In the south of the Indochina peninsula there is an extraordinarily beautiful country with a unique historical and cultural heritage – this is sunny Cambodia. Many centuries ago, travelers from the Middle Kingdom noticed that the territory of Cambodia resembles a giant bowl formed by 4 mountain ranges — Cardamom, Elephant, Dangrek and Kontum. And only from the southern side does the territory of Cambodia open up to the outside world. Here, the great Mekong River is connected by a fan of streams of different sizes to the Fresh Sea, also known as Tonle Sap Lake. Cambodia’s attractions attract millions of tourists to the country every year. What attracts travelers so much? What to see in Cambodia if you come here for the first time? In this review, we have selected for you the most interesting sights of this country.
What to see in Cambodia first of all
Before studying the main attractions, we note that there are rules and traditions here, so it is much more reasonable to travel around the country with an escort. Guides in Cambodia offer their services at reasonable prices, and you can hire a guide both for one trip and for the entire period of your stay at the resort.
1. Angkor Wat Temple (5 km from Siem Reap)
Angkor Wat Temple is a large temple complex in Cambodia
The Angkor Wat temple complex is considered the main attraction of Cambodia and the great treasure of the country — the image of the temple is on the national flag and on the coat of arms of Cambodia. What can I say, many people consider this temple to be one of the most beautiful places in the world!
The discovery of the temple complex hidden in the jungle, built in the 9th-14th centuries AD, took place only some one and a half centuries ago. In 1868, a traveler from France, Henri Mouillot, wandering through the jungle, discovered stone structures and soon realized that he had made an important historical discovery. Thus, a great stage appeared in the history of Cambodia — the era of the Angkor civilization. Many centuries ago, the Cambodian state was ruled by Jayavarman II, and the creation of the Angkor Empire is attributed to this ruler. In this era, the Angkor Wat temple was created, dedicated to the god Vishnu.
The largest temple of Angkor Wat is located in the center of an extensive temple complex, which includes about two hundred temples. Angkor Wat is surrounded by a moat, which fills up during the rainy season, and a wall, and you can get inside the temple through the main portal. The carvings on the walls of the temple are of great interest to both visitors and researchers. Images reaching many kilometers in length are carved on the walls, telling both about episodes of Indian mythology and about real historical events.
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2. Royal Palace (Phnom Penh)
The Throne room of the Royal Palace complex in Phnom Penh
For those whose way lies through Phnom Penh, there is something to see in Cambodia, namely in the very heart of its capital. This is the Royal Palace of Phnom Penh, which serves as the residence of the head of state. Today, the Royal Palace is the first and main attraction located in the capital. The kings of Cambodia have lived in the palace since its construction, that is, since 1866.
Today, you can visit the palace any day from morning to evening, with a lunch break.
In fact, the Royal Palace was erected twice — for the first time it happened in 1434, but when the capital of Cambodia was moved to Phnom Penh, a new Palace building was laid by order of King Norodom.
The entire palace complex is located on the banks of the Tonle Sap River and covers an area of 402 by 435 meters. It is surrounded by unusual gardens — in addition to the usual juicy green lawns, there are glades where different trees, shrubs and flowers planted in tubs can be moved to any place in different combinations to create a new landscape.
As for the interior of the palace, only some of them are open for inspection. The Throne Room, Banquet Hall, Pavilion for saving royal regalia, Elephant Pavilion, Reception Hall, Villa for foreign guests are available to visitors.
3. National Museum of Cambodia (Phnom Penh)
National Museum of Cambodia in Phnom Penh
Not far from the Royal Palace there is another important attraction of Cambodia — the National Museum. The museum presents the most complete collection of cultural, historical and archaeological artifacts representing the most significant periods of Cambodia’s existence — from pre-Angkor times to the 15th century AD. The museum is a bright terracotta building in classic Cambodian style, built at the beginning of the last century.
The construction of the National Museum began in 1917, and in 1920 its doors opened to visitors. And 4 years after the opening, in 1924, in order to expand the museum, two wings were added to it from the eastern facade.
As for the museum’s exposition, a large number of sculptures are presented here — these are ancient statues of deities, demons, heroes of folk legends. But the central place in this extensive collection is undoubtedly devoted to Angkor sculptures — these are bronze statues of Vishnu, Shiva, Rama, Ganesha, sculpture of Jayavarman. In total, the museum houses about 5,000 statues, which are well monitored for the development of Khmer culture.
In addition to countless statues, the museum displays Khmer household items — fabrics and tableware.
As for the adjacent territories, the museum has a picturesque courtyard with a variety of vegetation and beautiful man-made reservoirs, pleasing to the eye.
Official website: https://www.cambodiamuseum.info
See the beautiful places of Cambodia in this wonderful video!
4. Silver Pagoda (Phnom Penh)
Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh
A wide range of Phnom Penh sightseeing programs leaves no doubt — guests have something to see in Cambodia, especially if your way lies through its capital. The Silver Pagoda, or the pagoda of the Emerald Buddha, is the name given to the temple of the Cambodian ruler due to the unusual floor covering consisting of several thousand silver plates, as well as a large emerald statue of the Buddha sitting in the center of the temple.
Inside the pagoda, along its walls, there are valuable gifts to the kings of Cambodia, who ruled at different times, from the rulers of other states. In addition to the main Buddha statue, cast from baccarat crystal, there are several other Buddha statues in the hall, including a 90-kilogram statue made of pure gold, decorated with more than 2 thousand diamonds. In total, more than one and a half thousand different valuable artifacts are presented in the walls of the pagoda, and frescoes telling stories from the epic Ramayana are carved on the walls.
The silver pagoda was erected in 1892 by order of King Norodom, and the original building of the pagoda was wooden. In 1907, a statue of Buddha was cast from gold, and according to the monarch’s will, the gold was melted at the stake during his cremation. In 1956, the ashes of the Buddha’s body were delivered to the pagoda, and in 1692 a total reconstruction began, when the wooden building was completely shifted to reinforced concrete.
In addition to the pagoda itself, its complex is worth visiting the tomb of kings, the repository of texts, see the statue of King Norodom, see the footprint of the Buddha and the bell tower.
5. Wat Banana Temple (20 km from Battambang)
Wat Banana Temple in Battambang Paul Arps
20 kilometers south of the city of Battambang, there is a semi-abandoned, overgrown with lush vegetation, but this makes Cambodia’s Wat Banana Temple a particularly attractive attraction. This is one of the best preserved temples of the 11th century, in fact it is a smaller copy of the Agkor Wat temple — it also has five towers arranged in a checkerboard pattern, and the walls are decorated with frescoes and ornaments. Many of the galleries of the temple have already been severely destroyed, and trees grow inside the towers, but nevertheless, this makes the temple even more impressive.
The building itself stands on top of a hill with a beautiful view of the Sangkar River and the surrounding area, and in order to reach the temple, you will have to climb a staircase of 358 steps. The slopes of the hill are now covered with dense forest and may hide mines preserved from wartime, so it is not recommended to leave the well-trodden paths.
Vendors who sell drinks nearby will be happy to show the temple. Below the entrance to the temple, almost at the foot of the hill, there are caves that are also worth a look. However, it must be taken into account that the entrance to the caves there is so small that you will have to crawl or even lie on your stomach to get there.
6. Angkor Temple Complex (Siem Reap)
Angkor Temple Complex (Siem Reap) Steve Jurvetson
In addition to the unforgettable natural landscapes and numerous historical monuments, there are truly colossal structures in Cambodia that testify to the existence of special civilizations. The Angkor Temple Complex is a unique landmark of Cambodia, which is a complex of stone temples decorated in the same architectural style, but different in shape. The complex of buildings has a rich historical past and was built during the Khmer civilization, in the period from the 9th to the 12th century. The main pearl of the temple complex is undoubtedly the largest temple of Angkor Wat, whose area is approximately 2.5 square kilometers. And all the temples of Angkor occupy a huge area – about 200 square kilometers, so it will take modern travelers several days to get acquainted with the territories of the archaeological park.
The temples of Angkor are ceremonial structures, but each of them is unique in its own way. There are several types of temples in total:
- The temple-mountain is a structure in the form of a multi—stage pyramid, peculiar to the heyday of the Khmer civilization, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva; The temple at ground level is a structure dedicated to the ancestors, the main features of which are large and massive platform bases, rich sculptural decoration and elaborately executed stone carvings; The temple—mountain at ground level is this The type appeared as a result of the development of Khmer engineering and embodies the two previous forms of the temple; the monastery temple is a huge ceremonial structure surrounded by numerous buildings and richly decorated with sculptures and bas-reliefs.
7. Psar Tmei Market (Phnom Penh)
Phsar Thmei – Phnom Penh Central Market Jean-Pierre Dalbéra
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It is simply impossible to come to Cambodia and not visit any local market. Cambodian markets full of oriental flavor are something that you should definitely visit in Cambodia, because only here you can see the real life of the townspeople, how they communicate and what they do in their free time. At the same time, you can also buy numerous souvenirs for your family and friends along the way.
The most important market in the Cambodian capital is the Psar Tmei Market, or the Central Market of Phnom Penh. The dark yellow Art Deco structure was erected in 1935-1937. The structure has a cruciform shape when viewed from above, and a high central dome. From the dome, four wings of the building go in different directions, where there are numerous shops selling valuable little things — antique coins, jewelry, replica watches of famous brands and many others.
The main buildings of the market, located under the central dome, sell plaid scarves, household goods, flowers, stationery, fabric for traditional Cambodian sarong outfits, as well as second-hand clothes imported from the USA and Europe. A market with fresh and high-quality food has been opened in the western part of the building.
It will not be difficult to get to the market — there is a taxi stand in the north-western part of the market, and a bus stop in the south-western part.
8. Tonle Sap Lake (10 km from Siem Reap)
Tonle Sap Lake in Cambodia UnorthodoxY
The largest body of water on the Indochina Peninsula is Tonle Sap Lake, which translates from Khmer as “Large freshwater Lake”. This is a very valuable and unique attraction in Cambodia in its own way, and there are several reasons for this.
- Firstly, the lake is very rich in fish, so it has always been attractive to neighboring states, several states have been fighting for it for many centuries. Secondly, the nature of the lake is unique — in different seasons, the lake area increases and decreases 5-6 times. For example, in the rainy season, the lake area reaches 16 thousand square kilometers, and the depth is 10 meters, and in the dry season the area is reduced to 2.5 square kilometers, the depth is reduced to 1 meter. The fact is that the Tonle Sap River, which usually flows out of the lake and flows into the Mekong River, reverses its direction with the onset of the rainy season, constantly replenishing the lake. Due to this feature, the lake does not have a permanent shore, and local residents live in floating houses throughout their lives. Thirdly, again, due to the unique natural feature of Tonle Sap Lake, which is able to change its area and depth, at the moment when the water leaves, fertile silty soils become available, on which rice and other agricultural products are grown with great success.
When you come to Tonle Sap Lake, it’s like you’re entering a special world. There are entire floating villages with a population of about 200 thousand people on the water. There are schools, shops, cafes, police stations and even the local administration.
9. Mount Bokor (Elephant Mountains)
Bokor National Park in the Elephant Mountains Phil Whitehouse
The 23 Cambodian national parks, rich in natural and historical attractions, are an additional confirmation that you have something to see in Cambodia. The largest and richest park, covering a large area, is the Bokor Park, located in the Elephant Mountains. Its area is about 1400 square kilometers. Kamtyai Peak (Bokor) is the highest point of the mountain plateau, its height above the sea is 1,076 km.
Bokor National Park is considered the most picturesque place in the south of Cambodia and is included in the list of the most important excursions in the country. Climbing overgrown trails to the top of Mount Bokor, it’s like you’re on an exciting adventure. The places here are abandoned, which gives them a kind of mystical aura. Previously, there was a small town in the mountains of the park, of which several abandoned buildings remain today.
The first building you will meet on your way is the former Bokor Casino. After visiting its abandoned premises, you can also climb onto its roof, from where you will have a wonderful view of the Gulf of Thailand.
Moving along the slopes, you can meet many representatives of the local fauna — monkeys, parrots, bears, jaguars, sometimes even lions. In the morning, you should be extremely careful, because during this period many predators go hunting.
Above is the dilapidated Black Palace, once the residence of King Sisowat Minowong.
And on the way to the top, you will meet the most beautiful attraction of the park — the two-tiered Popokvil waterfall.
10. Bayon Temple (ancient city of Angkor Thom)
Bayon Temple in the ancient city of Angkor Thom jokertrekker
Near the Angkor Wat temple complex, there is another ancient landmark of Cambodia — the majestic Bayon Temple, located in the very center of the ancient city of Angkor Thom and stands out for its impressive size – its area is 9 square kilometers.
It can be said that Bayon competes with the temple of Angkor Wat in the title of the favorite architectural monument of travelers. Both temples undoubtedly make a strong impression, but their design, external architecture and interior decoration are different.
Based on archaeological excavations, the Bayon Temple dates back to the end of the 12th century. The shape of the temple, the symbolism of its architecture, the monumentality of the buildings — all this gives the image of the temple a certain mystical mystery.
More than 208 faces are carved on the 54 towers of Bayon, embodying the omnipresence of the ruler. A wide forehead, lowered eyes, a mouth with slightly raised corners, flared nostrils — this combination creates a characteristic “smile of Angkor”. On each of the towers there are 4 human faces about 2 meters high, facing in different directions of the world. The number of towers corresponds to the number of provinces of medieval Cambodia, the central tower among them represents the ruler and his power.
The bas—reliefs decorating the walls of the temple from the inside symbolize the life of the kingdom in the Middle Ages and reflect all spheres of people’s lives in that era – the peculiarities of everyday life and entertainment, work and recreation. In general, the art of that time reached an unprecedented dawn and subsequently became known as the “Bayonne Era”.
Sights of Cambodia: what else to visit while in Cambodia
You should not stop at the above-mentioned tourist sites, because you will have unforgettable excursions in Cambodia to many other places, no less unique and fantastically beautiful. Take advantage of our list of the best attractions to make a trip that you will remember all your life!
11. Bokor Hill Station (Mount Bokor)
Bokor Hill Station on Mount Bokor Damien @ Flickr
Another attraction of Cambodia is located on Mount Bokor — Bokor Hill station, which was once created by French colonists as a resort town. Nowadays, the buildings of the town have long been abandoned, and you can only get here by climbing an overgrown path to a height of 1081 m above the sea.
The construction of the Bokor Hill resort began in 1921, houses, shops, a church and the main pride of the town — the Bokor Hill Hotel were built. In general, if you follow the history of the existence of Bokor Hill, it seems that these places were cursed from the very beginning. After all, in the first years of construction, about 900 people died in this remote area. And the town did not last long — already in 1940, during the First Vietnam War, the French left it. Until 1972, the city was empty, until it fell into the possession of the Khmer Rouge. During these times, when the bloody Pol Pot regime came into effect, many people were killed here, who were either shot or simply thrown into the abyss. The horrors that took place within the walls of the town during the reign of the Khmer Rouge are forever imprinted on its walls. Until the early 1990s, these walls were the refuge of radical builders of communist society.
Since 2012, the high-altitude resort of Bokor Highland has opened near these places, and the mysterious ghost town is now visited only by tourists as part of excursions.
12. Praahvikhea Temple (Dangrek Mountain range, border with Thailand)
Preahvikhea Temple Complex ខន វាសនា
Even on the very outskirts of the state, you will find something to visit in Cambodia, and the Temple of Preahvikhea is proof of this. Right at the top of the Dangrek mountain range, on the very border of Cambodia and Thailand, there is an ancient landmark of Cambodia — a temple complex built in the 11th-12th centuries AD in honor of the Hindu deity Shiva. The Khmer civilization era was characterized by the widespread construction of temples, most of which have survived to the present day. Preahvikhea is the center of all temple complexes — the temple received such a high status due to the highest architectural skill with which the temple was executed, including its elements of skillful stone carving.
Due to the location of the temple on the border of two states — Cambodia and Thailand, Praahvikhea has been the subject of active territorial disputes between these countries for many centuries. It was only in 2008 that the International Court of Justice established that the temple and its adjacent territories were part of Cambodia’s sovereignty zone.
A long line of steps, 800 meters long, leads to the sanctuary. Stone statues of lions and snake—like mythical creatures – nagas sit on the stairs. In the central room of the temple there are statues of the main deities.
Today, the temple of Preahvikhea can be visited from both Cambodia and Thailand. This historical and cultural site is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List.
13. Ream National Park (18 km from Sihanoukville)
Stefan Fussan Ream National Park
At a relatively short distance to the east of Sihanoukville, Cambodia’s unsurpassed landmark is located — the Ream National Park, which stretches over an area of more than 200 square kilometers. The park is unique in that several ecosystems border on its territory at once — untouched mangrove forests, tropical jungles, the seashore, a couple of islands, and a river delta.
It is home to a wide variety of fauna — wild animals and birds that are under state protection. For example, the local feathered population includes 200 different species of birds, including such rare representatives as the Javan marabou and the milky beak. The park is also famous for its large population of monkeys, and Tonle Sap Lake is home to a rare species of freshwater dolphins. The insect world will amaze you with a wide variety of bright, unusual butterflies.
There are several options for walking in the park.
- Walking with a guide will not be difficult — hiking trails are laid throughout the park. Jeeping — driving off-road vehicles will allow you to get to the most inaccessible, fabulously beautiful places of the park, which cannot be reached on foot. Perhaps the most interesting way to travel through the Ream National Park is a boat trip along the Prek Tuk Sap River: evergreen mangrove forests stretch along the banks of the river, where trees grow right in the water, and periodically here and there there are pile houses of local residents.
Official website: https://reamnationalpark.com
14. Sihanoukville city (229 km from Phnom Penh)
Sihanoukville Kiensvay Resort Town
The resort town of Sihanoukville is located on the coast of the Gulf of Thailand, 229 kilometers from the Cambodian capital. Tourists who prefer active travel to exotic places will certainly have something to see in Cambodia — they should definitely visit here. Even in high season, Sihanoukville is quiet, there is no hustle and bustle usual for resorts, and the beaches are clean, beautiful and sparsely populated.
Sihanoukville is a small and relatively young town — it was founded in the middle of the last century and in 1955 it began to live its measured life when a construction team built the first and only seaport in Cambodia here. The city itself was named after King Sihanouk, during whose reign it was founded. And Sihanoukville became widely known thanks to the only actively developing resort. Perhaps some of the most beautiful places on the planet are located here. The provincial city is framed by the purest sandy beaches, small islands near the coast, so Sihanoukville itself is a tourist attraction in Cambodia. Its beaches can compete in beauty with the famous beaches of Thailand, but here you can relax much more calmly, and cheaper.
Among the notable places of Sihanoukville, the following should be highlighted in a special way:
- Bamboo Island is one of the many most beautiful islands of the coastal zone, which can only be reached by motor boat, so the road to this island itself will already be interesting and impressive; The old pier is a protruding structure on the urban coast, where you can endlessly admire the sunsets and take extremely beautiful photos; Ream National Park is an area in pristine and very rich nature, including islets, mangrove forests, jungles; Monkey Island is also a picturesque area with dense jungles, beaches and waterfalls. According to legend, the world’s largest monkey once lived here.
15. Banteaysray Temple (25 km from Angkor Temple Group)
Banteaysray Temple
For everyone who would like to see a fairy tale in reality — to get into the fabulous clutches of a huge and dense forest full of secrets and riddles, to wander through ancient majestic structures, there is something to visit in Cambodia. At the very foot of Phnom Dai Mountain, 25 kilometers from the group of temples of Angkor, there is a truly fabulous place. Here, in the thickets of huge tropical trees, there is an ancient, but this has not lost its amazing beauty, the Banteaysray temple.
Citadel of a woman, that’s how the name of the temple sounds in translation. The citadel is built of beautiful and durable pink-terracotta sandstone and impresses with elaborate carvings made many centuries ago. The temple, built in the distant 10th century AD, is very well preserved. The elaborately executed bas-reliefs, sculptures, and extremely beautiful carved pediments have survived to this day in excellent condition.
A road paved with stone of the same pinkish-brick color leads to the Banteisrey temple itself. The temple is enclosed by a traditional wall with a moat filled with water dug in front of it. At first glance, the miniaturization of the structure is surprising, due to which it stands out noticeably from the rest of the shrines of the Angkor complex. Among other things, Banteisray differs from other Angkor temples in that it was built not by the monarch, but by the royal dignitary Yajnavaraha. It is written on one of the buildings of the temple that Yajnavaraha was reputed to be a philanthropist, helping the poor, the sick and the suffering. Also read about the best sights of Vietnam and get inspired for your further journey through Southeast Asia!
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