Cambodia - What to Expect

One of the 8 world wonders, Ankor Wat, built for King Suryavarman II in the12th century as his capital city.

If you get up early enough head to a local market. Some of the food is pretty disgusting but definately worth a look - the Khmer people fry up anything for breakfast including snakes and spiders. Best bet is to stick to the fresh fruit which is delicious. Oh and as you're walking around be careful not to stand on any skinned frogs which have escaped the chopping block!

Beautiful, incredible Pnom Penh! Be prepared...and you will enjoy it.What you should do: sleep in the hostels on the riverside. Don't go out alone at night. Don't be tempted by "Happy Pizza" if you don't want to experience at Cambodian hospital or shorten your trip.Take a bike during daytime and cycle!!!!!!!! Worth a trip (and within cycling distance): the Killing Fields of Pnom Penh. And the primary school where Brother Number One started "his career" - it is a shocking place. Worth reading while you there and to find out more about Cambodian history: "First they killed my father"Best way to go to PP if you come from Battambang: take the train! An unforgettable experience and definitively no tourist travelling so please be careful...(Oh, and moneywise: there are no ATMs in Cambodia)

Choose your guesthouse wisely if you are not keen on an army of ants running up your wall and under your bed and/or take 50+ proof deet bug spray and spray along their trail - they will drop dead in minutes and never return. Guesthouse employees are pushy to sell you all your essentials and more. My fiancée and I felt like we had to sneak by them to go out and eat elsewhere or to find our own tuk tuk. One time they caught us and nearly forced us to sit and eat a pizza that they went and got take out for us because they assumed that we would want western food??. They wanted 15 US dollars for a small 10 inch pizza - be prepared to be ripped off and don't be afraid to say no. We told them to give us back our money for that particular pizza and they did! When you go out to the killing fields bring some pastries or something for the kids that hang out there, but watch your bags and/or wear your money belt regardless of the heat and humidity. Tuol Seng prison and the killing fields are eye openers and a half and worth your time and attention. At Tuol Seng I would recommend hiring a guide between you and some other random tourists that you meet at the gates.

Meet up with other travellers at your guesthouse and go in together on a taxi with a guide. Bring american cash, you might even not buy Cambodian riel. I believe that it costs $40 USD for a three day pass into Angkor Wat.. and you'll need at least that much time there. There are many beggars with severe physical injuries do not be shocked and keep in mind that if you give money to one you will probably have the entire street asking for more within minutes, but it is hard not to want to be generous even if you're a poor backpacker like me.

When going in Siem Reap, try to stay at the Red Piano Hotel. It is located in the centre of the town, nice comfortable and affordable. It is linked to the Red Piano bar, also a place you should visit. It was not only the hang-out spot of Angelina Jolie and her crew when shooting Tomb Raider, but it is also a very relaxing place to eat, drink and just.. well, relax.Near the city, located amid forests and farmland to the north of the Great Lake (Tonle Sap), lies the 'lost' city of Angkor. It was the site of a series of capital cities of the Khmer empire for much of the period from the 9th century to the 15th century CE. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the temples of the Angkor area number over one thousand, ranging in scale from nondescript piles of brick rubble scattered through rice fields to the magnificent Angkor Wat, said to be the world's largest single religious monumentsHire a tuk-tuk and let you drive around the temples for around 10-15 dollars a day! It's the best way to see the temples in a relaxing pace :-)

Lovely chiled out vibe a good place to start a trip round Cambodia. If temples is what your after then siam reap is the place to be. Only about twenty minutes from Ankor Wat the largest religous structure on the planet.

The Dead Fish, we had a great, cheap meal and there was Crocs in the restaurant!!

One of the most beautiful places in the world. Woong and I went with my mother who has some difficulty with walking and stairs but we hired a van and a guide. I highly recommend this for older travellers as it is well worth it. Also we stayed at Le Meridien Siem Reap and while a bit expensive, particularly for the area, it was also well worth it. It is located relatively near the temple complexes and has a wonderful pool and several great restaurants. If you want to splurge a little for your trip to Cambodia that's the place to do it.

Siem Reap, Cambodia is a land of wonder and of tragedy. It is inspiring, heart wrenching and unique. Come to Siem Reap with an open mind and you'll enjoy every minute of your stay there. The only reason most people travel into Siem Reap is to see with their own eyes the magnificent Khmer temple ruins of Angkor, a World Heritage Site. To arrange your visit to the Angkor temple complexes, you will need to decide how long you're going to stay, purchase an admission pass (USD20 for one day, USD40 for a three-day and USD60 for a 7-day visit), arrange your transportation to the temples (transportation options include moto-romauk-USD10-13; car taxis USD20-25/day; motodup USD6-9/day; bicycles for USD2-3/day), obtain a tour guide (you'll be thankful for having a guide..they're useful when it comes to explaining the temple history as well as the many bas reliefs and designs in the temples. The charge between USD20-25 per day) and then plan out your temple itinerary. You'll also be well off traveling in Siem Reap if you have purchased yourself a guidebook prior to planning your trip. I highly recommend either the Rough Guide to Cambodia or the Lonely Planet version. These two guide books are almost very accurate. A one-day visit allows you to see the highlights of the most famous temples but very little more. Three days is sufficient to visit all of the major temples once, a few of the minor ones and have a little extra time at your favorites. Seven days is enough time to really explore some of your favorite ruins and visit many of the minor structures as well. If you are on a limited traveling time, you will really need to plan a temple itinerary. If you're only spending two or three days in Siem Reap, i recommend you to cover Ta Phrom (the temple famed for the scene in "tomb raider"), Ta Keo, Victory Gate, Angkor Thom (Bayon, Terrace of the Leper King, Terrace of the Elephants, South Gate), Angkor Wat and Phnom Bakheng the first day, second day, go north of the Angkor complex and visit Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, Banteay Srei and Pre Rup. Third day you may have it easy and go back and visit your favorite temples and do the Tonle Sap Lake in the later part of the day. Weather - as the sun can be very intense, bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen. The de facto currency used in Siem Reap is in USD. Local currency (Riel) are also used. Riels would come in handy when you pay for small items.