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Siem Reap   Phnom Penh

Cambodia offers much for the sightseer and adventurer. From the famed Angkor Wat, the largest ancient temple in the world to her museums and galleries there is something for everyone.

What’s to see in and around the cities

Phnom Penh the capital retains an undeniable charm despite its tumultuous past. Crumbling colonial architecture makes an attractive backdrop to bustling streets and impressive wats (temple-monasteries). Here you will find Wat Ounalom (headquarters of the Cambodian Buddhist patriarchate), Wat Phnom (the hilltop pagoda which gave the city its name) and the newly painted Wat Lang Ka. Then there’s the Silver Pagoda, one of the few places in Cambodia where artefacts from the Khmer culture are preserved. The National Museum is another highlight, with outstanding displays of Khmer crafts.

Just 15km south-west of the city centre, visitors can see the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, where some 17,000 people were killed by the Khmer Rouge. More than 8000 skulls, arranged by sex and age, are visible behind the glass panel of the Memorial Stupa, which was erected in 1988. Today, the Tuol Sleng Museum serves as testament to the crimes of the Khmer Rouge.

Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) The renowned temples of Angkor, Cambodia's greatest tourist attraction located outside Siem Reap are the remains of what was once a much larger administrative and religious centre. Apart from Angkor Wat, two other magnificent temples to visit are the Bayon and Ta Prohm temples. Accommodation can be found in the town of Siem Reap, only a few km from the temples. One can reach Siem Reap by taking daily direct flight from Phnom Penh.

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's only maritime port it makes a reasonable base for exploring the south coast and nearby Ream National Park. Four beaches ring the headland - Ochheuteal, Sokha, Independence and Victory - and the fishing port offers the odd photo opportunity at sunrise or sunset. There are a few dive operations in town, plus a waterfall an hour's drive away that's swim-able. The sleepy colonial riverside resort of Kampot isn't too far away, with the strangely skeletal remains of seaside Kep further along. Sihanoukville is 232km from the capital, and is served by regular buses.

Battambang is Cambodia's second-largest city is home to some of the best-preserved colonial architecture in the country. Until recently Battambang was off the map for road travellers, but facilities have recently been improved and it makes a great base for visiting the nearby temples and villages. There are a number of wats scattered around the town and a small museum that has a collection of Angkor-era artefacts. Beyond the town are a number of hilltop temples, yet more wats and a large lake. Battambang is 293km from the capital and there are flights every day except Tuesday.

What nature has to offer

Rivers and lakes The Mekong river flows through Cambodia from Lao, North, to Vietnam, South. Phnom Penh was built in an auspicious location where the Mekong intersects with the Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers. The Tonle Sap Lake and the Tonle Sap River create a unique phenomenon over the world as the water flow direction reverses twice a year.

Mountains The Dangrek mountain range runs along the northern border, the Cardamom mountains run southwest of Battambang and the Elephant mountain range run east and southeast of Phnom Penh. The country's tallest mountain, Phnom Aoral, at 1.813 m, lies east of the capital between Kampong Chnang and Kampong Speu provinces.

Forests The last virgin rain forests are protected in the north-eastern regions of Cambodia, which are rich in rare woods. In November 1993, the king issued a royal decree which established a system of 23 protected areas covering 3.4 million hectares.

Animals The Ko Prey, jungle cow, Cambodia's national animal, is one of the most endangered species in the world as are some of her other animal inhabitants such as the tiger, elephant and rhinoceros.
 

Off the Regular Routes

Phnom Udong some 40km north of Phnom Penh, was the capital of Cambodia between 1618 and 1866. Several ancient stupas and ruins can be found here. The ruins are sprinkled across two ridges. The smaller has two ruined buildings, several stupas and the remains of the Ta San Mosque. (or at least its remains; all that's left is the building's bullet-pocked walls). A 16th-century treasure is supposed to be hidden below the larger ridge, which is topped by the scattered ruins of a large vihara (sanctuary) and Buddha statue, blown up by the Khmer Rouge in 1977. Surrounding the ruins are some still-intact smaller viharas, stupas and Buddhas. At the base of the ridge is a memorial to victims of Pol Pot, containing the bones of people buried in the 100 or so mass graves found in the area.

Kompong Luong Thousands of people live in this permanently floating town on Tonlé Sap Lake. Houses, schools, karaoke bars and restaurants float atop boat-based foundations, rising and falling up to 5m with the tide. Like the Vietnamese Floating Village on the northern stretch of the lake, the population is mainly Vietnamese. Kompong Luong is near the southern reaches of Tonlé Sap Lake in Pursat province, around 40km northeast of Pursat.

Note: For more information on things to see and do in Cambodia, check out our Sport and Activities pages, our Children’s Activity pages and our Top Ten things to Do pages in each area or Contact Us.