This is from a while back now. But I just came across back dated Fah Thai (Thai Airways) inflight magazines online. I hadn't gotten a copy of the magazine at the time, but it's some of my photos and an essay by Dennis Gray from my Banteay Chhmar travel photography assignment for the May 2012 issue. I was hired through Asia Motion photographers agency based in Phnom Penh.
From Siem Reap my assistant Tauch Lon and I travelled by bus to Sisophon in Banteay Meanchey province, then took a shared taxi to Banteay Chhmar. As there are no guest houses in Banteay Chhmar we stayed at a homestay with a very nice Khmer family. The next day we unofficially rented a motorbike from a local who was a volunteer at the Banteay Chhmar Community-Based Tourism (CBT) group - http://www.visitbanteaychhmar.org This gave us the freedom to explore the whole area and the satellite temples by ourselves. It was proper Indiana Jones, apart from some restoration guys and a few local kids with sling shots we had the temples to ourselves.
The villagers around there are really laid back, none of the hardcore tourist business you get in Siem Reap. It took me back to when I first came to Cambodia in 1999 and then to live in 2002, when Phnom Penh people were super easy going and friendly.
It was baking hot in late March but it was well worth it, just got to get up early. It is way up North near the Thai border, not too far from either Sisophon or Poipet, less 2 than hours in a taxi.
My travel photographs from the shoot can be viewed here on this site.
