tourists visited Phnom Penh before the pandemic, most bypassed the city and flew directly to Siem Reap to explore the remarkable Angkor temple complex nearby. The capital, while sprawling and sometimes unkempt, is worth exploring for at least a few days.
Faded artifacts and modern additions
Across the road, the faded pastels of Le Grand Hôtel, once the best address in town, have grown from shabby chic to regrettable condition. Overshadowed by crumbling additions, the hotel still seems to be a busy focal point. Sokagna leads the way, dodging tuk-tuks and motorcycles, and entering the building under the railing arch. Climb up the winding stairs and it is clear that there are no paying guests.
Accommodations without lighting can now be used as houses, although some room numbers are still visible. In one room, a man sat on the floor preparing vegetables while coconuts were stacked against the wall. At the end of the hallway, a woman pulled a thin curtain through the doorway. Chatter, competing TVs, radios and domestic life drifted across the building. “It’s mixed owners,” Sokagna said. “If all the owners agree, it will be sold and demolished. But if someone says ‘no’, they can’t.”
Appearing during the day, one of Phnom Penh’s newest buildings dominates the skyline. The 187-meter-tall Vattanac Capital building dwarfs its surroundings, which include a soaring European designer store, the city’s most prestigious office space, and the five-star Rosewood Hotel, with its sci-fi fantasy Sora sky. Bar from 37th ground.
Farewell to Sokagna, I hailed a tuk-tuk before asking one last question about the future. “Chinese developers are coming. They always demolish old buildings,” she said. “We don’t have a policy on heritage buildings.”
Hardened traffic made the short journey to the central market Phsar Thom Thmey a long one, but it was worth it. Phsar Thom Thmey is a remarkable piece of urban decorative art designed by Jean Desbois and completed in 1937, once the largest covered market in Asia. The encroachment of the surrounding stalls lightens the purity of its exterior. Yet across the perimeter of the t-shirt and woven store, within the soaring ceilings, clean sightlines and abundant natural light all cry out for a modernity that belies the architectural era.
By contrast, south of the center, the chaotic obsessions and dark passages of Psah Toul Tompoung or the Russian market have no coherent aesthetic. Named for its appeal to the savvy Soviet shopper of the 1980s, these tin-roofed wooden houses are clustered in a square in the southern French Quarter. Its rich offerings range from exotic fresh produce, street food and fabrics to electronics and glow-in-the-dark Buddha statues.
Evening walk and sunset
Beginning in the evening, take a walk along the Thong Lesa River, like a Land Rover in Southeast Asia. Heading north from the Royal Palace to Tashan Temple, the wide riverside path is interspersed with middle-aged people, exercising to the cheerful music, and families and couples strolling, enjoying the cool evening air.Just down the road, Juniper’s open-air bar at number 12th The floors of The Point Hotel offer sunset views along the Tonle Sap towards the Cambodia-Japan and Cambodia-China Friendship Bridge. Pandan-flavored gin and tonic add color to an unfolding evening.
Covid success – through strict measures
In the nine months since my visit, Cambodia has fared much better than most countries during the Covid-19 crisis, with no deaths recorded so far and only a few hundred infections. Earlier this month, the Hungarian foreign minister tested positive after visiting Cambodia, prompting Prime Minister Hun Sen to go into quarantine with several of his staff. Schools, clubs and cinemas in Phnom Penh were closed for two weeks. The swift action points to a strict policy that appears to keep infections low. Tourists are now allowed to return to the country, but must obtain a negative Covid test 72 hours before travelling to Cambodia, demonstrate that their medical insurance covers at least $50,000 in health insurance, and pay $2,000 on arrival for a Covid test and potentially related payments fee fee.
Otherwise, hand washing and wearing masks are now ubiquitous, but life has not turned into a “new normal.” In Phnom Penh, the city’s mix of Southeast Asian themes, flamboyant fine art, Neoclassicalism, Art Deco, and mid-century Neo-Khmer architecture may have dwindled, but unlike much of Cambodia’s contemporary history, it hasn’t been erased. After the Khmer Rouge, the fight for urban identity today involves ruthless theorists of steel and glass development, often funded by Chinese investment, that see some heritage buildings, from temples and palaces to colonial relics, besieged and lost ground . Whatever the future of Phnom Penh, this time the invading army cannot save the day.
how to get there
Emirates flies from several UK airports to Phnom Penh via Dubai.
what to watch
Khmer Architecture Tour, $15, ka-tours.org
where to eat
Among the city’s innovative chefs, Lu Meng is a recognized star. His Kroeung restaurant stands out for its excellent quality and value.
123 Pig is an understated restaurant where owner San Thery serves local Khmer dishes and explores Cambodia’s culinary history.Entry Requirements
See gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cambodia for the latest entry requirements. Also visit tourismcambodia.com
