The 15 Best Things to Do in Cambodia

LOOKING FOR THE BEST THINGS TO DO IN CAMBODIA?

You’ve come to the right place! I used to live in Cambodia for almost a year and had the chance to travel and explore Cambodia pretty well.

Cambodia is the most famous for the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. Although, the sunrise and sunset at the Angkor Archaeological Park are really beautiful, there is so much more to Cambodia than just Angkor Wat.

Some of the best things to do in Cambodia include visiting the Angkor Wat, Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields), Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, the floating villages in Tonle Sap, and going a food tour.

So, here are all the must-see attractions and best things to do in Cambodia!

The 15 Best Things to Do in Cambodia

1. See the Sunrise at Angkor Wat

• Angkor Wat Location: Siem Reap
• Angkor Wat Ticket Price: 1-day pass: USD 37, 3-day pass: USD 62, 7-day pass: USD 72. (Valid for the whole Angkor Archaeological Park)

Most travellers come to Cambodia visit to see the sunrise at Angkor Wat and it really is a beautiful experience, even if it gets very crowded by tourists.

Cambodia is best known for the Angkor Wat and it is one of the must-see attractions in Cambodia. Even though it is one of the most touristy thing in Cambodia, visiting the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap is one of the best things to do in Cambodia.

Apart from the sunrise, visiting Angkor Wat during sunset is also great, so if you have time, make sure to check it out both at sunrise and sunset.

Angkor Wat is only one temple within the Angkor Archaeological Park, and you can hire a tuktuk or bicycle to explore the whole area.

2. Explore the Angkor Archaeological Park

• Angkor Archaeological Park Location: Siem Reap
• Angkor Archaeological Park Ticket Price: 1-day pass: USD 37, 3-day pass: USD 62, 7-day pass: USD 72.

The Angkor Wat is within the Angkor Archaeological Park and there is so much more to see than just Angkor Wat.

Most of the tuktuk drivers know the most famous temples within the complex, so they will be able to take you around the park and get you to see the most important temples within a day.

✅ Book a 2-day Angkor Wat Tour for Sunrise and Sunset here! (Rated 4.9/5 ⭐ on 2,591 Reviews)

Spending one day in the Angkor Archaeological Park can feel a bit rushed, but if you don’t have more time, one day is sufficient to see the most popular temples.

There is also an option to hire a bike in Siem Reap and bike around the park in your own pace. If you hire a bike, just make sure to have plenty of water, and wear sunscreen and a hat as it can get very hot during the day.

3. Visit the Killings Fields

• Choeung Ek Genocidal Museum Location: Phnom Penh
• Choeung Ek Genocidal Museum Ticket Price: USD 6 (including the audio guide)
• Choeung Ek Genocidal Museum Opening Times: Monday – Sunday: 7:30 am – 5:30 pm
• How to get to the Choeung Ek Genocidal Museum: Take a taxi through one of the Cambodian taxi apps.

Cambodia has a very harrowing history and visiting the Killing Fields is one of the best ways to learn about it. It is an emotionally heavy experience but it is still one of the best things to do in Cambodia.

If you are visiting Phnom Penh but you are short on time, visiting the Killing Fields should be one of the things you do.

The Khmer Rouge regime was in power between 1975-1979 and during that time more than 1,000,000 Cambodian people were killed by the Khmer Rouge.

✅ Book a tour to the Killing Fields & Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum here! (Rated 4.9/5 ⭐ on 1,644 Reviews)

The Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre is one of the Killing Fields in Cambodia where people were brutally killed and many of the mass graves are still visible to this day.

You also get an audio guide and you will hear first-hand accounts from people who survived the Killing Fields.

4. Visit the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum

• Toul Sleng Genocide Museum Location: Phnom Penh
• Toul Sleng Genocide Museum Ticket Price: USD 5 (USD 8 with audio guide)
• Toul Sleng Genocide Museum Opening Times: Monday – Sunday: 8:00 am – 5:00 pm
• How to get to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum: Take a taxi through one of the Cambodian taxi apps.

The Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, also know as the Security Prison 21 (or S-21), is another important place in Phnom Penh to learn about Cambodia’s history.

It used to be a school but it was turned into a prison and became a place of torture by the Khmer Rouge.

Cambodian people who were falsely suspected and accused by the regime were brought here for interrogation and torture. Out of the total 20,000 people who were sent to prison here, only 12 people have survived.

5. Take a Boat Trip to the Floating Villages

• Kampong Phluk Location: near Siem Reap
• Best time to visit the Kampong Phluk Floating Villages: during the monsoon season when the water levels are high. If you visit in dry season, the water levels will be low.

The easiest way to visit the floating villages at Tonle Sap, is to go on a boat tour to Kampong Phluk.

Most of the tour options will take you to the Kampong Phluk floating village, where you will boat around the village and also have the chance to get off the boat and walk around the village.

Kampong Phluk is a fishing village so you will see a lot of fishing boat and equipment. After boating around the village, most of the boats visit the nearby mangrove forest and finishing the tour out on sea to see the sunset. It is pretty great and definitely a must if you are in Siem Reap.

6. Try Khmer Cuisine

Khmer cuisine typically includes a lot of rice, meat and pepper.

Prior to arriving to Cambodia, I did not know how important pepper is in Khmer cuisine – once you start travelling around, you will find lots of pepper farms around Cambodia (especially in Kampot).

✅ Book a Phnom Penh Food Tour and discover traditional Khmer dishes and local craft beer! (Rated 4.9/5 ⭐ on 144 Reviews)

Some of the most popular dishes in Cambodia include the lok lak (similar to beef stew), amok (coconut fish curry) and kuy teav (noodle soup, popular for breakfast).

If you are feeling adventurous, you can also try some fried insects, like tarantulas or crickets.

7. Visit the Royal Palace of Cambodia

• Royal Palace of Cambodia Location: Phnom Penh
• Royal Palace of Cambodia Ticket Price: USD 10
• Royal Palace of Cambodia Opening Times: Monday – Sunday: 8-11 am and 2-5 pm

The Royal Palace of Cambodia was built in the 1860s and it includes a complex of numerous buildings. The buildings are spread out over a big area and also include a number of gardens.

It is built in traditional Khmer architecture showcasing spires, stupas and also a defensive wall around it. The buildings of the Royal Palace look super nice during sunset and you can get a great view of it from the riverside.

8. Go on a Sunset Boat Trip

• Location: Phnom Penh, Kampot, Siem Reap

If you love boat trips and sunsets, check out the boat tours on the Mekong River in Phnom Penh.

Usually, you can sign up for deals that include dinner and drinks and also some traditional Cambodian performances.

The boat tours take around 1.5 hours and cost USD 15.

✅ Book a Phnom Penh Sunset Boat Trip with unlimited BBQ and drinks here! (Rated 4.5/5 ⭐ on 539 Reviews)

9. Hang out at Pub Street

• Location: Siem Reap

Pub Street is the main tourist street in Siem Reap with full of restaurants and bars. This is the place where all the travellers gather for food, drinks and chilling after a day of sightseeing.

There are also many street food vendors where you can buy super cheap and tasty food. Pub Street is really full of great vibes where you can meet lots of other travellers from all over the world.

10. Hike in the Kep National Park

• Location: Kep
• Difficulty Level: Easy
• Length and Duration: 8 km, 2-3 hours

Although Kep is mostly famous for its crab market and sea food, you can also go on a hike in town.

There is a short and easy hike in the Kep National Park, which brings you into the nature. It is suitable for everyone, even if you are not very fit, as it is mostly a flat hike.

The whole hike is about 8 km long and can be completed in about 2-3 hours.

11. Visit the La Plantation Pepper Farm in Kampot

• Location: Kampot

The La Plantation Pepper Farm was probably one the biggest suprises during my time in Cambodia.

I was visiting Kampot when I heard about La Plantation. Prior to that, I did not know how big pepper farming was in Cambodia.

The La Plantation Pepper Farm is a really great experience even if you are not much into pepper farming. It is run by volunteers and you can go on a free tour learning about pepper farming and tasting different types of spicy (and even spicier) pepper.

12. Watch a Show at the Phare Circus

• Location: Siem Reap

Phare Circus is a great place to see theatre performance in Cambodia.

The performers at the Phare Circus are all former students from the Phare Ponleu Selpak school. The school is a non-profit for arts and circus school, founded by 9 young men coming from a refugee camp after the Khmer Rouge regime ended.

The Phare Circus offers a place for students to work, earn a decent wage and also to showcase their skills.

13. Visit Kep’s Crab Market

• Location: Kep

Kep is most famous for its crabs and visiting its crab market is one of the most popular activities to do while in Kep. Within the market, they sell various seafood, not only crab but also shrimps and oysters.

The prices are cheap and you also get to experience what a traditional market in Cambodia is like. If you like seafood, this place is a must.

14. See the Sunset over the Salt Fields in Kampot

• Location: Kampot
• Best time to visit the salt fields in Kampot: December to May

Apart from pepper farming, Kampot is also famous for its Salt Fields. The cultivation of salt is between December to May, so if you visit during that time, you will be able to see the salt fields in their full swing. 

One of the salt fields you can visit in Kampot is on Fish Island (Traeuy Kaoh). You can get here by tuktuk or hiring a bicycle. The best time to come here is during sunset as the salt fields look really pretty during sunset.

15. Take a Khmer Cooking Class

Taking a Khmer cooking class is a great way to learn to cook a new dish and also to learn about Cambodian cooking traditions.

Whenever I travel to a new place, I always like to take a cooking class as I find it’s a great way to learn about a new culture and also learn about a new country from the cooking teacher.

For cooking classes in Phnom Penh, check out La Table Khmere!

FAQs: The Best Things to Do in Cambodia

What is Cambodia known for?

Cambodia is best known for the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap which is a Hindu-Buddhist temple built between 1110-1150.

The Angkor Wat is inside the Angkor Archaeological Park which has many more temples besides the Angkor Wat. You can get a 1-day, 7-day or 30-day pass to explore the whole park.

Is Cambodia worth visiting?

Yes, Cambodia is definitely worth visiting! It is most famous for the Angkor Wat which is only every travellers list to Cambodia, however, there are many other things you can do.

Some of the best things to do in Cambodia include exploring the Angkor Archaeological Park, visiting the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields) and the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, visiting the floating villages, going on a sunset boat trip or food tour, learn how to cook Khmer dishes, and visit pepper farms and salt fields.

Is 7 days enough in Cambodia?

7 days is a bit tight to spend in Cambodia, nevertheless, if you only have 7 days, it will be sufficient to see some of the most important sites in Cambodia.

If you only have 7 days, you could spend 2 days in Phnom Penh, 3 days in Siem Reap and consider 2 days for travel/buffer days.

Ideally, you would need at least 2 weeks in Cambodia to have sufficient time to explore Cambodia better.

What is Cambodia’s most famous tourist attraction?

The most famous tourist attraction in Cambodia is the Angkor Wat in Siem Reap. The Angkor Wat was built between 1110-1150 and is located in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

The Angkor Wat is inside the Angkor Archaeological Park which has many more temples besides the Angkor Wat. You can get a 1-day, 7-day or 30-day pass to explore the whole park.

What are the best places to visit in Cambodia?

Overall, some of the best places to visit in Cambodia are the Angkor Archaeological Park and Floating Villages in Siem Reap, the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields) and Toul Sleng Genocide Museum in Phnom Penh, the pepper farms and salt fields in Kampot and the Kep National Park and Crab Market in Kep.

Conclusion

Cambodia is the most famous for the Angkor Wat. Although, the sunrise and sunset at the Angkor Archaeological Park are truly beautiful, there is so much more to Cambodia than just Angkor Wat.

Some of the best things to do in Cambodia include exploring the Angkor Archaeological Park, visiting the Choeung Ek Genocidal Centre (Killing Fields) and the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, and visiting the floating villages.

Other great activities include going on a sunset boat trip or food tour, learn how to cook Khmer dishes, and visit pepper farms and salt fields.