1. Angkor

The home of the popular Angkor Wat is unquestionably among Cambodia's must-see locations.

Unfortunately, thanks to the famous pagodas and vine-dressed stupas that are tagged by UNESCO, it's also among 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 wonder.

Incorporated by wetland rice paddies and thick jungles, it emerges from the canopy in an assortment of historic Khmer towers and bewitching erstwhile Hindu shrines.

Today, it's the chants of Buddhist monks and gasping tourists that dominates, 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 simply throughout the gulf.

A broken-down place of tin-roofed hostels and bamboo beer bars spilling onto the sands, it oozes 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 might also make a beeline around the headlands to less-trodden Otres Beach, or pay the entry charge for remote Sokha Beach close by.

3. Phnom Penh

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

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

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

For a taste of regional life, be sure to strike the buzzing Sisowath Quay, which runs along the Mekong in a medley of markets and picnic areas.

And-- of course-- there are the so-called Killing Fields simply on the edge of town: sobering and plain tips 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 spot is gradually but definitely raising itself to become one of Cambodia's bona fide backpacker hubs.

It's easy to see why the shoestring tourists enjoy it too-- think inexpensive timber longhouses and earthy guesthouses, truly old ruins at Sambor and traditional craft markets on the water.

However that's not all, due to the fact that Kratie has actually likewise ended up being famous as one of the leading locations to see the Cambodian river dolphin.

Expeditions to stalk these magnificent 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 marvel of Ankgor Wat.

Thanks mainly to the influx of folk coming in current decades, this one has developed into a fine place to go to in its own.

You can delve into an old town of elegant French mansions and captivating Chinese stores, all of which are stressed by the heady fray of Psah Chas market (best for sizzling noodle soups!) and many backpacker bars (look for appropriately-named Bar Street). There are likewise some really great 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, lesser-known sibling of Angkor Wat.

Found deep in the jungles of northern Cambodia, the spot ruled as the capital of the mighty Khmer Empire for a measly 20 years.

Nevertheless, those twenty years of magnificence still reveal, with intricate 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 likewise have the ability to see a sophisticated array of strongholds dating from the 10th century, and collapsing ruins of shrines now almost completely claimed by the roots of huge teak trees.

Simply put: this one's a fine option to bustling Angkor.

7. Koh Rong

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

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

Rustic, salt-sprayed cottages line the coast sporadically, and there are plenty of opportunities for trekking through cheap holiday destinations the forests, or striking the coral-colored sea for a bout of snorkeling.

Koh Rong is also well known for its bioluminescent waters, which twinkle under the dark skies at night-- you'll identify them if you aren't too busy 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.

Gradually however surely, increasingly more adventure hunters and outdoorsy types are waxing down the walking boots and heading to this remote corner of the nation, where macaques meet sliding snakes between the jungle canopies.

The town itself may be a dusty, hectic affair, however there are a lot of tour organizers there who can create journeys out to the beautiful Yeak Laom Volcanic Lake, the gigantic cataract of Cha Ong, or the sweeping rubber plantations that surround the province.

9. Kampot

Kampot may appear tantalizingly close to the coast for it not to be about beaches, but this river town on the delta waters of the Praek Tuek Chhu uses something absolutely various than simply sand, sea and sun.

Start with a journey to the pepper farms that blanket the local flatlands-- they are not just the primary economic driver here, but likewise accountable for the distinct peppercorns of Kampot.

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

And then there's the selection of dilapidating colonial integrate in the center, in addition to the rusting shells of old locomotives in the Kampot railway station.

10. Mondulkiri

Asian elephants stalk the fields and bushlands of far-flung Mondulkiri Province; water buffalo and lumber longhouses ring the wetlands, as peaks of forest-clad rock rise 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 slowly ending up being well known for its second-to-none elephant conservation task.

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

11. Battambang

Statue-dotted Battambang is maybe something of an uncommon favorite 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 terrific hotels to pick from, all of which hide 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 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, decades 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 rental properties and burned out hotels along the shore.

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

Oh, and don't leave without tasting the popular Kep crab-- one of Cambodia's a lot of legendary staples!

13. Koh Thonsay

Rabbit Island (as it's known in English) is one of the gems 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.

However, Koh Thonsay likewise includes far fewer crowds than its compadres throughout the waters in the Land of Smiles, and the prices are less expensive too! The very best thing to do is strap on the strolling boots and hike the seaside tracks.

Sooner or later you'll discover a remote cove of shimmering shore 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 cascade down to meet the Indian Ocean.

Undeveloped and untouched by the start of contemporary tourism, the location stays a picture of wild Southeast Asia.

A smattering of casinos and sleazy massage parlors do still remain on from the days when Krong was a smuggler passage town on the Thai border, but the genuine pulls are undoubtedly the gushing waterfalls, the wild jungles, and-- naturally-- 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 controlled