Must See

Angkor Wat

The amazing temples near the town of Siem Reap are Cambodia's most famous tourist attraction - and justifiably so. The three most magnificent temples are the Bayon, Ta Prohm and the immense Angkor Wat itself, which was built in 879-1191 to honour the Hindu god Vishnu. Ta Prohm has been left in much the same condition in which it was found: the photogenic and atmospheric combination of trees growing out of the ruins and the jungle surroundings have made it one of Angkor's most popular temples with visitors, and was used as a location in the film Tomb Raider.

The whole complex contains some 100 temples and sacred ruins, scattered through the jungle. Together they are the remnants of a once mighty Khmer city, the first urban centre in the world to reach one million inhabitants.

Bokor

Bokor is an abandoned French hill station, where there are the eerie remains of a former royal residence, church, casino, hotel and villas. Visitors can now enjoy the view down to the coast from the ramshackle hotel terrace. Equally as eerie is Kep, which was once a beach resort before it was destroyed in the 1970s, and the villas reclaimed by the forest.

Oudong

Oudong (also known as Undong) is the former royal capital of Cambodia, located 30 km (19 miles) from the new capital, Phnom Penh. Situated on a hill overlooking vast plains and famous for the burial chedis of the Khmer kings, there is also a memorial here to the victims of Pol Pot, containing the bones of people buried in the many mass graves nearby.

Phnom Penh

This vibrant capital city with a scarred and often violent past, Phnom Penh retains a distinct French colonial charm and also has some impressive wats (temple monasteries). Known as 'the Pearl of Asia', Phnom Penh is home to the stunning Royal Palace, a complex of buildings which are the royal abode of the Kingdom of Cambodia. The complex is divided by walls into three main compounds: on the north side is the Silver Pagoda and to the south-west is the Khemarin Palace and a central compound containing the Throne Hall. The Silver Pagoda houses many national treasures such as gold and jewelled Buddha statues, and its magnificent floor is inlaid with more than 5,000 silver tiles.

Also in Phnom Penh is the chilling Tool Sleng Museum of Genocide, which shows the inhumanity of Pol Pot's regime. The site is a former high school which was used as the Security Prison 21 (also known as S-21) concentration camp by the communist Khmer Rouge regime from its rise to power in 1975 to its fall in 1979.

Just outside the city is The Killing Fields (Cheoung Ek) Memorial, marked by a Buddhist stupa. The stupa has acrylic glass sides and is filled with more than 5,000 human skulls.

Preah Vihear

Just across the border from Thailand in the Dangrek Mountains is the Buddhist temple Preah Vihear. The earliest surviving parts of the temple date from the early 10th century. It is the site of various celebrations, especially during the Cambodian New Year.

Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville is Cambodia's only maritime port and beach resort. This south coast resort has some beautiful sandy beaches and offshore islands, offering diving for the active, or just chilling out for less frenetic souls.

Tonle Sap and Mekong River

The country's 'Great Lake' and mighty riverway offer the chance for scenic boat trips, passing house-boats and traditional villages. The permanently floating town of Kompong Luong on the Tonle Sap has houses, restaurants and even karaoke bars, rising and falling with the tide. Try spotting some of Cambodia's famous freshwater dolphins close to Kratie.