Cambodia Attractions
Angkor Archaeological Park
Angkor Archaeological Park, located in northern Cambodia, is one of the most important archaeological sites in South-East Asia. Stretching over some 400 sq. km, including forested area, Angkor contains the magnificent remains of several capitals of the Khmer Empire, from the 9th to the 15th century CE. These include the famous Temple of Angkor Wat and, at Angkor Thom, the Bayon Temple with its countless sculptural decorations. Angkor was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1992 - the same year it was also placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger. UNESCO has now set up a wide-ranging programme to safeguard this symbolic site and its surroundings. Click here for in-depth travel information about Angkor Wat and the Angkor Archaeological Park.
Bokor National Park
The main attraction in Bokor National Park is the old French hill station at 1000m which can be visited as a day trip from Kampot or Sihanoukville. Bokor hill station was built by the French in the 1920s to be used as a retreat from the heat of the plains. Many Khmer died during the construction of the road and hill station and many others suffered due to the increased taxes needed to finance the project. Among the national park's celebrated fauna are wild elephants and tigers. There is generally nice cool mountain air during the day but it can get cold at night so bring warm clothes when staying overnight. The turn off to the park is located 8km from Kampot and 95km from Sihanoukville on National Route #3. The main entrance and park headquarters are about 1 km from the main road. From there it is another 32km uphill to reach the summit.The road up to the hill station is in terrible shape so prepare for a bumpy ride. It is possible to do the trip on a 125cc motor scooter but this is quite a back-breaking option. Large dirt bikes are also available for rent in Kampot which would be the better option for people that have experience riding them.Alternatively rent a car or scooter with a driver. The locals know the road very well and will manage the trip to the top in about 2 hours. Main attractions include the ruins of The Black Palace, Church, and Bokor Palace Hotel and Casino, the waterfall (only in the rainy season), and of course the fantastic views of the surrounding area. There are several walking tracks ranging in duration from 2 hours to 8 hours. Beware though that none of the tracks are currently maintained so it is best to hire a ranger for your own safety. Behind the Bokor Palace hotel, there is some stall set up that offer basic food and cold drink during the days. Inside the Ranger Station, you are allow to cook some simple meal as long as you pay for the US$5 lodging. Do remember to bring your own food as buying from the ranger store offer limited and expensive option. The Ranger Station offer some simple dorm room for a price at US$5 per person. There is however 1 double bed room also. Mines are not common but it is still advised you stay on existing paths. Tigers are very rare but still avoid trekking into the bush at dusk and at night when they are most active. Poachers hunt deep in the park, hire a ranger when trekking in these areas. The park is huge with many trails which are not marked or maintained. Hire a ranger if you have any doubts about your route.Only one way out. The same bad road you used going up.
Kampong Cham
Kampong Cham is the third largest city in Cambodia, but has yet to be heavily touristed like Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. It carries with it plenty of colonial French charm, and has a genuine "wild west" feel to it. Most travellers who do find themselves in Kampong Cham are in transit to elsewhere in the country, but those that choose to spend at least a couple of days in the provincial capital will enjoy the laid back atmosphere and quaint charm. Most people in Kampong Cham are of course ethnic Khmer, but there is a sizeable Cham minority in the province's towns, including a disproportionately high number of Muslims and Christians. Kampong Cham is the capital of the province of the same name. Because there is little foreign investment and no large scale tourism (almost every foreigner who comes here will be a backpacker), this city is very poor with few modern buildings, though not lacking in French architecture from the colonial period. It is similar to many other Cambodian cities, being rather dirty, with garbage a common sight. However, with the completion of a modern two-lane bridge across the Mekong, the city has begun a slow recovery from decades of irrevocable decline. The people of Kampong Cham are (like all Cambodians) very friendly and open to engaging with tourists. If recent projects seem to be improving the state of things here (relative to other Cambodian cities), realize that both PM Hun Sen and former Phnom Penh Governor Chea Sophara are originally from this province. The highway between Kampong Cham city and the capital, Phnom Penh, is one of the best in the country, being paved and divided. It runs along the Mekong, and buses frequent this route daily, so you should have no trouble getting between the two cities. If you have your own motorcycle or car, the trip will be so much faster and easier, just make sure to bring a map. To get from Phnom Penh to Kampong Cham, there are several options for buses. The standard rules for bussing apply here, and try taking as early a bus as possible, to avoid arriving close to or after dusk, where your choice of accommodation will be limited. Taxis are a less popular and more expensive method, costing about $10-$15 USD one way. These do, however, offer much more comfort and speed than a bus usually does, but make sure the vehicle's air conditioning is functional before getting in! Trucks are also an option, but with much less comfort than buses or taxis, and are not advised. Once in Kampong Cham, most of the sites worth seeing are outside the city itself, so you're going to need some form of motorized transport. An increasing number of visitors to Cambodia are buying their own motorcycles and then reselling them just before they leave the country (or return home), and this is a great way to see Kampong Cham. Smaller 110cc bikes are the ones seen driven by practically every Khmer in the city, while the larger 250cc bikes are more often driven by foreigners or expats. The smaller bikes are cheaper, but less suited for long distance travel and are more susceptible to theft. It's your call, though most travellers end up buying 250ccs. If you choose to buy a 250cc, expect to pay anywhere from $500 to over $2500 USD, depending on the age of the bike. Note that Vietnam currently does not allow anything larger than 150cc into it's borders, but this will likely change in the near future. Note that there are no places to rent motorbikes currently in Kampong Cham, so if you don't wish to buy you had best rent from elsewhere in the country. There are plenty of motodops offering their service for travel not only within the city, but to outlying areas of the province. For a scant $4 USD, you can be shown the temples at Nokor Wat, the endless jackfruit fields, and other attractions near the city. Be warned though, if your driver takes you to stalls or shops to purchase souvenirs, he will be receiving commission off of whatever you choose to buy. As usual, bargain with your driver. It's okay to set a price beforehand, but sometimes best to agree on the price afterwards. For one way trips within the city, don't pay more than 2,000 riel (and many will consider even that a rip off). There are tuk-tuks in Kampong Cham, but as the city is not nearly as heavily touristed than others in Cambodia, such as Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, there won't be many of these. Some of the larger hotels and guesthouses (such as the Mekong Hotel) will rent you bicycles, but these are next to useless, as they are too slow to see anything meaningful in a day, and if yours leaves your sight for an extended period of time, you won't see it again. Kampong Cham isn't a city chock full of tourist attractions, but it's colonial charm and atmosphere will endear itself to you. There are a few temples to see in the area, including one of the country's mass graves. Nokor Wat is an Angkorian temple dating from the 11th century, containing a standard assortment of Angkor architecture. Some of the mausoleums are open to tourists and contain piles of bones and skulls from the Khmer Rouge's genocidal reign. Inside one of the buildings is a very elaborate series of wall paintings, depicting torture and executions (of a religious nature), followed by scenes of heaven and the afterlife. This is not always an accessible building, as a Monk has to unlock it for you to enter. He usually does, though your driver may ask you to refrain. There is also a French lookout tower on the other side of the river, once used for monitoring river traffic. It's in pretty poor shape. Kampong Cham is a sleepy provincial capital, and as such there isn't a whole lot to actually do, and those seeking plenty of activities to keep themselves occupied will become bored within a day. The Bamboo Bridge and Koh Paen, located a few blocks south of the bridge spanning the Mekong, is a solid bamboo structure built to Koh Paen island across the Mekong. On the other side is endless Cham and Khmer villages, entirely poor mounted on stilts. This is a great place to drive along if you want to check out the people of the land. The bamboo bridge can even withstand trucks, so don't worry about whatever you're taking, just be careful not to fall into the river. West of the city are a pair of mountains, with temples on top of them. The mountain of Pros has a dull peak and is approximately 30 metres tall, with a road going up to the top. There are a series of temples at the top, with the centrepiece being a five pagoda temple. There are outlying temples, most of which are ruined and falling apart. The mountain of Srey has 308 steps running up it, with a ruined temple at the top. There are no monks in this one, but there are several women and old men who collect donations from visitors. Between the two mountains lies one of the country's many killing fields where the Khmer Rouge dumped countless bodies, though in this case it's nothing more than a cement shed and a pile of bones. Kampong Cham features a few markets, but the best is the one the locals use. It features all sorts of food, ranging from standard mangoes and other fruits, to pig heads and live fish. As with all other food places in the area, use common sense when buying here, as there are health hazards to the unsuspecting Westerner. It's just down the road from the Mekong Crossing restaurant, but it's only open during daylight hours, closing at around 17:00 or so. Canadia Bank, not to be confused with Canada, this bank is wholly Cambodian owned. This particular branch doesn't take baht, and exchanges money at a poorer rate than you'll get at your guesthouse or on the street. They will cash traveller's cheques and offer free advances on MasterCards. Best to avoid this one unless you need to replenish your supply of American cash while you're in town. Money changers are available throughout the city, particularly in the markets, and will give you the standard rate. Don't bother with pounds, euros, or other currencies, it's USD, riel, and occasionally baht. Nothing else will be accepted (for purchases, that is) and may as well be toilet paper. ABC Computer, 11 Ang Duong Street, is an internet cafe conveniently located in central Kampong Cham north of the bridge roundabout. As with most internet cafes in Cambodia, this place uses a satellite system with slow but usable speeds, which seem to be completely random in reliability. For the best speeds, get up early when no one else is online. They're open Monday through Saturday, 6:00 to 21:30, and charge 1,000 riel per 15 minute increments. Mekong Crossing, 12 Pasteur Street, 012-432427, on the road between the food market and the riverbank. A popular (at least among foreigners) restaurant run by an American expat, this small place serves up a variety of western foods, including burgers, pasta, and pizza. Though it does serve "khmer" food, it's heavily westernized as well. Service tends to be slow, even by Khmer standards. Costlier than most, but it's not going to burn a hole in your moneybelt. Hao An, 012-941234 - Large restaurant on Monivong Blvd. Very tourist friendly, and serves plenty of genuine Khmer food, as well as other Asian cuisine. Excellent place to lounge about and drink beer, and good for shared dishes. San Te Hap Rest. Southeast side of the market in front of pharmacy. Cheap, tasty tofu and seafood dishes. Try the seaweed curry. Spien Thmei Restaurant, Ph Preah Bat Sihanouk. Down the road from the Mekong Hotel, Spien Thmei Restaurant (New Bridge Restaurant) is your standard Khmer and Asian restaurant. It's quite large, with oversized doors that never close as long as it's open, though without a doubt you'll remember this place for it's whacky menu. The food is of great quality, but rarely matches what's on the menu. Still, since it's good food regardless of what arrives at your table and you aren't charged more (or perhaps because the staff don't speak much English), be a good patron and don't complain. Riverside Beers, in the late afternoon and early evening, food and drink stalls set up shop here opposite the Mekong Hotel right on the riverfront. Trees line the side of the road, making it a great place to pitch up a hammock, crack open a bottle of Angkor Beer, and strike up a conversation with any of the motodop drivers who will congregate here (of course they'll be asking you what your plans are and where you're going the next day). Any of the stands will stay open as late as you want to sell drinks to you. Mekong Hotel, #56 Samdach Pann Rd., 042-941536. The best, in terms of quality, hotel in town, and good value for your money, even if you are travelling during the peak season. To find the hotel from the roundabout at the bridge, head north until you get to the food market, turn right until you get to the riverbank, turn left, and it's the big yellow building, impossible to miss. Rooms have fans, TV, and a private bathroom with hot water and optional air conditioning. Considering how this hotel is so much better than virtually every guesthouse in town, many end up here. You don't need a reservation, and most rooms are doubles. Make sure you ask for a view of the Mekong river, as the hotel is rarely full, and the only view from the windows on the other side of the building is of piles of garbage. (fan room - air conditioning). Rana Country Home Stay, Srey Siam village, 012-686240. Phone for reservation : 7am-noon. Traditional Khmer house, home cooked meals with home grown food in a country setting. A couple of pleasant walks can be taken from there. The place is located 7km over the bridge in Kampong Cham, on the main highway to Kratie. Phone or email in advance due to a current occupancy of 5 people. all bed and board. Kim Srun Guesthouse, 012-941507. Nice balconies with good view of the river, featuring rather large, if basic rooms. (single-double). Serey Pheap Guesthouse, #110, Route #7, 012-864565. Very large and good quality rooms. A quiet, family-run establishment with staff that will bend over backwards to please you and your cohorts. (single-double, TV and air conditioning extra). Kampong Cham features road links with most major Cambodian cities, including Phnom Penh. Since many travellers who pass through here are on their way north to Kratie and other areas, the best thing to do is to simply hop on a bus to wherever it is you are going. If you have your own transportation, just get out and drive. Be aware, though, that the road to Kratie is one of the worst in the entire country. The bus station is on the main road. From the roundabout, walk southwest, on right side. You buy your ticket at the counter. There are two types of boats in Kampong Cham (really all of Cambodia), the slow boats and the fast boats. The slow boats are obviously slower than the other option, but are safer. Slow boats don't have a pier, but simply land on the muddy river bank north of the bridge. Buy your tickets underneath the huge cigarette advertisement. You can sit either on the roof or inside, and regardless of whichever you choose, you're in for a noisy, crowded ride. Get on the boat 1 hour prior to departure. To Phnom Penh the trip takes about 2-3 hours, to Kratie about 5-6 hours, with both boats departing throughout the day. Fast boats are located on the riverside road, 20 minutes north from Route #7. These are more comfortable, but can get packed so get your ticket early, and get on about an hour prior to departure.
Kompong Luong
Kompong Luong is a permanently floating town located on the Tonlé Sap and the best base from which to explore this unique and entralling attraction.
Preah Vihear
Preah Vihear, also known as Prasat Khao Phra Wiharn in Thai, is an ancient temple adjacent to the border between Thailand and Cambodia. Preah Vihear is perched on a hilltop with a commanding view of its surroundings. Predating Angkor Wat by 100 years, the history of the temple/fortress is somewhat unclear, but it is known to be dedicated to the god Shiva and thought to have been constructed in the reign of Suryavarman I (1002-50), with further significant additions by Suryavarman II (1113-50). Long considered to be inside Thailand, King Sihanouk of Cambodia claimed the temple on the basis of French colonial maps. The Thai government agreed to submit the dispute to the International Court of Justice, which in 1962 issued a controversial ruling awarding Preah Vihear to Cambodia - which soon after plunged into civil war. The temple was open to the public from Thailand (although unreachable from Cambodia) until 1975, when it was occupied by the Khmer Rouge (whose rusting artillery guns still litter the area). It re-opened from the Thai side in 1998, and in 2003 Cambodia completed the construction of a long-awaited access road allowing Cambodians to visit the temple. While the temple is located in Cambodia, access to the temple is possible both from Thailand as well, with no Cambodian visa required. From Thailand, the temple is at the end of Route 221, but public transport options are limited and the easiest option is to charter a car for the day (1000 baht and up, plus gas). The roads are surprisingly good and, depending on how hard your driver hits the gas pedal and/or how many water buffaloes decide to cross the road along the way, you can get there from Ubon in an hour and a half. If this is out of your budget, the nearest town of any size is Kantharalak, which can be accessed by frequent public bus in 2 hours or so from the nearby towns of Ubon Ratchathani and Si Saket. For the last leg of the trip (34 km), however, you will have to hitchhike or charter a songthaew/tuk-tuk/moto taxi. At the entry gate into Khao Phra Wiharn National Park, you will have to pay a 200 baht entry fee (Thais 20 baht); note that the park is open only from 08:00 to 15:30. The road ends at a large parking lot, the final leg (less than a kilometer) into Cambodian territory you will have to cover on foot. At the Thai immigration post you'll be charged an additional 5 baht for a second ticket, and you'll also have to show your passport - they'll take a photocopy, but no stamps are issued and no visas are needed. After the road ends, walk over the smooth rock surface to the entry gate and pay another 200 baht fee (this one to enter Cambodia) and get your ticket punched, and now you can proceed to the ruins. From Cambodia, a packed laterite access road from Siem Reap via Anlong Veng, a distance of over 200 km, was completed in 2003. A new road has been constructed linking Siem Reap to Koh Ker. From there, it's an ardous day ride on badly worn out dirt and sand tracks to Preah Vihear. You can also reach the place on a three days motorbike trip from Kompong Thom. The only way to get around is on foot. The 500m elevation and the resulting breeze provide some relief, but it's still a hot and sticky 120m (vertical) up the hill. From the Cambodian side, you can hire a motorbike-taxi to take you up the steep ascent to the temple. The Thai and Cambodian paths join together at the bottom of the slope (north end of the adjacent map), and from here the only way is up. The fun starts with 162 stone steps, a fairly steep climb that will get you warmed up nicely. Your reward is a short set of stairs decorated with nagas and Gopura I, a solitary pavilion with a fluttering Cambodian flag. A 500-meter gently climbing avenue leads up to Gopura II, another smallish pavilion, and a large boray (water cistern) to the left. Yet another avenue (somewhat shorter this time) leads to, yes, Gopura III, but also the first courtyard of the temple and the first point where visitors to Angkor Wat will start feeling a sense of deja vu. Make a detour to the left side of the gopura to see relics of a more modern era, in the form of a rusting artillery gun and a few bunkers. A short causeway decorated with nagas leads to the inevitable Gopura IV and behind it the second courtyard. On the other side of the courtyard is Gopura V, and beyond it the Main Sanctuary, the centerpiece of the site which now houses a miniature Buddhist temple. But what makes the effort worthwhile lies just outside, so sneak out the left side to find yourself at Pei Ta Da Cliff, with a sheer 500-meter drop and a jaw-dropping vista of the Cambodian jungles below. To contemplate the view without getting sunstroke, locate the crevice that leads into a little cavern of sorts, with shade provided by the tip of the cliff overhead and, unfortunately, some barbed wire to spoil your pictures (and stop you from falling off). There's one more sight worth seeing in the area, accessible only from the Thai side: Pha Moh I-Daeng, clearly signposted from the parking lot and only a few hundred meters up the hill, is the present Thai border and the new home of the flagpole that previously fluttered on Pei Ta Da. There are more stunning views of Cambodian jungle here, including a side view of Preah Vihear - although seen from afar the buildings blend surprisingly well into the hillside. There are ramshackle assemblages of shacks at both the Thai parking lot and the Cambodian base of the hill, as well as all the way along the path up the hill in the temple area itself. These sell not only the expected T-shirts, postcards and cans of Pepsi, but premium cognac and cigarettes by the carton as well: it's tax-free shopping for the Thais! As foreign visitors are few, expected to be besieged by little boys and girls shouting "Hello" and hawking postcards, but they usually take the hint after a couple of "bye-byes". Places to eat are rarer on the ground than drink stalls, although there are some pretty basic grill stalls towards the end of the Thai parking lot shopping shacks. For more selection and a semblance of hygiene, there are a number of roadside restaurants on the Thai side before the park entrance, along the road from Kantharalak. Drink stalls are ubiquitous along the trail. There are only very basic accommodation options in the immediate vicinity. Cambodia: the village at the foot of the mountain provides two or three very basic "guesthouses" in simple wooden shacks. There is also a wooden, very basic guesthouse (shower and loo outside) at the bottom of the steps, where the locals live . Electricity from 6pm to 10pm. (June/2006) Thailand: the nearest place with a variety of accommodation is the town of Kantharalak (approx. 30 km), which is also the nearest place with direct bus services to Bangkok, Si Saket, Ubon Ratchathani, etc. More distant Thai-side possibilities are the towns of Si Saket (approx. 95 km, and nearest train station), and Khu Khan (approx. 95 km, and most convenient place to stay near the border if travelling to/from Anlong Veng); and the city of Ubon Ratchathani (approx 120 km) - however, the most direct access to all these places is via Kantharalak. Land mines remain a real danger in the area, although the temple itself and the access paths have been painstakingly cleared by the HALO Trust. Stay on the beaten path, don't venture into any vegetation which has not been cleared recently, and heed the red warning signs, painted rocks and strings marking the limits of the demined area. The cliffs are steep and no provisions are made to protect you from your own carelessness. Keep a very close eye on children. In Si Saket Province on the Thai side of the border, the Temple of a Million Bottles (Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew - more commonly known as Wat Lan Khuad) near Khun Han is a worthwhile detour.
Tonle Sap Lake
Take a cruise across the lake past floating villages and spend a day or two at Prek Toal Biosphere Reserve, Southeast Asia's premier bird sanctuary
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Cambodia Travel Information has been extracted in part from ‘http://wikitravel.org/en/Cambodia’ and is based work by Has Kosal, Jani Patokallio, Michele Ann Jenkins, Felicity T, Maïte Romand & Hugues De Keyzer and Aneel Nazareth, Wikitravel user(s) Texugo and Episteme, Anonymous user(s) of Wikitravel and others.
