Below you will find testimonials from some of my previous clients. I had a marvelous time with all of them, and am grateful for their time and letters of encouragement.
My trip to Cambodia in 2006 was truly amazing, not only because of the beautiful country and its awesome historical temples, but also because of its friendly locals. One in particular stood out -our tour guide, Chhen - who made our whole trip even more memorable. As far as tour guides go, Chhen obviously knew how to get around Angkor Wat.
But what was so great about this man (other than the fact that he can also speak English very well) is that he truly enjoys his job and takes it seriously - and this is dedication that just can’t be faked. Whilst I am sure that leading hundreds of different tourists up and down treacherous, steep temple steps in his course of work could be tedious and boring, Chhen seems to find enthusiasm in every story that he tells of the carvings on the temple walls.
He initiated us in local traditions and culture. He brought our group of five (consisting of my friends and myself) to local hangouts, showed us how the people in Cambodia live, away from the usual tourist traps. He was not only our guide during our five days’ stay there, but our concierge, bodyguard and friend.
If you are going to visit Cambodia to witness one of the wonders of the world - look Chhen up. You’ll be pleasantly surprised that there are more wonders in Angkor Wat than temples, and that is its people.
Claude Goldenberg
Stanford University
School of Education.
485 Lasuen Mall
Stanford. CA 94305.3096
http://Stanford.edu/~claudeg/
Ph#562883 1408
Shannon and Kol Chhen
We met Chhen while looking for a translator to help us interview subjects for stories we were reporting for www.PhnomPenhpost.com He has proven not only to be reliable but also an invaluable guide to many varied aspects of Khmer culture and society.
For an installment of my column, I needed to endeavor to plant rice in the traditional Khmer fashion.But the height of the planting season had not yet begun. I hopped on the back of Chhen’s moto and he drove me out to the part of the West Baray that is still cultivated, where he phoned various contacts and soon had me thigh deep in water, sticking “baby rice” into the muck alongside a group of Khmer teenagers.
When my boyfriend, also a journalist, had to find people who would give candid interviews about the sex trade and women’s health in the country,Chhen took us to local people we would never have found on our own, made them comfortable enough to feel comfortable talking to us, and provided the background cultural knowledge that helped us put everything in perspective so we could write an honest news story. Living here, we have met many people who purport to be tour guides, translators, jacks-of-all-trades who can help a foreigner have a rewarding experience in Siem Reap, but Chhen is the real deal. We know Chhen to be fair, honest, and hard working. He speaks fluent English, enjoys his job and genuinely likes working with foreigners.
Mindy & Kol Chhen
We had the most wonderful time in Cambodia and Mr kol Chhen is the BEST!! Thank you for helping to make our trip perfect!! Regards Mindy & John Edmonds, WA & Email: mindyspicer@gmail.com
Dwight and Nancy Dunlap & Kol Chhen
On our recent visit to Siem Reap, Cambodia, we were fortunate to have
Chhen for our tour guide as we visited the historical sites of Angkor
Wat and the surrounding area.
Exploring this archaeological park can be quite overwhelming as it includes countless sites and covers many square miles. Using Chhen as our guide, we were able to make the most of our time and learn about the history of the area and just enjoy ourselves. His engaging personality, knowledge of the area and its history, and mastery of the English language helped make our trip to Cambodia a very rewarding experience.
Jason Leahey & Kol Chhen
I met Chhen by accident. I needed a tour guide and a friend recommended I call a guide he had used. That guide was unable to help me, but he recommended Chhen, and I am very glad he did.
Chhen enjoys sharing Khmer culture and history, and this is very different from a guide that simply knows the facts. Chhen knows the stories, the history, and the artistic achievements of the temples in a vocabulary that was very welcome to me as a Westerner with no prior knowledge of Angkor and without an arts background. I particularly enjoyed the day Chhen took me to Bantey Srei, where the carvings are outstandingly preserved, and explained the culture and historical perspective behind all those intricate carvings.
And then he took me to a village corner famous for its “Cambodian noodle soup.” Chhen knew the prices Khmer pay for the lunch, and he made sure that we paid only what was fair. He is a good conversationalist too, so I felt very much like I was exploring Angkor with Chhen rather than simply hiring a person to recite facts to me. He took me to his home village, too, and I met his family, which was a great experience. I’d recommend Chhen to anybody without the slightest hesitation.
Lee Foo Hoe, Han Y.C. Jessie Lee & Kol Chhen
We decided to visit Siem Reap, Cambodia in November 2009, and a friend recommended Mr Chhen Kol to us as our English-speaking tour guide
He is a very kind and friendly guide who knows every corner of Siem Reap. Just tell him which places you wish to visit, and he will bring you there.
We would definitely recommend him to our friends and colleagues who are planning to visit this world heritage site.
ciao! Stefania & Matteo with our guide Kol Chhen
Chhen was an excellent guide: friendly, patient, professional.
He unveiled to us the gems of the complex of Ankor Wat with professionalism and sympathy.
But above all, he was a friend who has accompanied us on this adventure: without him on our trip would not be so good. Thanks Chhen, let's stay in touch! a big hug, ciao! Stefania & Matteo
