1. Angkor

The house of the well-known Angkor Wat is undoubtedly among Cambodia's must-see locations.

Unfortunately, thanks to the legendary pagodas and vine-dressed stupas that are tagged by UNESCO, it's also one of the busiest areas in the country.

Still, it's definitely worth braving the crowds and hopping out of Siem Reap for a spell to see this world marvel.

Encompassed by wetland rice paddies and dense jungles, it emerges from the canopy in a medley of historic Khmer towers and captivating erstwhile Hindu shrines.

Today, it's the chants of Buddhist monks and gasping travelers that controls, as they weave in between the intricate base reliefs and the fantastic sandstone sculptures of mythic beasts.

2. Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's answer to the backpacker beach towns of Thailand just throughout the gulf.

A ramshackle place of tin-roofed hostels and bamboo beer bars spilling onto the sands, it oozes an easygoing vibe that's a welcome break from the nation's other urban.

The beaches are the place to be both day and night, with the facilities of Ochheuteal offering loungers and water sports aplenty.

For something a little quieter, you might also make a beeline around the headlands to less-trodden Otres Beach, or pay the entry fee for remote Sokha Beach close by.

3. Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is a city in flux: a place where barrios of haphazard shack houses join gilded temples of gold leaf and straight-laced highways of the 21st century.

That means it's likewise a fine area to get to grips with the nature of Cambodia as a whole; a country nicely well balanced between the old and the brand-new.

The piece de resistance is certainly the extravagant Royal Palace complex, which sparkles with the spires of the Silver Pagoda at its.

For a taste of regional life, make certain to strike the buzzing Sisowath Quay, which runs along the Mekong in a collection of markets and picnic spots.

And-- obviously-- there are the so-called Killing Fields simply on the edge of town: sobering and stark reminders of the horrors of Cambodia's 20th-century past.

4. Kratie

Specified by the meanders of the Mekong River as it gushes towards the delta and the South China Sea in the south-east, this laid-back spot is slowly however undoubtedly raising itself to become one of Cambodia's authentic backpacker centers.

It's simple to see why the small tourists love it too-- think inexpensive lumber longhouses and earthy guesthouses, truly old ruins at Sambor and conventional craft markets on the water.

That's not all, because Kratie has also become renowned as one of the leading locations to see the Cambodian river dolphin.

Trips to stalk these marvelous mammals in the Mekong leave from the docks every day.

5. Siem Reap

It holds true that many people flock to Siem Reap to hop throughout to the UNESCO wonder of Ankgor Wat.

Thanks largely to the increase of folk coming in current years, this one has actually established into a fine place to check out in its own.

You can explore an old town of sophisticated French mansions and captivating Chinese stores, all of which are stressed by the heady fray of Psah Chas market (ideal for sizzling noodle soups!) and countless backpacker bars (search for appropriately-named Club Street). There are likewise some truly great museums in Siem Reap, like the sobering Cambodia Landmine Museum and the (similarly sobering) War Museum Cambodia.

6. Koh Ker

Koh Ker is the smaller, lesser-known bro of Angkor Wat.

Located deep in the jungles of northern Cambodia, the spot reigned as the capital of the mighty Khmer Empire for a meager 20 years.

Those two decades of splendor still reveal, with intricate stupas extending from the canopies and the 1,000-year-old increases of the stepped Prasat Thom temples skyrocketing more than 30 meters above the ground.

You'll also be able to see a fancy variety of fortifications dating from the 10th century, and collapsing ruins of shrines now practically totally claimed by the roots of huge teak trees.

In short: this one's a great option to dynamic Angkor.

7. Koh Rong

This eight-shaped island that remains where the waters of the Thai Gulf meet the South China Sea is an image of tropical excellence.

It boasts a massive 23 private stretches of sand, all of which are far quieter and unblemished than their compadres across the straits in Sihanoukville.

Rustic, salt-sprayed bungalows line the coast sporadically, and there are lots of chances for travelling through the forests, or hitting the coral-colored sea for a bout of snorkeling.

Koh Rong is also renowned for its bioluminescent waters, which glimmer under the dark skies at night-- you'll find them if you aren't too hectic guzzling beers in neighboring Koh Tuch Town!

8. Banlung

The provincial capital of Ratanakiri is barely on the tourist radar at all-- at least for the moment, that is.

Gradually however certainly, increasingly more adventure candidates and outdoorsy types are waxing down the walking boots and heading to this remote corner of the country, where macaques satisfy slinking snakes in between the jungle canopies.

The town itself might be a dusty, chaotic affair, but there are a lot of trip organizers there who can put together journeys out to the stunning Yeak Laom Volcanic Lake, the gigantic cataract of Cha Ong, or the sweeping rubber plantations that surround the province.

9. Kampot

Kampot might appear tantalizingly near the coast for it not to be about beaches, but this river town on the delta waters of the Praek Tuek Chhu provides something completely different than simply sand, sea and sun.

Start with a journey to the pepper farms that blanket the local flatlands-- they are not only the primary financial chauffeur here, however also accountable for cheap airplane tickets the special peppercorns of Kampot.

The town is likewise house to a series of earthy fishing towns, where seafood fries come doused in chili and lemongrass.

And then there's the array of dilapidating colonial builds in the center, along with the rusting shells of old locomotives in the Kampot train station.

10. Mondulkiri

Asian elephants stalk the fields and bushlands of remote Mondulkiri Province; water buffalo and wood longhouses ring the wetlands, as peaks of forest-clad rock increase to fulfill the border with Vietnam.

This eastern gem is a far cry from the sun-scorched lands and steamy tropical climates that dominate the rest of the nation, and is slowly becoming well known for its second-to-none elephant conservation project.

Cultural encounters with the earthy Bunong tribespeople are likewise possible, and ecotourism of that sort is now the primary chauffeur here.

11. Battambang

Statue-dotted Battambang is maybe something of an uncommon preferred on the backpacking circuit around Cambodia.

Why? Well, there's not really all that much to see in the town itself, and the temples hardly live up to the majesty of Siem Reap.

Still, folk continue to flock to this 2nd city, and we're barely complaining.

Dynamic tourist bars line the streets and there are some excellent hotels to select from, all of which hide in between the occasional Buddhist temple and the throbbing Central Market.

Around Battambang is where you'll find the Wat Baydamram (filled with fruit bats) and the spooky Wat Samraong Knong, which was as soon as utilized as a Khmer Rouge jail!

12. Kep

Poor little Kep is simply a shadow of the jet setter resort for Cambodian dignitaries it remained in the early 20th century.

Yep, years of war and Khmer Rouge destruction took its toll on the country's top seaside retreat, and today residues of that dark age can still be seen in the form of destroyed villas and burned out hotels along the shore.

However, Kep is rebounding, and today the pretty stretches of grainy yellow sand along the Kep Peninsula are alive once again with seafood restaurants and bars.

Oh, and do not leave without tasting the famous Kep crab-- among Cambodia's most legendary staples!

13. Koh Thonsay

Rabbit Island (as it's understood in English) is among the jewels of Kep Province, set simply out in the waters of the Thai Gulf from the southern coast of the country.

Fringed with gently sloping yellow sands and rows of swaying coconut palms, it's got all the tropical appeals you 'd get out of a tropical island.

Nevertheless, Koh Thonsay likewise comes with far less crowds than its compadres across the waters in the Land of Smiles, and the costs are less expensive too! The best thing to do is strap on the strolling boots and trek the seaside tracks.

Eventually you'll discover a remote cove of shimmering coast waters, completely empty save for the periodic bobbing fishing skiff.

14. Koh Kong

The rugged, salt-sprayed rocks of the Koh Kong coast mark the point where the primeval woods of the Cardamom Mountains Rainforest waterfall down to satisfy the Indian Ocean.

Undeveloped and untouched by the beginning of modern tourist, the place stays a photo of wild Southeast Asia.

A smattering of casinos and sleazy massage parlors do still stick around on from the days when Krong was a smuggler passage town on the Thai border, however the real pulls are definitely the gushing waterfalls, the wild jungles, and-- of course-- the legendary white-sand beaches of Koh Krong Island.

15. Pailin

Pailin can be found deep in the Cardamom Mountains of western Cambodia.

Surrounded by hills of green bush and dominated by the serrated tips of the high hills on the horizon, it was when known as the prime