See the REAL Cambodia

See, taste and smell Cambodia - get off the beaten track

There are many places of interest to visit in Cambodia. Now that security and roads have improved, it is possible to visit all provinces and we recommend you get off the beaten tourist track and see a few whilst you are here. We can work out with you which provinces would be the most interesting depending on your personal tastes, hobbies and fitness level. See the Map of Cambodia to familiarise yourself with where you might visit

Trips North East
Just northeast of Phnom Penh is the province of Kampong Cham - gateway to the sparsely populated yet quite beautiful northeast of Cambodia. Kampong Cham is home to a wide variety of agriculture including kapok and rubber plantations, bamboo, many fruit orchards (mangoes, bananas, jackfruit, papayas) as well as vegetables and pulses (mung beans, sesame seeds, cassava, chilli, peanuts). There are also many cottage industries such as tofu skin making, furniture making, mat weaving, water jars, incense sticks being made, brickworks and tobacco drying. There are both pre-Angkorian (including Funan period of the 5th century) and Angkorian temples which are worth seeing for those interested in archaeology and history
We offer both road and boat trips with Kampong Cham the destination or as a 1 or 2 day stopover on the way to the north eastern provinces or north to Siem Reap

From Kampong Cham, one can amble up the Mekong to Kraties (by boat (a 3 to 4 day trip from Phnom Penh) or by driving on secondary roads) stopping to see various interesting activities along the way. For those with less time, one can drive a more direct route through plantations of teak, rubber, cassava and cashews. In Kraties, one can see the endangered Irrawaddy dolphin (said to have only 65 remaining in Cambodia) and the critically endangered Cantor's giant soft shelled turtle

Travelling further north lies a beautiful natural province full of various endangered birds, mammals and reptiles - Stung Treng. Forests are still intact in many parts of the province and there are numerous rivers. The Mekong is equally interesting in the dry as well as the wet with flooded forests showing their elaborate root systems when the water levels are low. There are many ethnic Laos in this region as well as other indigenous groups so life and food can be a little different to southern provinces. Travel is now possible between Stung Treng and Siem Reap - see below for more details

Further east is home to more indigenous groups in Rattanakiri and Mondulkiri who still live their traditional lifestyles. If you have the time to explore and don't mind 'roughing it' a little more than other places in Cambodia, you will be rewarded with lovely scenery and interesting lifestyles. There are many waterfalls in the north east during the wet season and for those who are interested, elephant rides are available in Mondulkiri. See trips to the North East for more information on any of these provinces

Trips North West
The north west is home to the large province of Battambang. Here you can see Angkorian temples, visit numerous orchards, see colonial and traditional architecture and sample the foods found in this region. Travelling by road from Phnom Penh, one will pass through the provinces of Kandal (silver village, Oudong are possible stops), Kompong Chhnang (home to many clay pots and the river port) and Pursat (soap stone carvings, large floating villages on the Tonle Sap lake). If travelling with Cambodia Uncovered, we can arrange stops in any or all of these provinces depending on your interests. From Battambang, one can travel onto Siem Reap by boat across the lake or by road. See trips to the North West for more information

Trips South
The south of Cambodia is quite different to the north. We arrange exciting, varied and fascinating trips to the provinces of Takeo,  Kep, Kampot and Koh Kong. You can see natural beauty at the coast (islands, mangroves, rivers and National Parks) as well as visit fruit orchards, pepper plantations, salt pans, taste delicious seafood and enjoy the peace of the southern provinces. For those who like sandy beaches, Sikhanoukville (Kompong Som) may be your choice but it is busier than the other southern provinces

Trips North
No visit to Cambodia is complete without a trip to Angkor Wat in the northen province of Siem Reap. This amazing temple complex will delight all who visit as it is breathtakingly magnificent. We can arrange trips to Siem Reap (fly, bus or Cambodia Uncovered car) however we leave the tours in that region to those living in Siem Reap. There are simply hundreds of guides and hotels catering to guests. We are happy to help you choose places of interest, accommodation suitable to your needs and organise travel, bookings and tours if requested

The northern province of Preah Vihear is filled with many marvellous Angkorian temples so for those interested in history, religion or architecture, this might be a province you don't want to miss. It is now possible to travel by decent road from Stung Treng to either Siem Reap or Kampong Thom via Preah Vihear (formally the north east was accessible only via Kampong Cham) so if you would like to get away from tourist crowds, consider this route as you will not be inundated with other tourists. There are many temple ruins that can also be visited in Kampong Thom (either from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap or from Stung Treng to Siem Reap). Oddar Meanchey Province, further east was home to the Khmer Rouge (eastern zone) and Funcinpec (Royalist party - western zone) until as recently as 1999

If you really want to see and experience all Cambodia has to offer, we recommend you spend at least three weeks in Cambodia. We can organise an itinerary for you that suits your interests

For trips to any of these places, be sure to ask us when you contact us. We are very happy to take you to places that are of interest to you

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