Cambodia

Cambodia is defined by water and forest — the mighty Mekong River, the vast Tonlé Sap lake that swells and shrinks with the seasons, and the wild, jungle-clad Cardamom Mountains, one of Southeast Asia's largest remaining rainforests. Along the Gulf of Thailand lie quiet, undeveloped islands and beaches.

Above it all presides Angkor, the colossal temple-city of the medieval Khmer Empire and the largest religious monument on Earth, so that nature and one of the world's great archaeological wonders go hand in hand.

Explore the temples of Angkor by bicycle or on foot, boat the Tonlé Sap to floating villages, trek and zipline the rainforests of the Cardamom Mountains, and relax on the islands off Sihanoukville like Koh Rong. River trips on the Mekong and birdwatching in the northern plains add more.

The cool, dry season from November to February is the most comfortable time, ideal for the temples, jungle, and coast. March to May is intensely hot; the wet season (June–October) brings rain that floods the Tonlé Sap and greens the landscape, with fewer crowds at Angkor.

The Cardamoms and northern forests shelter elephants, gibbons, sun bears, and rare species like the pileated gibbon and the critically endangered Siamese crocodile and giant ibis, while the Tonlé Sap is a globally important fishery and waterbird breeding ground.

Cambodia is largely a low, flat alluvial basin built by the Mekong and the Tonlé Sap, ringed by the Cardamom and Dâmrei (Elephant) mountains and the Dângrêk escarpment to the north. The Tonlé Sap's unique reversing flow makes it Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake.

Cambodia was the seat of the Khmer Empire that dominated Southeast Asia from the 9th to 15th centuries, leaving Angkor and hundreds of temples. After the devastating Khmer Rouge era of the 1970s, the country has rebuilt, with its ancient heritage and resilient culture at its heart.

Khmer culture, rooted in Theravada Buddhism and the legacy of Angkor, shapes village life along the rivers and lake, with floating communities, temple festivals, and traditional dance. The landscape is dotted with both ancient and active monasteries.

Visit Angkor at sunrise and over multiple days with a pass, and explore quieter temples beyond the main circuit. Travel in the dry season, support community-based ecotourism in the Cardamoms, use reputable operators, and combine temples with the lake, rivers, and coast.