1. Angkor

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

Sadly, thanks to the legendary pagodas and vine-dressed stupas that are tagged by UNESCO, it's likewise among 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 marvel.

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

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

2. Sihanoukville

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

A broken-down place of tin-roofed hostels and bamboo beer bars spilling onto the sands, it exudes 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 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 close by.

3. Phnom Penh

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

That indicates it's also a great area to get to grips with the nature of Cambodia as a whole; a nation nicely well balanced in between the old and the brand-new.

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

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

And-- naturally-- there are the so-called Killing Fields simply on the edge of town: sobering and stark pointers 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 easygoing area is gradually however definitely raising itself to turn into one of Cambodia's authentic backpacker hubs.

It's simple to see why the shoestring tourists like it too-- believe low-cost timber longhouses and earthy guesthouses, really old ruins at Sambor and standard craft markets on the water.

That's not all, because Kratie has also ended up being renowned as one of the leading places to see the Cambodian river dolphin.

Adventures to stalk these stunning mammals in the Mekong leave from the docks every day.

5. Siem Reap

It's true that the majority of people flock to Siem Reap to hop across to the UNESCO marvel of Ankgor Wat.

Thanks mostly to the increase of folk coming in recent years, this one has actually established into a great location to check out in its own.

You can explore an old town of sophisticated French mansions and enchanting Chinese stores, all of which are stressed by the heady fray of Psah Chas market (ideal for sizzling noodle soups!) and many backpacker bars (look for appropriately-named Pub Street). There are also some truly fantastic 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 sibling 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 2 decades of magnificence still show, with fancy 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 sophisticated array of fortifications dating from the 10th century, and crumbling ruins of shrines now practically entirely claimed by the roots of giant teak trees.

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

7. Koh Rong

This eight-shaped island that remains where the waters of the Thai Gulf meet the South China Sea is a photo of tropical perfection.

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

Rustic, salt-sprayed cottages line the coast sporadically, and there are plenty of chances for trekking 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 during the night-- you'll find them if you aren't too hectic guzzling beers in neighboring Koh Tuch Village!

8. Banlung

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

Slowly but certainly, more and more experience seekers and outdoorsy types are waxing down the strolling boots and heading to this remote corner of the country, where macaques fulfill sliding snakes between the jungle canopies.

The town itself may be a dirty, hectic affair, however there are lots of trip organizers there who can assemble journeys out to the gorgeous Yeak Laom Volcanic Lake, the colossal cataract of Cha Ong, or the sweeping rubber plantations that surround the province.

9. Kampot

Kampot might seem tantalizingly near 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 completely different 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 economic chauffeur here, however likewise responsible for the unique peppercorns of Kampot.

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

And after that there's the range of dilapidating colonial integrate in the center, along with the rusting shells of old locomotives in the Kampot railway station.

10. Mondulkiri

Asian elephants stalk the fields and bushlands of distant Mondulkiri Province; water buffalo and timber 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 climes that dominate the rest of the country, and is gradually becoming famous for its second-to-none elephant preservation task.

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

11. Battambang

Statue-dotted Battambang is possibly 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 second city, and we're hardly complaining.

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

Around Battambang is where you'll discover the Wat Baydamram (filled with fruit bats) and the spooky Wat Samraong Knong, which was when 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 damage took its toll on the nation's top seaside retreat, and today residues of that dark age can still be seen in the form of destroyed villas and stressed out hotels along the shore.

Kep is rebounding, and today the beautiful stretches of powdery yellow sand along the Kep Peninsula are alive when more with seafood dining establishments and bars.

Oh, and don't leave without tasting the well-known Kep crab-- one of Cambodia's many legendary staples!

13. Koh Thonsay

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

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

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

Eventually you'll discover a remote cove of sparkling 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 budget backpacker Rain forest waterfall down to satisfy the Indian Ocean.

Undeveloped and unblemished by the start of modern-day tourist, the location remains a photo of wild Southeast Asia.

A smattering of casinos 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-- of course-- the famous 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 controlled by the serrated suggestions of the high hills on the