1. Angkor

The home of the famous Angkor Wat is absolutely one of Cambodia's must-see places.

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

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

Incorporated by wetland rice paddies and thick jungles, it emerges from the canopy in a medley of historical Khmer towers and enchanting erstwhile Hindu shrines.

Today, it's the chants of Buddhist monks and gasping tourists that dominates, as they weave between the elaborate base reliefs and the fantastic sandstone sculptures of mythic monsters.

2. Sihanoukville

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

A broken-down place of tin-roofed hostels and bamboo beer bars spilling onto the sands, it exudes a laid-back ambiance that's a welcome break from the country's other urban.

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

For something a little quieter, you could also make a beeline around the headlands to less-trodden Otres Beach, or pay the entry charge for secluded Sokha Beach nearby.

3. Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is a city in flux: a location where barrios of haphazard shack homes mingle with gilded temples of gold leaf and straight-laced highways of the 21st century.

That suggests it's also a great area to get to grips with the nature of Cambodia as a whole; a country nicely balanced in between the old and the new.

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

For a taste of local life, make certain to hit the buzzing Sisowath Quay, which runs along the Mekong in a medley of markets and picnic spots.

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

4. Kratie

Defined 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 area is slowly however surely raising itself to become one of Cambodia's authentic backpacker hubs.

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

However that's not all, because Kratie has also ended up being well known as one of the top locations to see the Cambodian river dolphin.

Excursions to stalk these majestic mammals in the Mekong leave from the docks every day.

5. Siem Reap

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

Thanks largely to the increase of folk https://webhitlist.com/profiles/blogs/wat-langka-must-visit-attractions-in-phnom-penh coming in recent years, this one has established into a fine place to visit in its own.

You can look into an old town of classy French estates and charming Chinese stores, all of which are punctuated by the heady fray of Psah Chas market (best for sizzling noodle soups!) and countless backpacker bars (try to find appropriately-named Pub Street). There are likewise some actually terrific museums in Siem Reap, like the sobering Cambodia Landmine Museum and the (equally sobering) War Museum Cambodia.

6. Koh Ker

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

Located deep in the jungles of northern Cambodia, the spot reigned as the capital of the magnificent Khmer Empire for a measly twenty years.

Those 2 years of magnificence still show, with sophisticated stupas extending from the canopies and the 1,000-year-old rises of the stepped Prasat Thom temples skyrocketing more than 30 meters above the ground.

You'll also have the ability to see a fancy variety of fortifications dating from the 10th century, and falling apart ruins of shrines now almost entirely claimed by the roots of huge teak trees.

In short: this one's a fine alternative to busy Angkor.

7. Koh Rong

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

It boasts a massive 23 specific stretches of sand, all of which are far quieter and untouched than their compadres throughout the straits in Sihanoukville.

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

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

8. Banlung

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

Slowly but undoubtedly, more and more adventure seekers and outdoorsy types are waxing down the walking boots and heading to this remote corner of the nation, where macaques fulfill slinking snakes between the jungle canopies.

The town itself may be a dirty, chaotic affair, however there are lots of tour organizers there who can put together journeys out to the lovely Yeak Laom Volcanic Lake, the gigantic cataract of Cha Ong, or the sweeping rubber plantations that surround the province.

9. Kampot

Kampot might seem tantalizingly close to the coast for it not to be about beaches, however this river town on the delta waters of the Praek Tuek Chhu provides something totally various than simply sand, sea and sun.

Start with a trip to the pepper farms that blanket the regional flatlands-- they are not only the primary financial driver here, but likewise accountable for the unique peppercorns of Kampot.

The town is also home to a series of earthy fishing villages, where seafood fries come splashed in chili and lemongrass.

And after that there's the range of dilapidating colonial builds in the center, in addition to the rusting shells of old engines in the Kampot train station.

10. Mondulkiri

Asian elephants stalk the fields and bushlands of far-flung Mondulkiri Province; water buffalo and wood longhouses call the wetlands, as peaks of forest-clad rock rise to meet the border with Vietnam.

This eastern jewel is a far cry from the sun-scorched lands and steamy tropical climes that control the rest of the nation, and is slowly ending up being renowned for its second-to-none elephant preservation job.

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

11. Battambang

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

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

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

Lively traveler bars line the streets and there are some terrific hotels to choose from, all of which hide in between the periodic Buddhist temple and the throbbing Central Market.

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

12. Kep

Poor little Kep is just a shadow of the jet setter resort for Cambodian dignitaries it was 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 remnants of that dark age can still be seen in the type of destroyed vacation homes and burned out hotels along the coast.

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

Oh, and don't leave without tasting the well-known Kep crab-- among Cambodia's most famous staples!

13. Koh Thonsay

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

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

Koh Thonsay likewise comes with far fewer crowds than its compadres across the waters in the Land of Smiles, and the prices are more affordable too! The very best thing to do is strap on the strolling boots and hike the coastal trails.

Sooner or later you'll discover a remote cove of glittering shore waters, totally 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 Jungle waterfall down to satisfy the Indian Ocean.

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

A smattering of gambling establishments and sleazy massage parlors do still linger on from the days when Krong was a smuggler passage town on the Thai border, however the real pulls are surely the gushing waterfalls, the wild jungles, and-- obviously-- the legendary white-sand beaches of Koh Krong Island.

15. Pailin

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

Surrounded by hills of green bush and controlled by the serrated tips of the high hills on the horizon, it was once known as the