When I first left China on February 7th to escape coronavirus and without the knowledge of how serious it would become, I decided to arrange a research trip. Not owling tours in Asia you understand, but to research some serious dark tourism. Not that there’s anything wrong with owling tours that is.

Said trip would have me taking in various places in South-East Asia, whilst finishing in Anlong Veng in northern Cambodia. Alas COVID-19 became much more serious and of course other parts of life got in the way.

Fate though being what she is led me to be based in Cambodia, so whilst it is 4 months late, I have now finished my trip.

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What’s the deal with Anlong Veng?

Beijing Tokyo Anlong Veng? Well it was once a kind of capital city.! Anlong Veng is a small town bordering Thailand in northern Cambodia. During the 80s it was occupied by Vietnamese forces, but after their withdrawal came the Khmer Rouge. They would remain there in some shape or form until 1999. It is the last resting place of most of the main players of the Cambodian genocide.

How do you get to Anlong Veng?

It’s roughly 3 hours from Siem Reap, although we took a detour via the Koh Ker Temples, which added another 3 hours to the journey. I’ll write later about the Koh Kor temples as they’re well worth a visit. There’s no airport here so to fly from a Beijing Tokyo type route you’d initially need to fly to Siem Reap.