Grub's up

Here's the Banteay Chhmar Homestay team, looking a bit nervous for the camera

Homestays are an attractive proposition for some travellers who want to stay longer than just a quick in-then-out visit and who want to get to know the villagers a little better and to understand lifestyles, etc. They are just beginning to find their feet in Cambodia with one or two options but they are still in their infancy compared to other countries, where they are a staple diet for backpackers et al. One such enterprise is the community-based Banteay Chhmar Homestay, who were set up with help from the French NGO, Agir Pour Le Cambodge but who now are going it alone. In addition to homestay options that they offer ($7 pp per night), they will also put on a glorious lunch ($3 pp) inside Banteay Chhmar temple itself, as they did recently for a 30-strong tour of staff from Hanuman. The villagers did us proud with a lovely spread and as you can see from the photo below, our group eagerly tucked in until there was no more grub to be seen. I thoroughly recommend this option for small groups travelling to the remote northwestern temple of Banteay Chhmar, just get in touch with the village committee before you go. Contact number is 012 237 605.

A hungry group from Hanuman devour the tasty fare