Exploring Time Cambodia: Top Rated Places 2023
Exploring Time Cambodia: Top Rated Places 2023
We made the decision to travel to Asia in September 2019 and discovered a fantastic deal at Lidl Holidays. We discovered a 12-day tour that included all visits and breakfast, covering three countries: Vietnam, Thailand-Bangkok, and Cambodia.We spent 1300 euros a person, and to be honest, given how impoverished these countries are, I didn’t have high hopes for the hotels. But surprise! The breakfast was consistently filling and delicious, the hotels and apartments we were in during this vacation were stunning, and the Lidl organization exceeded our expectations.
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Table of Contents
Cambodia Map
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Informations
Southeast Asian nation of Cambodia is situated on the southern tip of the Indochina Peninsula. The political, economic, and cultural hub of Cambodia is Phnom Penh, the country’s capital and largest city.
Temperature: You can visit the country at any time of the year although the period from December to January is the ideal time to travel to the place due to comparatively low humidity levels, cool breeze and minimal rainfall.
Language: Khmer is the official language. Chinese and Vietnamese are also spoken. English is commonly spoken in Cambodia.
Currency: Cambodian Riel (KHR) but tourists can pay anything in dollars
Food Prices: Meal in a cheap restaurant-3 USD, Mid-range Restaurant 2 persons 20 USD
Informations about Visa you can find here.
Travel Vlog
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Things to do
The circumstances provided for the price were quite satisfactory to us, and the tour guides who went with us were really kind, funny, and always willing to assist with everything you needed. Naturally, even though our visits were included, we occasionally took a day off. We made the decision not to stay at the hotel at all and to visit as many attractions as we could. We will now move on to tell you about our trips after informing you about the favorable conditions we experienced.
Day 1: Early in the morning, following breakfast, we departed on a speed boat over the Mekong River, arriving in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, a few hours later. After boarding the bus in Cambodia, we visited the Royal Palace, the Genocide Museum, and the National Museum en route to our hotel.
Mekong River
In East and Southeast Asia, the Mekong, often known as the Mekong River, crosses international borders. It’s the tenth longest river in the world and the third longest in Asia. It is projected to be 4,909 km long, draining 795,000 km³ and releasing 475 km³ of water a year. The river originates in Tibet Plateau and flows through China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam. The Mekong is challenging to navigate because of its rapids and waterfalls, as well as its drastic seasonal flow changes. Nevertheless, the river is a vital commercial artery that connects Southeast Asia and western China.
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The National Museum Phnom Penh
One of the biggest collections of Khmer art in the world, comprising sculptures, bronzes, ceramics, and ethnological artifacts, is kept in the museum. More than 14,000 objects from prehistoric origins to eras before, during, and after the Khmer Empire—which, at its height, spanned from Thailand to modern-day Cambodia to southern Vietnam—are included in the collection. Situated in the heart of Phnom Penh, on Street 13, the National Museum of Cambodia can be found on the west side of Veal Preah Man square and north of the Royal Palace. The intersection of Streets 13 and 178 is where tourists enter the property. On the western side of the museum sits the Royal University of Fine Arts.
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Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum honors the crimes done there during the genocide that occurred in Cambodia between 1975 and 1979 during the Democratic Kampuchean period. It is housed in the old S-21 Khmer Rouge jail. It is situated in Cambodia’s capital city of Phnom Penh. S-21 was one of Democratic Kampuchea’s 196 prisons. Duch, also known as Kaing Guek Eav, was the director. There were about 18,000 prisoners housed here.
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King's Palace-Royal Palace
The King of Cambodia resides in a complex of structures known as the Royal Palace of Cambodia. Since its construction in the 1860s, the Khmer Rouge dynasty has ruled over Cambodia, with the exception of a brief period during which the country was in disarray. From 1866 to 1870, the palace was being built. This occurred after King Norodom moved the royal capital from Oudong to Phnom Penh. It was constructed atop Banteay Keo, an ancient castle. It is located on the western side of the Chaktomuk (a reference to Brahma) cross division of the Tonle Sap River and the Mekong River, and it faces about east.
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Silver Pagoda
In Chey Chumneas, Phnom Penh, the Silver Pagoda is situated on the southern side of the Royal Palace. National treasures, such as numerous gold pieces and jeweled Buddha statues, can be found here. The most notable are a life-size gold Maitreya Buddha, which King Sisowath commissioned. It weighs 90 kg, is clothed in royal regalia, and is set with 9584 diamonds, the largest of which is 25 carats. The Buddhas were made at the palace workshops between 1906 and 1907. The other is a little green crystal Buddha.
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Day 2: Despite having visited many of the city of Phnom Penh’s attractions the day before, we had not yet had time to see everything, so we got the day to ourselves on our own, apart from the group we were traveling with. We made the decision to see Choeung Ek and the night market in Phnom Penh, which are two more attractions.
Choeung Ek
Choeung Ek, the most well-known of the so-called killing fields where the Khmer Rouge regime killed around 17,000 people between 1975 and 1979, is a former orchard and Chinese cemetery located about 17 kilometers south of Phnom Penh. Following the overthrow of the government, 8,895 bodies from mass graves were found here, majority of which were former Tuol Sleng Prison detainees.
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Phnom Penh night market
A night market including mostly clothing-related vendors. especially apparel with fake labels. There are multiple food options and live music. If you wish to purchase shoes, souvenirs, or clothes, we advise you to visit the market.
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Day 3: After breakfast in the morning, we traveled to the capital city of Cambodia to see the well-known stupa, Wat Phnom.We then traveled to Phnom Penh’s Independence Monument. We traveled to see the remnants of the Khmer Temples, which had stood for hundreds of years in that forest in Cambodia. There were numerous groups of visitors, and the locals grinned and asked if the visitors wanted to take pictures with them when they spotted them. It was a pleasant encounter. These recollections are what we have:
Wat Phnom
The most well-known stupa in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is undoubtedly Wat Phnom. Constructed on a man-made hill of 27 meters in height and 300 meters in diameter, it stands as the tallest religious building in the city. There are ramps and stairs leading up to the sanctuary. Legend has it that in 1372, the wealthy widow Daun Chi Penh ordered its construction after discovering five Buddha statues—four made of metal and one made of stone—on a trunk of a koki tree on the banks of the Mekong, damaged by a massive tidal surge that had washed downstream.
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Independence Monument Phnom Penh
Constructed in 1958, the Independence Monument in Phnom Penh honors the country’s 1953 independence from France. It has the shape of a lotus stupa, similar to those found at Banteay Srei Temple and other ancient monuments related to the Khmer Empire. It is 37 meters tall. The Independence Monument is the hub of action on national holidays. On certain occasions, a monarch or senior official would frequently light a ceremonial flame on the inner pedestal, and the stairs are lined with floral tributes. Each year, both locals and visitors from other countries flock to the Independence Monument.
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Ruins of the Temples Koh Ker
About 120 kilometers separate Koh Ker, a secluded archaeological site in northern Cambodia, from Siem Reap and the Angkor Wat. It’s a sparsely populated area covered in jungle. Within an 81 square kilometer protected area, there are around 180 sanctuaries. Due to the fact that most of the sanctuaries are concealed by the forest and the region is not completely demined, only roughly two dozen monuments are accessible to tourists. The contemporary name for one of the major Khmer Empire cities is Koh Ker. The settlement is referred to as Chok Gargyar or Lingapura (city of lingams) in inscriptions.
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Day 4: We left for Tonlé Sap, a floating village. Observing the people’s life there was both amazing and depressing due to their extreme poverty. We made the decision to stop at the Phnom Bakheng temple on the way back to the hotel. We were relieved not to have missed this attraction. We thoroughly enjoyed our trip to the temple.
Tonlé Sap
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temple Phnom Bakheng
In Siem Reap Province, Cambodia, Phnom Bakheng (Khmer: ភ្នំបាខែង [pʰnom baːkʰaeŋ]) is a Hindu temple designed in the shape of a temple mountain. Constructed during the end of the 9th century, during the reign of King Yasovarman (889–910), it is devoted to Shiva. Perched on a hill, it is today a well-liked tourist destination for sunset views over the larger Angkor Wat temple, which is situated 1.5 km southeast in the middle of the jungle. Phnom Bakheng is one of the most endangered Angkorian structures due to the high volume of tourists.In collaboration with APSARA, World Monuments Fund has been preserving the temple since 2004.
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When we finally made it to Siem Reap on the last day of our journey, we couldn’t wait to visit Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, the trip’s main attractions. Several well-known individuals were present, including Eva Longoria, David Beckham, Bill Clinton, Hillary Clinton, Beyoncé, Michelle Obama, Prince Akishino of Japan, Bill Clinton, Mark Zuckerberg, and Angelina Jolie, who filmed scenes for the film Tomb Raider. Terrace of the Elephants was another place we went.
Angkor Wat
Situated over 162.6 hectares, the temple complex known as Angkor Wat is located in Cambodia and is the greatest religious monument globally. It was first built by King Suryavarman II of the Khmer Empire as a Hindu temple devoted to the god Vishnu in the 12th century. Toward the end of the century, it underwent a slow transformation into a Buddhist temple; for this reason, it is also known as a “Hindu-Buddhist” temple.
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Angkor Thom
The Khmer Empire’s final and most resilient capital was Angkor Thom. King Jayavarman founded it in the latter half of the eleventh century. It is nine kilometers square, and within it a number of prehistoric structures as well as those built by Jayavarman and his heirs. The Bayon is the city’s focal point, while the other important locations are grouped together around Victory Square, which is located right to the north. One of Southeast Asia’s top tourist destinations is this location.
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Kbal Spean
Kbal Spean is an Angkorian archaeological site, sometimes referred to as the “River of a Thousand Lingas”. It is situated next to Banteay Srei in the Phnom Kulen National Park in the Cambodian province of Siem Reap. It is made up of rock reliefs and lingas in the Stung Kbal Spean stream, a tributary of Siem Reap. Under the rule of the Khmer King Udayadityavarman II, the art of rock carving and decorating dates back to the middle of the eleventh century. As one of the sites at Phnom Kulen, Kbal Spean is listed as part of Cambodia’s Tentative List of World Heritage.
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Terrace of the Elephants
Angkor Thom, which is north of Siem Reap, is home to the Terrace of Elephants. The Phimeanakas palace grounds are located to the east of it, and it is situated to the west of the north-south street at the Great Square. The Leper King’s Terrace is to the north. King Jayavarman VII constructed the terrace towards the conclusion of his reign. There are three varying-height platforms and five stairs leading up to them. The name of the terrace comes from the images of elephants and a huge elephant hunt.
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We had one last task to complete before departing Cambodia for Bangkok, another fantastic location. That task was to take a nighttime tour of the city. After checking out of the hotel, we headed to the shopping center to get some clothes before visiting Pub Street in Siem Reap.
Siem Reap’s vibrant nightlife is typified by Pub Street. There are lots of eateries, markets, taverns, and pubs along this pedestrian area.
Pub Street Siem Reap
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We enjoyed this place because everyone was happy and smiling, but regrettably, there is sadness hidden behind some of the laughter. This is because many young, attractive girls come to these bars looking for wealthy tourists to either take them on an adventure or persuade them to start dating before the tourists bring them back to their home countries. That is the number of women in Cambodia who are able to overcome poverty.
You won’t likely find anything similar in other publications, but regardless of the circumstances, we want to be honest with our readers and share our experience, explaining both the good and the bad.
Where to stay
What to eat
Samlor korkor: Although amok is frequently referred to as the national cuisine of Cambodia and may be the one most known to visitors, samlor korkor has a stronger argument for being the real meal. The soup is thickened with toasted ground rice and always contains two Cambodian ingredients: kroeung, a fragrant curry paste, and prahok, a sort of fermented fish. Amok: Kroeung and fresh coconut milk are used to make the cuisine. Rai and pork make up Bai sach chrouk. Red curry with chicken, Kari sach moan
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Nhoam Krauch Thlong – Salad of pomelo Kha trei svay kchai: Green mango with caramelized fish Chop krao chhnang – Soup straight from the pot Chaa kdam meric kchai, or fried green pepper with crab,
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Koh Kong sauce-topped grilled squid is known as “ang dtray meuk.” Sngor ngam nov sach moan: Chicken and pickled lime soup Aluek trei ngeat: Watermelon and dried fish Samlor m’chu kroeung sach ko is a sour beef soup with lemongrass.
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Best restaurants
Within Siem Reap Khmer cuisine at Jomnan’s Kitchen Traditional Cambodian fare is served at The Dining Room at Park Hyatt, along with a few creative French-inspired dishes. Western and Khmer cuisine at Khmer Grill The restaurant Angkor Reach offers a variety of international, Chinese, Thai, and Khmer cuisines. Popular in city centers, Blue Pumpkin – Angkor Cafe is a bakery and restaurant offering a selection of dependable Asian and French dishes along with baked goods, ice cream, and sweet desserts. Wat Damnak cuisine is Cambodian cuisine with a touch of France. Renowned for being the best in Cambodia, Malis in Phnom Penh is owned and operated by local celebrity chef Luu Meng. Malis in Siem Reap opened its doors a few years ago.
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Within Phnom Penh Exotic flavors may be found at Warung Bali, which is a great place to try if you’ve never tasted Indonesian food. With a cozy, neighborhood-like atmosphere, Freebird Bar & Grill is an American bar and grill. The interior design and ambiance of Lemongrass Restaurant welcome guests into a sophisticated dining experience. serves genuine, traditional Thai and Khmer food. In addition to serving Khmer food, Frizz is a family-friendly restaurant in Phnom Penh that also offers some Western fare. For some of Phnom Penh’s greatest authentic Thai food, head to Chiang Mai Riverside. Excellent Khmer, Asian, Western, and vegetarian food is also served there. When it comes to dining, ARTillery Café Phnom Penh is a great choice for health-conscious tourists. When you If you’re in the mood for anything other than the heavy curries and fried meats you’ve been eating from street food sellers and marketplaces, like a proper salad or something lighter and fresher, ARTillery is the place to go.
Saving Tips
For those entering Cambodia by land, make sure you obtain an e-visa beforehand. Look at low-cost regional airlines that travel to Cambodia. There is a protracted low season and a brief peak season in Cambodia. Think about going between April and October. Purchase a local SIM card to avoid paying roaming fees. During happy hours, bars and restaurants all throughout Cambodia go all out and offer 1000 Riel ($0.25) drinks. Using the local public transit system in Cambodia In Cambodia, you may have delicious native food at a reasonable price. The least expensive way to travel throughout Cambodia is by long-distance bus. For your trips, purchase a traditional checked scarf, or krama, as the locals do.
If you have some extra cash, you can even attempt Big Bus or Hop-on, Hop-off tours. You just need to select the ideal alternative from the many that we are offering!
If you choose not to go by car and would like further information on tours, things to see, and things to do, we suggest these two firms. They offer tours for any kind of activity you can think of, and you can purchase trips from them for a lot less money than you would if you were to buy them when you get there. Being able to save some money is always beneficial! The greatest things to do in the area are Viator and Get Your Guide!
Shopping
Things to Purchase in Cambodia? Antiques, basketry, betel nut boxes, rice wine, sculptures, woodcarvings, gold and gems, silver, silk and scarves, and replicas of sculptures are among the items available.
Russian Market Phnom Penh: If you’re looking to buy clothes in Cambodia, this Russian market is the best option. Also, this market features goods that are exclusive to the area, making it a great place to shop for souvenirs and unusual gift ideas. Psar Thmei in Phnom Penh is a market with four wings that include numerous stores offering a wide range of clothing and fashion items. Craftspeople Angkor Siem Reap: This lovely store offers a range of wooden objects that are expertly carved to resemble the statues found in Angkor. Stone statues are also sold there.
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The Angkor Night Market in Siem Reap is home to a large number of booths selling a wide selection of exquisite artwork. There are many of bars and nightclubs there, as well as lots of options for travelers. HA Fair Trade Village: This is a market for handicrafts that offers regionally produced goods that are ideal as presents or mementos. This area is home to around 20 stores that provide a wide selection of eye-catching traditional handicrafts. Samatoa is a store that offers a special combination of lotus fibers and ordinary materials like cotton and silk.
Trunkh is a terrific place to get unique presents and the best Cambodian souvenirs to bring home. There are no other stores in the area that carry the distinctive designs that can be seen here. Psar Chaa: Here you may get reasonably priced jewelry of any kind, replicas of traditional artifacts, and clothes.
Getting around
Renowned for its temples, jungles, and beaches, Cambodia is a comparatively small nation that is simple for visitors to get about. Although there has been a significant improvement in road conditions in recent years, travel is still inexpensive but takes longer than ideal during the dry season.
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Air travel and private automobile travel are the two most convenient ways to navigate about Cambodia. Travelers often choose to fly between cities because it’s a cost-effective and convenient alternative; however, private vehicles offer the best comfort and convenience. There are additional modes of transportation, but they’re typically more time-consuming and inconvenient. These include buses, trains, ferries, and bicycles.
Getting here
Therefore, the best option for getting to Cambodia is to take a direct flight. From any of India’s major cities, including Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, one can catch a flight. Siem Reap International Airport and Phnom Penh International Airport are the two main airports in Cambodia. If you intend to go by air into Cambodia, you will need to take a connecting trip from another location in Southeast or East Asia as there are no direct flights available from Europe, North America, Australasia, or South Africa.
There are two international airports in Cambodia: Siem Reap International Airport and Phnom Penh International Airport. London Heathrow is home to a large number of daily, nonstop flights to locations in Southeast Asia, with certain carriers also providing connections to Phnom Penh. Flight schedules differ based on the itinerary. Bangkok is the most direct route, taking about 11–12 hours from London and an additional hour to reach Phnom Penh. Kuala Lumpur and Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon) are the next most direct routes.
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The quickest route to reach Cambodia by plane from the east coast of North America is via Europe. Daily flights are available from Los Angeles and New York to Singapore, Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Kuala Lumpur, with connections to Phnom Penh available from each of these cities. On the other hand, traveling westward via an Asian city like Seoul or Taipei—the latter of which has direct flights to Phnom Penh with EVA Air—might be quicker and less expensive from the west coast.
Numerous flights are available to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City, and onward connections to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap from Australia and New Zealand.
