Beach Holiday
The largest concentration of beaches and water activities can be found in Cambodia ‘s largest seaside resort – Sihanoukville. Once an ordinary port in the Gulf of Thailand, now Sihanoukville has a fairly developed tourist infrastructure and attracts beach lovers. See toppharmacyschools for geography, climate and cuisine in Cambodia.
Along the edges of the resort’s sandy beaches are palm groves and clusters of fine restaurants with expertly prepared seafood. Among the most popular beaches are Victory Beach, Ochheuteal Beach, Independence Beach, rather deserted Otres Beach, owned by Russian investors Koh Poah and others.
Despite the less crowded local beaches than, for example, in Thailand, their cleanliness often leaves much to be desired.
Leisure
Active recreation at sea is best done in the most famous seaside resort of Sihanoukville. Here guests are offered diving and snorkeling, jet skiing, and fishing. Organized interesting trips through the jungle. Tourists can improve their tone during yoga and meditation classes at a Buddhist monastery above Sihanoukville.
Lake Tonle Sap, located in the western part of Cambodia, is also considered an excellent place for sport fishing. The southwestern islands of Ko Samai, Ko Samot, Ko Chan and Ko Totang are also suitable for scuba diving.
Cycling is well developed in Cambodia. A bicycle is the most convenient means of transportation in Angkor and some other cities of the country. It or a small motorbike can be freely rented.
Tours
Cambodia is famous for its huge number of historical and natural attractions, tourists will definitely not be bored here. Angkor, Phnom Penh, Siam Reap and other cities offer interesting excursions to remarkable places.
In the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh, which has been destroyed several times over the hundreds of years of its existence, today ancient monuments and modern buildings are combined. In the old area lying by the river, you can get acquainted with the Royal Palace complex and its Throne Room, visit the Elephant and Chan Chai pavilions, the Royal Treasury and the openwork pavilion of Napoleon III.
Extremely beautiful is the “Silver Pagoda” Pre-Viher-Keo-Morakot with silver floor tiles and its golden Buddha statue, as well as the statue of King Norodom and the Royal Gardens. Sisowath Kwai Square is known for the fact that it is here that the performances of the monarch take place, and local residents relax on weekends.
It will be interesting to go to the building of the National Assembly and to the interesting Monument of Independence, as well as the Stupa of King Panyab, which is the tallest building in the city. The real pride of the city is a whole ensemble of temples. Khmer architecture is represented by Wat Phnom Temple, nearby are a Buddhist pagoda, Hindu temple Tonle Bati, the whole temple complex Wat Ounalom, which is the center of Buddhism throughout Cambodia, as well as another pagoda Wat Lang Ka, Preah Chau Temple, etc..
The capital is also famous for its museums. The National Museum houses samples of miraculously preserved ancient Khmer culture, archaeological finds and much more. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, created to commemorate the massacre of thousands of people by the Khmer Rouge in 1975, will leave a deep impression.
To the southwest of Phnom Penh are mountain ranges commonly known as the Cardamom and Elephant Mountains. Here lies the royal summer residence “Black Palace” and the “Old Palace” with a casino in it.
Tourists will find the largest accumulation of antiquities in the former center of the Khmer state Angkor, which is fully included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. One of the oldest temples in the city is Phnom Bakheng, which consists of five tiers and a large number of towers. The temple of Angkor Wat is one of the greatest religious buildings in the world, and Angkor Thom marks the very center of the city.
An impressive monument is the Bayon Temple with stone images of Buddha’s faces from different sides of the building. The temples of Pre-Khan, Preak-Neak-Pean, Ta-Som, Banteay-Kdei, as well as the temples of Baphuop and Pimeanakas can be called very ancient. You can visit the terrace of the Elephants and the terrace of the Leper King, the Gate of Victory and numerous stone bridges.
Not far from Angkor is the Roluos complex with its temples of Preah Koh, Lolei and Bakong. And nearby lies Phnom Kulen on a sacred mountain, which serves as a place of pilgrimage for adherents of Buddhism. And 30 km northeast of the Bayon temple, there is a unique Kbal-Spean (“River of a thousand lingams”). Masses of stone phallic symbols and sculptures of gods rise straight from the water.
The eastern regions of Cambodia are much less frequently visited by tourists, but there is an original city of Kampong Cham and temple complexes adjacent to it. In the province of Mondulkiri, you can see beautiful landscapes and many villages that preserve ethnic traditions and a special atmosphere.
The natural wealth of Cambodia is amazing. In the west you can visit lake Tonle Sap, which is the largest in the country, and marvel at the ten-meter waterfall Popokvil, and in the east – see the volcanic lake Yeak-Laom with turquoise water, Kanchan and Chaa-Ong waterfalls.
The number of national parks and reserves in Cambodia is twenty-three. The most famous and visited of them, in addition to the historical complex of Angkor, are the Bokor National Park with relic forests and mountain savannahs, the Kirirum, Ream, Virchai national parks and many others.
Festivals and holidays
Different religious denominations and ethnic groups celebrate their holidays in different ways and at different times. But the most common holiday is Chnam-Tmai, accompanied by colorful processions and costumed performances. Thereafter, the beginning of May is marked by the Royal Plowing Ceremony of Chat Pre Nangkal.
In February, the Mick-Bochea festival takes place, while May 3 is Buddha’s Birthday. The beginning of September is marked by the holiday of remembrance of the dead Prochum-Ben. October is the time of the religious festival Bonn-Katem. And the most important festival among the Khmers is considered to be stretching for three days “Water Festival”, which ends the rainy season in early November.
