Top 10 tourist areas in Cambodia Cambodia is still Slowly recovering from the horrors of the Reign of Terror. Khmer Rouge.

There are still major problems such as landmines, poverty and destroyed infrastructure.

But the process of reconstruction and recovery is now well underway, and increasing numbers of tourists are rediscovering Cambodia's attractions.

The stunning temples of Angkor are the obvious draw for most tourists, but the country has much more to offer: tropical beaches, colonial buildings and plenty of natural attractions.

So, if you are looking for a destination that combines adventure, adrenaline, history, culture and tropical relaxation all in one place, this might be the perfect place.

Let's take a look at the top 10 tourist areas. In Cambodia ..

Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Cambodia:

10. City Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville, also known as Kampong Som, is a coastal city and beach resort on the Gulf of Thailand.

The main attraction here is the white sand beaches and many undeveloped tropical islands.

It exudes a relaxed atmosphere that is a welcome break from the country's other urban centres.

Beaches are the place to spend both day and night.

Sihanoukville City Beach

9. Preah Vihear Temple

Preah Vihear is a Khmer temple, located on a 525-metre-high cliff top in the Dengrek Mountains, on the border between Cambodia and Thailand.

It has the most magnificent setting of all the Khmer temples.

Most of the temple was built in the 11th and 12th centuries during the reign of Khmer kings Suryavarman I and Suryavarman II.

Preah Vihear is the subject of a long-running territorial dispute between Thailand and Cambodia, and several soldiers were killed in clashes in 2009.

Preah Vihear Temple

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8. Koh Tonsai Island

Rabbit Island (as it is known in English) is one of the gems of Kep Province, located in the waters of the Gulf of Thailand off the country's southern coast.
Surrounded by gently sloping yellow sands and rows of swaying coconut palms, it has all the tropical beauty you would expect from a tropical island.
However, Koh Ton Sai is visited by far fewer tourists than its counterparts in Cambodian waters, and prices are cheaper too!
The best thing to do is wear your hiking shoes and hike the coastal trails.
Sooner or later, you'll discover a secluded cove of sparkling beach water, completely empty except for a bobbing fishing boat.

Koh Tonsai Island

7. Koh Ker City

Koh Ker was briefly the capital of the Khmer Empire from 928 to 944 AD.

In this short time some magnificent buildings and monumental sculptures were constructed.

The site is dominated by a temple. Brazat Ta Moin , a 30-meter-high temple pyramid that rises high above the surrounding forest.

A giant Garuda (a mythical creature that is half man and half bird), carved into stone blocks, still guards the top, although it is now partially covered.

Left in the jungle for nearly a thousand years, Koh Ker was one of the most remote and inaccessible temple destinations in Cambodia.

This has now changed thanks to recent demining and the opening of a new toll road.

Prasat Ta Muen Temple

6. Koh Rong Island

This octagonal island, located where the waters of the Gulf of Thailand meet the South China Sea, is the picture of tropical perfection.

It comprises 23 huge individual stretches of sand, all of them quieter and more untouched than their comrades across the strait in Sihanoukville.

Rustic, salt-soaked huts line the coast, and there are plenty of opportunities to trek through the forests, or plunge into the coral-hued sea for a round of snorkelling.

Koh Rong is also famous for its bioluminescent waters, which sparkle under the dark sky at night.

Koh Rong Island Beaches

5. Kampot City

This river town on the waters of the Prek Tok Chu Delta offers something quite different than sand, sea and sun.

Start with a trip to the pepper farms that cover the local flatlands – not only are they the primary economic driver here, but they are also responsible for Kampot’s unique peppercorns.

The city is also home to a string of earthy fishing villages, where seafood fries are smothered in chili and lemongrass.

Then there's a cluster of crumbling colonial buildings in the middle, along with the rusting shells of old locomotives at Kampot Railway Station.

Kampot city

4. Kratie City

Kratie is a small city on the banks of the Mekong River, dominated by a central market surrounded by old French colonial buildings.

There is no large-scale tourism, but many backpackers flock here during the high season.

In fact, it is the place in Cambodia to see the rare Irrawaddy dolphins, which live in the Mekong River in ever-decreasing numbers.

It is estimated that there are between 66 and 86 dolphins in the Upper Mekong region of Cambodia.

Traditional hotel rooms in Kratie

Rare Irrawaddy dolphins in Kratie

3. province Mondulkiri

Asian elephants stalk the fields and jungles of remote Mondulkiri province; water buffalo and tall timber houses surround the wetlands, where forested rock peaks rise to meet the border with Vietnam.

A far cry from the sun-scorched lands and steamy tropical climate that dominates the rest of the country, this eastern gem is slowly becoming known for its first elephant conservation project.

Cultural encounters with the earthy Bunong tribespeople are also possible, and ecotourism of this kind is now the main driver here.

One of the tourist hills in Mondulkiri

Elephants resting in Mondulkiri

2. Phnom Penh City

Phnom Penh is a city in constant flux: a place where shantytown bars mingle with gold-leaf temples and straight 21st-century highways.

This also means it's a good place to get to know Cambodia as a whole; a country delicately balanced between old and new.

The best place to visit is definitely the lavish Royal Palace complex, which sparkles with silver pagoda towers at its centre.

For a taste of local life, be sure to hit the bustling Sisowath Quay, which runs along the Mekong River for a variety of markets and picnic spots.

And of course, there are the so-called Killing Fields on the edge of town: a sobering and stark reminder of the horrors of Cambodia's 20th-century past.

Phnom Penh city

Royal Palace in Phnom Penh

1. Angkor Wat Temple

Angkor Wat (meaning “City Temple”) is the grandest and largest of the Angkor temples and Cambodia’s top tourist attraction.

Built around the first half of the 12th century by King Suryavarman II, the temple's balance, composition and beauty make it one of the most magnificent monuments in the world.

A massive rectangular tank surrounds Angkor Wat, rising through a series of three rectangular terraces to the central shrine and tower at a height of 213 metres (669 ft).

Surrounded by wetland rice fields and dense forests, it emerges from the canopy in a mix of historic Khmer stupas and charming former Hindu shrines.

Today, the chants of Buddhist monks and panting travelers dominate, weaving between the intricate base carvings and the grand sandstone sculptures of mythical beasts.

Angkor Wat Temple

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