Phnom Penh

When wondering where to relax in Cambodia, you will probably first find yourself in Phnom Penh – the capital of the kingdom, the city of a thousand cultures and temples. From here, buses with tourists depart for the main resorts, although there is something to see in the metropolis itself.

• Andyeducation: Introduction to education system in Cambodia, including compulsory schooling and higher education.

Attractions

Like other Asian capitals, all the memorable places in Phnom Penh can be divided into historical and religious buildings and modern objects. The first group of places to visit includes:

• Royal Palace;
• Silver Pagoda;
• Wat Phnom Monastery;
• National Museum.

The second group of attractions is no less interesting:

• Olympic Stadium (the Games have never been held there);
• Monument of Independence;
• Museum of the Genocide.

Shopping

All shopping in Phnom Penh starts at the Yellow Market, or Psar Thmei. This is the local Grand Bazaar with its lanes, covered areas and arcades, which in themselves are a work of art, and it’s not worth talking about the number of shops located here.

Other shopping areas worth visiting include:

• Russian Market;
• Shopping center “Sorya”;
• Market Street – Street 148.

Sihanoukville

A quality beach holiday in Cambodia is strongly associated with the name Sihanoukville among guests from all over the world, although literally half a century ago it was a colonial French port without the slightest hint of tourism. Now there are tens of kilometers of a well-equipped zone with developed infrastructure and entertainment.

Beaches

The coastal sectors of Sihanoukville are a huge number of ennobled areas of pure golden sand, including the following names:

• Serendipity Beach;
• Ochheuteal Beach;
• Koh Poah;
• Sokha Beach;
• Otres Beach.

Shopping

Despite the obvious tourist bias of the city and the province as a whole, there are few large complexes as such, and all trade is carried out in the markets. Moreover, these same bazaars are also centers of cultural life, with real open-air stage venues, where American indie rock bands sometimes come on tour.

Key markets are:

• Psar Ley;
• Psar Pinichik;
• Otres;
• Central Market.

Siem Reap

The city of Siem Reap, located in the north of the country, is known not so much for its memorable places as for its UNESCO monuments, which are part of the Angkor palace and temple ensemble, located a half-hour walk. Hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the world fly here to capture the unique lotus-shaped temples and other famous structures.

Attractions

Actually, the complexes of Angkor Thom and Angkor Bat are the very World Heritage Sites for which numerous tourists come here. There are dozens of temples, fortifications and other buildings on their territory, the most famous of which are:

• Bayon Temple;
• Elephant Terrace;
• 54 towers of the Bayon Pyramid;
• Pre-Kan Monastery;
• Pre-Neac Pean Basin.

Of the objects that are not related to the temple complexes, it is worth visiting:

• Lake Tonle Sap and its floating villages;
• Angkor National Museum;
• Apsar Theatre;
• Royal Gardens;
• Military Museum.

Battambang

Like Siem Reap, the city of Battambang is the starting point for sightseeing tours of the whole region, rich in ancient temples, monasteries and ruins of fortresses that once played a special role in the history of the Asian kingdom.

Attractions

Rich in colonial architecture, the city is actually interested in the bulk of the guests with two small hills: Mount Phnom Sampov and Phnom Banan. Despite the funny name for the Russian ear, the peak keeps the ruins of an ancient monastery of the XI century, miraculously survived after centuries of wars. Another mountain became famous for its temple, which can only be reached by climbing a ladder of 700 steps.

In addition, Battambang has an interesting Provincial Museum and many other objects:

• Pagoda of the White Elephant;
• Crocodile farm;
• Lotus farm;
• Dumbong statue.

Souvenirs

Despite the rather low standard of living in the country, a vacation in Cambodia cannot do without memorable purchases that guests make, both within the city and in village markets. The variety of such goods is limited, but there is still a mandatory shopping program, and you should not ignore it.

Khmer silk

Basically, women’s scarves and bright capes are made from it, less often – the fabric itself is bought, from which it will then be possible to make whatever your heart desires. The only negative is that natural dyes fade very quickly, but the price will please even the most economical tourists.

Krama

Another textile gift is a natural cotton scarf, which is also the only element of national clothing that has retained its everyday meaning. It is somewhat reminiscent of “Arafatka”, only with a more universal purpose

Shagreen accessories

Here, this word refers to the skin of three types: shark, stingray or crocodile. Bags and wallets from it are very durable and bright in appearance. For those who want to be even more original, python and even ostrich material will do, but it will not be as durable as shagreen

Kampot pepper

Spices from this small town are known all over the world, and local markets are literally littered with bags of large grains of fragrant “peas”. In other stores you can see milk chocolate with such a peculiar filling.

Wild honey

It is a mystery how it is harvested, if at least some of the stories about how aggressive the bees are in the jungle are true, but a jar of such natural sweetness can be stored at any temperature for more than one year.

Stone Buddha

Unlike neighboring Thailand, in Cambodia it is not forbidden to export images of Gautama, and on the contrary, it is warmly welcomed in the name of spreading the most peaceful religion on earth. And the way these figurines are cut out by a grinder from huge boulders is a separate sight, albeit a very noisy one.

Children’s paintings

No kidding, the best street artists in the country are schoolchildren who paint in oils on small wooden boards. For many of them, selling their creations to tourists is the only way to save money for education, so why not buy

Green coffee

Here, the Arabica beans really resemble ripe pistachios, but they are already fully prepared for grinding. And the price is attractive – no more than $ 10 per kilogram