Cambodia by Bushbaby Travel

The astounding legacy of Khmer temples and monuments in fabled Angkor Wat rivals most in scale and grandeur and should be firmly at the top of any traveller’s bucket-list. Deep in the jungle outside bustling Siem Reap, the temples are truly magical and the pinnacle of achievement of this mighty Empire that once ruled Laos, Vietnam and Thailand.

While the temples are foremost in the mind of most visitors, there is a lot more to Cambodia. Nearby Siem Reap is now a destination in its own right, with vibrant markets and cosmopolitan cafes in the lovely French quarter. Of course, there is also the famous Phare Cambodian Circus - a must for any family visit. Further afield, Battambang enchants with its French colonial architecture, quirky cafes and various restaurants. Phonm Penh, despite its terrible recent history, has become a sophisticated, charismatic capital city with wide tree-lined boulevards, a lively riverside scene, and world-class dining. However, away from the tourist trail to the temples and cities, part of the magic of this ancient Kingdom is that it remains more of a rural backwater, a refreshing and exciting throwback to days of travel before the hoards, largely untouched and relatively unexplored. Swathes of glimmering rice paddies dotted with sugar palms stretch over the countryside, down to the southern tropical wilderness of the Cardamon Mountains (a haven for eco-tourist wildlife adventures) and north to Cambodian villages replete with wooden stilted houses; a glimpse of an older, simpler, way of life. For beaches, the southern peninsula of Sihanoukville offers white powder sands, turquoise waters and is the gateway to hazy tropical islands off the coast.