Choose from 41 Fun Things to Do in Cambodia
Central Market (Pshar Thom Thmey)
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Kandal Market (Phsar Kandal)
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Bayon Temple
The Bayon temple forms a square at the center of the much larger square of the vast Angkor Thom, and is the architectural highlight of the complex. This was considered by the Khmers to be the conjunction of heaven and earth, though the auspicious site was covered in jungle for centuries.
Like much in the area it dates to the 12th-century reign of King Jayavarman VII, and is particularly noted for its magnificent carved stone faces with their beatific smiles. They depict either the king himself or a bodhisattva; the confusion was probably deliberate.
The bas relief carvings on the temple’s outer walls are a riot of scenes depicting everything from celestial beings and mighty battles to humble village life.
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Bayon is within Angkor Thom, which lies 4.5 miles (7 kilometers) north of Siem Reap, past Angkor Wat.
Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity
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Angkor Wat
- Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s most popular attraction, which makes for large crowds. Book your tour in advance to save time.
- Angkor Wat is a sacred site for Khmer people, and visitors should dress modestly. To visit the top tier, you must have your upper arms and thighs covered.
- At any given time, a limited number of visitors are allowed to ascend to the top tier for views of the surrounding landscape.
- A lawn in the outer ring has two free-standing roofless libraries that serve as peaceful places to escape the inevitable crowds.
Phnom Kulen National Park
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Beng Mealea
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Phimeanakas
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Bakong
One of the earliest temples in the region, Bakong was built in tiers within a strict geometric matrix, a style recognizable in the later Angkor Wat. Though significantly smaller than that complex, Bakong has a charm all its own.
The central temple rises on 5 tiers and was dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva. It dates to 881 AD, though the tower which forms its focal point was added much later.
Around two dozen graceful, free-standing “satellite” temples dot the grounds in various states of repair, some garnished with jungle growth. Stupas reflect the temple’s later embrace of Buddhism, while an adjacent monastery ensures the site retains its spiritual significance into the present day.
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Bakong, along with Lolei and Preah Ko, is in the Roluos group of temples, off National Highway 6 which heads west out of Siem Reap.
Banteay Srei
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Independence Monument
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Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center
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Pre Rup
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Kbal Spean (River of a Thousand Lingas)
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Angkor Thom
The last capital of the Khmers is a stupendous complex on a stupefying scale; established in the 12th century on the site of an earlier capital, Angkor Thom dwarfs even nearby Angkor Wat. The city’s 7.5 miles (12 kilometers) of wall is ringed by a moat (which no longer holds water or – thankfully – crocodiles). Each of the five enormous gates is a monument in itself, approached by avenues lined with 108 divinities (good on the left, evil on the right).
Some elevation will help you make sense of the layout; head for the Terrace of the Elephants or nearby Terrace of the Leper King with their intricate carvings, or the hilltop Phnom Bakheng, particularly popular at sunset. Among the myriad other points of interest are the temples of East Mebon and Pre Rup, built in the same “temple-mountain” style as Angkor Wat.
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The southern gate to Angkor Thom lies 4.5 miles (7 kilometers) north of Siem Reap, past Angkor Wat. Baphuon and Bayon are also within the complex while much-photographed Ta Prohm lies to the east, an evocative ruin where trees force their way through intricately carved stone.
Killing Fields of Choeung Ek
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Kompong Phluk
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Preah Khan
A stupa (a domed structure holding Buddhist relics) and numerous smaller Hindu temples indicate the spiritual mix that Preah Khan embodied. In later years it was renowned as a center of scholarly Buddhism.