Cambodia may be one of the poorest nations in Asia, but it is rich in cultural heritage. From the majestic temples in the jungle to the memorials dedicated to the millions who died during the Khmer Rouge years, Cambodia has a few gems worth visiting.

Angkor Archeological Park

The home of Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom, and Bayom Temple. The best way to see the major parts of this heritage site is through a tour group, which has access to areas not easily reachable by individuals. Read more about this amazing temple city here which is famous for the Tomb Raider site location shooting.

Siem Reap

Near the Angkor Wat site, this town has the Landmine Museum, where visitors can learn the havoc this leftover anti-personnel weapons can inflict on civilians decades after they were first laid down.

Phnom Phenh

The capital city. The Royal Palace and the National Museum is located here. When visiting the Royal Palace, remember to cover any exposed legs or shoulders as a sign of respect.

Wat Phnom (Hill Temple)

A 700-year old temple built on an artificial hill that is 100 feet high. The main entrance of this important Phnom Penh pagoda is guarded by modern statues of dvarapalas (human-shaped figures), chinthes (lion-like creature), and nagas (serpents). Wat Phnom is the center of the city’s celebration of the Cambodian New Year (Pchum Benh).

Floating Villages

Some fishing villages in Cambodia adapt to the annual floodwaters by constructing their houses on bamboo stilts. During the wet season, the stilts are raised up to 10 meters. If you want to avoid being crowded by other tourists, you’d have to travel further away from the capital. Kampong Khleang is the most distant of these floating villages, whereas Chong Khneas is the nearest. Allow for half a day for activities and sightseeing.

Other villages may let visitors experience a day as a fellow villager. Activities include planting cucumbers, teaching English to schoolchildren, and lunch with a local family.

Choeung Ek

The best-known of the killing fields. During the 1970’s, Cambodia was taken over by the communist Pol Pot, who then proceeded to commit genocide against his own countrymen. He hired children as his army, then made them turn against their own parents and other adults. Wishing to revert Cambodia back into an agrarian economy, Pol Pot converted school houses and other buildings into prison camps and torture chambers. After subjecting his victims to such atrocities, he then led them to the killing fields to be executed.

Choeung Ek is now filled with pits that used to be mass graves where thousands of skeletons were buried. A nearby museum, Security Prison 21, acted as the detention center and torture chamber. Some of the cells in this former school are kept in its original condition, and photographs on the walls show victims as they were found in the torture rooms. Choeung Ek is 15 km from Central Phnom Penh. To get there, take Monireth Blvd south-westward out of the city from the Dang Kor Market bus depot. The site is 8.5 km from the bridge near 271 St.

Phsar Thom Thmei (Central Market)

Located in Phnom Pehn, this dome-shaped market is teeming with jewelry, antique coins, fabrics, and food. The market itself pays tribute to art deco-style architecture, being constructed back in 1937. The Market closes at 5pm.

Shooting Range, Phnom Penh

An area where visitors can experience firing large weapons, from automatic rifles to rocket launchers and hand grenades. Upon arrival, visitors are handed a menu of various weapons and their prices. Each type of weapon has its own field on which to practice. The price may be steep, but the thrill of rattling off a stream of bullets at a target is incomparable. The shooting range is just out of Phnom Penh in the direction of the airport, and you may need a guide to get there, as several unsealed roads and checkpoints are needed to be traversed before reaching the place.

Kep

This French colonial resort town is a more serene counterpart to Sihanoukville, Cambodia’s primary beach scene. Dine on fresh seafood, take a dip in the sea, explore the region via motorbike, or visit nearby Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island). You can get to Kep by turning to Kampot instead of going straight to Sihanoukville from Phnom Penh, or taking a bus from Phsar Thom Thmei.

Take note that some places in Cambodia are religious or controversial in nature, and respect in clothing and behavior is necessary from visitors. Taxis or tuktuks (motorized rickshaws) may be necessary to reach some areas. The best time to visit Cambodia is between November to February, as there are a lot of festivals being celebrated in many cities and towns.

Posted in Attractions, Cambodia

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 11th, 2008 at 3:26 pm and is filed under Attractions, Cambodia. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.