Tourism in Cambodia has boomed over the past decade and this country is now one of the must visit places in south east Asia. Cambodia might look small on a map in comparison to other countries in Asia, but there are some of the most famous tourist attractions in the world located here.
Cambodia is a really special country to travel in with friendly people, tasty food, bustling cities, ancient temples, beaches, islands, wildlife and much more.
If you are looking for your next travel destination, Cambodia really should be somewhere you have close to the top of your bucket list.
View our top tips for visiting Cambodia including where to go, what to do, how to get around and itinerary suggestions.
Top Reasons to Visit Cambodia
• World famous attractions
• Stunning ancient temples and ruins
• Friendly welcoming people
• Affordable and great value for money
• Tasty food, be sure to try the local khmer curry
• Beautiful beaches and islands which are far less touristy than Thailand
Cambodia Travel Essentials
If you are looking to book a trip to Cambodia check out these websites:
• Find cheap flights to Cambodia on Skyscanner
• Browse the best hotels in Cambodia with Booking.com
• Search tours of Cambodia and Asia with G Adventures
Itinerary
Two to three weeks is a great time frame to explore Cambodia and see the highlights of the country.
Sure, you can visit for less, even just 7-10 days but you will be really rushing the experience and not have time to visit all the essential locations or have time to enjoy the places you visit.
How to Get Around
Travelling independently in Cambodia can be a wonderful experience, although challenging at times especially as not that many people in the country speak English and sometimes public transport can be unreliable.
We highly recommend small group tours to Cambodia where you will get to be guided to the top rated locations in the country, travel with like-minded people and have a lot of fun. Local and international companies offer year round trips, check out G Adventures who are one of the best tour companies.
Top Things to Do in Cambodia
Add these destinations to your Cambodia travel itinerary and get ready to fall in love with the country.
1. Siem Reap
Siem Reap is located in northwest Cambodia and it is one of the main tourist hubs in Cambodia. This city is popular due to its close proximity to the world famous temples of Angkor
Siem Reap is one of the best destinations to add to your Cambodia travel itinerary due to being the gateway to the Angkor Temples, a sprawling complex of ancient temples which are among some of the most impressive places in the world to visit.
The city of Siem Reap is very developed, tourism is one of the main industries here and there are hotels for all budgets. Siem Reap still has a great atmosphere, and is great destination to stay for a few days.
There are lots of shops, cafes, restaurants and bars. The nightlife around Pub Street is lively due to the amount of bars and clubs here.
2. Angkor Temples
Angkor was the capital city of the Khmer Empire and is home to the stunning Angkor Wat temple, one of Cambodia’s most popular tourist attractions. Angkor Wat is a national symbol and sacred site of Cambodian Buddhism, the complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There are over 70 temples and ruins found within Angkor, and there are also remains of several hundred smaller temples and statues scattered throughout the area. Behind Angor Wat, Angkor Thom is one of the most recognisable and famous temples to visit which featured in the 2001 smash hit film, Tomb Raider.
All tourists need a permit to enter the Angkor temple complex, unless you are Cambodian or related to a Cambodian. A 1-day pass is USD$37, 3-day is USD$62, and a full 7-days is USD$72.
Arriving early for sunrise over Angor Wat, or staying for sunset is a really magical experience. You can spend a day, or longer see all the temples. There is the option to explore independently on foot or bike, or you can book a tour or hire a local guide to get more information about the temples and history.
3. Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville was once a quiet little backpacker outpost but there has been huge investment in recent years and development has been rapid. Although Sihanoukville has lost its quiet little fishing village charm, it is still an essential stop off for any Cambodia trip.
The main city centre is now very built up with hotels and casinos, gambling tourism here especially with Chinese tourists has boomed in the past decade. But there are lots of really cool hotels and hostels here, and the main draw of Sihanoukville is though, the spectacular coast which is beautiful.
Sihanoukville is home to more than 20 beaches, including the nearby islands, providing lots of sand for you to dig your toes into. It’s also one of the best places to get wet, with nearby waterfalls, scuba diving, and boating to keep you going.
Just down the coast is Otres Beach, a sleepy, laid-back oasis of a beach town. Many visitors see Otres only as a day trip from Sihanoukville, while others visit the beach town and end up never leaving. Most travelers pass the time here by walking up and down the short-lived dirt road, sipping on fresh coconuts, taking in some rays on the beach, meeting friendly sun-kissed strangers, and sipping on cold beer while watching some of the best sunsets in the world. Rough, isn’t it?
Tip: Hit up the Saturday night market in Otres Village, which is close to the beach. There’s live music, food vendors, and strong, locally-made absinthe that starts working very, very quickly.
4. Koh Rong, Koh Sanloem & Koh Ta Kiev
Everyone always talks about the amazing islands in Thailand, and for good reason. But most of these islands are now heavily commercialised and over touristy. Cambodia often gets overlooked as a beach destination, but Koh Rong is what the Thai islands were like 20 years ago.
Koh Rong is one of the most beautiful places to visit in Cambodia, expect a very authentic and local experience without the huge skyscraper hotels and tourism resorts.
This really is one of the best islands to see in Asia with sandy beaches, quiet little villages and a really relaxed atmosphere. Its easy to spend days and weeks forgetting about the world and just enjoying the slow pace of life here.
If you would like to visit more islands in Cambodia be sure to go to Koh Rong Sanloem and Koh Ta Kiev. These islands are even smaller and quieter than Koh Rong, offering the perfect relaxation locations away from the tourist crowds.
Both are very undeveloped and have very cheap places to stay. The beaches and ocean here are beautiful and perfect for relaxing, swimming, snorkelling or sunbathing.
You can easily spend 1/2 weeks or longer visiting these islands. Getting to the southern islands in Cambodia is very easy too, all can be reached by ferry or long boat from Sihanoukville, Otres Beach or Ream.
5. Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the bustling capital of Cambodia and somewhere you will likely visit when travelling through the country.
If you like cities, then you should like Phnom Penh. Sometimes the city can feel a bit busy and hectic compared to other destinations in Cambodia, but there are lots of popular tourist attractions to check out.
Highlights include the Royal Palace as seen in the picture above. There are also a wide variety of cafes, bars, restaurants and places to stay.
One place to visit and get shocked is at the Tuol Sleng Prison and the Killing Fields of Choeng Ek.
Granted, this isn’t a particularly pleasant experience, but the massacre of millions of Cambodian during the Khmer Rouge Regime is such an important, and still hugely relevant, part of Cambodia’s history that you need to pay a visit to S21 Prison and the Killing fields in Phnom Penh.
It’s a trip that will help you to really understand this great country, what it’s been through and the effect it’s had on many of the population alive today. Fascinating, heartbreaking, but so utterly important to Cambodia, it’s something you really shouldn’t miss.
6. Kampot
Kampot is a popular Cambodian city located on the Preaek Tuek Chhu River in southern Cambodia. Kampot is famous for its pepper plantations and scenic salt fields and it is an established destination on the tourist trail.
Dotted with French colonial buildings, Kampot – the pepper capital of the world – is a unique, slow-paced city that many expats call home. The city’s main draw is the abandoned Bokor Hill Station, located inside Bokor national park, which was established in the 1920s. The drive up the hill is the best part, as you’re greeted with refreshing, cool air the higher you go. The views at the top are stunning.
There are lots of other things to do in Kampot including wandering around city to see old colonial buildings, visiting the Governor’s Mansion which is now the Kampot Museum and exploring the lush Preah Monivong Bokor National Park which is spectacular with waterfalls and wild animals like gibbons and big cats.
Kampot, like many other places in Cambodia, is home to awe-inspiring sunsets. Try a sunset cruise down the river and you’ll find that a highlight is the fireflies! As the sun sets and the sky darkens, fireflies fill the trees that line the riverbed, pulsating with their yellow and orange hues.
Kampot also has a popular night market which is worth a venture to buy food, drinks and souvenirs.
Most tours visit Kampot, whilst if travelling independently you can take a minibus from Phnom Penh which costs USD$10 and takes around 4 hours. There is also a bus from Sihanoukville costing around $5 and taking 2 hours.
7. Battambang
Battambang is a large city that is often overlooked as part of Cambodia travel itinerary as the city isn’t as well known as Siem Reap or Phnom Penh.
Don’t be fooled by the relaxed vibe of this city – there’s more to do here than you’d first think. After taking a ride on the bamboo train (actually a small, rickety bamboo platform), head back to the city and get familiar with the Cambodian kitchen. It’s not as famous as its neighbors’, but it certainly holds its own (check out a guide to Cambodia’s street eats here).
You can walk around and see most of the local tourist attractions in Battambang’s in 1 day, although you might like to spend a few days here to get a feel for the city. There are some high rated restaurants and also day trips to the countryside which is really scenic.
Like nightlife? Maybe not this kind – but you won’t want to miss the phenomenal bat cave just outside of the city. For about 40 minutes every night, just before sunset, hundreds of thousands – some say millions – of bats exit these caves, creating an insane bat road that weaves itself through the sky. Grab a beer, or a fresh coconut from a nearby vendor, sit back, and be amazed.
The easiest way to get to Battambang is by catching a bus from Siem Reap, this costs around around USD$8. There is also the option to take the river ferry for $25 or hire a private car.
Tip: Rent a scooter and head out of town for an adventure. Greater Battambang is home to some of the most scenic drives in Cambodia. There are multiple temple complexes to see, most notably Wat Banan and Wat Ek Phnom. Plus, you’ll get to ride a sweet scooter around for a few hours for little more than a couple dollars.
8. Cardamom Mountains
If you like nature and the outdoors, a visit to the Cardamom Mountains is highly recommended. This is home to a tropical jungle – the largest rainforest in Southeast Asia which is home to rare flora and fauna and endangered animals.
9. Koh Ker
The ruins of Angkor are what most people know when they think of Cambodia, but there are also more ruins located in other areas of the country.
Located around 100 kilometres north from Siem Reap, you can visit Koh Ker, a former capital of the Khmer Empire.
Koh Ker is a 10th-century temple complex in the north Cambodian jungle, the area is heavily forested which adds to the experience of seeing the temple in person.
Koh Ker is a lot less touristy than the Angkor temples, and just wandering around the site is a really special experience.
10. Kep
Kep is the smallest province of Cambodia and the ideal location for anyone looking to see somewhere different and enjoy a relaxing experience.
Kep used to be Cambodia’s number one seaside tourist destination and is a great place to relax on the beach, go for walks and hikes, as well as see beautiful sunsets and enjoy the tasty seafood.
Kep can be done in a day trip from Kampot (around 30 minutes by TukTuk), or you could stay here too.
11. Kratie
Leaving or entering Cambodia from Laos or Vietnam? There’s a decent chance you’ll be stopping over in Kratie. Situated along the mighty Mekong River, Kratie is just full of fun.
Kratie is a lesser known destination on our list but it is a popular stop off for anyone travelling overland in Cambodia.
Katie is a very small town located in northeastern Cambodia on the riverbanks of the Mekong. This is a very rural location with one of the main highlights being the chance to see wild river dolphins that are native to the river here.
If you would like to visit somewhere off the beaten track for an authentic Cambodia experience, Kratie is recommended to go. The nature and countryside here is stunning.
For adventure enthusiasts and nature buffs, check out the Mekong Discovery Trail. It’s a network of paths heading north along the Mekong river. A few hours to a few days can be spent on this trail, and you can bike or motorcycle cruise around. The trail is an ecotourism project created in hopes of bringing tourists to local fishing communities along the river.
Tip: Hop across to Koh Trong, a small island near Kratie. Rent a motorcycle or a bicycle and spend part of the day zipping around this little slice of happiness.
12. Ko Ta Kiev
Ko Ta Kiev is the definition of a hidden gem. This small island might not have many attractions but it still packs a big punch.
A decade ago there were only a couple of guest houses, no roads, no electricity, no noise – the right combination to lull you into a state of pure bliss.
Accommodation here mainly consists of rustic bungalows, but there are some tree houses, too. You know what to do: stay in a tree house!
There’s also a crescent-shaped beach nearby called Naked Beach – I’m actually not sure if that’s a name or a suggestion, you decide. Well there you have it: seclusion + simplicity = Ko Ta Kiev.
Plan a Trip to Cambodia
All in all, Cambodia is one heck of a captivating country.
Going to the Killing Fields outside of Phnom Penh and touring Angkor Wat should definitely be part of any Cambodian itinerary. But, as you can see, there’s a lot to see and do, and so much more than what’s on this list.
If you are lucky enough to visit Cambodia, you will understand why so many tourists fall in love with the country. So, get exploring.
