Belmond graciously gave stays at two of their properties – La Residence Phou Vao and La Residence d’Angkor – as part of our Macmillan Cancer Support Dream Trip (click here to learn more about the trip).
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Even if you can’t bid on the dream trip, you can still take the same itinerary, and Journeys Within donates its profits to Macmillan Cancer Support. These two hotels are featured in many of our trips, so we wanted to get the insider scoop on things to do and see at and around the two Belmond hotels.
Here’s what Thomas Moons, general manager with La Residence, had to say:
What are your favorite parts of each hotel?
My favorite thing about La Residence Phou Vao must be the tranquility and the views, while at La Residence d’Angkor it’s the pool in the center of the hotel.
What are your favorite dish at each hotel?
My favorite dish at Phou Vao is definitely Lon Som, which is Luang Prabang style pork and eggplant curry, while at d’Angkor I really like the Angkor tower, a Khmer degustation.
What are your favorite dishes outside each hotel?
In Luang Prabang, tamarind (three kinds of pork sausage) and Blue Lagoon (buffalo stroganoff) are my personal favorites, while in Siem Reap, Cuisine Wat Damnak is an absolute highlight. They only have set Khmer degustation menus.
What are some can’t miss experiences?
A golden tip for Siem Reap is Phare Circus, a Cambodian circus with nightly performances. In Luang Prabang, guests should not miss the Meditation on the Mekong that we are organizing!
Other recommendations?
In Siem Reap I can recommend visiting Beng Melea, a temple that is outside the Angkor park but a wonderful place to visit. The temple collapsed but has never been rebuilt so you find yourself crawling into corridors and climbing over rocks. Very special. In Luang Prabang guest should definitely not miss the early morning Almsgiving and a Mekong cruise of our private luxury vessel. Luang Prabang offers a few excursions suitable for kids, the most noteworthy is the Living Land Farm and the Elephant Village.
What tips do you have for guests that they may not know staying and traveling in the area?
Laos and Cambodia are an ideal combination. Daily direct flights from and to Siem Reap are in place. When travelling in Laos and outside of Luang Prabang, you will not find 5-star hotels but more low key B&B’s and guesthouses. Very nice but not comparable with Belmond, Sofitel or Aman. It’s a wonderful country to explore but a bit more low key than Cambodia where you find great hotels in pretty much every destination.