Angkor Wat Temple |
Cambodia Travel Guide will help you discover one of Southeast Asia’s most enjoyable destinations. Visit Cambodia, and you’ll find plentiful attractions ranging from unspoilt beaches and colonial townscapes through to dense forests and majestic rivers and lakes. The legendary temples of Angkor continue to attract millions of visitors each year. Away from the temples, Cambodia is refreshingly untouristy. Cambodia remains largely unexplored in many places. New roads now bring once remote destinations within easy reach.
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Benteay Srey Temple |
- - Cambodia travel facts Where to go in Cambodia
- - Best time to go to Cambodia
- - How to get to Cambodia
- - How to get around Cambodia
- - 10 best places to visit in Cambodia
- - Cambodia travel itineraries
- - Travel advice for Cambodia
- - Travel visa requirements for Cambodia
- - Accommodation in Cambodia
- - Food and drink in Cambodia
- - Activities in Cambodia
- - Сulture of Cambodia
- Cambodia travel facts
- Spoken language: Khmer
- Currency: Riel (r) or US dollar
- Population: 16 million
- Capital: Phnom Penh
- Religions: Theravada Buddhism (97%), Islam, Christianity, Animism
- Flag: The Cambodian flag has an image of Angkor Wat. It is the only national flag in the world with a picture of a building on it.
Where to go in Cambodia
If you’re looking for the best place to travel in Cambodia, choosing where to go can be tough. When travelling Cambodia, there is so much to discover including cities, villages and breathtaking beaches. This ‘where to go in Cambodia’ guide gives an overview of the destinations worth adding to any Cambodia travel wishlist.
If you’re looking for the best place to travel in Cambodia, choosing where to go can be tough. When travelling Cambodia, there is so much to discover including cities, villages and breathtaking beaches. This ‘where to go in Cambodia’ guide gives an overview of the destinations worth adding to any Cambodia travel wishlist.
Cambodia’s cities
Phnom Penh is the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The city is an alluring attraction in its own right. The centre has broad appeal, and its French influence is evident in the open-fronted colonial shophouses that line the streets. There are a mind-boggling number of restaurants, bars and cafes to try. Many tourists that travel to Cambodia linger here for the culinary experience. You can also take a boat trip from Phnom Penh along the mighty Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers.
Siem Reap is Cambodia’s principal tourist town. This city offers a gateway to the temples of Angkor. More than one hundred Angkorian monuments lie spread over some 3000 square kilometres of the countryside around the town. Siem Reap retains its small-town charm despite its popularity. It’s a lively city with many activities and attractions including lively Psar Chas Market, buzzing cafes, bars, boutique shops and plentiful nightlife. It’s also a good spot from which to visit the nearby floating villages on the Tonle Sap.
Laidback Battambang is Cambodia’s second biggest city. It is worlds apart from Phnom Penh’s urban bustle. It has a growing number of ex-pats fuelling the growth of arty cafes, restaurants and bars. It’s also home to impressive colonial architecture. You can take a countryside ride on its quirky bamboo railway.
Kompong Cham is Eastern Cambodia’s largest city. The waterfront is particularly attractive, with a string of colonial buildings lined up along the Mekong.
Temples of Angkor
For most tourists that choose to come here, their Cambodia trip is not complete without a visit to the unforgettable temples of Angkor. Understandably, this is high on the list for many who travel Cambodia as it is one of the most important archaeological sites of Southeast Asia. The awe-inspiring Angkor Wat is the most famous of the temples dominated by five corncob towers. Visit early in the morning to avoid some of the crowds. The temples attract some two million visitors per year. Visit How to see Angkor Wat without the crowds for more tips.
Southwest Cambodia & The Southern Islands
Visit the Southwest to discover miles of unspoilt beaches, hidden coves and idyllic Cambodian islands. Sihanoukville is the most popular beach resort. Ochheuteal Beach and Serendipity Beach Road justify their party town reputation. There are quieter spots too, particularly around Otres, 6km away. Sihanoukville is also the entry point to the islands of Koh Rong, Koh Rong Samloem and Koh Ta Kiev. Koh Rong has a buzzing backpacker strip at Koh Toch. The beaches at Long Set and Long Beach along the west coast are more laidback. Peaceful Koh Ta Tiev retains a real castaway vibe. Remember to take cash as there are no ATM’s on the islands.
Ream National Park is 18km east of Sihanoukville. It’s a great place to explore Cambodia’s unspoilt natural environment. The park is evergreen with mangrove forests, sandy beaches, coral reefs, and offshore islands. The riverside town of Kampot with the backdrop of misty Bokor mountains is one of Cambodia’s most appealing towns to add to your Cambodia trip itinerary. 25km southeast of Kampot, Kep is a favourite
with ex-pats and Cambodians who descend at the weekend. They are attracted by its delicious, inexpensive seafood, freshly plucked from the ocean.
Eastern Cambodia
If you travel to Cambodia and you like nature and wildlife, the east is the place to be. There are patches of dense, unspoilt rainforest that remain in Eastern Cambodia. The riverside town of Kratie is an excellent base for exploring the nearby countryside. Just over 20km from Kratie is Kampie which provides the best riverside vantage point to view a pod of rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins. It’s thought that only around eighty remain in the entire Mekong river.
Tucked away in the forest near the sleepy capital of Banlung in the Rattanakiri province, there is a trio of impressive nearby waterfalls Ka Chhang, Katieng and Chha Ong.
Best time to go to Cambodia
Figuring out the best time to travel Cambodia depends on what you plan to do when you arrive. Cambodia is warm all year round, but it has a rainy season too.
If you visit Cambodia between March and May, the temperatures and humidity are higher. Visiting at this time can still be a good choice if you are hitting the coast. If you are travelling Cambodia to explore the temples, the season between November and February is cool enough for sightseeing. December and January can be the most popular time for tourists.
Travel Cambodia in the rainy season, and you’ll find the countryside at its lushest. Travelling around Cambodia during this season can present some practical challenges and flooding is commonplace. However, the mornings are usually dry as the rain mainly falls in the afternoon. If you do choose to go visit in the rainy season, you’ll avoid the crowds too.
Find out more from our Cambodia Travel Guide about when to go to Cambodia.
How to get to Cambodia
The busiest International Airports are Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. There aren’t any direct flights from Europe to Cambodia. You can reach Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap via Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Ho Chi Minh City and several other destinations. Take a look at Skyscanner for more options.
It’s also possible to travel overland into Cambodia from neighbouring countries. You can cross the border at several spots in Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Find out more Cambodia travel information in Getting to Cambodia.
How to get around Cambodia
When planning how to travel around Cambodia, consider the transport as part of the adventure.
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