Cambodia: tips for your trip
Located in Southeast Asia, Cambodia borders the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. It is an important air and river connection between India and China, as well as the rest of Southeast Asia. Phnom Penh is the capital of the country, but Siem Reap on the Nordwest is the main tourist destination, thanks to the famous Angkor Wat stone temple complex built during the Khmer Empire. Cambodian Riel is the currency of Cambodia, but US dollars are used more and accepted everywhere in the country.
Cambodia has a lot of history and faces several wars, even in recent years. It is still recovering from the last one - the Vietnamese occupation (1979–1993) and tourists can easily see that. Phnom Penh is a city of contrasts. On one hand there are new, tall and modern buildings, luxury cars and nice parks demonstrating the after war stabilisation, but on the other hand there are still ruins, poor people on the streets with sadness in their eyes. There is a great variety of city tours, so visitors can learn more about the history of the country and its culture. Some of the main attractions in Phnom Penh are the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, National Museum and the city’s Central Market.
Krong Siem Reap or just Siem is a city full of tourists. There are a lot of bars, restaurants, good hotels and of course hundreds of tuk-tuks. You can find all these in the most popular area in Siem - the Pub Street. The city is very nice and calm and people can enjoy the good food and weather outside. Khmer cuisine is amazing and meals like Amok, Creamy prahok dip, Khmer noodles and Chicken curry are “must try” when visiting Cambodia.
Also, you cannot miss relaxing with a traditional Khmer massage. You can choose between a variety of aromatic essential oils or without any. One is guaranteed - whatever your preferences are you will not be disappointed.
The most famous and main attraction not only in Siem Reap, but in Cambodia in general is Angkor Wat. This is a Buddhist - Hindu temple complex and it is the largest religious monument in the world. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and is known as the “City of Temples”.
