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    Tourist Attractions in Cambodia

    The most interesting and beautiful tourist attractions in Cambodia. Photos and a brief description.

    About Cambodia

    The Kingdom of Cambodia is located in Southeast Asia. The country has a mild climate, which depends on the monsoon, the average annual temperature is 25 ° C. The rainy season lasts from September to mid-October. A trip to Cambodia will be interesting for lovers of picturesque nature, exotic beaches and ancient temples.

    The local population is mainly Khmer. They are a friendly people who are happy to welcome tourists. Due to the civil wars, Cambodia has recently become a tourist country, so the locals have a positive attitude towards foreigners. The capital of Cambodia is Phnom Penh. Here a tourist can visit many historical attractions: Wat Monastery Phnom, the Silver Pagoda, the Royal Palace, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, as well as museums.

    Beach lovers should go to Sihanoukville. Here you can find a beach for every taste, from stormy beaches with cafes and souvenirs to quiet deserted wild sands. Outdoor enthusiasts will not get bored in Cambodia. The resort offers extreme sports in the air, land and water. You will be able to fly a paraglider, dive into the depths of the sea with scuba gear and feel the speed on the motorcycle trails. The local cuisine combines both familiar products and exotic ones. The main products are fish, meat, rice and vegetables. There are many soups on the menu. From exotic products there are frogs, snakes and spiders.

    Top Tourist Attractions in Cambodia

    Angkor Wat

    This temple complex, built in the XII century, it is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The architecture embodies the Khmer Empire, also Angkor Wat is the national pride of the Khmer people. The temple was built in honor of God Vishnu. This place is interesting because the complex is surrounded on all sides by a moat filled with water and you can only get to the temple from two sides. The temple area is 2.5 km2. This is the largest temple in the world, so tourists should visit this place.

    Angkor Wat
    Ta Prom

    Ta Prom

    One of the temples included in the Angkor complex. Majestic buildings and the forces of nature that envelop this place are intertwined here. Towers and terraces of Ta The Prome was pierced by vines and changed the original appearance of the temple. The temple was built in 1186 in honor of the mother of Emperor Jayavarman VII, there were 39 towers, 260 statues of Hindu gods, as well as dwellings for servants on its territory. For tourists, this place is interesting because it was here that scenes from the movie "Lara Croft: Tomb Raider" were filmed.

    Angkor Thom

    It was built at the end of the XII — beginning of the XIII century and not all buildings have survived to this day. The main attraction is Bayon, which is a temple mountain with faces carved on it. Also in the city you can admire the Royal Palace, the Elephant Terrace with various figures carved into the walls, the temple Bapuon and many other temples.

    Angkor Thom
    Phnom Penh City

    Phnom Penh City

    The capital of Cambodia is the city of Phnom Penh, which has now become the largest metropolis. It is here that luxury five-star hotels and large shopping centers are located. At the central market, you can buy gifts and souvenirs, shoes and high-quality silk products, as well as almost everything that is produced in Cambodia. Among the attractions in Phnom Penh are the Wat Monastery Phnom, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda.

    Praahvihea

    This temple complex is located on the border with Thailand, and for a long time it was the subject of disputes between the two countries, until in 2008 it was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. The temple began to be built in 893 in honor of the god Shiva. On the territory there is a 78-meter staircase leading to the beginning of the main complex, and the entire temple is located on four tiers as the hill rises. Majestic palaces and stone statues can be observed on the territory of the temple.

    Praahvihea
    Silver Pagoda

    Silver Pagoda

    The name of this place is due to the fact that the floors there are lined with solid silver ingots. It was built in 1892 under the King Norodome. In the center of the pagoda there is an emerald Buddha, opposite which there are many other Buddhas. Attention is drawn to the 90-kilogram Buddha decorated with shiny crystals, which was cast in 1907 by order of Norodomes. The atmosphere of wealth and greatness reigns in this place.

    Wat Phnom Temple

    The temple is located in Phnom Penh and is sacred to the locals, many come here to pray, and you can also meet "fortune tellers" there. The name translates as "Temple-Mountain", it is located on a hill with a height of 27 meters. A special feature of this place is the presence of animals: a tourist can feed monkeys, which amuse guests everywhere, as well as watch exotic birds and even ride an elephant.

    Tuol Slang Genocide Museum

    Tuol Slang Genocide Museum

    This terrifying place tells about a sad page in the history of Cambodia. From 1975 to 1979, the Khmer Rouge regime operated, the purpose of which was to equalize all citizens. In the museum, which is located in the building of the S-21 prison, where the Khmers were executed, there are photographs of those painful tortures. During the regime, about 17 thousand Cambodians who did not belong to the working-peasant class were killed.

    Fields of Death (Choeng Ek)

    This place clearly contrasts with all the beauties of Cambodia and its visit evokes completely different emotions among tourists. The killing fields are the burial place of the victims of the genocide regime and together with the museum Tuol Slang, they make up a single complex. There are mass graves in the fields and you can still find bones and skulls of innocent victims there. Tourists are amazed by the memorial stupa, consisting of 8 thousand skulls.

    Fields of Death (Choeng Ek)
    Royal Palace of Cambodia

    Royal Palace of Cambodia

    In Phnom Penh, a tourist will easily notice this palace, as it is the only tall building in the historic district. It was built in 1866 for the royal family, which is still located in the palace, so not all the halls are accessible to tourists, but this mystery attracts many people to this place. Nevertheless, there is something to admire here: historical frescoes, the Throne Room, where there is a 59-meter tower, a Silver pagoda, a Royal treasury and many more luxurious royal valuables.

    National Museum of Cambodia

    The founder of the museum is the historian Georges Groslier, who collected unique collections of materials from the period from pre-Angkor times to the 15th century. The museum houses the oldest sculptures of the 5th-8th centuries, the statue of the eight-armed Vishnu of the 6th century and the statues of Shiva of the 9th-11th centuries are still preserved. It is worth paying attention to the collection of ceramic and bronze products presented in chronological order from the 4th to the 14th centuries. The highlight of this museum is a 19th—century casket in the form of a bird with a human head for storing betel leaves. After seeing the beauties, the tourist can relax in the inner garden of the museum.

    National Museum of Cambodia
    Angkor National Museum

    Angkor National Museum

    This new museum, opened in 2007, presents in an interesting way the history of the Khmer Empire. The use of the latest museum technologies will surprise both adults and young visitors. The museum building is divided into 8 galleries, each of which shows a certain period of Khmer life. You can feel the history by looking at the exhibits, as well as by watching a movie that is shown at the very beginning of the visit. The amazing thing is that some things will even be allowed to touch, which is unusual for all museums.

    Monument of Friendship of Cambodia and Vietnam

    This monument is located in Hong Xie Park, next to the Mekong River. It was built in 1979 by order of the Vietnamese Communists and symbolizes the moment of liberation of Cambodia from the Khmer Rouge and the establishment of friendly relations between Cambodia and Vietnam. Next to the monument, you can relax comfortably and admire the fountains.

    Monument of Friendship of Cambodia and Vietnam
    Monument of Independence

    Monument of Independence

    This monument symbolizes the most important fact in the history of Cambodia — the liberation of the country from French colonization. The author of the monument is the Cambodian architect Vann Molyvann, who was inspired by the image of the Main Tower Angkor. The Independence Monument was opened in Phnom Penh in 1962, later an exact copy was recreated in Siem Reap. The height of the tower is 20 meters. On holidays, it is decorated with colored ribbons symbolizing the Cambodian flag.

    Sisovat Embankment

    The most pleasant place to walk in the resorts are the embankments. On the Sisovat embankment of the Tonle Sap River, you can enjoy fresh air, as well as visit various bars and restaurants located in historic buildings of the 19th century. Tourists will be especially lucky if they get here during the New Year in April or the Water Festival in November, because it is here that the main celebrations in the city take place. This wonderful place is located a kilometer from Wat Phnom.

    Sisovat Embankment
    Kirirom National Park

    Kirirom National Park

    The park is located in Kampong Spee, 112 km from Phnom Penh. This is the first state national park of the country, with an area of more than 350 thousand hectares. Coniferous forests are located in these vast hilly areas, where relict pines and remnants of ancient vegetation grow. The diversity of flora and fauna amazes visitors of this place, they can enjoy hiking, horseback riding and water walks along the rivers.

    Tonle Sap Lake

    Tonle Sap is both a lake and a river at the same time. At a certain point, the river becomes so wide that the water standing in it forms a lake. It is the main natural attraction of Cambodia and the largest lake in the country. It is here that you have the opportunity to observe the life of local residents, whose houseboats are located right on the water. Twice a year, the river changes direction and if you get to the river during this period, you can successfully fish, as the fish will be on the surface.

    Tonle Sap Lake
    Sihanoukville

    Sihanoukville

    Beach lovers should go to Sihanoukville is the most popular resort in Cambodia. It is here that various hotels, including five-star ones, are located on the shores. The resort continues to develop today, various bars and restaurants with almost any cuisine in the world appear, you can also find Russian cuisine. There is also Koh Poah Beach, owned by Russian investors. Lovers of wild beaches should go to the nearby uninhabited islands.

    Kbal Chhai Waterfalls

    This waterfall is located in Sihanoukville. Its height is 25 meters, but the strength of the waterfall depends on the season: from August to October, the waterfall turns into a powerful stream, charging with force. Locals also come here to relax. The Khmer consider this place sacred, so you can find shrines with figurines of gods at the waterfall.

    Kbal Chhai Waterfalls
    Phnom Kulen Waterfall

    Phnom Kulen Waterfall

    National Park Phnom Kulen is famous for its tropical landscapes and picturesque waterfalls. Usually two waterfalls are shown to everyone, but locals claim that there are actually three of them: the first is very small, only three meters high, the second 18 meters can be reached by a mountain trail leading down, and the third 70-80 meter is hidden in the impenetrable jungle.