There's a magic about this charming yet confounding kingdom that casts a spell on visitors. In Cambodia, ancient and modern worlds collide to create an authentic adventure.
The Kingdom of Cambodia is a Southeast Asian nation bordered by Vietnam to the east, Laos to the north, Thailand to the northwest, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.
How to reach Cambodia
Cambodia has international airports at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Travelers specifically going to visit the Angkor temple ruins may prefer to use Siem Reap as it's only a few minutes away from the main sites; however as Bangkok Airways has a monopoly on direct flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap, it's a lot cheaper to fly to Phnom Penh and to take a bus (or cross overland from Bangkok).
Low-cost carrier Air Asia has introduced flights from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Phnom Penh and Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap. Jetstar Asia has begun flying from Singapore to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.
When to go
Cambodia has two seasons — wet and dry. The wet season is from May to October while the dry season is from November to April.
For a good balance of weather and number of tourists, June-August is said to be the most ideal. The rain keeps things cooler and less dusty, the landscape is more green, the temple moats are filled, and there are fewer tourists. Rainy season isn’t in full swing yet, with the rain coming in it seems at a scheduled time daily — early in the afternoon and again at night.
Language
The official language of Cambodia is Khmer.
Siem Reap
Siem Reap is full of surprises. Everyone knows about the Angkor temples but this place has more to offer than that. I was expecting a quiet small town with little to do at night and few dining options but that wasn’t the case at all. Pub Street is a boombox at night and there are plenty of interesting restaurants in town, most of which won’t break the bank. If you’re planning that first trip to Siem Reap, then I hope this guide can help you do just that.
Where to go?
Tourists come to Siem Reap to visit the Angkor temples. For first-time visitors, it’s important to understand that there isn’t just one temple. The most famous one — Angkor Wat — is just one of many temples scattered in a large area. To visit them, you’ll need to buy an Angkor pass. Prices are as follows:
One day – USD 37 Three days – USD 62 Seven days – USD 72
If you want to see all the temples, then I suggest getting the 7-day pass. But if you want to visit just the major temples, then the 3-day pass will suffice.
TIP: You may want to buy your pass at 5 PM the day before you intend to use it. You’ll be allowed free entry into the park to watch the sunset from Phnom Bakheng Temple
Interesting Facts about the Temples of Angkor
Angkor extends over 400 square kilometers and consists of more than 1000 temples!
From the 9th to 15th century, Angkor was the center of the Khmer Kingdom.
During the course of the 15th century, nearly all of Angkor was abandoned, except for the temple Angkor Wat, which remained a Buddhist shrine.
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat was built between 1113 and 1150 and is the largest religious monument in the world. Half of all tourism to Cambodia is credited to international tourists wanting to visit Angor Wat.
Banteay Kdei
Banteay Kdei is known as the Citadel of Monks.
Ta Prohm
The Angkor temple Ta Prohm is easily recognized (and famed) as the set for the movie Tomb Raider. Large vines cover the ruins creating a fantasy setting like something from a storybook.
Bayon
Bayon was one of my favorite temples. It’s unique construction features a number of smiling stone faces on its towers.
Helpful Tips for Visiting the Temples of Angkor
When I arrived at each temple, I was swarmed by little kids trying to hustle us and sell us guidebooks, bracelets, etc. It breaks your heart, but the guides tell you not to buy anything because the local adults give kids quotas of things to sell and it become a huge problem. It definitely put the consequences of the effects of tourism in developing countries into perspective.
Overall, I think most people would get enough sightseeing out of a two-day tour. Our days were exhausting and, by the end of the day, you had seen enough of the temples.
We had great weather but I would try to plan your visit during the time of year with the best sunrise behind the Angkor Wat temple.
Siem Reap is a very cool city and deserves a good exploration. Also, the night markets were better.
Tonlé Sap
Tonle Sap Lake is far from Siem Reap about 25 kilometers and it will takes you 30 minutes by van. When visiting Cambodia, you should not miss this destination.The Tonle Sap River connects the lake with the River Mekong at Phnom Penh, in the south east. With the continuous change of the water level, the people who live on the lake have to move their houses away when the water level goes down. Whole villages including schools, shops, churches and pig farms are getting pulled away to a place where the water is still high enough to float.
With a wooden motorised boat as transport, you can jet out into the lake and experience its vastness. The lake is also home to countless floating villages. The inhabitants of these villages are nomadic tribes of fishing families, living on boats and stilted houses. Plants and vegetables are grown in floating plots of earth and pots balanced on rafts, whilst dogs and pigs live in environments most people will rarely have witnessed before! The trip is an interesting insight into the fascinating way of life of these people.
Visiting the floating villages is a half day trip from Siem Reap. This can be done in either the morning or afternoon, although it is generally better to avoid the afternoon heat. You will be collected by vehicle from your hotel and driven to the quay where the boats are docking at that time of year.
Phnom Penh
Once considered the “Pearl of Asia”, Phnom Penh fell victim to war and upheaval. But today, the city has revived itself with intriguing markets, a charming café culture, and a delicious food scene.
Where to go?
Independence Monument:
Start with a quick visit to the independence monument which was built in the centre of the city to pay respect to Cambodia’s independence from France in 1953. The monument is inspired from Khmer temple at Angkor Wat and is shaped as lotus stupa.
Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda:
Have a relaxed lunch as the Palace opens at 2pm. It is closed from 11am to 2pm. Royal Palace has a stunning architecture that awes all the locals and tourists alike. It was the official residence of the King of Cambodia. The palace occupies several acres of land in the city center with several buildings inside the complex.
The Killing Fields – Choeung Ek Genocidal Center:
The Killing Fields are located 15 kilometers from Phnom Penh and will require a lot of time in commuting and in the field so dedicating an entire morning is best. Hire a tuk-tuk for the day (US$25) and it will cover everything There are some local travel agents who can be contacted through your hotel for an half day tour.
The country underwent horrifying genocide that was carried out by the Khmer Rouge regime (led by Pol Pot) between 1975 and 1979. Out of the 7 million population then, over 1.7 million died of starvation, execution, disease or overwork. Some estimates place the death toll even higher. The Khmer Rouge apparently arrested and killed all people from previous regime – including soldiers, politicians and bureaucrats, educated, capitalist and city people to grow rice and other agricultural products as Pol Pot wanted to develop Cambodia into a agrarian economy like the Angkor Empire in earlier days.
An audio tour around the field gave us an idea of what happened here. You still see bones and scraps of clothes on the ground. The Khmer Rouge utilized barbaric methods for killing – farm tools, bamboo, axes, and sharp sugar cane branches. One stop on the audio tour included “the killing tree” where children were held by their legs, swung against the tree and then discarded into the mass graves. It’s impossible to imagine such inhumane activities done not even 50 years ago!
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum:
The site is a former high school which was used as the notorious Security Prison 21 (S-21) by the Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979.The torture system at Tuol Sleng was designed to make prisoners confess to whatever crimes they were charged with by their captors. Prisoners were routinely beaten and tortured with electric shocks, searing hot metal instruments and hanging, as well as through the use of various other devices. Some prisoners were cut with knives or suffocated with plastic bags. Other methods for generating confessions included pulling out fingernails while pouring alcohol on the wounds, holding prisoners’ heads under water.
Accommodation :
Booking.com has 450 properties in Phnom Penh & Siem Reap including hotels, apartments, and guesthouses. You get free cancellation on most rooms and a best price guarantee.
Flights:
Skyscanner.com is a comparison website that searches millions of flights. Once you find your best deal, book directly through the airline (no extra fees).
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