The joy of relaxing on the beach in Sihanoukville is that you never really have to leave. A plethora of vendors traipse along the beach offering delicacies and fresh seafood, like grilled squid. However, if you are feeling more ambitious you can go to one of the seaside hotels and castle hotel to enjoy fine cuisine only steps away from white sandy beach. There is many Khmer food and Euroupean food restaurant along Ekareach Street and just off Ochheuteal beach to the SerendipityBeach.
There are a wide variety of foreign food restaurants (German, Sri Lanka, Italian, Indian, French, and British) Sandwich Cafes; Sihanoukville has some of the best foreign cuisine in Cambodia. Good home-cooking, quality ingredients at very reasonable price. In OchhetealBeach: Ochidee restaurant western / Cambodian pleasant open-air seating, good variety of western BBQ and Seafood. Seaside, Jasmine, Sea Dragon, Sunshine, Susaday Restaurant offer the seafood prepared fresh or Khmer style western breakfast good service.
All beaches in Sihanoukville have many Restaurants especially in Seafood (Khmer food and Western food).
Sihanoukville or Kampong Som has witnessed a boom in hotel construction during the last few years, but visitors have not materialized in quiet the numbers anticipated. The upshot of this is that you should not be afraid to ask for rate reductions in the mid-range hotels. Most budget accommodation is a couple of kilometers west of town, near the port area. Excepting holiday weekend, there is no shortage of hotel rooms in Sihanoukville. Most fall into the $8-$35. There are two broad categories: on the beach and not on the beach. The hotels on the beach are very few and more expensive than place in town. The Sokha Hotel, Resort & Spa, New Beach Hotel, Seaside Hotel, Chhear Chulsa Hotel, Golden Castle Hotel, Jasmine Hotel, Orchidee guesthouse and more…
Sihanoukville (Kampong Som) is Cambodia’s only maritime port. Its chief attractions are mainly the beaches that ring the head-land. The white sand beaches seem endless and are very attractive for those grown weary of the tourist-packed beaches of others countries, especially its next-door neighbor Thailand. It’s easy to find a spot where you seemingly have your own private beach, or at least a long stretch of it, for the day. Weekends can see a couple of the beaches fill up with merrymakers from with Phnom Penh coming down for a short holiday, but there are plenty of other beaches if you are not into crowds and people-watching, which also can be a lot of fun in Cambodia. The water is nice and clear most of the year and has an easy, gradual increase in depth going out from the beaches. Sihanoukville is paradise for those who enjoy off having a swim of just goofing around in the water. There is a nice, mellow feeling about the place, which is how a good beach resort is supposed to feel, but too few actually do.
Things are still very simple and moistly undeveloped. it is possible to organize a dive and snorkeling trip, with the good news being that you are going to be bumping into other dive boats when you get to a good spot. You can also organize a fishing trip to nearby waters that hardly see any recreational fishermen. Other opportunities for enjoying the coast are around as well.
The city’s scenic locations are ideal, facing many tropical islands including, Koh Puos, Koh Koang Kang, Koh Rong Samloeum, Koh Kon, Koh Chraloh, Koh Takiev, Koh Tang, Koh Pringn, Poulowai. Watching the sunset during dinner along the coast is the perfect ending to the day. The fresh catch of the day stimulates the palette of seafood lovers. Swimmers can enjoy an evening swim under star filled skies and gild through the warm water filled with phosphorescence that gleams like diamonds.
Sihanoukville or Kampong Som town is a laid-back place witch has a fairly prosperous look about it, manly due to its being the only international deep-sea port in Cambodia, along with being a soft tourist destination. To visitors who have been coming here for a while, it’s apparent that Sihanoukville is going to have more to offer as time goes on.
For now, there is a nice choice of accommodations, some good restaurants and a bit of nightlife to be had. One can grow fond of this place.
Siem Reap has a provincial feel to it despite the number of tourists starting to come through the town. Many people congregate early in the evening on guesthouse verandas dor evening drinks and then venture out later. Therefore, there is no shortage of restaurants in twin, especially each guesthouse and hotel have their own restaurants.
The restaurants and pubs a Hotel Sofitel Royal Angkor and RoyalAngkorPalace offer the most exclusive dining in the city. There are a few expatriates’ bars in town including Bar Only One, Red Piano Bar, IvyBar and Lotus Bar stay open until the last person leaves. Angkor Borey Restaurant on the east side of the river is a lively place for an evening meal. There is a huge choice of Khmer dishes and other Asian classics. Arun Restaurant is an inexpensive Khmer place, with some of the best prices in town and it is always busy at night. Bayon Restaurant it has a pleasant garden setting and the food is consistently excellent, including the popular curry chicken in baby coconut.
FCC Siem Reap is a very popular place with local exacts and has happy hour from 6 to 8 pm when draught beer is US$1 a mug. It also has good food. It has a good atmosphere and is the one of the few restaurants in town that sells red and white wine by the glass. It has a large range of Thai, Khmer and western standards on the menu.
The hotel scene in Siem Reap has changed immensely from the early days of Angkor tourism, when travelers where essentially restricted to the venerable Grand Hotel D’Angkor and its Villa Apsara annex. A large number of family run guesthouses have sprung up for budget travelers, while those on mid-range budgets can choose from the pension-style villas at around US$10 to US$15 or hotels, which cost from around US$15. in fact, it wouldn’t be exaggeration to say there are more now places to stay than there are temples Out at Angkor. There are even a few mid-ranges to top-end hotels around town, including the fully restored Grand Hotel D’Angkor, and these will soon be supplemented by further arrivals.
Top End: Most of the hotels in this rang levy an additional 10% charge for service and 10% government tax, so don’t forget to factor that in as an extra cost, but breakfast is included, so there is no need to head off to a market for your baguettes. Competition in this sector has driven down prices at come of the town’s older top-end hotels so some quite good deals are available.
Siem Reap is a fast-developing town just north of the western extent of the Tonle Sap (GreatLake). Should you visit Siem Reap you will find a slow paced town, which has recently developed luxuries for the international visitor. Changes for the better have been dramatic: The quaint bridges and riverside walkways make for a perfect evening stroll while enjoying the many attractions of this gentle town, with architecture which hints at tits colonial past. There are no more land mines around Angkor and you can take as many photos as you please. Tourists did not feel in any grater danger or risk than in any other Asian country.
Many new hotels have already opened up and others are under construction in Siem Reap, the city that serves as a base to visit the great temples of Angkor, is experiencing a building boom of its own, according to a master-plan which should see a great number of new developments and improvements in the tourism sector in the near future.
Siem Reap has become something of a center in the drive to revitalize Khmer cultural skills, which were dealt such a harsh blow by the Khmer Rouge and the years of instability that followed its rule. Often forgotten by the temple visitor is the opportunity to experience traditional Cambodian cultural practices: dance, crafts and village life are vibrant and available to the visitor in a variety of forms. Traditional performance and craft shops, road tours through the rice-paddy countryside, Tonle Sap boat trip to fishing villages and the bird sanctuary all await the visitor willing to take to time to explore. Siem Reap is obviously destined for the big things, and major changes can be expected over the next few years. Several up-market hotels have been constructed, so sleepy Siem Reap is able to accommodate the needs of all travelers.
Angkor temple complex, the most famous, largest ancient temples and one were built between 7th and 14th century by Khmer Kings when the Khmer civilization was at it height of its extraordinary creativity. It is unparalleled in South-East Asia. From Angkor, the kings of the mighty Khmer empire ruled over a vast territory that extended from the tip of what is now southern Vietnam, north to Yunnan in China and from Vietnam west to the Bay of Bengal. Its magnificent architecture acts as the evidence of the Khmer’s strong belief in Hinduism and Buddhism.
Apsara Stature
Bayon
King Jayavarman VII is one of the powerful kings in that period. Angkor Complex is the soul of Khmer art and Civilization represents the spiritual heart and identity of the Khmer people. Temples of Angkor consist of more than 100 major monuments, which they spread over an area of more than 400 km2. The most visited temples in Angkor area are Angkor Wat (World Heritage) Angkor Thom, Bayon, Baphuon, Vietnam Akas, Takeo, Ta Prom, Banteay Kdei, Pre Rup, East Mebon, Prasat Kravan, Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, Banteay Srei, Rolous Group.
How much time?
Seeing even the basics of the Angkor complex requires several days. If you have a serious interest in Khmer History of archeology, it would be very easy, and rewarding to pass a week here.
The monuments dotted around the plain of Angkor number in the hundreds, though just several dozen remain in good state of preservation and are of real interest to most visitors. If you have planned only two or three days here, you’ll at least get an overall introduction to Angkor.
Angkor Visitors Passes
US$20 per person per day, US$40 for a three day pass, or US$60 for one week pass. Children under 13 are admitted free. One passport sized photo must be provided at time of purchase, Ticket can be purchased at the main entrance on the road to Angkor Wat. Some extraneous sites require additional fees. Visiting hours are form 5:00 am until sunset. All drivers and guides can assist you in purchasing passes and arranging visitation schedules. You should always carry the pass, as it will be checked upon each entry and occasionally at the major temples. For a unique experience, early morning is recommended.
There are many more places around town that are worth trying. Some of the more popular areas include: South of the Central Market (Phsar Thmei), street 63, north-east of the NationalMuseum on street 178, street 240 on the south side of the palace offers restaurants and Rubies wine bar and the area of street 51 South.
It's so sweet!
Prek Leap Restaurants along NR6 after the ChroyChangvarBridge over the TonlesapRiver has blessed Phnom Penh with a multitude of Khmer restaurants by opening up access to the Mekong riverfront. These are the places to eat for well-to-do Khmers, and at the weekend are packed with literally thousands of people on a big night hour.
The accommodation in Phnom Penh which see a significantly once you star spending more than US$15. For US$20 or less it is usually possible to find an air-conditioned room with satellite TV and attached bathroom. If you spend between US$25 and US$35 you can get something quite luxurious. Top-end accommodation is only available in Phnom Penh, but represents a significant leap in price for what aren’t always significantly better rooms.
There are several international standard hotels in Phnom Penh.
Sun Way Hotel
There are a limited but sufficient number of international Standard hotels in town including the Hotel inter-Continental, Sun Way Hotel, Phnom Penh Hotel, Amanjaya Pancam Hotel at around $110, though there are often special rates available, especially for walk-ins.
The best-known budget places in town are the Capital Guesthouse, a little less known but recommended by budget travelers are Last Home Guesthouse, The Booddhi Tree, a traditional wooden house converted into tranquil rooms located across from the ToulSlengMuseum, New Star and Royal Guesthouse. The area near the mosque on BeoungKakLake is fast becoming a backpacker center with several cheap restaurants, Internet Shops and guesthouses.
Phnom Penh, like other Cambodian tourists destinations, is in the midst of rapid change. Over the past few years the number of tourists as well as the number of restaurants, hotels and other tourist services has grown dramatically. There are now direct daily flights to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap from several Asian cities including Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh, Vientiane, Singapore, Taipei, and more. At least four overland border crossings have opened since 1998. Even Travel within the country has become easier with several airlines flying domestic routes, regular bus service to Sihnoukville, Kampong Cham, Kampong Chhnang, Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Poi Pet (Thai border), and Vietnam and road conditions on the national routes gradually improving throughout the country. Phnom Penh is increasingly becoming an essential part of the travel’s itinerary.
Wat Phnom
NationalMuseum
A mixture of Asian exotica, Indochina’s charm and Cambodian hospitality await the visitor to Phnom Penh. The Capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia located at the confluence of four great rivers – the ‘four faces’ of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers – Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s commercial and political hub, and is home to more than two million of the country ‘s 13.1 million people. The city is divided into three sections. The north is an attractive residential area, the south or the French are of the city with ministries, banks, and colonial houses, and the heart of the city with shops, variety of spectacles. Early morning the sun rises with particular warmth and you can find locals of all age’s forms. Khmers stroll about its banks to enjoy the cool breeze in the evening. Phnom Penh also offers several cultural and historical attractions including the RoyalPalace, Silver Pagoda, NationalMuseum, Wat Phnom and TuolSlengGenocideMuseum. There are also a variety of services including five-star hotels and budget guesthouses, fine international dining, sidewalk noodle shops, neighborhood pubs and more.
Cambodia is in the heart of the land once known as Indochina, bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the north and Vietnam to the east. It is a fascinating place, which despite its tiny size and its large powerful neighbors, has managed to remain uniquely Khmer. Our cultural traditions pre-date those of Thailand, and unlike Vietnam, which has had dominant Chinese influence; its dominant influences originate from the Indian subcontinent.
Modern-day Cambodia is the successor-state of the mighty Khmer empire, which during t he Angkorian period (9th to 14th centuries) was the cultural heartland of South-East Asia. It ruled over much of what are now Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, and its legacy is one of the wonders of the world. The ruins of Angkor are in a category of their own: there is no other historical site in South-East Asia that matches their grandeur of this Ancient Complex. The traveler’s first glimpse leaves one bewildered.
Angkor Wat, which represents the full flowering of Khmer genius, is a breathtaking experience, matched only by sights such as the place of Lhasa or the Forbidden City of Beijing. Cambodia is increasingly becoming the travel destination of choice, and increasing investment allows for all of the dimensions of the travelers needs to be met in a fashion unique to this flourishing country. The land borders with Thailand are now open to foreigners and there are many direct flights between Siem Reap and original destinations. Cambodia is now well and truly back on the travel map of South-East Asia. With the serene and mystifying temples of Angkor, Cambodia has something to offer that none of its neighbors can rival. There are the unspoiled beaches, coral, reefs and seaside paradise with white sand beaches and the warm blue seas of the Gulf of Thailand and national parks that are just starting to see visitors. The meandering MekongRiver lures curious visitors to boat trips through Cambodia, Laos and China. Its mighty waters also provide a habitat for some of the last remaining freshwater dolphins in Asia. The northeast of the country is home to wild and mountainous landscap4s, and the gateway to Cambodia’s ethnic minorities and much of the country’s diminishing wildlife and forest.
Despite a difficult history, we have come through the experience with warm smiles and hospitality that are the unique charm of Khmer society. Cambodia’s tourism industry is thriving, and there is an atmosphere of genuine enthusiasm and warmth towards the foreign visitor. Nobody comes away from Cambodia without a measure of admiration and affection for the inhabitants of this beautiful and distinct country.
The joy of relaxing on the beach in Sihanoukville is that you never really have to leave. A plethora of vendors traipse along the beach offering delicacies and fresh seafood, like grilled squid. However, if you are feeling more ambitious you can go to one of the seaside hotels and castle hotel to enjoy fine cuisine only steps away from white sandy beach. There is many Khmer food and Euroupean food restaurant along 
