Welcome to Cambodia .. 2Destination map ............. 410 Top Experiences ........ 6Need to Know ................. 12If You Like ........................ 14Month by Month ............. 16Itineraries ........................ 18Angkor Trip Planner ....... 22Travel with Children ....... 28Regions at a Glance ....... 30
YOUR PLANNING TOOL KIT
Photos, itineraries, lists and suggestions to help you put together your perfect trip
Rainsy remained in self-imposed exile to avoid charges of crage for his e orts to move border posts with Vietnam in Svaynce in 2009.
Med a
origin of visitors (%)
Asean
26
Asia (non-Asean)
31
Americas
9
Australia
5
other
6
Europe
23
If Cambodia we100 people
90 would be Khmer5 would be Vietnamese3 would be Cham1 would be Chinese1 would be Ethnic Minority
4200 BC Cave dwellers capable of making pots inhabit
caves around Laang Spean; archaeological evidence suggests the
vessels made may be similar to those still made in Cambodia
today.
AD 100
The process of India-nisation begins with the arrival of Indian
traders and holy men: the religions, language
and sculpture of India start to take root in
Cambodia.
mbodian Kingdomsidn’t begin and end with Angkor. There were ing oms present in this area before the 9th centur
An Empire of Temples Contemporary Cambodia is the succes-sor state to the mighty Khmer empire, which, during the Angkorian period, ruled much of what is now Laos, Thailand and Vietnam. The remains of this empire can be seen at the fabled temples of Angkor, monuments unrivalled in scale and gran-deur in southeast Asia. The traveller’s rst glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate ex-pression of Khmer genius, is sublime and is matched by only a few select spots on earth, such as Machu Picchu or Petra.
The Comeback Capital Just as Angkor is more than its wat, so too is Cambodia more than its temples. The
chaotic yet charismatic capital of Phnom Penh is a hub of political intrigue, econom-ic vitality and intellectual debate. All too often overlooked by hit-and-run tourists ticking o Angkor on a regional tour, the revitalised city is nally earning plaudits in its own right thanks to a gorgeous river-side location, a cultural renaissance, and a wining and dining scene to rival anywhere in the region.
Upcountry Adventures Siem Reap and Phnom Penh may be the heavyweights, but to some extent they are a bubble, a world away from the Cambodia of the countryside. This is the place to ex-perience the rhythm of rural life and time-
Ascend to the realm of the gods, Angkor Wat. Descend into the hell of the Khmer Rouge at Tuol Sleng. Thanks to a history both inspiring and depressing, Cambodia delivers an intoxicating present for adventurous visitors.
Welcome to Cambodia
“All you’ve got to do is decide to go and the hardest part is over. So go!”TONY WHEELER, COFOUNDER – LONELY PLANET
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Learn about the big picture, so youcan make sense of what you see
Phnom Penh Dining Bars Shopping
Dining French bistros abound, and out-standing fusion res-taurants blend the best of Cambodian and European a-vours. Ubiquitous Cambodian barbe-cues o er a more local experience.
Siem Reap Dining Shopping Activities
Dining Contemporary Khmer, spiced-up street food, ne French and a whole host more, plus legendary Pub St – Siem Reap is where it’s happening.
ShoppingChi b i h
Khmer Cuisine 7 Everyone has tried Thai
and Vietnamese speciali-ties before they hit the region, but Khmer cuisine remains
Kratie 8 Gateway to the rare fresh-
water Irrawaddy dolphins of the Mekong River (p 253 ), Kratie is emerging as a busy
Angkor TripPlanner When to Go November–March Quite cool, but popular June–August Wet season, with lush green landscapes and light crowds
Best Temple Bayon Top for inspirational expression
Best Bas-Reliefs Angkor Wat Almost 1km of art cast in stone, including the Churning of the Ocean of Milk
Where to Abandoned to the jun magni cent temples gion’s oldest nationatrees and a refreshinvelopment amid the aWith such a wealth ofsible to plan a peaceffrom the madding cromadding at some temof day, particularly du
Some visitors assul d b d
I SBN 978 -1 -74179 -965 -1
9 781741 799651
99325
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N The bodia aopen fromIt is very poventurous ancombine traveern Cambodia Laos.
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o Our author’s top recommendation
Every listing is recommended by our authors, and their favourite places are listed first
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These symbols give you the vital information for each listing:% Telephone Numbers W Wi-Fi Access g Bush Opening Hours s Swimming Pool f Ferryp Parking v Vegetarian Selection m Metron Nonsmoking E English-Language Menu b Subwaya Air-Conditioning c Family-Friendly j Trami Internet Access # Pet-Friendly d Train
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OUR WRITERS
OUR STORYA beat-up old car, a few dollars in the pocket and a sense of adventure. In 1972 that’s all Tony and Maureen Wheeler needed for the trip of a lifetime – across Europe and Asia overland to Australia. It took several months, and at the end – broke but inspired – they sat at their kitchen table writing and stapling together their fi rst travel guide, Across Asia on the Cheap. Within a week they’d sold 1500 copies. Lonely Planet was born.
Today, Lonely Planet has offi ces in Melbourne, London and Oakland, with more than 600 staff and writers. We share Tony’s belief that ‘a great guidebook should do three things: inform, educate and amuse’.
Nick Ray Coordinating Author; Siem Reap, Temples of Angkor, Northwestern Cambodia, Eastern Cambodia A Londoner of sorts, Nick comes from Watford, the sort of town that makes you want to travel. He lives in Phnom Penh with his wife, Kulikar, and his young children, Julian and Belle. He has written for countless guidebooks on the Mekong region, including Lonely Planet’s Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos books, as well as Southeast Asia on a Shoestring. When not writing, he is often
out exploring the remote parts of Cambodia as a location scout and manager for the world of tele vision and fi lm, and he has been involved in movies including Tomb Raider and Two Brothers. Motorbikes are a part-time passion (riding them a passion, maintaining them part-time) and he has travelled through most of Indochina on two wheels.
Greg Bloom Phnom Penh, South Coast After fi ve years in Manila, Greg crossed the pond to ‘small-town’ Phnom Penh in 2008 and immediately took a liking to the city. He’s spent ample time researching its restaurants and bars ever since. That said, he’d move to Cambodia’s southern islands in a heartbeat if he had an excuse. When not writing about Cambodia and the Philippines for Lonely Planet, Greg might be found poking around the former Soviet Union (he was editor of the Kyiv Post in
another life) or running around Asia’s ultimate Frisbee fi elds. Read about his trips at www.mytripjournal.com/bloomblogs. Read more about Greg at:
lonelyplanet.com/members/gbloom4
Itiner-aries
VIETNAM
Phnom Da
KampotKep
Kompong Thom
Sihanoukville
PHNOMPENH
Sambor Prei Kuk
Beng MealeaBayonAngkor Wat Ta Prohm
Kbal Spean
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#e0 100 km0 60 miles
Two WeeksCambodia Snapshot
This is the ultimate journey, via temples, beaches and the capital. Hit Phnom Penh for its impressive National Museum and stunning Silver Pagoda. There’s superb shopping at the Psar Tuol Tom Pong, and a night shift that never sleeps.
Take a fast boat to Phnom Da, then go south to the colonial-era town of Kampot. From here, visit Bokor Hill Station, the seaside town of Kep and nearby cave pagodas.
Go west to Sihanoukville, Cambodia’s beach capital, to sample the seafood, dive the nearby waters or just soak up the sun. Backtrack via Phnom Penh to Kompong Thom and visit the pre-Angkorian brick temples of Sambor Prei Kuk.
Finish the trip at Angkor, a mind-blowing experience with which few sights compare. See Angkor Wat, perfection in stone; Bayon, weirdness in stone; and Ta Prohm, nature triumphing over stone – before venturing further afi eld to Kbal Spean or jungle-clad Beng Mealea.
This trip can take two weeks at a steady pace or three weeks at a slow pace. Public trans-port serves most of this route.
Whether you’ve got a week Whether you’ve got a week or a month, these itineraries or a month, these itineraries provide a starting point for provide a starting point for a journey to remember. Want a journey to remember. Want more inspiration? Head online more inspiration? Head online to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to to lonelyplanet.com/thorntree to chat with other travellers.chat with other travellers.
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PLAN YO
UR TRIP ITIN
ERA
RIES
THAILAND
Kep
Battambang
Sihanoukville
SiemReap
PHNOMPENH
Temples ofAngkor
VIETNAM
Koh Ker
PrasatPreah Vihear
Kirirom NationalPark
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RPhnomDa
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Kampot
SenMonorom
Kratie
StungTreng
Koh Nhek
KompongCham
Ban Lung
Boeng YeakLom
ViracheyNational Park
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#e0 150 km0 80 miles
One MonthThe Big One
Cambodia is a small country and even though the roads are sometimes bad and travel can be slow, most of the big hitters can be visited in a month.
Setting out from the hip capital that is Phnom Penh, take in the beauty of the northeast, following the Run to the Hills itinerary. Choose between Ratanakiri
Province and the volcanic crater lake of Boeng Yeak Lom, or Mondulkiri Province and the original Elephant Valley Project to ensure maximum time elsewhere. The gentle hills of Mondulkiri are better for budget travellers as traversing overland is easy, while Ratanakiri makes sense for those planning an overland journey between Cambodia and Laos. Both off er new primate experiences for those that fancy a bit of monkey business along the way. Tough choice…can’t decide? Flip a coin, if you can fi nd one in this coinless country.
Head to the South Coast, taking the route outlined in the Cambodia Snapshot itinerary. Take your time and consider a few nights in Kep or on one of the nearby islands, and a boat trip from Sihanoukville to explore the up-and-coming islands off the coast. Turning back inland, check out Kirirom National Park, home to pine trees, black bears and some spectacular views of the Cardamom Mountains.
Then it’s time to go northwest to charming Battambang, one of Cambodia’s best-preserved colonial-era towns and a base from which to discover rural life. Take the prover-bial slow boat to Siem Reap, passing through stunning scenery along the snaking Sangker River, and turn your attention to the temples of Angkor.
Visit all the greatest hits in and around Angkor, but set aside some extra time to venture further to the rival capital of Koh Ker, which is cloaked in thick jungle, or Prasat Preah Vihear, a mountain temple perched precariously atop a cliff on the Thai border.
Overlanders can run this route in reverse, setting out from Siem Reap and exiting Cam-bodia by river into Vietnam or Laos. Entering from Laos, divert east to Ratanakiri before heading south. Getting around is generally easy, as there are buses on the big roads, taxis on the small roads and buzzing boats on the many rivers.
Northeast Cambodia, a notably much cooler region of rolling hills and secret waterfalls, is home to a patch-work of ethnic minorities.
Leaving Phnom Penh, pass through the bustling Mekong town of Kompong Cham before heading east to Sen Monorom, the charming capital of Mondulkiri Province. Spend a few days here to walk with the herd at the Elephant Valley Project and explore Bunong villages before heading back to the Mekong at Kratie, for an encounter with elusive Irrawaddy river dolphins.
Push north up the Mekong to Stung Treng Province, site of several budding ecotourism excursions. To the east lies Ban Lung, capital of Ratanakiri Province and base for an adventure to remember. From here plunge into Cambodia’s most beauti-ful natural swimming pool at Boeng Yeak Lom, visit ethnic-minority villages around Voen Sai, or trek deep into the forests of Virachey National Park.
This trip is easy to manage using share taxis or pick-ups, but it’s a challenge in the wet season. Experienced motorbikers can link Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri Provinces via Koh Nhek village on one of Cambodia’s more devilish roads.
Two WeeksUntamed Cardamoms
Get a sense of the diverse ecosystems of the Cardamom Mountains along the Koh Kong Conservation Cor-ridor. Start at one-time smugglers’
port Koh Kong, a good base for day trips through the pristine mangrove forests of Peam Krasaop Wildlife Sanctuary, and to Koh Kong Island, with seven unspoiled beaches. Then travel inland by moto or boat to the Tatai River, where ecologically sus-tainable accommodation is available. Drive to Thma Bang ranger station to explore the Areng River habitats of the endangered dragonfi sh and Siamese crocodile.
Continue east along NH48 to Andoung Tuek and cruise upriver to Chi Phat, a pio-neering community-based ecotourism project. Return to Andoung Tuek and set your sights on the Koh Sdach Archipelago, off Botum Sakor National Park. There’s accommoda-tion on Koh Sdach and Koh Tatong, both near excellent snorkelling grounds.
A daily boat links Koh Sdach with Si-hanoukville, where you can continue is-land hopping to the popular Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem or explore more ecotourism opportunities in nearby Ream National Park.
