Any tours to Cambodia will be complemented by interesting excursions, without which you will not recognize this country.
The prices for excursions in Cambodia are not too high. For example, to the Kbal Chai waterfalls, which are 16 kilometers from Sihanoukville, you will be taken for about 20-30 USD, on an air-conditioned bus, and with the tour itself. But it's not the most popular, although it's a nice destination. In the southern provinces you can go to Phnom Bokor, it's a national park and historical monument.
There are waterfalls, an old royal palace. Such a tour often includes a visit to the town of Kampot, a crab market, the Kampong Trach caves where the Ho Chi Minh Trail passed, and a Kampot pepper plantation. Kampot is located a few kilometers from the coast of the Gulf of Thailand on the banks of the Kampong Bai River. Nearby is the Bokor National Park, which is convenient to visit from here.
There are many natural attractions in the vicinity of the city: waterfalls, caves, rice paddies. Just a few kilometers from Kampot, on the very coast, is the beach resort of Kep (Keap). Such excursions cost from 50 USD and usually gather small groups.
A vacation in Cambodia is impossible without a visit to Angkor Wat, a majestic temple complex near Siem Reap. There is a national museum of Angkor in the city. The collection includes many Buddha figurines, the history of the Angkor complex, and Khmer culture and clothing. You will pay about 12 USD for admission, a guided tour with an interpreter will cost about another 10-20 USD.
Go to Battambang, a popular tourist town in Cambodia known for its ancient temples and ruins. It is located in the north of the country, 170 kilometers from Siem Reap and 291 kilometers from Phnom Penh. For example, there's Wat Ek Phnom, a partially ruined 11th century temple located 11 kilometers to the north. Read more at Cambodia sights.
Cambodia sightseeing reviews recommend thinking carefully about your itinerary and hiring trusted guides. Visit Banlung, a small town in eastern Cambodia near the Vietnamese border. It is possible to come here with a personalized tour. The town and province are known as a gemstone mining site.
You can take a tour of the gemstone mines. The city is surrounded by dense jungle, the Virachey National Park, waterfalls, lakes and the crater of an extinct volcano. There are also villages of hill tribes of real Khmer people. All this makes this place great for multi-day excursions and ecotourism. You can find several travel agencies in the city and use their services. Going into the jungle and mountains on your own is highly not recommended.
Each hotel can arrange individual or group excursions into the jungle or mountains. Getting to Banlung is not easy. There are no flights and you'll have to take a bus from Phnom Penh or a cab. Due to its proximity to the border, you can get there by bus from the Vietnamese city of Pleiku. At the crossing between cities, it is possible to obtain a Cambodia visa on arrival. The best time to visit Banlung is in November, when the mud on the lakeshores has not yet had time to dry out and become dust, and there is less rain.
Take a trip to Phnomtbengmeantieu. This town with a difficult name serves as a starting point to visit the ancient temple complexes of Koh Ker, Prasat Preahvihea, and Prasat Bakan in the province. The latter two complexes are difficult to access. The ruins of the ancient temples of Prasat Pralean and Kok Beng, the modern Buddhist temples of Wat Ping Preah Ko and Wat Bakkam are located on the outskirts of the city. There are several guesthouses in the town for tourists.
The Mekong River near Kratie is home to a rare species of Irrawaddy freshwater dolphins. They are few in number, only about twenty. To watch their backs flicker, ask a local fisherman to take you by boat to the middle of the river. The highest chances of seeing a dolphin are at 6:00 or in the late afternoon, around 17:00.
Cambodia is a great place to see elephants. At Elephant Valley, 40- to 60-year-old animals are enjoying a well-deserved old age. While their brethren ride tourists and uproot trees, they stroll carelessly through the jungle. If you get here on Cambodia's bumpy roads, you'll be allowed to follow the elephants' footsteps all day and observe their life in the wild. A ticket here costs 85 USD. If you like it, you can stay in Elephant Valley for a couple of weeks as a volunteer.
