Cambodia - the temples of Angkor Wat are only the start of the adventure
Cambodia - “Thailand's younger sister” - tempts visitors with smiling locals, excellent hotels, good prices, tasty food and an authentic atmosphere. Cambodia delights with its diversity: from the mystical temples of Angkor and the floating villages of Tonlé Sap, through the nightlife of Siem Reap and the colonial charm of Kampot, to fast-changing Phnom Penh.
Pub Street - the beating heart of Siem Reap at night
Pub Street (officially Street 08) is the centre of the city's nightlife. After dark it turns into a pedestrian strip full of lights, music, aromas and cosmopolitan buzz. Restaurants serve Khmer classics such as amok and lok lak, but also Thai, Indian and Italian cuisine and all kinds of street food. Night markets spread out around it, selling handicrafts, clothes, jewellery and silk products. Massage parlours offer both traditional treatments and the popular “fish massage”, while travel agencies sell trips to Angkor, Tonlé Sap and the stilt villages.
Tonlé Sap and a stilt village
Tonlé Sap, the largest lake in South-East Asia, can swell to five times its size in the rainy season. That is why the locals live in houses, schools and temples raised on six-metre stilts. They make a living from fishing, fish farming in cages, small-scale trade and... crocodile farming. Visitors are immediately approached by vendors selling exercise books and school supplies supposedly meant for the pupils - it is better, however, to put a donation in the box at the school. An unforgettable moment comes when the children, pausing their lessons for a while, thank you together.
The sleeper bus to Kampot and railway curiosities
The night bus from Siem Reap to Kampot (22:30-7:30, $25) is a true “hotel on wheels”, with single and double beds on two levels. You leave your shoes at the door, blankets and water are included, and sleep is surprisingly comfortable. The railway is full of surprises too: there are just two lines and two trains in the entire country, so departures are always at the same time, which explains why tuk-tuk drivers know the timetable so well.
Kampot - a quiet alternative to Sihanoukville
Kampot is becoming tourism's new star, especially in contrast to Sihanoukville, saturated with Chinese investment and unfinished monster casinos. A renovated promenade runs along the Kampot River, and colonial architecture mingles with Chinese merchants' houses. In the middle of town there is a roundabout with a monument to... the notoriously smelly durian, and lotus flowers bloom on a nearby pond. The many French people who have settled here help shape the food scene.
Cycling the countryside and pepper plantations
A bike tour of the surrounding villages offers a glimpse into the everyday life of the locals - from work in the fields to children's school breaks. A sizeable Chinese community has settled in the region, which shows in the architecture and in the script on the walls of the houses. A visit to the “Bo Tree” or “La Plantation” pepper plantations is a must. Free presentations in French and English take place every half an hour, and the legend of Kampot pepper goes back to the days when no Parisian restaurant could do without this spice. The salt fields, where salt is harvested from evaporating seawater, are also worth a look.
Koh Tonsay - Rabbit Island
From the port in Kep it is a 20-minute boat ride to Koh Tonsay, an island shaped like a rabbit. On its crescent-shaped beach stand 56 wooden bungalows ($10-20 a night for two), with hammocks, sun loungers and restaurants famous for their seafood. Cocktails cost $2-2.50, main dishes $6-10 and the return boat trip $10. The internet barely works, electricity is on from 18:00 to 22:00, and you can walk around the whole island in 2.5 hours (8 km). The bungalows are spartan inside: a bed with a mosquito net, a water barrel feeding the shower and a cool breeze instead of air conditioning.
The seafood market in Kep
The market in Kep is not just a place to shop, but a culinary spectacle. Crabs are caught on the spot and fried or grilled right at the stall, often with a view of the sea. The air is filled with a mix of fresh fish, spices, barbecue smoke and salty breeze. The brave can try durian, and the restaurants lining the street serve seafood straight from the market.
Blue crab and Kampot pepper
Kep's speciality is blue crab braised in a sweetish sauce with lemongrass, soy sauce, garlic, chilli, peanuts and coconut milk, served with fresh coriander and green peppercorns. Thanks to the quartz-rich soil and dry winds, Kampot pepper is considered by many to have the finest aroma in the world, and the dish draws food lovers from all over Cambodia.
Phnom Penh - the legend of Lady Penh and the Royal Palace
The founding of the capital is tied to the legend of Lady Penh, who found a statue of the Buddha after a great flood and took it as a sign to build a city on a hill. Today the site is crowned by two temples: a lower one frequented by the Chinese community and a higher one of national importance, with a statue of the smiling founder. The Royal Palace is a must-see: the Throne Hall is impressive, but the platform from which the king mounted his elephant and the Art Nouveau pavilion donated by the French also catch the eye. The current monarch, Norodom Sihamoni, a 70-year-old bachelor, has no heir; the next king will be chosen by the nine-member Royal Council.
Psar Thmei - the Central Market
The capital has several markets, but the best one to visit is the Central Market (Psar Thmei). The Art Deco building, completed in 1937, has a dome designed to provide natural ventilation. Recently renovated, it still serves locals and tourists alike. Among the countless stalls, those selling edible insects draw attention - proof of just how varied Cambodian cuisine can be.
Flavours of Cambodia: amok and lok lak
Khmer cuisine is milder than Thai, and here fish sauce gives way to prahok, a fermented fish paste. Amok is a method of steaming fish with coconut milk, lemongrass, chilli and turmeric; the dish has a mousse-like texture and is regarded as a royal dish of the Khmer Empire. Lok lak - pieces of beef seared over a high heat - is served on a salad of tomato, cucumber and onion, with rice, an egg and a pepper and lime sauce called ambel marit.
Visas, currency and transport in Cambodia
A visa costs $30 and is easiest to obtain online via e-Cambodia; even so, you still fill in a health and customs form at the border. Getting around Cambodia is easy with the Grab app. A tuk-tuk can cost half as much as a car: the ride from the airport in Siem Reap costs 66,000 riel, a taxi 130,000. Two currencies are used side by side, the riel and the dollar; the exchange rate is fixed - 4,000 riel = 1 USD, and roughly 1 złoty = 1,000 riel (March 2025). Card payments are widely accepted, with no extra fees. Hotels, especially in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Kampot, offer high standards and transparent terms - nobody takes you to a “carpet shop” or adds hidden charges.
Don't limit your visit to Cambodia to Angkor Wat. The country offers a wealth of experiences - from a boat trip on Tonlé Sap, through laid-back colonial Kampot, Kep's fish markets and the pepper plantations, to the royal legends of Phnom Penh. Whether you are after culinary adventures, history or simply relaxing on the beach, Cambodia can surprise you at every turn.
