9 Day Highlights in Cambodia

About the destination: Phnom Penh, located at the confluence of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap rivers, is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. There is a very strong French influence in Cambodia, particularly Phnom Penh, so much so that the city was once known as the Paris of the East. The French developed the canal system, ports, roads and buildings. Even though most of the city’s French flair has disappeared, there are a few beautiful French colonial buildings remaining. The Riverside district with its charming river walk, is full of hotels, restaurants and bars looking over the river and is very handy for visiting the main tourist sites. The main tourist attractions in Phnom Penh are Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the Killing Fields, the National Museum, the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda and the temple Wat Phnom. Today, Phnom Penh is one of the fast growing cities in Southeast Asia and you can find upmarket cuisine, a very good arts scene and a vast array of markets. Phnom Penh is a worthwhile destination and a convenient base to explore the rest of the country.

About the destination: Siem Reap is the capital city of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. It is a popular resort town and a gateway to the Angkor region. Siem Reap has colonial and Chinese-style architecture in the Old French Quarter, and around the Old Market. In the city, there are museums, traditional Apsara dance performances, a Cambodian cultural village, souvenir and handycraft shops, silk farms, rice-paddies in the countryside, fishing villages and a bird sanctuary near the Tonle Sap Lake. Siem Reap today—being a popular tourist destination—has a large number of hotels, resorts, restaurants and businesses closely related to tourism. This is much owed to its proximity to the Angkor temples, the most popular tourist attraction in Cambodia.

About the destination: Angkor Archaeological Park, located in Siam Reap town in northern Cambodia, is one of the most mysterious historical sites in the world. Siam Reap town is the gateway to Angkor. Siem Reap is a laid-back and pleasant French colonial style town situated on the banks of the Siem Reap River. Approximately 6 kilometers from town are the ruins of the ancient city of Angkor, the capital of the Khmer kingdom and one of the world's great marvels. The City of Kings, Angkor consists of some of the largest religious monuments ever constructed. It is considered one of the most beautiful and important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia. The over 100 temples seen at Angkor today are the surviving religious remains of a massive social and administrative metropolis. The temples are spread out over a very large area and need multiple days of viewing. Angkor Wat is the cultural home of the Khmer people and known as one of The Seven Wonders in the World. Siam Reap town is an enjoyable place to stay while touring the temples.

About the destination: Battambang is the capital city of Battambang province in north western Cambodia. Founded in the 11th century by the Khmer Empire, Battambang is the leading rice-producing province of the country. For nearly 100 years it was a major commercial hub and provincial capital of Siamese province of Inner Cambodia (1795-1907), though it was always populated by Khmer, with some ethnic Vietnamese, Lao, Thai and Chinese. Battambang remains the hub of Cambodia's northwest, connecting the region with Phnom Penh and Thailand. The city is situated on the Sangkae River, a tranquil, small body of water that winds its way picturesquely through Battambang Province. As with much of Cambodia, French Colonial architecture is a notable aspect of the city, with some of the best-preserved examples in the country.