Kong Eak; Eak has just turned 26 years old, is single and was born in Phnom Penh. Like most Cambodians, he loves the beaches of Sihanoukville, while Banteay Srei is his top temple choice. He began as a tour guide in 2003 after working as a marketing officer. Working as a permanent guide with Hanuman for the last two and half years, his favourite tipple is Angkor beer, he enjoys football and golf and for food, he prefers fish amok and samlor karko soup. He’s a fan of Sinn Sisamouth and the present-day heart-throb, Preap Sovath. For his choice of foreign destination, Singapore gets his vote because it’s so clean.
Sok Chamroeun; Chamroeun is 52 years old this year and is married with two children. He was a high school teacher and worked for NGOs as an interpreter before becoming a tour guide more than a decade ago, making him one of the most experienced guides in Phnom Penh. He’s worked with Hanuman for the last four years and guided for all of our major partners. Born and bred in the city, the remoter regions of Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri are his favourite Cambodian locations, while Angkor Wat is his pick of the Angkor temples. He loves amok and orange juice, he’s a big fan of Sinn Sisamouth’s singing and in his free time he likes jogging and cycling. One country he would really like to visit is Thailand to see the Khmer-built temples in the northeast provinces.
Sok Reaksmey; Born in Kompong Cham thirty years ago, Reaksmey studied law and management at the Royal University of Phnom Penh and was on the reservations staff at a tour company before becoming a tour guide in 1997. In his words, “the Soul of Cambodia, Angkor Wat,” gets his temple vote whilst the Northeast of the country is where he loves to go exploring and trekking. Singapore is his foreign destination of choice, whilst Prahoc (Cambodian cheese aka fermented fish paste) and pure water are regularly on his menu at meal-times. Singer Keo Sarath is his favourite musical artist, he loves to play table tennis and his ambition is to be healthy and wealthy.
Voun Vannarith; Rith first worked with Hanuman two years ago, having become a tour guide in 1999. Before that he studied in Russia, where he would love to return for a holiday, and he subsequently spent eight years working at the National Museum. Now 37 years old, he’s married with one son. Born in Koki in Kandal province, his favourite Angkor temple is Banteay Srei but he has great affection for the group of temples just outside Kompong Thom, at Sambor Prei Kuk. His ambition is to become a lawyer, whilst fish amok, washed down with Angkor beer is his favourite meal-time combination. He’s another who loves to listen to Sinn Sisamouth, and he can be found playing volleyball in his spare time.
Ou Sophannarith; Rith has been a tour guide for six years after teaching English in a private school. Phnom Penh born, he’s now 34 years old and is married with two children. The beautiful bas-reliefs at Angkor Wat capture his vote while the diverse attractions in his home city make it his favourite location. He really enjoyed a recent trip to Thailand and is now looking forward to visiting Vietnam. Another Sinn Sisamouth devotee, his other favourites are fish amok, orange juice and football.
Mao Punlok; To supplement his university studies, Punlok worked in the hotel trade for five years and has taught English privately for six years. He became a tour guide in 2003 and has worked with Hanuman for the past year. Now 27 and born in Phnom Penh, he’s married with two children. Fish and sour soup is his dish of choice, washed down with coconut juice. Sinn Sisamouth gets his vote in the singing category and he’s a fan of motorcycle racing. Visiting the United Kingdom would be his dream holiday, though the eco-tourism destination of Ratanakiri is his choice in Cambodia, with Angkor Wat following closely behind. His ambition is to start up an NGO aimed at improving education in the remoter parts of his homeland.
Thach Thikimlieng; One of the more experienced tour guides in Phnom Penh, Kimlieng is a widow with four children whose English is excellent, so good in fact that many assume she is overseas Khmer. She spent a long period living in Vietnam as a refugee and willingly shares many of her painful personal experiences with guests. She began as a tour guide in 1992 after experience as a clerk typist for a construction company and began working with Hanuman and its partners four years ago. She was born in Phnom Penh, likes to keep fit, enjoys eating samlor prorheur soup and fresh water. Of the Angkor temples, Ta Prohm is her favourite, while Europe would be her holiday of choice.
Pov Butha; Butha, who was born in Svay Rieng province, will be 31 years old in October and is married with two children. He’s worked with Hanuman for the last three years, qualifying as a tour guide in 1998 after experience in ticketing and reservations with a tour company. He loves guiding as it gives him the opportunity to meet people from around the world. Angkor Wat, the “soul of Cambodia’ gets his temple vote, he loves the whole temple complex but also feels its important that the world understands recent Khmer history by visiting the Khmer Rouge memorials at Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek. He’d love to visit Europe, adores fish amok and frog, coffee and the occasional Angkor beer, likes to listen to Sinn Sisamouth and his favourite sports are soccer, tennis and boxing.
San Visoth; Born in Kompong Cham, Visoth is 27 years old, married with a newly-born daughter. He qualified as a tour guide in 2002 after working as a government officer and has been a guide with Hanuman for just over a year. He loves Angkor Wat for its carvings and amazing construction, whilst Burma is top of his list of counties he’d like to visit. Amok with snail shells, sugar cane juice and Sinn Sisamouth are his declared favourites, while sports-wise, he enjoys cycling, swimming and a daily game of ‘sei’.
Siem Reap
Meas Dara Polrith; Known to everyone as Paul, he worked in the hotel trade before qualifying as a tour guide in 1995, and joined Hanuman three years ago. He’s very knowledgeable on the subject of Cambodian history and culture and also has a keen interest in flora and fauna, with a wealth of detail on medicinal uses of plants and flowers around Angkor. In addition to guiding numerous tours with partner clients, he’s also a regular on the safari and cycling tours and with his keen sense of humour, he’s one of the most popular members of our team. Paul will be 33 in November and is married with two children. Angkor Wat is his preferred Angkor temple, whilst the United States would be his choice as a foreign destination. Prahoc (Cambodian cheese aka fermented fish paste)and beer get his vote too, as does football as his preferred sport and the ever-popular duo of Sinn Sisamouth and Ros Sereysothea are his musical choices. His ambition is to be a lawyer. Read an interview with Polrith in Compass Magazine here.
Khsang Savuth; One of the more experienced guides in Siem Reap and Angkor, Vuth is 42 years old and has worked with Hanuman for the last four years, though has been a tour guide since 1991. He’s guided for many of our Temple Safari tours to the remote temples of Preah Vihear province. Prior to this, he worked at the Grand Hotel (now Raffles). The Bayon gets his vote as the top temple though he is very proud of all the Angkor temples which demonstrate the beauty of Khmer culture. The USA is at the top of his holiday list, while sweet and sour fried fish and Cambodian wine is at the head of his menu. Football gets his sporting vote whilst the beautiful voice of Touch Srey Nich makes great listening in Savuth’s opinion.
Mean Ley; Thirty-three year old Ley is married with two children and was a policeman before becoming a tour guide in 1995. He’s a long established guide with Hanuman connections, having first worked with us as far back as 2000, and has assisted many of our major partners. Football and listening to Sinn Sisamouth are his favourite past-times, while lok-lak beef and yellow tea are his preferred meal choice. The United States would be first on a list of foreign destinations, while Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm are his pride and joy of the Angkor temples.
Chap Narong; Narong has worked with Hanuman for the last four years, regularly receiving excellent feedback for his commitment to clients. He’s now 32 years old, single and was a student before qualifying as a guide in 2000. His ambition is to become either a politician or a lawyer, whilst his preferred singers of choice are Ros Sereysothea and Sinn Sisamouth. Chicken soup and fish amok with Angkor beer and palm wine are his choice at meal times, with football and snooker his top sports. Somewhat surprisingly for a Cambodian, Thailand is his preferred holiday destination. Like a lot of the Angkor guides, the temples of Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat are at the top of his personal list of favourites.
Prom Chomrong; Married with three children, 36 year old Rong was born in Kompong Khleang on the Tonle Sap lake. Formerly a teacher and taxi driver, he became a guide in 2000 and has worked with Hanuman for the last three years, particularly on the temple safari tours. 'Ronnie' also worked on Tomb Raider as the local transport coordinator, responsible for 100 vehicles or more during the shoot. America would be his dream holiday, Angkor Wat gets his temple vote, while fish amok and Angkor beer are his meal-time favourites. No surprise that Sinn Sisamouth is his musical choice, whilst volleyball and tennis are his preferred sports.
Kong Sovann; Now 33 years old and married with one child, Vann was born in Kandal province and has been a tour guide since 1998, working with Hanuman for the last two years and is well used to trekking and safari tours. Snooker and tennis are his sports, Sinn Sisamouth again gets his vote for top singer, while samlor karko soup and wine are his meal-time choices. He’d love to visit southern Vietnam, while the Bayon is his favourite temple at Angkor.
Loeung Viseth; Previously an English teacher, Seth has been a tour guide for seven years, spending the last three working with Hanuman, and has lots of experience in guiding tours in the northern provinces of Cambodia. Now 34 years old and single, he particularly loves the temple of Banteay Srei and its beautiful sandstone carvings. He’d love to visit the United States, enjoys football and kick boxing, the songs of Sinn Sisamouth, as well as prahoc (Cambodian cheese aka fermented fish paste), washed down with Tiger beer.
Hok San; San is a very popular guide, thanks to a good sense of humour, excellent English and a real care for his clients. He’s been a tour guide since 2004, and worked with Hanuman for more than two years. Now 28 and single, he was previously one of the checkpoint staff with Apsara at the Angkor temples. The United Kingdom would be his country of choice to visit, while in Cambodia, his two favourite attractions are Ta Prohm and Angkor Wat. He loves fish amok and mixed vegetable soup, and Angkor beer, while his favourite singer is Preap Sovath with snooker and football his sports of choice.
Hanuman is a member of the Cambodian Association of Travel Agents and the Cambodian Community-based Ecotourism Network. Hanuman was cited in ‘The Guide to Responsible Tourism in Cambodia, Laos & Vietnam'.