The temple of Preah Vihear is a classic on anyone’s itinerary in Cambodia. Situated at the top of a mountain in the very far North of Cambodia, on its Thai border, it has been in dispute with Thailand for generations. It was also the site of the last stand of the Khmer Rouge. The area is now heavily militarised and very difficult to access from the Cambodian side. It’s also subject to a Foreign Office warning advising against all travel in the area, as the last incidents with Thai forces here occurred as recently as September. Such a shame, I really wanted to visit

Me being me, when a friend said “Fancy it?”, I jumped at the chance and we soon had a minibus full. I would point out we had a guide who was ex-military and was active in the region during the war, and a local driver. We thus set out on a six hour trek across the country on largely unmade roads, which are currently under heavy construction. I’m not sure if this is for tourism or the military. The land we crossed in parts was nothing but red dust that went everywhere. The van was sturdy enough, and if the worst came to the worst and we did break down we were never far from a village in a country where everyone seems to be a car mechanic.

Eventually we arrived at the base of the mountain to find we were the only ones there, and it was difficult to find someone who could give us a lift up the 35 degree slope, only accessible by bike or 4 x 4 (forget the now very red and dusty van). Finally, for a mere $25 we were at the top, and it was so very worthwhile. Rumours of vast numbers of tourists from Thailand were untrue, such is the current political state that the frontier is firmly closed. (It is in fact very easy to get to from Thailand, and no hill to climb. When the border is open of course.) Still on our own, we were escorted around the legendary temple by a collection of villagers all looking for a dollar or two. The temple has amazing views of Thailand on one side and the plains of Cambodia on the other. A large number of troops come into the temple area, on their breaks from their battle positions just underneath the temple itself, to sit and smoke and watch the day go by. As we went to go back to the truck to drive us back down the mountainside, our guide received a call from an old colleague with an invitation for us to go ‘backstage’ - literally.

We were met and escorted through a minefield and into the very frontline trench positions and on into no man’s land to view the Thai positions just twenty yards away. It resembled something from the First World War, with machine guns at hand and bunkers all around. Here it is though that people live on a day to day basis, some have wives and family with them. In the rainy season it can be a struggle to supply the men and they often go hungry. Small donations of cigarettes were gratefully received and then it was time to leave, up a cliff face and back to the car park. Another six hours home through the red dust at sunset, where everything turns blazing red, and finally we got back into Siem Reap around 21.00, grateful for a few beers.

If you’re reading this and planning on coming to Cambodia soon, it is probably better to get a 4x4 ex Siem Reap, or wait until the road is properly built. Donations of food and cigarettes gratefully received by the soldiers. And go with a knowledgeable guide.