Cambodia Travel Guide

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Beloved by backpackers and boasting some of the most awe-inspiring historical remains on the planet, Cambodia is a kingdom of wild jungle, steamy cities and a past that’s equal parts inspiring and saddening.

The striking magnificence of the Angkor Temples has long been the main draw for budget and luxury travelers alike, but there’s far more to the country than its ancient Khmer heritage. In capital city Phnom Penh, it claims one of the region’s most absorbing cities – a laconic waterside feel offset by rampant nightlife and a proud local culture – while elsewhere, national parks, beaches and lashings of tropical adventure all help keep visitor numbers healthy.

The nation was brought to its knees under Pol Pot’s destructive Khmer Rouge regime in the 1970s – this recent history providing chilling attractions of its own – but has recovered sufficiently to become one of the highlights of Southeast Asia.

Geography

Bordered to the west by Thailand, to the north by Laos and to the east by Vietnam, Cambodia is a roughly circular country with a southern coastline giving onto the Gulf of Thailand. The landscape comprises tropical rainforest and fertile cultivated land, with lush highlands rising in both the northeast and southeast. Rivers are a central feature of its make-up, with Phnom Penh situated at the confluence of the Bassac, the Tonle Sap and the mighty Mekong. A large inland lake, also called Tonle Sap, sits close to the Angkor Temple Complex in the north. There are numerous beaches and offshore islands along the southwest coast.