5 Spectacular Places to Visit in Cambodia: In Photos

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My trip to Cambodia for my 30th birthday, almost 10 years later, still remains one of my favorite holidays. Being in a country with peaceful kind people, monks peeking around corners when you least expect it and striking ancient temples coupled with a brutal history that makes your heart ache took the focus of aging away and let me see what time really does for things – heals and makes them beautiful. I couldn’t think of anywhere better to spend a special moment in time.

As I look ahead to my next milestone birthday, I took a trip down memory lane and wanted to share some of these amazing images with you. Come join me as we tour the best places to visit in Cambodia through photos.

5 Spectacular Places to Visit in Cambodia: In Photos

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh is one of the first places to visit in Cambodia for most visitors. It was a total surprise for us too. A thriving city with underpinnings of Buddhist serenity coexisting alongside remnants of the torturous history of the Khmer Rouge. Spending time shopping for pirated DVDs at the beautiful art deco building Psai Thmei and soaking up gold with the classic buddhist architecture of the Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda were just some of the things to keep you occupied.

Tour of Cambodia through Photos

Cambodia in Photos: Grand Market

Royal Palace - Cambodia through Photos

Royal Palace - Cambodia in Photos

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum &  The Killing Fields

One of the most heartbreaking places to visit in Cambodia in Phnom Penh is the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields outside of town. It is a must visit to get a first hand view of the torture people in this beautiful country endured for so long. If you haven’t read anything about the Khmer Rouge or the Killing Fields, do it now. Absolutely heartbreaking, but a piece of  history that needs to be known.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - Tour of Cambodia through Photos

Former school used as a prison, now a museum. Cambodia in Photos

Cambodia in Photos: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh

Cambodia in Photos: Actual skulls found at the Killing fields

Tonle Sap

To experience life on the water, take a day to spend on the Tonle Sap. In this “village”, the streets are water and the houses float. On Cambodia’s ‘Great Lake’, life revolves around the water. It is fascinating to see how life operates as it would on dry land with schools (seen below), kids playing, women working in the house and men out catching fish for sale or dinner.

Places to visit in Cambodia in Photos: Tonle Sap, floating village

Cambodia in Photos: Floating Village

Cambodia in Photos: Floating Village

Temples of Angkor

Angkor Wat is what most visitors arrive to Cambodia to see. It is spectacular and worthy of making a visit to the country just to see them, but there is so much more as well. During our time visiting the temples around Angkor, what we fell in love with more than the spectacular scenery were the people. The local Cambodian people were always full of smiles and such a joy to photograph. They were just as curious about us as we were about them. Often the language barrier allowed us only snippets of conversation, but just seeing their expressive smiles and feeling a genuine welcome was enough for us to fall in love. These are just some of the amazing temples in Southeast Asia that should be on your must visit list. 

Cambodia in Photos: Angkor Wat

Cambodia in Photos: Angkor Wat Temples

Cambodia in Photos: Bayon Temples at Angkor

Places to visit in Cambodia - Angkor Temples with monks

Cambodia in Photos: Angkor Wat

09-angkorwat is a place to visit in Cambodia for all ages!

Experience Daily Life

Driving from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and back provided us time to check out daily life within the cities and in the countryside. Regardless of what people were doing, it was always with a smile. The other constant was Buddhism. No matter where you turned, you would find an altar or shrine set up to honor Buddha. The air permeated with the incense, so you always smelled one before you saw it. Even today, those incense remind me of this beautiful country. Sampling the local food (even sampling bugs!) was a fun part of our visit. 

Cambodia in Photos: Daily Life

Cambodia in Photos: Daily life at the markets

Cambodia in Photos: Daily Life

Cambodia in Photos: Daily Life

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Take a tour of Cambodia through Photos - visit Phnom Penh, Pol Pots secret prison, a floating village and of course the magnificent temples of Angkor

12 thoughts on “5 Spectacular Places to Visit in Cambodia: In Photos”

  1. I loved this post! I have always wanted to go to Cambodia. I worked with some really great people from there and they told me stories, some first hand and some were about their loved ones. You are right, it is heartbreaking! What a beautiful place! Thanks for sharing! One day I will take the family! Glad you had the chance to experience this.

    Best,

    Tarah

    Reply
  2. I love the temple photos. I always wanted to visit Cambodia and I considered waiting until my daughter was much older but it has such an appeal that I may add it to my 2016 list.

    Reply
    • If you want your daughter to get the full history of everything you could wait, but the temples are so fun for kids to run around and explore that it’s worth going while she’s young as well.

      Reply
  3. You brought me nice memories of my visit to Cambodia! 🙂 There are amazing templets! And all history of terror… so sad, and somehow so often in many places…

    Reply
  4. I Loved Cambodia and Angkor Wat. I didn’t make it down to Phnom Penh and the killing fields since I went over a long weekend while teaching in Korea, but it is a beautiful country with even more beautiful people.

    Reply
  5. I loved exploring Siem Reap, Angkor, and the Cambodian countryside! It’s such a beautiful country with friendly people. I love your photo of the 2 faces at the Bayon! It was one of my favorite temples.

    Reply
  6. I loved Cambodia a lot – such a fascinating country with kind people, splendid monuments and ever-present sad history. I’d love to go back one day I experience it again.

    Reply
  7. Thankyou for taking us on such a visual journey! We have just arrived in Australia which will be our new base, so really hoping to have the chance to visit Asia soon. Would love to get to Cambodia as have been hearing great things 🙂

    Reply
  8. I really want to visit Cambodia but do not think I could handle the Genocide Museum. Your trip looks very good, plus educational. Loved the journey!

    Reply
  9. What a fun way to spend your 30th! I can see why it brings back great memories. I would love to visit the Temples of Angkor and explore the rest of the country, too. Beautiful photos!

    Reply

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