Silverbird Travel - The Far East travel Specialists

Cambodia is bordered on the south and west by Thailand, on the north by both Laos and Thailand and on the east by Vietnam. The mighty Mekong River is the countries life blood. At Phnom Penh, the capital, it splits into two, the Upper and Lower River and also joins forces with the Tonle River, which in turn leads to Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest lake. Tonle Sap provides over half the fish consumed in Cambodia, which explains the number of floating villages and local fishing families living here. Everything is built to float, including schools and shops and are easily moved should the water levels dramatically change.

The Temples of Angkor need little introduction and no first time visit to Cambodia would be complete without a few days to explore the vast ruins in the jungles around the town of Siem Reap but they need not be the only reason for including Cambodia in your holiday itinerary. Phnom Penh, the capital, is all noise, hustle and bustle and thought provoking. But the rest of the country is a total contrast. You can travel upcountry to visit remote hill tribes, enjoy a break by a peaceful tropical lake, experience the seaside town of Sihanoukville before too much development takes place or head to one of the many relatively unexplored bays and islands.

If food is the heart of a culture, then there is no better way to get to know Cambodia than through a cooking class. Khmer cuisine is a fusion of ancient Indian, Chinese and Khmer ingredients and methods.

Cambodia has a tropical monsoon climate with wet and dry seasons with probably the better time to travel being between November to April.

As Angkor Wat proves to be more that meets the eye, so does Cambodia.

Read the Foreign & Commonwealth Office's official travel advice for Cambodia.

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	Siem Reap Siem Reap is the gateway to the Seventh Wonder of the World, the Angkor complex comprising of 72 major monuments and an irrigation system. Angkor Wat is not just one temple but many. This World Heritage Site has some of the most imposing Hindu monuments seen anywhere outside India. Scattered across 300 sq. km of intrusive jungle a half-day excursion will give you a glimpse; two full days a better idea of the main temples. True culture vultures should set aside at least a week for detailed exploration. Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia's largest lake, is home to many freshwater species of fish - carp, giant catfish as well as an array of birds to watch. Nowadays just a 50 minute flight from Bangkok most of the newer hotels are along the road that runs from Siem Reap Airport. The better positioned are in the central town area. Dont miss: The Water Festival that takes place at Full Moon during the month of November marks the yearly reversing flow of the Tonle Sap River but it also ushers in the fishing season. As night falls, fireworks light the sky and a flotilla of boats sail under the full moon; the Old Market.


	Phnom Penh Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s exciting capital on the banks of the Mekong, the Bassac and Tonle Sap Rivers. In the 1920’s it was considered to be one of the most beautiful cities in Southeast Asia. Now being restored to its former colonial elegance of broad boulevards, expansive parks and imposing villas albeit in a truly Khmer way with a chaotic mess of motorcycles, cars, minibuses, ox carts and remorques all battling for the same piece of road. Recent history of the city and the country is well documented at the National Museum, Cheung Ek (the Killing Fields) and Tuol Sleng. Not for the faint hearted, its recent history has left an indelible mark and the poverty can be distressing. Dont miss: The Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda: the Palace houses various authentic Khmer art items as well as gifts from around the world; the National Museum where you can trace the roots of the old Khmer civilisation; the Russian Marketthe Tuol Sleng, where the Khmer Rouge killed thousands;


	Beaches of Cambodia About 3 hours drive from Phnom Penh; Sihanoukville in the south of the country is located on the Gulf of Siam and home to several sandy beaches. Popular with locals and backpackers, the area has many small hotels, bars and restaurants. Some local islands are worth a day trip for diving and boat trips. On the southwestern tip is the Bokor National Park and Bokor Hill. Covered with dense forest it is an ideal place to do some walking and/or trekking. The smaller resorts of Kep and Kampot (famous for its pepper) are less developed with quieter stretches of beach. As in most of Indochina, standards and development is happening rapidly and there are now a few international standard hotels. Dont miss: