Roavina

Country guide

Cambodia

A photograph of Cambodia
Photograph · Diego Delso · CC BY-SA 3.0

Cambodia spans about 181,035 km² of low-lying plain, and water sets its shape: the Mekong meets the Tonlé Sap, the largest lake in Southeast Asia, near the middle of the country. Around 17 million people live here, most of them Khmer. Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city and Siem Reap the second, which matters, because Siem Reap is the town Angkor Wat is reached from — the most famous of the works the Khmer Empire began after Jayavarman II took the throne in 802. The coastline is short and faces the Gulf of Thailand.

Reviewed by Elena Voss · Roavina Travel Editor

Cities

Every city catalogued in this country so far, ranked by how much there is to see.

Practical information

Language spoken
Khmer
National practical orientation; regional and minority languages may also be used
Dialling code
+855
International calling code; local area and mobile prefixes still apply
Currency
Cambodian riel (KHR)
Use the official local currency; card acceptance varies by place
Emergency number
117 police · 118 fire · 119 ambulance
Use only for an emergency; tourist assistance may use a separate number
Plug type
Type A, C and G · 230 V
Check that chargers support the recorded voltage before using an adapter
Tap water
Not recorded
No verified nationwide visitor drinking-water statement was recorded

Planning a visit

  1. January: no seasonality data recorded
  2. February: no seasonality data recorded
  3. March: no seasonality data recorded
  4. April: no seasonality data recorded
  5. May: no seasonality data recorded
  6. June: no seasonality data recorded
  7. July: no seasonality data recorded
  8. August: no seasonality data recorded
  9. September: no seasonality data recorded — this month
  10. October: no seasonality data recorded
  11. November: no seasonality data recorded
  12. December: no seasonality data recorded

Top things to see

Ranked by importance — sitelinks, pageviews and heritage status, not editor preference.

  1. Bayon Bayon
    02 45 min

    Bayon

    ប្រាសាទបាយ័ន

    Bayon stands as the central temple of Angkor Thom, the walled city built during the Khmer Empire.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  2. Ta Prohm Ta Prohm
    03 45 min

    Ta Prohm

    ប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្ម

    Ta Prohm is a temple within the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was built in the late 12th and early 13th centuries during the reign of King Jayavarman VII.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  3. Banteay Srei Banteay Srei
    04 45 min

    Banteay Srei

    ប្រាសាទបន្ទាយស្រី

    Banteay Srei is a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to Shiva, about 25 kilometres northeast of the main Angkor complex.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  4. Preah Khan Preah Khan
    05 45 min

    Preah Khan

    Preah Khan is a major Angkorian temple complex located northeast of Angkor Thom in the Siem Reap province. Built in the late twelfth century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII, it served as a Buddhist monastery and educational centre.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  5. Phnom Bakheng Phnom Bakheng
    06 45 min

    Phnom Bakheng

    ប្រាសាទភ្នំបាខែង

    Phnom Bakheng is a Hindu and Buddhist temple constructed in the late ninth to early tenth century during the reign of King Yasovarman I.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  6. Terrace of the Elephants Terrace of the Elephants
    07 45 min

    Terrace of the Elephants

    លានជល់ដំរី

    The Terrace of the Elephants is a monumental platform in Angkor Thom, the walled royal city of the Khmer Empire near Siem Reap.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  7. Terrace of the Leper King Terrace of the Leper King
    08 45 min

    Terrace of the Leper King

    លានស្តេចគំលង់

    The Terrace of the Leper King is a carved stone platform in Angkor Thom, immediately north of the Terrace of the Elephants.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  8. Pub Street Pub Street
    09 45 min

    Pub Street

    Pub Street is a compact central thoroughfare in Siem Reap, Cambodia, renowned as the city's primary nightlife and dining district. The street and its immediate surrounds concentrate numerous restaurants, bars, and retail establishments catering predominantly to international visitors.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  9. Ta Keo Ta Keo
    10 45 min

    Ta Keo

    ប្រាសាទតាកែវ

    Ta Keo is an unfinished Khmer temple-mountain within the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  10. Banteay Kdei Banteay Kdei
    11 45 min

    Banteay Kdei

    ប្រាសាទបន្ទាយក្តី

    Banteay Kdei is a Buddhist temple in the Angkor Archaeological Park, built during the reign of Jayavarman VII in the late twelfth or early thirteenth century.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  11. Srah Srang Srah Srang
    12 45 min

    Srah Srang

    ស្រះស្រង់

    Srah Srang is a baray, or reservoir, situated within the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Constructed during the Khmer Empire, it forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1992.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  12. Pre Rup Pre Rup
    13 45 min

    Pre Rup

    ប្រាសាទប្រែរូប

    Pre Rup is a Hindu temple mountain at Angkor, built under King Rajendravarman and dedicated in 961 or early 962. Brick, laterite, and sandstone define its stepped form.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  13. Ta Som Ta Som
    14 45 min

    Ta Som

    ប្រាសាទតាសោម

    Ta Som is a small Buddhist temple built in the late 12th century during the reign of King Jayavarman VII. It sits within the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  14. Preah Koh Preah Koh
    15 45 min

    Preah Koh

    Preah Ko is a Hindu temple in the Roluos group, located east of Siem Reap in Cambodia. Built in the late ninth century during the reign of King Indravarman I, it represents one of the earliest Khmer temple mountains.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  15. Lolei Lolei
    16 45 min

    Lolei

    Lolei is an early Hindu temple in the Roluos group east of Siem Reap. Built during the reign of King Indravarman I in the late ninth century, it represents an important stage in early Khmer architecture.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  16. Kbal Spean Kbal Spean
    17 45 min

    Kbal Spean

    ក្បាលស្ពាន

    Kbal Spean is an archaeological site in the Kulen Hills northeast of Siem Reap, Cambodia. Known as the River of a Thousand Lingas, it features Hindu and Buddhist stone carvings on the riverbed and surrounding rocks.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  17. Angkor Thom Angkor Thom
    18 45 min

    Angkor Thom

    អង្គរធំ

    Angkor Thom is a vast walled city and former Khmer imperial capital inside the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  18. Phimeanakas Phimeanakas
    19 45 min

    Phimeanakas

    ប្រាសាទភិមានអាកាស

    Phimeanakas is a Hindu temple within the Royal Palace enclosure of Angkor Thom, north of Siem Reap. The three-tiered pyramid represents the temple-mountain form associated with Mount Meru in Hindu cosmology.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  19. Prasat Suor Prat Prasat Suor Prat
    20 45 min

    Prasat Suor Prat

    ប្រាសាទសួព្រ័ត

    Prasat Suor Prat is a row of twelve laterite and sandstone towers situated opposite the Terrace of the Leper King and adjacent to the Royal Palace enclosure within Angkor Thom, Siem Reap Province, Cambodia.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  20. Preah Pithu Group Preah Pithu Group
    21 45 min

    Preah Pithu Group

    The Preah Pithu Group is a cluster of five small Hindu temple ruins located within the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia. These temples are part of the broader UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1992.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  21. Victory Gate Victory Gate
    22 45 min

    Victory Gate

    Victory Gate stands among the monumental entrances of Angkor Thom, the walled city that served as the last great capital of the Khmer Empire.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  22. Ta Nei Ta Nei
    23 45 min

    Ta Nei

    ប្រាសាទតានៃ

    Ta Nei is a lesser-known Angkorian temple situated within the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  23. Thommanon Thommanon
    24 45 min

    Thommanon

    ប្រាសាទធម្មនន្ទ

    Thommanon is a Khmer temple ruin located in the Angkor archaeological park near Siem Reap, Cambodia. It was constructed during the reign of King Suryavarman II in the early 12th century, contemporaneous with Angkor Wat.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  24. Spean Thma Spean Thma
    25 45 min

    Spean Thma

    ស្ពានថ្ម

    Spean Thma is an ancient stone bridge located in the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Its name translates to 'Stone Bridge' in Khmer.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  25. Krol Ko Krol Ko
    26 45 min

    Krol Ko

    ប្រាសាទក្រោលគោ

    Krol Ko is a Buddhist temple within the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia. It forms part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 1992.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  26. East Baray
    27 45 min

    East Baray

    Thnal Baray (Ancient Reservoir)

    East Baray is a vast ancient reservoir constructed during the Khmer Empire period, forming part of the broader Angkor archaeological landscape. This monumental water engineering work represents the sophisticated hydraulic infrastructure that sustained the medieval city of Angkor.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  27. Phnom Bok Phnom Bok
    28 45 min

    Phnom Bok

    Phnom Bok is a hilltop temple northeast of Siem Reap, reached by climbing Phnom Bok mountain.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  28. Chau Srei Vibol
    29 45 min

    Chau Srei Vibol

    Chau Srei Vibol is a Khmer temple ruin situated in the Siem Reap region of Cambodia. The site forms part of the broader Angkor archaeological heritage area, which UNESCO recognizes as World Heritage site 668.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  29. Bat Chum Bat Chum
    30 45 min

    Bat Chum

    ប្រាសាទបាទជុំ

    Prasat Bat Chum is a historical temple site located in the Siem Reap region of Cambodia. The structure forms part of the broader Angkorian archaeological landscape that draws visitors from across the world.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  30. Mangalartha Mangalartha
    31 45 min

    Mangalartha

    មង្គលាថ៌

    Mangalartha is a Buddhist temple monument within the Angkor archaeological landscape near Siem Reap. It belongs to the later phases of Angkorian religious building and offers a smaller-scale encounter with Khmer heritage than the celebrated central temples.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  31. Prasat Leak Neang Prasat Leak Neang
    32 45 min

    Prasat Leak Neang

    Prasat Leak Neang is a minor Khmer temple ruin within the Angkor archaeological zone near Siem Reap. It forms part of the UNESCO-listed cultural landscape associated with the Khmer Empire’s long period of temple building and urban development.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  32. Prasat Trapeang Phong
    33 45 min

    Prasat Trapeang Phong

    Prasat Trapeang Phong is a small historical temple site in the Siem Reap region of Cambodia. Its name combines prasat, referring to a sanctuary tower, with trapeang, a Khmer term associated with a reservoir or pond.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  33. Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity
    34 45 min

    Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity

    Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity is a wildlife rescue and conservation facility near Siem Reap. Its work centres on rehabilitating endangered and threatened native species while helping visitors understand Cambodia’s biodiversity.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  34. Phare, The Cambodian Circus Phare, The Cambodian Circus
    35 45 min

    Phare, The Cambodian Circus

    Phare, The Cambodian Circus is a contemporary performing-arts venue in Siem Reap where circus, theatre, music, dance, and Cambodian storytelling meet.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap
  35. Ta Prohm Kel Ta Prohm Kel
    36 45 min

    Ta Prohm Kel

    ប្រាសាទតាព្រហ្មកិល

    Ta Prohm Kel is a small Angkor-period temple ruin located within the Angkor Archaeological Park near Siem Reap, Cambodia.

    • Must see
    • Historic monument
    • Siem Reap

Source: OpenStreetMap contributors, Wikidata ·

Common questions

How long should a first trip to Cambodia be?

Seven to ten days can combine three full Angkor days from Siem Reap with two or three days in Phnom Penh. Battambang or the southern coast needs extra nights; Angkor is a landscape of sites, not one stop to squeeze between intercity transfers.

What entry documents are needed for Cambodia?

Cambodia’s official eVisa service states which passports and border points can use electronic permission. Check the intended crossing before applying, since acceptance at an airport does not prove acceptance at every land border, and match the dates to the actual itinerary.

What is the best way to travel around Cambodia?

Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are the principal air gateways for a first visit. Coaches and private transfers carry most intercity trips, rail serves limited routes, and some waterways are seasonal; arrange Angkor transport locally with a licensed driver or tour.

When is a practical time to visit Cambodia?

The drier months from November to March are practical for temple days, though midday heat still matters. Wet-season travel brings greener landscapes and possible road or boat changes, so confirm regional access rather than treating rain as a simple nationwide closure.

What money and payment basics apply in Cambodia?

Cambodian riel is the official currency, while some visitor transactions may also be quoted in US dollars. Check which currency a price uses and the condition of any notes offered in change; keep riel for small purchases instead of assuming every vendor accepts foreign cash.

What practical safety details should I save for Cambodia?

Cambodia records 117 for police, 118 for fire and 119 for ambulance, with Type A, C and G sockets at 230 V. Tap-water status is Not recorded; request local guidance, and carry the address of the accommodation for transport or emergency communication.