Things not to miss

#01 Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

The extravagant Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, in the heart of Phnom Penh, are home to fabulous murals and a treasure-trove of Khmer sculpture.

© frerd/Shutterstock

#02 Kampot

Blissfully unhurried southern backwater with a plethora of idyllic guesthouses and restaurants beside the Kampot River.

© JayHub/Shutterstock

#03 Banteay Srei

One of the smallest but most perfect of all Angkor’s temples, constructed from delicate rose-pink sandstone and covered in a positive riot of intricate carvings.

#04 Angkor Wat

This unforgettable temple, crowned with soaring towers and embellished with intricate bas-reliefs, represents the zenith of Khmer architecture.

© Intarapong/Shutterstock

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#05 Otres Beach

Sihanoukville’s furthest flung beach is mellower (and prettier) than its sandy in-town siblings; perfect for a few days of idle beachcombing.

© Chris Howey/Shutterstock

#06 Irrawaddy dolphins

These rare mammals live in small groups along a stretch of the Mekong in the northeast.

© Charlie Waradee/Shutterstock

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#07 Toul Sleng and Choeung Ek

Harrowing monuments to Cambodia’s grisly past during the Khmer Rouge’s murderous rule.

#08 Angkor Thom

Angkor’s greatest walled city, entered through magnificent gateways and housing some of the country’s finest monuments, including the haunting Bayon.

© Efired/Shutterstock

#09 Khmer art

Some of the country’s most stunning art, including ancient statues, are on display in Phnom Penh’s National Museum and the Angkor National Museum in Siem Reap.

National Museum in Phnom Penh © weltreisendertj/Shutterstock

#10 Apsara

Khmer classical dance at its most elegantly stylized, with beautifully costumed performers evoking the legendary apsaras of Hindu mythology.

#11 Tonle Sap lake

The watery heart of rural Cambodia, this miniature inland sea is dotted with dozens of traditional floating and stilted villages, many inhabited by the country’s ethnic Vietnamese.

#12 Chi Phat

A village community project in the southern Cardamoms offering homestays, birdwatching, mountain biking and trekking.

#13 Wildlife and birdwatching

Walking with the elephants in Mondulkiri, gibbon-spotting in Rattanakiri, birdwatching around the Tonle Sap – Cambodia offers a wealth of natural attractions.

Floating Village at Tonle Sap © Mhao Studio/Shutterstock

#14 Cambodian cuisine

Cambodia’s cuisine offers plenty of surprises – and there are numerous courses available to help you unravel the secrets of Khmer cooking.

#15 Ream National Park

Abundant wildlife, secluded beaches and bays, and the beautiful mangrove-fringed Prek Touek Sap River.

© Don Mammoser/Shutterstock

#16 Psar Toul Tom Poung

Wonderful Phnom Penh city market, packed with vibrant silks and curios.

#17 Trekking in Rattanakiri

Trek into the forested highlands of Rattanakiri, home to tall trees, rare wildlife and the indigenous chunchiet.

#18 Preah Vihear

Magnificent Angkor temple on a mountaintop near the Thai border.

Travel advice for Cambodia

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