Are you wondering: What are the best places to visit in Cambodia?
The country is rather small, but is rich in history and culture. Usually a visit to Cambodia is linked to its unique and magical temples of the archaeological complex of Angkor, but the country is much more: fantastic countryside with its light and slow pace, charming colonial towns, breathtaking nature, a nice sea in the south, friendly people and good food!
I will try to introduce some of the most interesting destinations in the country and suggest what to see in Cambodia!
Cambodia what to see: Where to start?
International flights arrive at Phnom Penh International Airport (The Capital), Sihanoukville International Airport (Cambodia’s maritime destination, which is becoming increasingly popular and touristic) and Siem Reap International Airport (to visit the temples of Angkor).
An idea is to get to Siem Reap and leave from Phnom Penh, or vice versa. Or make a loop from one of these two airports.
You can also access the country by land flying to Bangkok in Thailand or to Ho Chi Minh in Vietnam.
The country is not big, but transports are slow because the infrastructure (especially in the north) is not suitable for fast traffic, the situation is still improving over time!
Cambodia what to see: The main tourist destinations.
- Phnom Penh –
The capital, once known as “the pearl of Asia” because of its beauty, is a fairly chaotic city that still has many buildings with French colonial style.
The name derives from a legend that tells of an old lady named Penh who, after a storm, found four Buddha statues in the Tonle Sap river and decided to build a temple at the top of the hill (Phnom in Khmer) near her home , where to store and honor them: Phnom Penh means “The hill of Penh”.
The town retains the horrors of the tormented Cambodian history in its killing fields and in the dreadful S21 or Tuol Sleng prison, a visit worths it to realize what was the monstrous period of the Pol Pot’s Khmer Rouge.
But beyond the horrors, the city also preserves the best of Cambodia’s history in its National Museum of Cambodia and the Silver Pagoda also known as Wat Preah Keo, which is located within the complex of the royal palace and contains the statue of the Emerald Buddha.
A picturesque riverside where you can take a leisurely stroll, with hotels, bars and restaurants in colonial buildings. Markets overflowing with goods and people, delicious food and a friendly population are just some of the attractions that are making Phnom Penh regain its award of Pearl of Asia.
Koh Dach is very interesting: the silk island, near the capital. Located on the Mekong River is a great opportunity for a day trip.
– Kratie –
You visit the small town of Kratie more than anything else to see its unique and rare Irrawaddy dolphins, freshwater cetaceans living in the Mekong River.
It is also a good stopover for those who want to reach Laos.
Another destination in colonial style with exciting sunsets over the Mekong River, you will take back home wonderful photo shoots! You can visit Koh Trong, one of the islands on the river where there is a relaxed village and its friendly inhabitants. Rent a bike and jump on the ferry to reach the island!
- Sihanoukville –
The first to arrive here were backpackers, for a while Sihanoukville (also known as Kampong Som) remained quiet, before becoming an important tourist attraction of the country.
Main sea destination in Cambodia: relax in the beautiful tropical islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem and on the many beaches: Occheuteal, Otres Beach, Victory Beach, Independence Beach, Sokha Beach, and Serendipity Beach.
- Tonle Sap –
Tonle Sap is the largest lake in Southeast Asia, during the dry season and the rainy season, the lake changes its size a lot, getting bigger and shrinking even 5 times depending on the amount of water that goes down (…or doesn’t go down) from the sky.
Very beautiful are its floating villages: Chong Khneas, Kampong Phluk, Kampong Khleang are just some of the most visited. The best time to go is when the lake got its highest water, from June to October. Everything takes place on the water and the locals move on boats from one house to another or to reach small shops selling fruits, vegetables, meat and fish.
Important for fishing and as a water reserve for the country.
- Battambang –
For me, Battambang is the real Cambodia.
Rather far from mass tourism destinations, this beautiful, tranquil town retains its traditional spirit and marvelous colonial architecture.
All around the village, the fascinating countryside, ancient temples, beautiful landscapes and the chance to experience the real Khmer life!
Very enjoyable is the experience of a trip of a few minutes on the Bamboo Train, a kind of train composed of a bamboo platform on rails that is disassembled and reassembled every time another similar means of transport is crossing the rail. Used for the transport of goods between villages, it is now more an attraction for tourists who come here.
You can make different experiences in the various small factories where they produce rice paper or to assist in the preparation of other typical craft products and visit some local markets.
Usually you can combine everything in a day trip, just bargain with a Tuk Tuk driver and he will take you to the chosen places. Phnum Sampov Temple and Banan Temple are also two popular destinations in the area.
- Kampot e Kep –
Two other towns that preserve the old French colonial style are Kampot and Kep.
Surrounded by beautiful landscapes, beaches, mountains, temples and caves where you can do various outdoor activities. Like at Kep National Park, an 8km circuit in the jungle that can be traveled on foot or by bike. The ‘Stairway to Heaven Trail‘ is worth a walk, it goes towards the top of the hill reaching a pagoda, from here you can have spectacular views of the sea.
Kep is famous for its excellent and cheap crabs, while Kampot is famous for its delicious pepper, renowned all over the world! You can also explore the salt pans around here.
Near Kampot is the Bokor Hill Station, built by the French in the 1920s as a refuge from the heat of Phnom Penh. Now abandoned, it represents the perfect set of a ghost movie! But do not be afraid to visit it, it’s really interesting!
– Mondulkiri –
The Mondulkiri province is the largest in Cambodia but it is also the least inhabited.
Ideal destination for eco-tourism: mountains, waterfalls, jungle with its fascinating flora and fauna (elephants, bears and leopards), villages and temples.
The town of Sen Monorom is a starting point for explorations in the area, quiet and set in the surrounding hills. Around the city center you can experience the village life of one of the many tribal minorities in the area, some of the most famous: Pou Lung, Pou Trou and Pou Tang.
Another place to visit in the area is the park Mondulkiri Project, which takes care of preserving the elephants and the environment that surrounds them: a park that, fortunately, does not exploit the poor animals to make money like a tourist attraction … as too often it happens in these parts. You will have the opportunity to observe the animals in their natural environment and experience their friendly sweetness.
Banlung
I remember Banlung especially for his red powder! A dusty road will take you to an even more dusty town in Ratanakiri province, in the north of Cambodia, near the border with Laos and Vietnam.
Fortunately, in the surrounding area everything is green: forests, beautiful waterfalls such as Cha Ong (check that it’s not the dry season!), Plantations of rubber trees and delicious cashew nuts, serene villages that host about 12 different ethnic groups and the nearby Yeak Lake Laom, formed in a volcanic crater. Attractions that could keep you busy for a few days in nature.
- Siem Reap –
And last but not least, the main attraction of the country: Siem Reap and its legendary Temples of the Angkor archaeological complex!
Unable to write in a single article about this place because the vastness and the number of attractions deserve a separate page. I will try to summarize the main wonders few kilometers out of Siem Reap.
The town itself was born to accommodate tourists who want to visit the temples of Angkor. Although it is almost super-mega-touristy, I found Siem Reap a rather pleasant place: there are many bars and restaurants and a nice indoor market in the city center. There are also many massage centers, really convenient after a dusty day among the temples!
All around Siem Reap is the beautiful Cambodian countryside, where the complex of temples of Angkor has arisen: it was the capital of the Khmer Empire and became the religious and political center between the ninth and fifteenth centuries.
There are hundreds of temples that can be visited and that are spread over an immense area of about 15 square kilometers, some of the most important (and beautiful) temples:
Angkor Wat – The largest and most famous temple, depicted on the flag of Cambodia.
Bayon – with its 200 stone faces looking in every direction, represents the Mount Meru from the Hindu and Buddhist mythology.
Beng Mealea – quite far from the center, but it’s worth it !!
Ta Prohm – The roots of the trees and the trunks have become one with the stones of the temples creating a fantastic, enchanted and unique place!
Banteay Srei – 25km from the main temple complex, built using red sandstone has beautiful and well-preserved sculptures and elaborate decorations.
Obviously there are many other wonders to visit! An advice is to start with the smaller temples and keep the most beautiful ones for the last day.
Do not miss the spectacular sunrises and sunsets from one of the temples! Especially the sunrise on Angkor Wat.
Another attraction around Siem Reap is the Tonle Sap Lake and its villages not far from the center (see above on the Tonle Sap lake).
Cambodia what to see … conclusions.
If the mass tourism focuses on Siem Reap to visit its fabulous Angkor temples, the Southeast Asian country has much more to offer to travelers and tourists, both in terms of culture and landscape.
Cambodia is a country that is becoming more and more unique here in Asia, as it still maintains a charm that many other places are losing because getting more and more modern.
I recommend spending some time walking around and exploring the Asian country and trying to get deeper into what can be a really interesting and unique trip !!
