Exploring Cambodia

Angkor Wat is a temple that has become a number-one tourist spot. It is accessed from the town of Siem Reap. The temple is the world's largest religious building and takes three days to explore.

Koh Rong Samloem is one of the most beautiful islands. The Saracen Bay is home to a dozen beach hut resorts.

Siem Reap is one of the top places to see since it is the base of Angkor Archeological Park.

The Angkor National Museum is worth exploring. The exhibits inform about the culture and artistry of the Khmer Empire.

Preah Vihear Temple is located in the most dramatic location. It sits on top of the Dangrek Mountains. This is a complex of pavilions linked by long causeways and was originally built to honor the god Shiva. The temple is on the border with Thailand and is a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Banteay Chmar reminds visitors of an Indiana Jones-style temple. It is a large temple sitting surrounded by jungle. Built in the 12th century its stone reliefs along the walls are some of the most intricately detailed in Cambodia.

The Elephant Valley Project lets visitors walk with the sanctuary's elephants.

You can hike in Virachey National Park and enjoy seeing elephants, tigers, and sun bears.

For those with an adventurous streak, the province is one of the best places in Cambodia for trekking, from spotting gibbons at Veun Sai-Siem Pang Conservation Area, where overnight trips involve sleeping in hammocks and early rises to track the buff-cheeked gibbons, to hiking in Virachey National Park home to elephants, tigers, and sun bears.

For brave adventurers the Mayura zipline course skims right over the top of Bou Sra waterfall while bird-watchers and wildlife spotters will want to take a tour into Seima Protected Forest, home to gibbons the endangered black-shanked douc langurs, and plentiful birdlife.

Tonlé Sap is Cambodia's most important waterway and Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake. As well as being an important source of food and a vital tool for Cambodian irrigation, the lake itself is home to 170 floating villages that depend on fishing for their livelihood, with homes built directly on the water. The houses, shops, churches, schools, and temples of these villages are built on rustic buoy foundations of lashed-together barrels and bamboo, and all transport is by boat. They're a fascinating place to spend a day exploring.

One of the most interesting is the sprawling village of Kompong Luong, near the town of Pursat on Tonlé Sap's western shore, although the most popular village to visit is Chong Kneas near Siem Reap.

The Koh Kong Conservation Corridor stretches across an area within Cambodia's Cardamom Mountains, south of the border town of Koh Kong in the country's southwest. The highlands here, home to dense rainforest, winding rivers, and waterfalls, offer plenty of opportunities for hiking and boat tours.

Head to the Tatai River if you want to simply soak up the lush surroundings and take time out from life. Here, you'll find a handful of boutique eco-resorts scattered along the riverbank all offering activities such as day hikes and kayaking.

Further south in the Cardamoms is the village of Chi Pat, an eco-tourism center with simple homestay and guesthouse accommodation and plenty of activities, ranging from multi-day treks into the forested mountains to wildlife-spotting river boat trips.

Ratanakiri is a nature-filled reprieve for travelers. This is outback Cambodia, and the endless red-dirt roads of the region, leading to ethnic minority villages, are an intrepid traveler's delight.

There are more relaxing options on offer as well. The emerald water of Yeak Lom Crater Lake just outside of Ban Lung town is a tranquil swimming spot, while the waterfalls of Chaa Ong and Ka Tieng are fun diversions that provide more opportunities for getting wet.