Cambodia Highlights
Adventurous Asia offers our unique travel experiences around Cambodia. Our experts will show you Cambodia highlights and the unforgettable favorite spots you look forward to exploring. We include the temples of Angkor, Museums, and Art Galleries with Local culture and rarely visited tourism sites.
The tragic event of Cambodia is still in the mind of millions of people in Cambodia, the trauma is also affect human more terrified and scared that make every survivors show experience to the rest of the world. The innocence lost the family; the assassinations occurred in great numbers, the holocaust happened every where. Wat Thei is one of the horrible killing fields where Cambodia innocents were tortured and killed and buried. The pile of bones and skulls kept in the rooms show the cruel behavior of uneducated people at the time. Pease express the condolences when entering the site.
Unforgettable! One of the Seven Wonders of the World Angkor Wat; this immense 12 the century Hindu temple is the most expansive example of the Khmer architecture. Set in 200 hectares almots five hundred acres, and surround by a moat, the beautiful monument complex is ‘must see’ for any visitor to Cambodia. You will not be disappointed and our expert guides will explain you the history in details.
The entire sandstone structure is exquisitely covered and is dominated by five gigantic peaks on the third level. They are pineapple shaped with lotus buds at the top. The total Angkor Wat experience is one of emotional appeal to the senses; one you will never forget !
Located in the heart of Angkor Thom city, the huge temple of Bayon consists of more than 200 carved stone faces looking out four directions and showing different expressions. The faces represent the emotional turmoil during and after the Cham war. The carvings depict the king’s concern for country politics, economies and education. The rough smiling faces are full of sorrow and concern. The gentle smiling faces show the promising future and peace by the founder in the ancient Khmer history.
Ta Prohm is the jewel in the jungle in the heart of Angkor complex. Built in late 12th century, it is the most inspiring Khmer empire Buddhist monastery and university of which served as a school of sociology, culture and art, language and royal academy. Overgrown with gigantic strangler fig trees, nature swallows the cultural product that expects to make every one feel amazed.
You will want to explore the indoor jungle of this monument at least once in your life time.
You should not miss the opportunity to explore the next door Preah Khan which is just a short distance from Angkor Thom. You can imagine how Hinduism converted and ruined the fantastic Buddhist monument by chopping out the Buddha figures.
The complex of Prah Khan was the contemporary royal academy base of Angkor Thom. After the land slide victory over the Cham, Preah Khan was converted to a Buddhist University for more than the population of Ta Prohm. The city is now being restored by the World Monument Fund based in New York City.
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Approximately 30 miles away of Siem Reap, this 10th century pink colored sandstone ruin gives a unique impression to foreign and national visitors with the living cultural art such as attractive Apsara statues and well carved and preserved bas- relief of an awe- inspiring workmanship of Cambodian craft men. The monument is a unique inspiration to all visitors to enrich their mind. This is one of the most popular sites among the Khmer temples and is a jewel of the Khmer art.
While visiting Angkor ruins, you must visit this isolated ruin, built in the beginning of twelve century as a model of Angkor Wat and used as the residence of Hindu god Vishnu, memory of king ancestor and probably military base and royal academy center of Angkor. This is the most inspired ruin with strangler fig trees over the monument making it a popular place for photo grapplers. Adventurous Asia considers this monument to be one of its clients’ favorite sites. We explore this lost treasure that has just been hidden in the jungle for years for the reasons of territorial political issues. We urge visitors not to miss this beautiful, unpreserved monument.
10 miles south of Siem Reap, the great lake Tonle Sap, in the heart of Khmer territory, was formed similar to musical instrument guitar. It contains million of cubic meters of water and gives life long agriculture sources to million of farmers in Cambodia. Almost 30% of the population set up the residence by the river bank and they are fed with natural resources such as fish and other living creatures. In the summer, the lake almost dries up and it backs up in rainy season when water flow down south from Mekong with its sources in Tibet. Thousand of houses are built on boats, bamboo and fish farms floating up on the water.
The temple of Angkor were abandoned in 1432, left alone in the jungle and then became the controlled states of Siamese a hundred years later. The impressive and priceless cultural figures of Angkor were looted for private collections. When the French entered Indochina in 1863, the Angkor conservation was inaugurated to preserve the scattered statues left out side the ruins, to be kept in the conservation room-galleries and restored as much they could be. The images of Linga, God, Buddha, stone steles and female divinities from preAngkorian, (Funan- Chenla), Angkor, Post Angkorian and inscriptions are preserved in the room for the visitor who wishest to learn the richest Khmer civilization-architectural achievement.
After visiting of ruins, you should take the opportunity to visit the art gallery workshop at Artisan school and craft shop. It employs around 250 young crafts men who are poor or disable from the outskirts of Siem Reap, Artisan operates another silk weaving school within the distance of 10 miles from Siem Reap for the convenience of young adults with outskirt home stay who can not pay for transport. Many Cambodians are poor and disabled, so Artisan and community built craft centers in the villages to help crafts men and people. Poverty is still noticeable, and burdensome for the government, so Artisan offers great opportunity for villagers not able to work in Artisant head quarter.
Apsara Dancing
While exploring the ruins of Angkor, look at of the Angkor Monuments the wall, many smiling Apsaras on the relief are looking at you in graceful gestures as if they wish to perform for you the unique cultural dances that brings your soul back to the time of the richest Khmer cultural achievement in Cambodia before Columbus found USA.
The tragic event of Cambodia is still in the mind of millions of people in Cambodia, the trauma is also affect human more terrified and scared that make every survivors show experience to the rest of the world. The innocence lost the family; the assassinations occurred in great numbers, the holocaust happened every where. Wat Thei is one of the horrible killing fields where Cambodia innocents were tortured and killed and buried. The pile of bones and skulls kept in the rooms show the cruel behavior of uneducated people at the time. Pease express the condolences when entering the site.
Found in Siem Reap , the museum preserves the Angkor and other relics that have not been 
stolen. The Museum will give you a unique lesson about Khmer history, culture and art. It is now becoming so popular among the international visitors and interesting for learners.
Getting around Cambodia with bike is much fun; it offers you a great chance to discover the rural villages where you meet Cambodians. You see Cambodian smiling, the shows the heart felt-emotional feeling to welcome you. One, you think that Biking is remarkable exercise, but because of Cambodians are poor and can’t afford to buy motorbike or car, so bicycle is useful. I have experienced on the bike for years riding 7kms each way on dirty roads for 3 years when I was at primary school in the village. Biking is a memorable life time experience. Of course, school students in village are now still biking very long way to long distant schools. This is the obligation.
This popular attractive tourist spot is so interested by locals with kids and elders. Besides the war museum, it shows the various exhibitions of Angkor Art, temple construction, plus stone transport and lifting, carving and painting. One can imagine how they work. Other remarkable performances are wedding celebration, traditional fork law, dance and the entertainment of ethnic groups.
Phnom Penh Attractions
Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s capital found by lady Penh whose name was given to Phnom Penh city, located on the bank of four rivers Tole Sap, Basak, Up Mekong and Down Me Kong.
It is a home of two million people, bustling and ethnically diverse city with a mixed population of Khmer, Chinese and Vietnamese, and colonial architectures providing the city with a great charm in the orient. And it is the heart of administration centre, education, trade, pubic health, foreign Embassies, NGO, international relations and diplomacy and textile industry of Cambodia to day.
On April 17th, 1975 most of citizens of Phnom Penh were moved out of the city by the Khmer Rouge, and forced to begin new lives farming the rural areas of the country. There were only 2000 people were remained there in 1979.
During this period, around 2 million Cambodians lost their lives. Most of the deaths were due to
poor nutrition, overwork, absence of medical care and neglect. However, the regime also brutally killed thousands of people it suspected of treachery.
The French left a legacy of crumbling colonial architecture, some of which has been tastefully renovated. Sidewalk restaurants have sprung up all over town, especially around the recently developed riverfront area. The city has a cosmopolitan feel and there are hotels, bars and restaurants to suit all tastes. Pnom Penh’s nightlife is legendary and the city is very lively at weekends.
Choeung Ek Killing Field or Memorial
For over three years from 1975-1979 under the control of Saloth Sar (Pol Pot), there were almost two million people died. The genocide left with 196 Prisons, 81 genocide memorials, 388 Killing Fields, 19653 Mass graves and Stupas were founded in Cambodia.
The Chhoeung Ek Killing Fields is a large outdoor Museum Southwest of Phnom Penh where the Khmer Rourge regime murdered over 17,000 men, women and children. Further human remains are sometimes visible in the makeshift graves surrounding the stupa. Please express your condolence for the death and be respectful of these should you be unfortunate enough to encounter them.
The Choeung Ek Memorial outside Phnom Penh marks the site of the largest and most well-known of Cambodia’s many ‘killing fields. Over 17,000 men, women, children and infants were executed by the Khmer Rouge at Choeung Ek. Many of the dead had been detained and tortured at the equally notorious S-21 prison (now the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum).
Visits to Choeung Ek or S21 are a matter of personal choice. These are not easy or pleasant places to witness. Both sites may seem out of joint with the friendship and courtesy you will have experienced in Cambodia. However, they form a very real and unpleasant part of the nation's history.
Toul Sleng Genocide Museum
Toul Sleng is the former Toul Svay Prey High School that was taken over by the Khme
r Rouge to be used as the security center( prison, S 21) from 1975- 79 for torturing innocent Cambodians.
S 21 was one of a number of nationwide detention and interrogation centers, and it was the largest center of incarceration and torture in the country.
There were more then 20,000 people arrested and tortured at Toul Sleng Genocide museum, and 17,000 internees were subsequently taken to the Choeung Ek ‘killing field’ and executed.
Even the Khmer Rouge Genocide and civil war finished, but the s 21 is the terrible image of terror history of Cambodian, it affect too much to the survivors of this person and their families for the death.
The torture tools, detention rooms, water boarding apparatus , and photos still exist that make every visitor feel history. 
The Royal Palace
Constructed between 1866 and 1870 by the French during the reign of King Norodom, it was designed by the famous Khmer architect Oknha Tep Nimith Mak. The palace has several parts, all of which are worth seeing. The Chan Chaya Pavilion is the royal dance hall, used by the king’s family and high-ranking officials to entertain guests, Te Vinichhay Temple is the hall where kings are enthroned. The hall is spectacular and its architecture exquisite. The royal residence itself is in Khemarin Temple, though this area is obviously off-limits to the public.
The Silver Temple (Wat Preah Keo Morokot) the former wooden house, is magnificent and draws its name from its 5000 silver floor tiles. In the center of the temple is a magnificent statue of Buddha made of Baccarat crystal. In front is a 90kg golden Buddha studded with 9,584 diamonds and dating from 1906. The walls of the temple are decorated with a series of stunning murals depicting the entire Ramayana story.
Please dress modestly for visits to the palace: a strict dress code applies to all visitors. Photography is forbidden in some areas.
The National Museum
The National Museum was built in 1917-1920 after Cambodia gains the independence from the
French and is located just north of the Royal Palace. Its stylish, airy galleries contain many ancient artifacts including a range of carvings and lingas rescued from theft at the Angkor site. The covered courtyard area at the heart of the museum is a pleasant place to cool down. There is a reasonably priced souvenir and bookshop in the entrance lobby.
The museum is open Tuesday - Sunday from 7.30am - 5.30pm.It attracts many international visitors and is easily combined with a trip to the Royal Palace.
Wat Phnom
Wat Phnom is the symbol of the capital and the place from which Phnom Penh derives its name. The Khmer word 'phnom' means ‘hill’. It is the only hill in Phnom Penh and is located in the north-east of the city between the Boeng Kak Lake and the Tonle Sap River.
According to legend, the first temple on this site was erected in 1373 to house four statues of the Buddha, deposited by the waters of the Mekong and discovered by a woman named Penh. There is a busy little park around the slopes of the hill that hosts an array of street sellers catering to the needs of tourists, and to the constant stream of local pilgrims.
The Independence Monument
The monument built in 1958 symbolizes the independence Cambodia gained from France in 1953. Independence is celebrated annually in Cambodia on November 9th. The monument is built in a distinctive Khmer style and doubles as a memorial to former Cambodian patriots.
The Central Market, built in 1935-37, is one of Phnom Penh’s main landmarks and has by far the largest range of products on sale. The market goes by a number of names: The Khmer name is Phsar T'mai [New Market]. It is also known as the Central Market on account of its location.
The yellow, art decoedifice rises above the surrounding streets and is hard to miss. It has a domed central hall and four large extensions filled with small booths. Everything from gold and jewelry to electronic goods and souvenirs are on sale.
( awesome temple)