Lonely Planet's guide to Cambodia

The Australian

From: escape 

June 17, 2012

A young boy on a boat approaching a floating village on the Tonle Sap in Siem Reap, Cambodia. Picture: Travel With a Difference Source: National Features

Angkor Wat temple at dawn. Picture: Getty Source: National Features

THANKS to its history, Cambodia delivers an intoxicating present for adventurous visitors.

-- Empire of Temples
Contemporary Cambodia is the successor state to the mighty Khmer empire which, during the Angkorian period, ruled much of what is now Laos, Thailand and Vietnam.
The remains of this empire can be seen at the fabled temples of Angkor, monuments unrivalled in scale and grandeur in South-East Asia. The traveller's first glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate expression of Khmer genius, is sublime and is matched by only a few select spots on earth.Comeback capital Just as Angkor is more than its wat so, too, is Cambodia more than its temples.

The chaotic yet charismatic capital of Phnom Penh is a hub of political intrigue, economic vitality and intellectual debate. All too often overlooked by hit-and-run tourists ticking off Angkor on a regional tour, the revitalised city is finally earning plaudits in its own right thanks to a gorgeous riverside location, a cultural renaissance, and a wining and dining scene to rival anywhere in the region.

-- Upcountry adventures
Siem Reap and Phnom Penh may be the heavyweights, but to some extent they are a bubble, a world away from the Cambodia of the countryside. This is the place to experience the rhythm of rural life and timeless landscapes of dazzling rice paddies and swaying sugar palms.
The south coast is fringed by tropical islands, with just a handful of beach huts in sight. Inland from the coast lie the Cardamom Mountains, part of a vast tropical wilderness that provides a home to elusive wildlife and is the gateway to emerging ecotourism adventures.
The mighty Mekong River cuts through the country and is home to some of the region's last remaining freshwater dolphins.The northeast is a world unto itself, its wild and mountainous landscapes a home for Cambodia's ethnic minorities and an abundance of natural attractions.
-- Cambodian spirit
Despite having the eighth wonder of the world in its backyard, Cambodia's real treasure is its people. The Khmers have been to hell and back, struggling through years of bloodshed, poverty and political instability. Thanks to an unbreakable spirit and infectious optimism, they have prevailed with their smiles intact. No visitor comes away without a measure of admiration and affection for the inhabitants of this enigmatic kingdom.
-- Top 5 experiences
* Siem Reap and the Temples of Angkor
One of the world's most magnificent sights, the temples of Angkor are so much better than the superlatives. Choose from Angkor Wat, the world's largest religious building; Bayon, one of the world's weirdest, with its immense stone faces; or Ta Prohm, where nature runs amok. Buzzing Siem Reap, with a superb selection of restaurants and bars, is the base for temple exploration.
Beyond lie floating villages on the Tonle Sap lake, adrenalin-fuelled activities such as quad biking and microlighting, and such cultured pursuits as cooking classes and bird-watching. 
* Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh: the name can't help but conjure up an image of the exotic. The glimmering spires of the Royal Palace, the fluttering saffron of the monks' robes and the luscious location on the banks of the mighty Mekong this is the Asia many dreamed of when first imagining their adventures overseas.Cambodia's capital can be an assault on the senses.
Motorbikes whiz through laneways without a thought for pedestrians; markets exude pungent scents; and all the while the sounds of life, of commerce, of survival, reverberate through the streets. But this is all part of the attraction.
Once the "pearl of Asia", Phnom Penh's shine was tarnished by war and revolution. But the city has risen from the ashes to take its place among the hip capitals of the region, with an alluring cafe culture, bustling bars and a world-class food scene.
* Sihanoukville
Surrounded by white-sand beaches and undeveloped tropical islands, Sihanoukville, also known as Kompong Som, is Cambodia's most happening beach destination. Visitor numbers have risen steadily in recent years and stand to skyrocket now that flights from Siem Reap have been initiated.
For the time being, despite the boomtown rents, the city and its sandy bits remain pretty laid-back. While backpackers continue to flock to the party zone of Serendipity Beach, more subdued Otres Beach, south of town, has made a comeback. That and the emergence of the southern islands as cradles of castaway cool give non-backpackers a reason to visit.
* Mondulkiri Province
Mondulkiri Province is the original Wild East of the country. Home to the hardy Bunong (Pnong) people and their noble elephants, it is possible to visit traditional villages and learn about elephants in their element at the Elephant Valley Project.
The landscape is a seductive mix of pine clumps, grassy hills and windswept valleys that fade beguilingly into forests of jade green and hidden waterfalls. Wild animals, such as bears, tigers and especially elephants, are more numerous here than elsewhere, although sightings are usually limited to birds, monkeys and the occasional wild pig.
* Kampot and Kep-del-Mer
These south coast retreats form a perfect one-two punch for those looking to get beyond the beaches of Sihanoukville. Ever more visitors are being seduced, gently, by the charming riverside town of Kampot, with its relaxed atmosphere and one of Cambodia's finest (though run-down) ensembles of French colonial architecture.
Eclipsed as a port when Sihanoukville was founded in 1959, laid-back Kampot makes an excellent base for exploring Bokor National Park and the verdant coast east towards Vietnam, including several superb cave-temples.
The sleepier seaside resort of Kep-del-Mer (Krong Kep, also spelled Kaeb) consists of little more than a small peninsula facing Bokor National Park and Vietnam's Phu Quoc Island.
Famed for its spectacular sunsets and splendid seafood (eating at the Crab Market, a row of waterfront shacks by a wet fish market, is a quintessential Kep experience), it was founded as a colonial retreat for the French in 1908. Crumbling half-century-old villas in both towns offer glimpses of a time when these were prime destinations for Phnom Penh's privileged few.
-- This is an edited extract from Lonely Planet Cambodia (8th edition) by Nick Ray and Greg Bloom, Lonely Planet 2012. Published this month, RRP: $35.99, lonelyplanet.com