CAMBODIA TRAVEL GUIDE
Places to visit in Cambodia
Best known as both the home of the colossal temples of Angkor Wat and for the brutal Khmer Rouge era of the 1970s and later civil war, Cambodian history encompasses both some of humanity's greatest artistic accomplishments and most horrific deeds.
Beyond the temples, Cambodia is a prime destination for Southeast Asia travels that manages to charm all who come.
THE TEMPLES OF ANGKOR
One of the world’s most iconic destinations, the Temple of Angkor regularly take the number one spot on lists of the world’s top sights. The most iconic structures here are Angkor Wat, the world’s largest religious building, and the Bayon, one of the world’s strangest temples, with its enigmatic collection of carved stone faces. Then there's Ta Prohm, where wild nature has run riot over ancient carved masonry.
PHNOM PENH
Cambodia's capital is a city of chaotic streets abuzz with motorbikes and car horns that can frazzle at first glance.
Phnom Penh is emerging as a sophisticated modern capital, thanks to its impressive collection of boutique hotels, epicurean eateries and boho bars.
The Royal Palace provides gorgeous examples of traditional artistry, while Tuol Sleng Museum and the killing fields of Choeung Ek speak of the horror and brutality the people of this country suffered under Khmer Rouge rule.
SIEM REAP
This is the country's major activity center, with bundles of tours on offer, from cycle trips around the lush countryside just outside of town to Cambodian cookery tours.
This charming town has emerged as a world-class destination in its own right, thanks to a superb selection of restaurants, cafes and bars, not to mention energetic markets, cool boutiques and edgy galleries
Shoppers will also find plenty to keep them occupied, as central Siem Reap is brimming with opportunities to browse traditional crafts.
Make sure to visit Angkor National Museum, before heading to Angkor Wat itself, to dose up on the history of the site.
KOH RONG SAMLOEM
Just off Cambodia's south coast lie a scattering of islands but much less visited.
Of all the islands, Koh Rong Samloem is one of the most beautiful, with the long, sandy Saracen Bay home to a dozen beach hut resorts that offer a welcome respite from the world.
KAMPOT
Charming Kampot Town offers a wide range of backpacker hostels, riverside resorts and boutique hotels where you can base yourself while you take in the French architectural legacy, explore the pretty river by paddleboard or kayak, or venture into the bucolic countryside on two wheels.
Source: Planet Ware & Lonely Planet