The Wanderlust Guide to the Best of Cambodia
Captivating temples, wild jungle and sandy beaches – Cambodia matches your every travel mood. Follow this guide and get there now!
Cambodia is a cultivated country with something exciting to offer every traveller. It is still less visited than its neighbours Thailand and Vietnam, but the iconic Angkor Wat – a fascinatingly complex stone temple that is the world’s largest religious monument – draws visitors in their thousands.
Cambodia’s charms though are not confined to Angkor Wat. In Angkor alone there are more than 290 other temples. The mountain-top Praeh Vihear temple-complex in northern Cambodia is as good as anything in Angkor and in a more stunning setting.
In the south you’ll find Sihanoukville’s paradisiacal beaches and great nature-watching opportunities in Ream National Park. Or head to the wilds of the east for waterfall hikes, elephant treks, dolphin-spotting and hilltribe-visits.
Bayon Temple, Cambodia (Shutterstock)
Looking for inspiration?
If you’ve seen any photos of Angkor Wat, it’s not inspiration you’re after. Whether the photo captured the main complex, reflected in the ceremonial pond, or one of the more remote temples, crumbling and strangled by vines, I think we can take it for granted that this vast complex is top of your ‘must-visit’ list.
That’s where Nick Ray’s temple-by-temple guide to Angkor Wat will come in handy. Covering both the well-known and lesser known temples, Nick lists the temples you must visit and the best way – and time – to see them. Make sure you check out Anna Krahn’s advice on touring the temples by bike. It’s hard work, to be sure, but it may be your key to missing the crowds.
While you’re in Siam Reap, Lara Dunston suggests joining the hunt for hidden temples in a jungle plateau near the town. It was only last year that the area was confirmed as the site of Mahendraparvata, birthplace of the Khmer Empire, offering travellers the chance to live out their Indiana Jones fantasies.
Of course, there’s more to Cambodia than temples, and with this in mind, Nick Ray suggests other corners of the country you should swing by. And Nick Boulos sings the praises of the fabled Cardamom Mountains, surely worth visiting for their name alone.
More information
Angkor Wat: temple by temple – Nick Ray
Angkor Wat by bike – Anna Krahn
Hunt the hidden temple, Cambodia – Lara Dunston
The best corners of Cambodia – Nick Ray
Cambodia’s Cardamom Mountains – Nick Boulos
