I’ve been exploring Cambodia for the past week or so, I thought I would put pen to paper and write a list of the less known things you can get up to here. A visit to the Angkor Temples often dominates people’s itineraries to this country, but beyond Siem Reap Cambodia has a huge amount to offer and a number of other destinations and experiences to enjoy. In no particular order, here are some of the experiences and places I have recently enjoyed:
The coastline! Cambodia is not really known for its beaches, but if you look closely there are a good few options to choose from. Even though the beach itself is not great, my favourite seaside place has to be the relaxed town of Kep.
Kep is a coastal settlement dotted along the sea front in Southern Cambodia famed for its wonderful seafood and fresh crab, and a visit to the local crab market is a must.
Sihanoukville is the main beach town in Cambodia, and for those looking for a classic beach stay with a huge number of restaurants, bars and hotels built up around the shoreline, then Sihanoukville is a great option. Bliss!
Battambang is one of Cambodia’s largest towns, but has the relaxed feel of a rural village. Surrounded by beautiful rice fields, palm trees and fruit orchards this is one of the most scenic parts of Cambodia. Although there is not a singular reason or a purpose for a visit to Battambang, I think the charm of the town, the understated temples, the wonderful local circus and the relaxed atmosphere is reason enough to spend a few days here, enjoying the simple pleasure of not doing all that much in a lovely province!
If you really want to, you can scare yourself silly on the bamboo train which is litterally a flatbed of bamboo with a motor that shoots down some old train tracks. An interesting experience.
[wpvideo mAVBMoBb]
Tonle Sap. The largest lake in Southeast Asia makes up a huge part of Cambodia and dominates the lives of those who live along side it, I enjoyed my visit to the floating villages and people who live on the lake.
Taking a long drive! Having had a guide and driver to take me across the country has meant that travelling overland has been a total joy. I have spent hours enjoying looking out of the window, taking photo stops and rural lunch stops. It’s been great to see what others have missed by flying over.
The Angkor temples are, of course a must see and stunning:
Siem Reap is a great place to visit in its own right as this thriving town is full to the brim with excellent restaurants, markets, cheap streetside massages and bars!
I have thoroughly enjoyed my time exploring the Cambodian hidden gems. This wonderful country has loads to offer, if you have just 3 or 4 nights then of course the Angkor temples will top the agenda, but if you have a bit more time then you will be glad you went to discover some of the more hidden destinations in this beautiful country!
Beautiful photos. Thanks for sharing these! It’s nice to read about some of Cambodia’s other sights and attractions. While Angkor Wat and its temples are stunning, it’s certainly not the only place worth visiting. I’ve never been to Cambodia but I hope to someday. Perhaps I’ll even go for a ride on that bamboo train.. 🙂
Looks as though Enfys has a job nearly as good as mine. Nice blog – maybe we need to extend our planned holiday by a few weeks!
Enfys has been working particularly hard on this trip. It really is a tough life 😉
Would be keen to hear about your trip too!
I’ve been to Cambodia and had a wonderful time visiting Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. The rich history and culture of the area is simply fascinating. Although I didn’t get that much time to explore the country that much. The floating village on Tonle Sap lake sounds rather interesting. I think I will have to see that for myself during a return trip to Cambodia. Thanks for sharing the lovely photos as well as some of Cambodia’s hidden gems.
I never been in cambodia but I heard so many thing about this country ,thanks for your information , I hope soon I will see real thing like that.