Temple of Preah Vihear – a Khmer masterpiece of architecture

After four hour driving north from Siem Reap, you will reach a beautiful UNESCO
World Heritage site- Preah Vihear temple. It sits atop a steep cliff in the Dangrek
Mountains near the Thai border and commands superb views of northern Cambodia.
A visit to the Hindu Preah Vihear temple will not only bring you into contact with an
archaeological site built during the ancient Khmer Empire but also an area of military
confrontation as a result of on-going border tensions.

The temple was registered as a World Heritage Site by Unesco on July 7, 2008.
According to Chuch Phoeun, secretary of state at the Ministry of Culture and Fine
Arts, “The Preah Vihear temple is a masterpiece of Khmer creative genius, a unique
testimony to the cultural tradition of civilisation and the most outstanding architectural
feat of an ancient technological ensemble, with a landscape illustrating a significant
stage in human history”.
==?> Luxury Cambodia tours
Located on a hill in northern Cambodia and dates to the Khmer Empire, this temple
is dedicated to the supreme god Shiva. The main construction took place in the 11th
and 12th century with smaller parts dating back to the 9th century.

The temple’s layout is complex. It has four levels with four courtyards, each
containing five Gopuras (entrance pavilions). Since ancient times, PreahVihear has
been a place of pilgrimage and sacred worship for kings and commoners alike, as it
has a stylised representation of Mount Meru, home of the Hindu gods.

There is a series of sanctuaries linked by a system of pavements and staircases
over an 800 meter long axis. This temple is an outstanding masterpiece of Khmer
architecture, in terms of plan, decoration and relationship to the spectacular
landscape environment. This site is particularly well preserved, mainly due to its
remote location.
==> cambodia private tours
Visiting the temple is quite easy but you require to buy an entrance ticket and drive
up the hill with a local vehicle. On the hill, you will see some Cambodian military
watching the border with Thailand.

It is suitable for tourists to make a day trip from Siem Reap. However if you have the
time it is well worth an adventurous overnight. And f you’d like to know more about
what an overnight in Preah Vihear province is like, please do not hesitate to contact
our Travel Consultants.

-(cambodia travel)

Top 10 best hotels and resorts in Siem Reap

As the gateway to the ruins of Angkor, Siem Reap is the most attractive city in
Cambodia. There are a lot of hotels and resorts in town which are suitable for
every budget. Here we recommend you some finest hotels in Siem Reap
based on their uniqueness about architecture, design, and services.

1. Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra Golf & Spa Resort

Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra offers 5-star accommodation in Siem Reap close to
the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat. The Siem Reap hotel, which elegantly
combines Khmer and French architectural design, features landscaped
gardens, 5 restaurants and bars, meeting facilities, a luxury spa and the
largest free form swimming pool in Cambodia. There are 238 rooms, with 14
suites and an Opera Suite. It is a place to relax and typically for those who like
to play golf. The leading luxury resort offers a world-class 18-hole golf course
at the Phokeethra Country Club.

Address: Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, Siem Reap,
Cambodia

==> siem reap adventure tours

2. Raffles Grand Hotel

The luxury Siem Reap hotel offers personalized pampering at the award-
winning Raffles Spa, as well as an array of fine dining choices, from exotic
Khmer cuisine at the Restaurant Le Grand to the Elephant Bar. It serves fine
wine, champagne and cocktails, including the signature Airavata. For a one-
of-a- kind dining experience, opt for private dining at one of the magnificent
temples of Angkor.

Address: 1 Vithei Charles de Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, Cambodia

3. Navutu Dreams Resort & Wellness Retreat

Navutu Dreams Resort lies 12 km from the temples of Angkor Wat and 16 km
from Siem Reap International Airport. It offers something different from other

hotels in Siem Reap. This resort is one of the best options for those who are
not interested in staying in Khmer style house.
The architecture of the hotel is a mix of Mediterranean comfort and style.
There are 3 large pools and 28 guestrooms and suites which offer the luxury
of space and relaxation.

Address: Navutu Rd, Krong Siem Reap 17251, Cambodia

==> Tour from siem reap to phnom penh

4. Angkor Miracle Resort Spa

Angkor Miracle Resort & Spa is the 5-star luxury hotel and located right in the
heart of Siem Reap, Cambodia. This high-end resort is 10 km from the
sprawling Angkor Wat temple complex and 13 km from Angkor Thom, the
ruins of the 13th-century Khmer capital. The resort features elegantly
appointed 247 rooms and suites. Other amenities consist of an elegant
restaurant, a terrace and a poolside bar, along with an outdoor saltwater pool,
a posh spa, a gym and a tennis court.
Address: National Road No. 6. Khum Sra Nge (Opposite Cambodian Cultural
Village), 12207 Siem Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia

5. Le Méridien Angkor

Le Meridien Angkor is an international luxury hotel conveniently located in
Siem Reap. It is the closest five-star hotel to the Temples of Angkor Wat
which features 213 inviting guestrooms and suites and multiple international
dining options. There is also a spa, a gym and a Khmer-style landscaped
outdoor pool, all instilled with a blend of local Khmer influence and modern
design comforts.

Address: Vithei Charles De Gaulle, Khum Svay Dang Kum, 12207 Siem
Reap, Siem Reap, Cambodia

( Source: angkor wat vacation packages)

Wild animals you need to see in Cambodia

If you are planning your Cambodia tour package in the mountainous regions, you will see the wide range of beautiful mammals, birds and reptiles in this area.

Cambodia is home to an incredible collection of wildlife. As for this, there are many sanctuaries and projects helping the survival of rare and endangered animals within Cambodia. There are many activities and sights to see on magnificent variety of the Cambodia trekking tour.

1. Irrawaddy Dolphin

Kratie is located 200km west of Mondulkiri on the banks of the Mekong River. The main reason for a visit to Kratie is to spot the elusive Irrawaddy Dolphin. They are an endangered species throughout Asia, with shrinking numbers inhabiting stretches of the Mekong in Cambodia and Laos, and isolated pockets in Bangladesh and Myanmar. They are dark-blue to grey, can grow to 2.75m long, and are recognisable by their small dorsal fins and bulging foreheads. Despite drastic measures to try and protect them, these numbers continue to plummet, and experts now estimate there are only around 80 Irrawaddy dolphins left in the Mekong between Kratie and the border with Laos.

The Mekong River Irrawaddy dolphin (Orcaella brevirostris) population inhabits a 190km stretch of the Mekong River between Cambodia and Lao PDR. The latest population is estimated between 64 and 76 members (2008 figures). The Irrawaddy dolphin is identified by a bulging forehead, a short beak, and 12-19 teeth on each side of each jaw. The pectoral fin is broadly triangular. There is a small dorsal fin, on the posterior end of the back.

2. Banteng

The banteng (Bos javanicus javanicus) is also known as the tembadau and is a species of wild cattle found in southeast Asia; They are social creatures that spend most of their time in herds of between 2 and 40 individuals, usually tour in cambodia led by an older cow and a single mature male. Other males live either alone or in bachelor groups. This single male of the group breeds with all the females which means that competition for dominance is fierce. Usually a single calf is born after a 285 day gestation, they are then weaned at between six to nine months old.

They are found throughout southeast Asia including Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam. They prefer to live in dry deciduous forests, feeding in open clearings.

Considered to be one of the most beautiful and graceful of all wild cattle in Cambodia, banteng populations  declined by about 95 percent between the late 1960s and early 1990s, according to WWF Cambodia. Today, the Eastern Plains of Cambodia is home to the most banteng, where work to preserve them has led to the population’s stabilisation. However, habitat loss and illegal poaching remain the animals’ main threats, as well as disease from wild livestock.

3. Yellow-cheeked Crested Gibbon

The yellow-cheeked crested gibbon is one of six species of crested gibbons, all of which have suffered from accelerating declines throughout their range, mostly due to habitat loss and hunting for the pet trade. Yellow-cheeked crested gibbons occur in northeastern Cambodia, southern Vietnam, and southern Laos, with Cambodia probably containing the majority of these individuals.

As a result of forest destruction and hunting, the wild population is estimated at less than 25,000 with the majority of the surviving population in Cambodia. In the Eastern Plains Landscape of Mondulkiri, a recent survey found Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary to hold the second largest number of these gibbons in Cambodia after Seima Biodiversity Conservation Area. Gibbons in the wild are very timid, although they happily co-exist with doucs, they are afraid of the tougher, noisier macaques.

4. Pygmy Slow Loris

A Pygmy slow loris is a small, compact creature with a short tail, a short, rounded muzzle, round eyes that are directed forward and fur that is short and dense. They are mostly brown, gray or reddish-brown. Between their eyes are white lines, with dark markings encircling them, and a faint medial stripe on the crown. Their hands are broad and they have an opposable thumb. The two genders are similar in appearance

The species also seems to be the most common mammal used in traditional Khmer medicines. Protected areas in eastern Cambodia, like Phnom Prich Wildlife Sanctuary, are thus likely to be important areas for the conservation of pygmy loris.

The slow lorises are small nocturnal and arboreal primates from Southeast Asia that prefer the tops of the trees and have slow, deliberate movements. Depending on the author, 3-5 species are distinguished. The Bengal Loris lives in Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Burma, Thailand and Vietnam. The population trends of this species are unknown, but it has been intensively hunted as it is a popular pet species and used in traditional medicine in many ways.

==> Adventure Tours in Siem Reap 5. Clouded Leopard

The Leopard Cat is a small wild cat in the size of the domestic cat that lives in South and East Asia. Due to its large distribution area, several subspecies are distinguished that may exist in different kind of habitats. The overall population is not endangered, but regionally the species has become rare.

This beautiful wild cat inhabits lowland primary and secondary forest. It is mainly nocturnal in habits, but may be active during cooler parts of the day. The Clouded Leopard is considered to be 'the smallest of the big cats' more closely related to larger species such as the true Leopard and Tiger than smaller species, such as the Leopard Cat .

They can also be seen at Wildlife Alliance’s Phnom Tamao Rescue Center, on the outskirts of Phnom Penh, where animals are rescued from the clutches of illegal trade and poaching, and rehabilitated before being released into their natural habitat. The clouded leopard is under threat due to wildlife hunting and loss of habitat.

==> Source: https://cambodiatours.com/

The most fascinating towns in Cambodia you must visit [Part 1]

If you are bored with the natural sights of Thailand or Vietnam, Cambodia is definitely a perfect choice for exploring the culture and natural beauty in here.

While the larger cities are rapidly modernizing, the towns are more quiet and it also comprises many interesting things that hasn’t been discovered. This Cambodia travel destination brings you a chance to experience a more traditional way of life, including treks into the jungle or to see more fascinating ancient ruins.

1. Koh Rong

Koh Rong is located about 25 kilometers from Sihanoukville, in the Gulf of Thailand. The island has 43 km of beautiful sandy beaches along both its Eastern and Western shores; its main attraction. Most travelers stay in guesthouses and bungalows situated along the beach at Koh Tuich Village (Tui Beach).

There are scuba diving centres on the island and trips to nearby islands for scuba diving and snorkeling can easily be arranged. Other activities include jungle-trekking, kayaking as well as fishing tours if lazing on the beach and swimming in the turquoise waters becomes a hardship. The vast majority of the island is still totally undeveloped although plans are in the pipeline to highly commercialize the island in the future including an airport, casino and golf course

==> Next: cambodia tour from thailand

2. Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville is a coastal town in the south of Cambodia. The town was developed to accommodate the country’s first deep-water port in the late 1950s. A couple of years later, it had already become Cambodia’s prime seaside resort destination. Unlike other coastal towns, Sihanoukville can accommodate everyone, from the backpacker to the luxury seeker, which explains why the jet setters -from the capital head there in the weekends. Sihanoukville is also home to a vibrant nightlife.

Developed to accommodate the country’s first deep-water port in the late 1950s, Sihanoukville is a coastal town in the south of Cambodia and also home to a vibrant nightlife. Few years later, it had already become the prime seaside resort destination in Cambodia. Unlike other Cambodia’s coastal towns, Sihanoukville can accommodate all kinds of travelers, from the backpackers to the luxury seekers, which explains the reason why the jet setters – from the capital city head there on weekends.

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's premier beach town, sporting miles of white sand beaches, some excellent seafood, a heady party scene, and several nearby tropical islands. The town sits on a peninsula jutting into the warm waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Beaches of fine pearl-white sand line the shore around the peninsula, each offering its own unique character, from the busy and popular Ochheuteal Beach to the secluded chill-out far end of Otres Beach

==> Next: flight to cambodia from Ho Chi Minh

3. Kampot

Kampot is one of the top destinations for nature in Cambodia. This quiet town is also famous for being the pepper capital of the world. The impressive range of riverside restaurants and small secluded bungalows combined with the charm of Cambodian small towns make the place an ideal one to relax in. Kampot also provides a great base for those wishing to visit the Bokor National Park and its French colonial hill station.

Kampot – a quiet town famous for being the pepper capital of the world is one of the top destinations for nature in Cambodia. It is the impressive range of small secluded bungalows and riverside restaurants combined with the charm of Cambodian small towns that make this place an ideal place to relax in. Also, Kampot provides a stunning base for those who wish to visit the Bokor National Park as well as its French colonial hill station. Cambodia travel packages.

For a laid-back stint of restful hammock swinging, you can't beat Kampot. This little riverine gem has it all when considering doing absolutely nothing. If you want to splash out a tiny bit, book a bungalow at Les Manguiers, one of Asia's most blissful venues.

==> For more information, please visit:

- siem reap to halong bay

- cruise phnom penh to siem reap

- trip in cambodia

45 travel things to know before you visit Cambodia- Part 3

26. Restaurant menus are huge… We are talking about 100+ available dishes huge! In one restaurant we even found poutine in the menu!

Money and expenses
27. The official currency of Cambodia is the Riel.

==> cambodia vietnam adventure 

28. Although, to a tourist the USD is the de facto currency of Cambodia. It’s the currency used in most transactions, leaving the Riel to the job of being used as small change/breaking the USD. Remember that USD coins aren’t used.

29. Even the ATMs will dispense USD if you are using a foreign card.

Mokey Cambodia

30. While the actual amount depends on the bank, every ATM cash withdrawal have a fee of about 5 USD. Anyway, try to with withdraw money as few times as possible.

31. Remember that cash is king. Very few stores/restaurants/guest houses accept you credit card, and those who do will charge you up to 5% to pay directly.

Koh Rong in Cambodia

32. Overall, we spent 977 Euros in Cambodia during 11 days, averaging 44 Euros per person per day. This is way too much when compared with other countries in the region.

33. However this includes, the visa (30 USD), the flight to Malaysia (115 USD) and the 3 day tickets to Angkor Wat (62 USD). Therefore without these and with a longer stay, it would be much more in line of Laos.

Angkor Wat in Cambodia

34. Accommodation and food are particularly inexpensive. Transportation is a bit more expensive, but still cheap when compared with western countries.

Bonus saving tip: Before you plan your trip, check out Hotels.com to find out what deals enables you to save on your travel. It is always good to have prior reservations done to avoid sky-scraping prices later.

Transportation
35. We knew that the SE Asian countries had crazy traffic and were very dangerous, but Cambodian really took it to a hole new level! We will never take another mini van in Cambodia!

==> flight to cambodia from dubai 

36. In Cambodia, you won’t be able to escape the Tuk-Tuks. We managed to do it in Thailand and Laos, but not in Cambodia. You might as well embrace it ant try to enjoy it. Some of them as nice, some aren’t…

Sihanoukville in Cambodia

37. From Sihanoukville it’s very easy to get to and from the islands. There are several boats to the mainland and you can easily connect the boats to buses and mini-vans.

38. Apart from a weekend, touristic train from Sihanoukville to Phnom Phen, there are no trains in Cambodia…

Buses in Cambodia

39. Travelling in Cambodia is almost as slow as in Laos. 🙂 The country isn’t very big but it takes a full day or at least half a day to travel between towns.

40. Like Thailand and Laos, buses and even mini-vans will drop you off in the weirdest places (usually a few km outside tourist center). Be careful, because it can be dangerous and/or expensive.

Bus station in Cambodia

Other travel stuff and useful information
41. There is WI-FI everywhere. Almost every coffee shop, restaurant and guesthouse offers it, however it’s quite bad and unreliable.

42. Almost every place expects you to take off your shoes when come, not only the temples but even hostels and sometimes restaurants.

Koh Rong Beach in Cambodia

43. Get used to Asian bathrooms… In Cambodia it won’t be easy to find a western one! This means that the shower and the toilet are together, so everything gets wet after a bath.

44. Always bring toilet paper with you, most bathrooms won’t have it and sometimes even in hostels you will need your toilet paper…

Tom Rider temple in Cambodia

==> flight to cambodia from Vietnam 

45. Lastly and probably one of the most important things: get used to the idea of seeing children asking you for money/trying to sell you something. As difficult as it is, resist to the urge of giving them money. You are doing more harm than wrong. Parents and/or organized criminals groups use the children to beg and get your money!

Bonus Tip: Always Remember to Buy Travel Insurance Before Your Trip ! Even if you don’t expect to need it, having a insurance will give you an extra peace of mind! And you never know when you need it!

Now we hope that you understand Cambodia better, moreover we hope to inspire you to travel to Cambodia. We want you to both enjoy every great thing Cambodia has to offer and deal with the bad and frustrating things that is has.
==> For more information, please visit https://cambodiatours.com/

45 travel things to know before you visit Cambodia- part 2

15. We didn’t care much about Phnom Penh. It looked very dirty and uninteresting. It was also incredibly hot which made the experience worse.

16. The Royal Palace is pleasant, but really isn’t worth spending much time. It isn’t unique or particularly impressive compared with the ones in Thailand or Laos.

==> flight to cambodia from dubai 

Royal Palace Phnom Penh

17. The most impressive experience in Phnom Penh was clearly the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum. It’s a very immersive experience in a reality so cruel that is difficult to understand how it was possible and “allowed”. Alike Dachau Memorial it’s a full cultural and history lesson about human nature.

If you want to have tour you can go to Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields with Urban Adventure.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Cambodia

18. Koh ta Kiev became our personal paradise. With warm, clear water and powder sand it’s the place where our minds wander when we are bored. It’s the perfect no frills place to relax and get away from the world. We were supposed to stay for one day and stayed 3 days…

Koh ta Kieve in Cambodia

19. Koh Rong is the opposite! It’s Cambodia’s party island, where the backpackers and hippies go to party, drink and dance. Unfortunately it’s also very dirty and disgusting in the main village. However, you can still find great beaches in Koh Rong, namely long beach, which is easily one of most stunning beaches we have ever been to!

Long Beach in Koh Rong Cambodia

20. Sihanoukville is a coastal town of Cambodia with a very sketchy reputation related to drugs and sex tourism, though we didn’t notice anything different from other tourist destinations of South East Asia. What really impressed us was the looks of the beach in the morning… I wouldn’t get in that water even if got paid!

Sihanoukville in Cambodia

==> cambodia tour from thailand 

Food and eating
21. Khmer food is similar to Lao and Thai. Probably closer to Lao because it isn’t as spicy as Thai.

22. If you have the opportunity try Kampot pepper. The production decreased during the wars and afterwards but it’s starting to recover again. It was once very famous in french cuisine and regarded as the best pepper in the world!

Kampot pepper in Cambodia

23. Our favorite Khmer dish is the Amok! It can be chicken, beef or fish. Either way it’s great. Amok is thick soup cooked with fish, meat, vegetables, eggs and coconut milk. It’s usually eaten with white rice.

Amok Cambodian food

24. Although by international standards food is extremely cheap, we found it to be slightly more expensive than in Thailand or Malaysia. Maybe on pair with Laos.

25. While in Cambodia we found these incredible tasty, crispy and delicious tarantulas! Well, not really, 🙂 we couldn’t eat them… It’s too freaky for us! But you can try them, if you must.
==> Next:
-* siem reap to phnom penh tour 
-* siem reap vacation 
-* halong bay to siem reap

45 travel things to know before you visit Cambodia

Cambodia is a country of extremes, you can find the most amazing things and but also be confronted with a few very bad ones. It has great history and a horrible one! As a traveler one faces big challenges that really pay off a big prize. After being amazed and frustrated with Cambodia we decided to compile this list to help you understand Cambodia better.

==> vietnam and cambodia tours 

1. Cambodia is a very poor country!

2. Tourism and the tourists are a major source of income for the Cambodians.

3. Unlike the Lao, Cambodians try their best (and sometimes their worst) to earn money with tourists. They take initiative and try to provide services or sell stuff to the Tourists, although they aren’t too pushy.

4. Like Laos and Vietnam, Cambodia was a french colony. Despite this, we didn’t find anyone speaking French.

5. However, Cambodians speak a much better English than Thais and Laos, therefore it was easy to communicate in Cambodia.

6. Cambodia had one of the worst dictatorship ever, the Khmer Rouge. In 3 three years the Khmer Rouge killed 2M people, 1/4 of the population!

7. The Khmer Rouge was not only barbaric but also idiotic.  They decided to empty the cities, sending everyone to the fields and planting rice. Every single industry was forbidden and everyone with any kind of higher education killed…

==> tour in cambodia 

8. Population is growing very quickly. It grew almost 3 times, from 6.7 M in 1980 to 16 M in 2016. This makes it also a very young population.

9. Don’t forget that Cambodians are mainly Buddhists! They are usually very patient with tourists but please respect their culture, religion and habits.

10. Cambodia is dirty and has a major garbage disposal problem! There’s trash everywhere in Cambodia, it’s something very difficult to oversee! Even after living in Angola, and kind of being used to seeing garbage everywhere Cambodia impressed us.

11. But it’s not only an “organizational thing”, it’s a mentality/cultural thing. Cambodians really need to learn to take care of the environment. Tourists won’t return if the attractions are all dirty buy most importantly it’s a matter of public health!

12. Angkor Wat is the main tourist attraction of Cambodia and deservedly so. It’s one of the 7 new world wonders and truly one of the greatest achievements of the ancient world!

==> cambodia luxury tour 

13. Angkor complex is formed by dozens of temples and other archaeological sites spread over 400 km2. Don’t visit only the Angkor Wat, go to Angkor Thom, Bayon temple, and many others! This should take you at least 2 days activity, though the best would be spending 3 days in Angkor.

14. Though we loved Angkor, we really disliked Siem Reap. Keep your expectations as low as possible about the town. It’s the messy, dirty, overcrowded and touristy in the worst kind of way. It’s also very very hot, which make the whole experience worse.

For more information, please visit https://cambodiatours.com/tips/news/119-best-adventure-tours-in-siem-reap.html