Why Cambodia?
Cambodia caught me off guard. I came for Angkor Wat — everyone does — but what kept me coming back was everything else. The riverside cafes of Kampot where pepper grows on the hillsides above you. The floating villages on Tonle Sap where entire communities rise and fall with the seasons. The bioluminescent plankton off Koh Rong that makes you feel like you’re swimming through stars.
What You’ll Find Here
Every guide on this site comes from personal experience. I include real prices in USD (which Cambodia widely accepts), specific restaurant names, actual hotel recommendations across budget ranges, and the logistical details that make or break a trip.
10 Destinations Covered
- Siem Reap — Gateway to the temples of Angkor
- Phnom Penh — The capital’s royal palaces, sobering history, and buzzing riverside
- Sihanoukville — Gateway to Cambodia’s islands
- Battambang — Colonial charm, bamboo train, and the Phare circus
- Kampot — River town with pepper farms and Bokor Hill Station
- Kep — Seaside secret with the famous crab market
- Koh Rong — Paradise island with bioluminescent plankton
- Kratie — Mekong dolphins and rural Cambodia
- Mondulkiri — Elephant sanctuaries and indigenous Bunong culture
- Tonle Sap — Southeast Asia’s great lake and its floating villages
Getting Started
If you’re planning your first Cambodia trip, start with Siem Reap for the temples, then add Phnom Penh for history and culture. If you have more time, the south coast trio of Kampot, Kep, and Koh Rong is hard to beat.
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