1. Angkor

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

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

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

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

Today, it's the chants of Buddhist monks and gasping tourists that dominates, as they weave in between the complex 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 ramshackle place of tin-roofed hostels and bamboo beer bars spilling onto the sands, it oozes an easygoing ambiance that's a welcome break from the nation's other city.

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 charge for secluded Sokha Beach nearby.

3. Phnom Penh

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

That means it's likewise a fine spot to get to grips with the nature of Cambodia as a whole; a country neatly balanced in between the old and the new.

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

For a taste of local life, make 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 reminders 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 certainly raising itself to become one of Cambodia's bona fide backpacker hubs.

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

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

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

5. Siem Reap

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

Thanks largely to the influx of folk coming in recent decades, this one has established into a fine location to visit in its own.

You can explore an old town of classy French mansions and enchanting Chinese stores, all of which are punctuated by the heady fray of Psah Chas market (best for sizzling noodle soups!) and many backpacker bars (search for appropriately-named Club Street). There are likewise 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, lesser-known bro of Angkor Wat.

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

Nevertheless, those two decades of splendor still show, with intricate stupas extending from the canopies and the 1,000-year-old rises of the stepped Prasat Thom temples soaring more than 30 meters in the air.

You'll likewise have the ability to see an elaborate variety of strongholds dating from the 10th century, and falling apart ruins https://61f04f1d29491.site123.me/#section-61f178a5c532c of shrines now almost entirely claimed by the roots of huge teak trees.

In other words: this one's a great alternative to busy Angkor.

7. Koh Rong

This eight-shaped island that sits out where the waters of the Thai Gulf fulfill the South China Sea is a picture of tropical perfection.

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 lots of opportunities for travelling through the forests, or hitting the coral-colored sea for a bout of snorkeling.

Koh Rong is likewise famed for its bioluminescent waters, which twinkle under the dark skies during the night-- you'll find them if you aren't too busy guzzling beers in neighboring Koh Tuch Town!

8. Banlung

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

Slowly however definitely, increasingly more adventure hunters and outdoorsy types are waxing down the strolling boots and heading to this remote corner of the country, where macaques fulfill slinking snakes between the jungle canopies.

The town itself might be a dusty, busy affair, but there are lots of trip organizers there who can put together journeys out to the gorgeous 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, but this river town on the delta waters of the Praek Tuek Chhu uses something completely 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 main economic driver here, however also accountable for the unique peppercorns of Kampot.

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

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

10. Mondulkiri

Asian elephants stalk the fields and bushlands of far-flung Mondulkiri Province; water buffalo and timber longhouses ring the wetlands, as peaks of forest-clad rock rise to satisfy 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 nation, and is gradually becoming famous for its second-to-none elephant conservation project.

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

11. Battambang

Statue-dotted Battambang is possibly 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 grumbling.

Dynamic traveler bars line the streets and there are some great hotels to select from, all of which conceal in 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 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 damage took its toll on the nation'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 powdery yellow sand along the Kep Peninsula live once more with seafood restaurants and bars.

Oh, and do not leave without sampling the famous Kep crab-- one of Cambodia's many legendary staples!

13. Koh Thonsay

Rabbit Island (as it's known in English) is among the gems of Kep Province, set just 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 anticipate from a tropical island.

Nevertheless, Koh Thonsay also features far less crowds than its compadres across the waters in the Land of Smiles, and the costs are more affordable too! The very best thing to do is strap on the walking boots and trek the coastal tracks.

Eventually you'll find a secluded cove of sparkling coast waters, absolutely empty save for the occasional 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 fulfill the Indian Ocean.

Undeveloped and unblemished by the onset of contemporary tourism, 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 undoubtedly 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 dominated by the serrated pointers of the high hills on the horizon, it was once known