Sihanoukville, also known as Kampong Som, is a port city and beach resort on the Gulf of Thailand. The big attraction here are the white-sand beaches and several undeveloped tropical islands. Sihanoukville is a good place to relax and unwind, though be prepared to battle the crows during the high season or a holiday weekend.
Cambodia Landmine Museum
Cambodia Landmine Museum is the result of tireless work from landmine victim Aki Ra, who has contributed towards the huge operations to rid the country of explosives left over from the war. The museum, which is close to the Butterfly Centre, houses a collection of mines, mortars, and other weapons, as well as tells the stories of some of the country’s countless victims.
Wat Phnom
Standing as the capital’s only hill, this well-manicured park offers welcome respite from the capital’s heat. Wat Phnom pagoda and its intricately-detailed temple sits atop and welcomes visitors, with foreigners paying a $1 fee. Steer clear of the mischievous, and often vicious, monkeys. Looking for Best Siem Reap Accommodation?
Angkor Wat (Angkor Archaeological Park) This temple city is Cambodia’s number one drawcard. Accessed from the town of Siem Reap, the temples of the Angkorian period are so ambitious in scale and in the majesty of their construction, that Angkor Wat is rated as one of the world’s must-see ancient sites. Built between AD 802 and 1432, this was the largest city in the world during the medieval age and the vast powerhouse of the Khmer kings who endeavored to outbid their predecessors in the beauty of their construction. As the city’s wooden dwellings were encroached and then decayed by the surrounding jungle, what remains today, are just those mighty temples.
The temple of Angkor Wat itself, the world’s largest religious building, is only one sliver of the site in total, and the sprawling circuit of temples deserves three days to explore if you want to understand the scope of the Angkorian period’s architectural achievements. For those short on time though, the main highlights after Angkor Wat are the tree-root clasped temple of Ta Prohm (which first found international fame as a location used in the movie Tomb Raider), the Bayon Temple for its 216 stone-carved faces, Angkor Thom, and Preah Khan.
Tonle Sap is Cambodia’s most important waterway and Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake. As well as being an important source of food and a vital tool for Cambodian irrigation, the lake itself is home to 170 floating villages that depend on fishing for their livelihood, with homes built directly on the water. The houses, shops, churches, schools, and temples of these villages are built on rustic buoy foundations of lashed together barrels and bamboo, and all transport is by boat. They’re a fascinating place to spend a day exploring. One of the most interesting is the sprawling village of Kompong Luong, near the town of Pursat on Tonle Sap’s western shore, although the most popular village to visit is Chong Kneas near Siem Reap.
When you visit Battambang, one of the places that you just cannot afford to miss is the bat caves at the base of Mount Sampeou. This is one of the top most tourist attractions here, which is why you can spot many foreigners around these caves. They are also known as Killing Caves.
Highlights – Bats, as we know, are nocturnal birds. Every evening, especially after sunset, you can witness thousands of bats fly out these caves into the woods nearby. You can continue to watch this spectacle for about 40 minutes, as that’s the time required for all the bats to fly out. However, it is best to leave within ten minutes, if you don’t want to put your lives at risk. There lots of bikes available to take you to the top of the mountain and back to the base at the evening, just in time for bat-spotting.
Location – Battambang.
Timings – Only in the evenings
Price – Around USD3 for trekking up the hill.
