First tick off some must-do’s, then kick back and change the pace of life on your Cambodia vacation. Start at the country’s biggest draw Angkor Wat. Spread over 400 acres the temple complex is Cambodia’s crown jewel. The grandeur of its size, the intricacy of its bas-relief sculptures, and the symbolism and architectural genius behind it cannot be overstated. Over a million visitors arrive here and in the nearby town of Siem Reap each year. As a result, the city is something of a boomtown catering to the crowds.
The wounds of the genocide perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s are an integral part of Cambodian history. Understand this country’s past by visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields, while in the bustling capital Phnom Penh. Later, visit the rich, ornate Royal Palace with its exquisite gardens. At dusk, join the local population at the river, where waterfront bars line the boardwalk and open-air exercises and dance lessons are often conducted.
Reconnect with life’s fundamentals by exploring places outside the main cities. Take a riverboat on the Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers, travel to places like Kampot, famous for its pepper, or Battambang, with its crumbling colonial architecture. Spend time interacting with friendly locals. If you’re looking for an atypical itinerary, you’ve come to the right place. Enchanting Travels consultants will provide all the inputs and suggestions you need, and fit your trip itinerary to suit your every need.
Places: Siem Reap (3 days) → Battambang (2) → Phnom Penh (2) → Koh Rong Archipelago (3) → Phnom Penh (1) → Phnom Penh (1)
Tour Highlights: Angkor Wat Temple Complex, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tonle Sap Lake, Khmer Architecture, Rice Fields...
Ideal For: Beaches Heritage & Culture Nature & Landscapes
Places: Siem Reap (3 days) → Koh Rong Archipelago (2) → Phnom Penh (3) → Phnom Penh (1)
Tour Highlights: Angkor Wat Temple Complex, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tonle Sap Lake, Khmer Architecture, Rice Fields...
Ideal For: Beaches Heritage & Culture
Places: Siem Reap (3 days) → Kompong Thom (1) → Kratie (2) → Mondulkiri (2) → Phnom Penh (2) → Kampot (2) → Koh Rong Archipelago (4) → Phnom Penh (1)
Tour Highlights: Angkor Wat Temple Complex, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tonle Sap Lake, Khmer Architecture, Rice Fields...
Ideal For: Beaches Heritage & Culture Nature & Landscapes
Places: Phnom Penh (1 day) → Siem Reap (3) → Champasak (2) → Vientianne (1) → Luang Prabang (3)
Tour Highlights: Cambodia’s Capital, Royal Palace, Riverside Promenade, Colonial Architecture, Angkor Wat Temple Complex, UNESCO World Heritage...
Ideal For: Beaches Heritage & Culture Nature & Landscapes
Cambodia has a warm / hot tropical climate that is relatively calm and consistent throughout the year. There are primarily two seasons, the dry season between December and April, and the rainy season or wet season between May and October. Our destination experts share an overview on when to visit the ancient temples, charming towns and blissful beaches.
There’s more to Cambodia than Angkor Wat. On your tour, experience the best of the fascinating culture, heritage, and blissful beaches. Our destination experts share an overview on the most popular highlights, attractions and activities.
With a culture and traditions steeped in history, you can expect a fusion of local traditions with religious customs. Set in the northwest, the luxury resort city of Siem Reap is perfectly poised for sightseeing tours, with the magnificent relics of the Khmer Empire, Angkor, just outside the city limits. One of the mightiest empires to ever rule the world, the Angkor complex is proof that Khmer architectural genius is comparable only to the world’s most stunning wonders, such as Machu Picchu. The Angkor temples, set between the Kulen mountains to the north and the serene Tonle Sap Lake to the south, are typical examples of Khmer-style architecture, and include UNESCO-listed gems such as Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, Bayon Temple, Banteay Srei, Beng Mealea, Ta Phrom and Preah Khan.
Much of the spurt in Cambodian tourism may be owed to these ruins but, there’s a lot more to Cambodia than Angkor Wat temples. In Siem Reap itself, beyond the tourist trails frequented by motorized tuk tuks, or the night markets where street food stalls hawk exotic delicacies, luxury hotels, spas and a dizzying number of foreign travelers, lies a dizzying cultural scene that can rival any other in Southeast Asia. In Phnom Penh, on the banks of the Mekong River, unravel Asian mysticism, romance and heritage – right from the glittering Royal Palace to saffron-clad monks lined up at the morning alms giving ceremony, to the Silver Pagoda, and the Killing Fields from the Khmer Rouge era.
Beyond these urban jungles and ancient ruins, rural Cambodia offers lush rice paddies, distant mountains, and untamed wildernesses inland. Remote Kratie, set far away from the crowds, is known for its delightful French colonial buildings. Set on the banks of the Mekong, glorious sunsets await you in this sleepy town, as do the rare pink dolphins. to the west, just outside the quiet town of Battambang, lush rice fields pave the way to floating villages on the Tonle Sap Lake. The eastern highlands near Mondulkiri or Rattanakiri are replete with grassy hills and pine forests, crisscrossed by gushing waterfalls and tranquil rivers. Sparsely populated, its the ideal region for giving way to your digital detox plans.
To the south, Cambodia’s palm-fringed tropical islands and beaches may not be as well-known those in Thailand or Vietnam, but therein lies their charm! Sihanoukville, set on the east coast, leads the way with its forest backdrop, sandy shores and clear blue waters at beaches such as Otres. Nearby, the coastal town of Kep offers a rugged coast surrounded by mangrove forests while Kampot boasts a long, serene coastline. The jewel in the Cambodian crown however, is the pristine Koh Rong archipelago, which is just a short boat ride away from Koh Kong. Expect turquoise blue waters framed by the Gulf of Thailand, silken white sand under your feet and an incredible underwater world – what’s not to love!
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Did you know?
Ta Prohm, began as a Buddhist monastery and university. Unlike most other Angkorian temples, this hauntingly beautiful site boasts a pristine, other-worldly atmosphere with trees growing out of the ruins surrounded by dense jungles.
Just a few hours away from Angkor, picturesque Prasat Preah Vihear temple is set atop on the Dângrêk Mountain. This beautifully preserved site has the most stunning setting out of all temples from the Khmer era.
Banteay Srei, dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, includes buildings that are much smaller in scale than others in the Angkorian collection. Built from red sandstone, it is often lauded as the ‘jewel of Khmer art’.
Prasat Thom temple in Koh Ker boasts the highest temple tower ever to be built by the Khmer, at 36 meters from the ground!
During your private Cambodia tour, you will notice that the culture and tradition are steeped in its history. The official language of Cambodia is Khmer.
The cuisine of Cambodia has a wonderfully fresh approach and it has been influenced by the French during colonization, from Chinese immigrants, as well as its neighboring countries, Thailand and Vietnam. On one of our Cambodia trips, you can also expect Japanese and European cuisine in coastal towns, such as Sihanoukville, located in the southwest of the country. Naturally, the coast is renowned for its seafood.
Cambodia has had a fascinating and diverse past, from the Stone Age of hunters and gatherers, up until to the modern day.
Cambodia was for centuries divided into rival states before King Jayavarman II founded the Khmer Empire. As a nation of animists, the integration of Hinduism and Buddhism was introduced easily in the 9th century and coexisted with the traditional belief that spirits inhabited the earth. During the golden age of the empire that existed until the 13th century, great temple complexes were built with regal and fine carvings, including the notable Angkor Wat.
During the 16th century, Cambodia was conquered by the Thai, destroying the capital city, Phonm Penh, at which time European missionaries also arrived. By the 19th century, Cambodia was under the protectorate of France. Cambodia became its own independent kingdom under Norodom Sihanouk in 1953. When the Vietnam War crossed into the border of Cambodia in the mid-1970s, the communist and brutal agrarian regime of the Khmer Rouge was born. This led to what is considered one of the worst genocides in modern history that today is remembered by the mass graves known as the Killing Fields, which you can visit on one of our private Cambodia tours.
The civil war ended when the Khmer Rouge were successfully removed by Vietnamese troops and the People’s Republic of Kampuchea was formed. Today, despite a heavy-hearted legacy, Cambodia is ever optimistic about its future, and tourism is playing a positive role in boosting an emerging economy. While Phnom Penh is the official capital of modern-day Cambodia, Siem Reap remains its most-visited city owing to its proximity to the famed Angkor complex.
