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Best places to visit in Cambodia

Nestled on the side of the Gulf of Siam, Cambodia is a fascinating country. You will probably be subdued by the wealth of Angkor temples or the diversity of landscapes, but it's perhaps the Cambodian soul, which is both serious and joyful, which moves you the most. This population expiates its painful history, its bubbling youth, smiling to the world, the Theravada Buddhism shapes society and guides the meaning of life and the Mekong unabatedly continues to enhance each monsoon with the Tonle Sap Lake, the cradle of Khmer civilisation.

Upon arriving to Phnom Penh, you will discover a human-sized, dynamic and noisy capital. The heritage of the French protectorate is still evident across architecture, such as the art-deco style central market, but it's visiting the royal palace which enables you to get your feet wet. The S-21 camp and the genocide museum provide a different atmosphere altogether, giving visitors the chance to descend into the hell of the Khmer Rouge.

Stop off at Kampong Thom, on the road to Siam Reap, to prepare for exploring the enormous city of the Khmer Empire. Take a photo of Angkor Vat during the sunset from Phnom Bakheng, visit Bayon and Ta Phrom but also Beng Mealea or Banteay Srei, a temple dedicated to Shiva.

Moving west, discover Battambang and the NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak, which helps young people to be emancipated by culture and art, get away by visiting Wat Bannan, a very well preserved temple. Stroll around the seaside resort of Sihanoukville or appreciate the authenticity of Kep and the famous pepper of Kampot.

For an end-of-the-world atmosphere, away from tourists, immerse yourself deep into Cambodia by exploring the remote and transforming regions of Môndol Kiri and of Ratanakiri discover the small town of Banlung where a sleeping Buddha temple and the prettiest waterfalls of the country in Bou Sraa await you... There are many wonders to discover!

Gaëtan MOLENE
Angkor Wat is the largest temple at the Angkor site. It is without a shadow of a doubt one of the places that everyone visiting Cambodia really must go and see.
Banteay Samré is an ancient Hindu temple near Siem Reap that counts as one of the temples of Angkor.
Located in the south-west of the country, the Cardamomsshowcase a diversity of landscapes and an ecosystem unique to Cambodia .
The Bou Sraa waterfalls are the best known and most beautiful in the region of Mondolkiri and are about 40 kilometres from Sen Monorom.
Chi Phat is a local community that has decided to adapt its village in order to make it accessible to tourists. It's the ideal destination to visit if you want to discover new things and meet lots of new people on your travels.
A pleasant floating village a bit further from Siem Reap, so a bit less touristy than the others.
The Angkor temples are definitely one of the unmissable historic sites in south-east Asia, and are also a UNESCO World Heritage site. Angkor is a very special moment for any travellers taking a trip to Cambodia.
A sacred mountain for the whole of the Khmer people, Phnom Kulen is the ideal place to spend an active day trekking with family or friends.
Far away from the famous Angkor Wat, Le Bayon and Ta Phrom, Beng Melea is the temple that was used as background in a film by Jean-Jaques Annaud called the Deux frères.
This truly authentic little village is between Battambang and Phnom Penh. Few tourists, few people who speak English but loads of charm.
A huge and beautiful freshwater lake, Tonle Sap is an important source of income and food for the local population, and people cross it to go between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.  
A temple which is outside the main Angkor Wat complex but which is included in the price. It makes for a pretty trip near Siem Reap.
A little quiet town located south of Lake Tonlé Sap.
Kampong Cham is the third largest city in Cambodia and capital of the region that shares its name. The city extends out along the banks of the Mekong River, to the north of Phnom Penh.
Like Kep, Kampot is a charming village where time seems to have stood still, and a place where you can enjoy the star of local cultural heritage: the pepper that made the village famous.
The little town of Kep, nestling along the edge of a beautiful bay, is famous for both its Crab Market and for Rabbit Island, which lies out in the sea nearby.
A beautiful island with a heavenly coast and an interior that is still wild and covered in jungle. 
Kampong Chhnang is a large community of floating houses grouped on the south east banks of Tonlé Sap lake.
The river Tatai doesn't have many visitors, it's still relatively unexplored.
A place every traveller has to go to during their trip to Cambodia, because Siem Reap is the starting point for visits to the Temples of Angkor.
Banlung is the capital of Ratanakiri, the most northern province of Cambodia, between Vietnam and Laos.
Chao Srey Vibol is one of the most ancient temples in the region of Angkor but is situated outside the historic park, to the east of Baray oriental.
As the main place to come in Cambodia for nightlife, partying and to enjoy the beach, Sihanoukville contains both some nice areas and some not so nice areas.
Koh Trong is a small island a few hours from Sihanoukville. A true corner of paradise that you should visit in the south of Cambodiak!
Kompong Phluk is one of the villages located on Tonlé Sap lake. In contrast to its more popular neighbour, Chong Kneas, it is not actually a floating village but instead consists of stilt houses.
The Cambodian capital, Phnom Penh, is a city that presents a particular image of the country and contains within it several interesting places that anyone staying in Cambodia should find worth visiting.
Sitting perched on a sacred hill 250 km from Siem Reap, Preah Vihear is not an easy site to reach. However, you won't regret the effort you make to get here.
Ratanakiri is Cambodia's most northerly province and shares borders with Laos to the north and Vietnam to the south.
One of the best conserved temples in the vicinity of Battambang .
Kampong Thom is a visit that's off the beaten track before going to Siem Reap, which will help you to begin to understand how rich the architectural heritage of Cambodia is.

Best time to visit Cambodia

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