Cambodia Travel Guides: Places to Visit & Things to Do

Cambodia is one of those countries where you arrive thinking Angkor Wat is going to be the entire show, then quickly discover the rest of the country has absolutely no intention of being the opening act.

Don’t get me wrong. Angkor Wat is fucking spectacular.

You can see approximately 900 million photographs before visiting and still walk through the gates at sunrise thinking, well, holy shit, humans actually built this. Then you discover Angkor is surrounded by an enormous collection of temples slowly being consumed by jungle, where giant tree roots wrap around ancient stone like nature has been patiently repossessing the property.

But Cambodia gets considerably more complicated beyond the temples.

Phnom Penh is chaotic, hot, loud, occasionally overwhelming, and packed with motorcycles operating under a traffic philosophy best described as everyone go simultaneously and we’ll figure this shit out. The country’s recent history is also horrific. Places connected to the Khmer Rouge aren’t entertaining tourist attractions, and visiting them can turn an otherwise sarcastic travel day brutally serious very quickly.

Then Cambodia changes gears again.

You find ridiculously good food, countryside stretching between tiny villages and rice fields, tropical islands, inexpensive hotels, friendly people, and enough tuk-tuks to ensure you’ll never walk anywhere without receiving at least seventeen alternative transportation proposals.

Cambodia isn’t polished. Infrastructure can be questionable, heat and humidity can beat the shit out of you, and plans occasionally become vague suggestions.

But that’s part of why I like it.

Cambodia is beautiful, complicated, chaotic, heartbreaking, fascinating, and occasionally completely fucking ridiculous.

Come for Angkor Wat.

Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that’s all Cambodia has.