Most prosperous region of contemporary Cambodia

At the time, Siem Reap, a sleepy town adjacent to Angkor Wat, was also in the grip of post-war agony, economic hardship and the persistent threat of landmine explosions. To this day, an estimated 3–4 million mines remain interred across the countryside, their impacts still bloody and horrific. Today, Siem Reap has become a bustling mini-metropolis of 120 thousand citizens, with an economy deeply tied to the thriving tourism industry centered around Angkor Wat. Countless restaurants, bars and cafés have popped up to cater to the tourists and backpackers, as well as to the growing community of expats and foreign NGO (Non-Governmental charitable Organizations) employees. Siem Reap is certainly deserving of its peace and prosperity. But has a renewed sense of higher purpose arisen, too, and where can it be found? I submit that your best starting point is Peace Café, on Street 26, on the east shore of the Siem Reap River.

Nestled in a tranquil, tropical tree-shaded courtyard, Peace Café is a welcome sight, a refuge from the heat, traffic and aggressive taxi drivers just a couple of blocks away at the Old Market, the heart of the old city.