Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • Conservation
  • Privacy
  • Travel Writing Competition 2025
  • Reviews
  • Travel Resources
  • T&C
  • Contact Us
  • Conservation
  • Privacy
  • Travel Writing Competition 2025
  • Reviews
  • Travel Resources
  • T&C
  • Contact Us
Pure Travel
Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
  • Travel Resources

Three stops to make in Cambodia

  • November 4, 2011
  • Jules

Cambodia is an affordable and enchanting backpacking destination, but there’s no escaping its bloody past – or the current poverty. Cambodians seem to be incredibly resilient, however, and have bounced back from the brutal Khmer Rouge regime with admirable determination to enjoy their newly-found peace.

If you’re a sensitive soul you may need to develop a thicker skin to make the most of your time there, but you should find plenty of things to celebrate – from the world-famous temples of Angkor and the chaos on the streets of Phnom Penh to the lovely beaches in Sihanoukville and the superb trekking in Bokor National Park.

1. Siem Reap and nearby Angkor Wat
Siem Reap is not a typical Cambodian destination. It’s the base from which travellers visit the awesome temples of Angkor, and it is now home to a whole array of tourist establishments, from fun backpacking hostels and chilled-out pavement cafés to plush spas and fine dining restaurants. Set by a sleepy river, the French colonial shop-houses and leafy boulevards give the town a special atmosphere, and it’s a great place to hang out for a few days.
Nestled amongst paddy fields outside of the town, ancient Angkor Wat is a magnificent, mammoth temple that needs little introduction – while surrounding it there are scores of fascinating smaller temples, some almost reclaimed by the jungle. Exploring Angkor demands at least a few days, and you could easily while away a few more just enjoying Siem Reap itself.

2.  Phnom Penh, Tuol Sleng, and the Killing Fields
The dusty Cambodian capital is a place of crumbling splendour, with a grand palace and riverside colonial architecture. Phsar Thom Thmei market is a good place to pick up souvenirs, and there are some great old temples to visit. The darker side relates to the Khmer Rouge. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, or ‘S-21’, is a high school that was converted into a concentration camp under the regime in the 1970s.  Now open to visitors, it tells the story of the estimated 17,000 people who were imprisoned there. It’s not an easy place to visit, but it provides context for your visit to Cambodia. A tuk tuk ride out of town will take you to Choeung Ek, one of the biggest Khmer Rouge Killing Fields, a mass grave where many former Tuol Sleng inmates were buried.

3.  Sihanoukville and Bokor National Park
The beaches in Sihanoukville have a laid-back atmosphere, with Victory Beach forming the main backpacking mecca and Occheuteal Beach offering some good night spots and small guesthouse rooms on the beach. It’s easy to go island-hopping, too, with plenty of pretty islands to choose from, some with overnight accommodation. Nearby, steamy Bokor National Park is full of wildlife (even a handful of endangered tigers) and is a popular spot for trekking.

Worth remembering…

Medical facilities are poor, and while private clinics are better-equipped they can be expensive. Take out comprehensive travel insurance so you’re properly covered.

Tourism has brought fresh opportunities for Cambodian people to earn a living, but the average wage is still unbelievably low: many earn salaries that amount to just a few hundred dollars a year,. This is worth remembering if you find yourself haggling over a few pence that really makes no difference to your day’s budget, but could decide whether they eat supper that evening.

Share
Tweet
Related Topics
  • Asia
  • Cambodia
  • Three stops to make in Cambodia
  • travel
Jules

Previous Article
  • Destination Inspiration

What are your top 7 wonders of nature?

  • November 4, 2011
  • Jules
View Post
Next Article
  • Destination Inspiration

Focus on: Bay of Fundy, Canada

  • November 7, 2011
  • Jules
View Post
You May Also Like
View Post
  • Travel Resources

5 Best US Wildlife Destinations: Manatees, Wolves & More

  • Jules
  • May 28, 2025
A glamorous woman on holiday
View Post
  • Travel Resources

Travel Light, Smell Divine: Small Perfumes for the Modern Explorer

  • Jules
  • May 27, 2025
Great Migration
View Post
  • Travel Resources

Serengeti Migration Safari: Nature’s Greatest Show on Earth

  • Jules
  • May 21, 2025
Relocating - a family in new home
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel Resources

Trading Zip Codes and Time Zones – What It Really Takes to Relocate Across State Lines

  • Jules
  • May 19, 2025
Drone shot of a beach
View Post
  • Travel Resources

How to Plan a Trip That Balances Rest and Fun

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
A view of Cannon Beach Oregon
View Post
  • Travel Resources

Adventure Together: Creative Ideas for Your Next Family Trip to Cannon Beach

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
A young man looking out over the mountains while on a hike.
View Post
  • Travel Resources

How to Add More Outdoor Fun to Your Family Travel Plans

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
View Post
  • Travel Resources

Family Travel Made Easy: Tips Every Parent Should Know

  • Jules
  • May 12, 2025
Pure Travel
  • About
  • Destination Inspiration
  • Tips & Advice
  • Guide
  • Travel Writing
  • Cookie Policy (UK)
A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step

Input your search keywords and press Enter.

Pure Travel
Manage Consent
To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions.
Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}