A guide to Cambodia's top places, plus our lesser-known favorites

The chances are you’ve heard of Angkor Wat, but did you know that the Khmer Empire extended over a million square kilometers, and that their ruins lie hidden in every corner of Cambodia?

With its crumbling colonial buildings, fertile countryside, vital contemporary arts scene and mellow, carefree ambiance, it’s very difficult not to fall in love with Battambang.

Asiatic black bears, Malayan tapirs, pileated gibbons and perhaps even the elusive Indochinese tiger: Botum Sakor National Park is a haven for Cambodia's endangered mammals.

More than just a stopover between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, Kampong Thom is the heartland of the ancient Chenla Kingdom and the gateway to the oldest temple ruins in Cambodia.

World-famous for its tongue-tingling pepper, sleepy Kampot is the jumping-off point for adventures in Bokor National Park, and a wonderfully chilled-out place to relax for a few days.

This former bolthole of Phnom Penh’s wealthy urbanites is now a chilled-out seaside escape, offering crab markets, crumbling villas, island day trips and unbeatable seafood.

Cambodia’s southwestern province is a fast-developing ecotourism hub sandwiched between the sparkling waters of the Gulf of Thailand and the rolling, jungle-covered mountains of the Cardamom range.

Think barefoot luxury on a tropical desert island and it’s unlikely Cambodia will spring to mind, but if anywhere’s likely to change that – it's the unspoiled gem of Koh Krabey.

The second largest of Cambodia’s islands, Koh Rong is a proper tropical paradise: think white sand, luminous turquoise waters, and chilled-out, palm-shaded beach bars.

Koh Russey, also known as Bamboo Island, is so small that you can cross it in under ten minutes, and so idyllic that it feels like a cliché brought to life.

A tatty yet alluring colonial town on the Mekong River, not far from the Laos border, Kratie is one of a handful of places left in the world to spot the endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin.

Covering most of Preah Vihear Province in the remote northern plains, Kulen Promtep is a haven for rare birds, and one of the few remaining places to see the endangered giant ibis — Cambodia’s national bird.