Cambodia Travel Guide

Angkor Travel Guide, climate:

Best: Dec-Feb.
Worst: Easter, particularly late March [herds of Japanese hit Cambodia] to April [extreme heat 35-40C], Sep-Oct [heavy rain and impassable roads]
OK: the rest [ May-Oct is monsoon season but can be good in terms of clear air, greenery and full moats]

Length of stay:
Minimum worthwhile stay, not including flights:
2 days for the major temples.
Recommended: one week.
Early starts are vital, then chill out around midday [even swimming] and try not to rush to see everything.
Enjoy the ambience or you will end up with temple overdose PDQ.

Main festivals:
Full Moon day at beginning of November, Bon Om Tuk [the Water Festival] is Cambodia's biggest and most important festival. Locals go bananas celebrating a natural phenomenon [the reversing of the current of Tonle Sap River], with boat races and fireworks. Nationwide but Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are the places to be.

Activities:
Khmer massage: As a little as $6/h, or $10 for 2 hours, you can get an extremely relaxing treat from a charming masseuse.
Apsara Dance: Khmer traditional dance with symbolic hand gestures can be seen in major hotels or restaurants.
Around $11 with a massive buffet meal.
Bird watching: At Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary on the northwest bank of Tonle Sap Lake. The dry season from Dec-March is the ideal time to travel here.
Boat trips: A couple of hours trip on Tole Sap Lake to see the huge expanse of water and get a look at locals' life in stilt villages.

Cuisine:
As usual in Cambodia there's no shortage of excellent meals, from good value food vendors - fruit, noodles, etc - in markets or streets to top range restaurants.
Try Angkor beer, especially the dark one.

Shopping:
The best place is Old Market [Pash Chas] for handicrafts including hand-woven silks, coconut and wooden products, temple relief replica, jewellery, and clothes.
There are also several high quality souvenirs shops around the market.

Why Travel to Angkor?

The Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO world heritage site, is one of the most spectacular ancient sites on earth.
Now that most of the landmines have gone and Cambodia security has improved since the collapse of Khmer Rouge, Siem Reap is a civilized and relaxing place to stay.

Downside:
- Siem Reap, where you stay, is 7km/5miles from Angkor [travel with a pre-arranged taxi or motorbike].
- The town centre is touristy, with huge five star hotels, souvenir shops and fancy restaurants.
- Prices are picking up and no longer ridiculously cheap.
- Night strolling is not very safe.

Main attractions:
***Angkor Wat is most famous for its outstanding location and awe-inspiring architecture.
It is the world's largest religious monument, with the world's greatest series of ornate reliefs in astonishingly detailed sandstone.
This was originally a Hindu funerary temple in early 12thC, then converted to Buddhism.
It it essential to go in the afternoon if you aim to take good photos since the temple faces west, tho' it's great at sunrise, too.
***Angkor Thom Complex was the Cambodian capital around the end of 12th century. It is surrounded by a stupendous wall with five entrance gates. The highlights are:
The Bayon, a Buddhist temple with 54 towers, each with four enigmatic smiling faces carved on them. It also has fine reliefs differing from those at Angkor Wat, depicting life in the city.
The Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King are also stunning.
***Ta Prohm, a Buddhist temple ruin entwined with towering trees where some of the scenes of the film Tomb Raider were shot. This place has a real 'lost world' feeling.
***Banteay Srei, a small pink sandstone temple, is host to exquisite and well-preserved carvings based on the Hindu 'Ramayana'.
**Tole Sap Lake, the largest lake in Southeast Asia, with remote floating villages scattered around. A boat trip is a popular traveller's excursion from Siem Reap [12km].
*Phnom Bakheng, a 75m high hill with a ruin on top is said to be the best place for sunset but in reality it is a far from mystic, tranquil moment since it is packed with tourists as well as locals gathering for the view.
The crack of dawn over Angkor is a better bet.
**Kbal Spean, the pleasant site of 'River of the Thousand Lingas', riverbed carvings, at the foot of holy Kulen Mountain. A 10 km dirt road from Banteay Srei, or 60 km from Siem Reap. If you travel thru hotels or a tour operator, it'll cost $70-80 p/p but hire a taxi for $40 [including visiting Banteay Srei] and a local guide at the site for $1p/p!
**Phnom Kulen [Mt. Kulen], is the the most sacred place in Cambodia for Khmers, with riverbed carvings, a massive reclining Buddha at the top and a waterfall. It's a peaceful picnic/bathing spot, popular with locals.
50km from Siem Reap. [A taxi at $60-70, will include Kbal Spean, Banteay Srei]
Check the water condition towards end of dry season, there may be very little.

If you plan to travel to Angkor you may also be interested in neighbouring countries offering ancient sites: