Cambodian attractions are unique, moulded by the country's culture and history, making sightseeing a real Khmer experience. The fact that Cambodia has only recently emerged as a popular tourist destination has ensured that visitors can still get an authentic experience of this ancient culture. Most people who holiday in Cambodia are enticed by the impressive ancient temple city of Angkor in Siem Riep. Once hooked by the ancient attractions however, tourists will discover that the more recent history of the Khmer Rouge, though tragic and frightening, is intriguing in its own way. The more sombre Phnom Penh attractions, such as the Killing Fields and Tuel Sleng Prison Museum, are contrasted to the vibrant Central Market and to the peacefulness of the river front and lake side, not to mention the habitually friendly local population. For even more relaxation, the beach towns of Kep and Sihanoukville on the Cambodian coast are well worth a visits, if only to catch a glimpse of the rare Irrawaddy river dolphins of the northeast.Getting around Cambodia can be challenging. Visitors should bear in mind that in monsoon season - June to October - the roads can get really muddy, making travel outside of the main centres more difficult. The rest of the year travel can be dusty but is more manageable.
The Aki Ra Museum, often simply called the Cambodian Landmine Museum, provides a jarring counterpoint to the ancient Khmer glories on display at Angkor Wat by showcasing the more recent horrors of Cambodia's political and social upheavals. This museum, founded by Aki Ra, a former Khmer Rouge child soldier, provides a clear and compelling account of this troubled time, and the appalling legacy of landmines and unexploded ordinance that are still a blight on the lives of Cambodian people today.Despite ongoing efforts to find and defuse these sleeping weapons, it is estimated that about five million still remain. Aki Ra himself deactivated over 50,000 of them, many using his own homemade tools. The museum contains hundreds of these landmines, and many other weapons, providing a useful service by teaching visitors and locals how to recognise these devices and what to do should they encounter them. The museum exists primarily to tell Aki Ra's fascinating story, and to gain exposure for the Cambodian struggle with landmines. It is also home to a number of children supported by the museum, who are all victims either of landmines, disease, or simply poverty.
Address : Located four miles (6km) south of Banteay Srey Temple, within the Angkor Wat Archaeological Park.
Website : www.cambodialandminemuseum.org
Telephone : +855 15 674 163
Opening times : Open daily 7.30am-5pm.
Admission : $5 adult, free for children, other concessions available.
A trip to Phnom Penh would be incomplete without a visit to Central Market. Phnom Penh's most obvious landmark looks like a Star Wars trading post and its quirky architecture is part of the appeal for tourists. This famous Art Deco building consists of a huge central dome with four wings opening out into large halls. Psah Thmey contains countless stalls run by more than 3,000 merchants. When the market was first opened, in 1937, it was said to be the biggest market in Asia. It has recently undergone years of serious renovation with the newly improved Central Market reopening in 2011.Merchandise comprises almost everything imaginable including souvenirs, clothes, fresh produce, books, flowers, postcards, antiques, and a lot of jewellery. As many stalls stock the same merchandise it is useful to compare prices to find the real value of goods. One should bargain hard but good-naturedly. Surrounding the structure is a ring of tightly packed vendors selling similar wares. Its central location is walkable from almost anywhere and it is visible from many of Phnom Penh's main roads but, if necessary, all taxis know Central Market.
Address : Neayok Souk, Phnom Penh
The Cambodian genocide during the late 1970s ranks as one of the great horrors of modern history. Under Pol Pot's rule an estimated 1.7 million people (21 percent of the Cambodian population) were either ruthlessly slaughtered by the Khmer Rouge, or died of starvation in the communal fields. Choeung Ek was the extermination camp where the prisoners from S21 (now the Tuol Sleng Museum) were executed. Also known as the Killing Fields, after the movie of the same name, this football-field-sized area contains the mass graves of about 20,000 people, many of whom were tortured before being executed.A tall Memorial Stupa has been constructed to commemorate the dead with more than 8,000 human skulls are displayed behind the glass. At the entrance, a handwritten sign in Khmer and English summarises the atrocities perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge. As a reminder of the reality of this great tragedy, human bones are still frequently unearthed by heavy rains in the area, and many of the tour guides have personal stories to tell about their experiences during Pol Pot's reign. A visit to the Killing Fields is harrowing - and not suitable for young children - but it remains one of the most popular tourist attractions in Cambodia.
Address : Just over nine miles (15km) southwest of Phnom Penh
Telephone : +855 23 305 371
Opening times : Daily 8am-5.30pm
Admission : $3 entrance fee per person, $3 per audioguide.
From Phnom Penh, a great excursion is the formerly lavish resort town of Krong Kep. Once a famous high-society destination, called The Pearl of the Orient, Kep is now more of a rustic fishing village; a peaceful and charming destination for those who like to travel off the beaten track. The Khmer Rouge did a number on this town, but the ruined villas of the rich now add to Kep's crumbling mystique. A beautiful coastal road, slivers of beaches, jungled mountains, and the nearby Rabbit Island ensures that Krong Kep continues to draw visitors to its shores.
The Irrawaddy river dolphins inhabit a 118-mile (190km) stretch of the Mekong River. These odd but delightful creatures are in danger of extinction and the Cambodian population was recently estimated to consist of a mere 85 animals. For years the dolphins were killed illegal fishing practices, and hunted by the Khmer Rouge for sport. The dolphins are now protected and have become a symbol of hope for the sleepy north-eastern town of Kratie and the money paid to view them supports the local community as well as the conservation of the dolphins.The animals themselves are shy and intelligent and their perpetual grins make them very endearing. They are sometimes spotted from the riverbank but many tourists opt to rent small boats to get closer to them. The local oarsmen retain a healthy distance from surfacing animals but viewers can get close enough to recognise individual characteristics and see the famous dolphin smiles. Kratie is accustomed to budget travellers, with a choice of cheap guesthouses and small hotels. All of these offer motorbike drivers for the scenic nine-mile (15km) drive to the dolphins' river home, a tiny fishing village called Kampi where the houses are raised up on stilts to prevent annual flooding.
Address : Kratie, about five or six hours from Phnom Penh
While this beach town isn't nearly as famous as those found along Thailand's pristine coast, it does make a great tourist getaway. Sihanoukville is the country's only deep water port, making much of the town industrial and unattractive to tourists. But the coastal city is surrounded on three sides by the Bay of Thailand and there are several secluded tourist beaches with all the requisite trappings: dishevelled beach bars, guesthouses, and smiling hawkers. As there isn't much to do in town, it is worth the extra money to stay in the quaint beachside accommodation.Daytime activities include swimming, fishing, snorkelling, scuba diving, and boat trips to the nearby islands. There are also several Buddhist temples to be explored in the area and the Ream National Park is only 11 miles (18km) away. Most hotels and guest houses offer transport and day passes for visiting the National Park. Nightly beach barbecues prepare great food and offer cheap beer. The government is said to have plans to develop the area for larger resorts which may well ruin its laid-back beach charm in years to come. Regular daily buses provide a three to four hour journey to and from Phnom Penh, along Cambodia's best road. There is also a ferry connecting to Koh Kong, the Cambodian/Thailand border.
Address : 115 miles (185km) southwest of Phnom Penh
The magnificent Temples of Angkor are a must-see on any trip to Cambodia, taking the visitor into the heart of the ancient Khmer Empire. Built between the 9th and 13th centuries, more than 100 temples have been uncovered as evidence of this impressive ancient civilisation and one of the biggest cities of its time. Angkor Wat is the largest religious monument ever built, an impressive Hindu temple surrounded by a moat, and acknowledged as one of the wonders of the world. The walled Royal City of Angkor Thom is home to the Bayon Temple and its huge stone faces, another fascinating attraction. Khmer architecture is unique and although it evolved from that of the Indian subcontinent, and borrowed from neighbouring traditions, Angkor Wat stands as testament to the power and individuality of the Khmer's ancient oriental art form.The complex includes ancient ruins, well-preserved temples, religious sites, monuments and lots of stone work and will take you a few days to explore in entirety. If your budget allows, you can see Angkor from the air in a hot air balloon or helicopter. It is particularly special to see the temple complex at sunrise and sunset, and it is best to avoid going during the midday heat. Don't forget hats and drinking water and wear comfortable walking shoes. Also note that visitors are expected to dress respectfully and ticket vendors may refuse entry to those showing too much skin.
Address : Three miles (5km) outside Siem Reap.
Opening times : Daily 5.30am-6pm.
Admission : $37 for 1 day ticket, $62 for 3 day ticket, $72 for 7 day ticket. Free for children under 12.
The Royal Palace is one of the principal attractions of Phnom Penh and contains the best examples of 20th-century Khmer architecture in the city. The palace has remained the official residence of the kings of Cambodia since 1860. Set among the perfectly maintained gardens you can find the exquisite Throne Hall, the Elephant Pavilion where the king's elephants were kept, the Royal Treasury, and the Chan Chaya Pavilion which was made especially for performances of classical Cambodian dance.Although much of the palace complex is off-limits to the public, the Silver Pagoda is open to visitors. This remarkable building is the highlight of the compound and takes its name from the floor of the temple, which is completely covered in silver tiles. The internal walls are decorated with frescoes depicting episodes of the Ramayana myth, painted in 1903 by 40 Khmer artists. It is also called the Pagoda of the Emerald Buddha, a tribute to the magnificent baccarat crystal image of the Emerald Buddha that sits in the centre on a gilt pedestal. There are other intricately carved Buddha images on display, notably the life-size solid gold statue that stands in front of the pedestal, decorated with 9,584 diamonds.Remember to dress conservatively and respectfully when visiting the Royal Palace; bare shoulders or legs are frowned upon within the complex.
Address : 63, Street 348, Sangkat Toul Svay Prey II, Khan Chamkamorn, Phnom Penh
Opening times : Daily 8am-10.30am, 2pm-5pm.
Admission : $10 per person.
When the Khmer Rouge came into power in 1975, they commandeered and converted a secondary school into a primitive prison where they detained and tortured anyone suspected of anti-revolutionary behaviour. Between 1975 and 1979, an estimated 20,000 victims were imprisoned in Security Prison 21, or S21, as it was known. The building appears almost exactly as the fleeing Khmer Rouge left it, and serves as a testimony to the crimes and atrocities of the organisation.It is a tremendously moving experience. The photographs, instruments of torture, and bloodstained walls give a thorough idea of the extent of the pain and horror borne by the Cambodian people. Thousands of victims were transported from here to the extermination camp outside the city, Choeung Ek (The Killing Fields), to be killed. There are some first person accounts on display at the museum, despite the fact that of the estimated 20,000 prisoners incarcerated in S21 there are only 12 known survivors.
Address : Corner of Street 113 and Street 350, Boeng Keng Kang
E-mail : [email protected]
Website : tuolsleng.gov.kh
Telephone : 023 6655 395
Opening times : Daily from 8am-5pm.
Admission : $3 per person.
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