Halal Tourism (Cambodia)
Phnom Penh, May 5th, 2023 —
Why travel to Cambodia? Here are 10 of the best places to travel in Cambodia. These highlights are sure to convince any traveller to include Cambodia on their itinerary when taking a trip to Southeast Asia.
- The Royal Palace in Phnom Penh and Silver Pagoda in Phnom Penh are the city’s finest example of twentieth-century Khmer influenced architecture. The Royal Palace is set back from the riverbank on Sothearos Boulevard. You can stroll this complex of regal structures and perfectly manicured grounds. While there, you will gain an insight into Cambodia’s past and present. A blue flag flies when the King is in residence. While the palace itself is off-limits, it’s possible to visit several buildings within the grounds. The Silver Pagoda is named for its floor which is covered in gleaming silver.
- Temples of Angkor are world-renowned and house some of the country’s finest monuments. More than one hundred Angkorian monuments lie spread over some 3000 square kilometres of the countryside. The best-known monuments are the vast temple of Angkor Wat and the walled city of Angkor Thom. During the Angkorian period, the ruling god-kings built imposing temples as a way of asserting their divinity. They left a legacy of more than one hundred temples constructed between the ninth and fifteenth centuries. The full magnificence of Angkor Wat represents the height of Khmer art. The pretty tenth-century temple of Banteay Srei is unique, made from unusual pink sandstone and with intricate ornamentation.
- Koh Ta Tiev Peaceful Koh Ta Tiev is one of the southern islands, and it’s a tropical paradise retaining a real castaway vibe. There are several types of accommodation to choose from, and you can even camp or sleep in a hammock between two trees over the sand. There is limited electricity on the island and no wifi. Spend your days’ jungle trekking, snorkelling, or experiencing authentic Khmer cooking.
- Battambang is Cambodia’s second largest city, but it’s often overlooked. It’s a bustling city that is both welcoming and laidback. Its lush surrounding countryside is ideal for bike rides, and it’s easy to get out on the water by kayak. You can whizz past rice paddies and rattle over bridges when you ride the quirky bamboo railway too.
- Kampot The riverside Kampot is one of Cambodia’s most appealing towns with the backdrop of misty Bokor Mountains. At Kampot, you can potter along the river for a swim or sunset cruise. You could also head into the mountains to explore caves. Kampot is also a base from which to explore the region’s famed pepper plantations. Bokor National Park is home to an abandoned 1920s hotel and casino. Kampot has a friendly but low key nightlife.
- Kep is renowned throughout Cambodia for its delicious, inexpensive seafood. It’s heaven for seafood connoisseurs. You can get fresh crab straight from the sea at the crab market on the western seafront. It’s also a good base from which to go on an island boat tour. Head over to the palm-fringed beach of Rabbit Island or Koh Tonsay.
- Floating villages on Tonle Sap lake is home to dozens of picturesque floating villages. Explore the fascinating houses built from bamboo and raised on stilts; they are mainly inhabited by Vietnamese fisherman. You’ll pass floating markets, schools and pagodas and learn more about local life.
- Irrawaddy Dolphins Around 20km north of Kratie is Kampie. It offers the best riverside vantage point to spot the rare freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins. It is expected that only around eighty remain in the entire Mekong. The Irrawaddy dolphins look very much like porpoises. The Irrawaddy dolphin has been added to the IUCN Red List as a critically endangered species. The dolphin-watching site is now run as an ecotourism project by the local community.
- Ream National Park is one of Cambodia’s most accessible national parks. Here you can explore Cambodia’s unspoilt natural environment with mangrove forests, sandy beaches and rich diversity of flora and fauna. You are likely to see kingfishers, eagles and monkeys.
- Trekking in RattanakiriTrek into the forest of Rattanakiri, the capital Banlung is surrounded by peaceful countryside. It is dotted with waterfalls and lakes, and it’s also home to the indigenous chunchiet hill tribes. You may spot gibbons, rare birdlife and endangered species in the Virachey National Park.