Best things shouldn't be missed in Cambodia

1. Visit Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, Phnom Penh

The extravagant Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, in the heart of Phnom Penh, are home to fabulous murals and a treasure trove of Khmer sculpture. The palace was built in Khmer style with French assistance in 1866. It functioned as the official residence of King Norodom Sihanouk from the time of his return to the capital in 1991, followed by his son, King Norodom Sihamoni, who ascended to the throne in 2004.

2. Learn about the past at Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek, Phnom Penh

Harrowing monuments to Cambodia’s grisly past during the Khmer Rouge’s murderous rule. Not for the faint-hearted, just over 1km (0.6 miles) from Tuol Tom Pong Market, to the north of Mao Tse Toung Boulevard, stands the former Tuol Sleng Prison, now Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum I. Here, during Pol Pot’s years in power, around 20,000 people were interrogated under torture and murdered, generally together with their families.

Finally, for those with the stomach for the experience after visiting Tuol Sleng, about 12km (7.5 miles) southwest of the town are the infamous Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. Here victims of the Khmer Rouge were executed and buried in mass graves. Many of these graves have now been exhumed, and a stupa-shaped mausoleum has been erected in the victims’ memory.

3. See the beautiful temples of Banteay Srei

One of the smallest but most perfect of all Angkor’s temples, constructed from delicate rose-pink sandstone and covered in a positive riot of intricate carvings. The justly famed temple of Banteay Srei lies about 30km (20 miles) northeast of Siem Reap. While Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and the Bayon impress by their sheer size, Banteay Srei inspires through meticulous detail.

5. Exploring Angkor Wat

This unforgettable temple, crowned with soaring towers and embellished with intricate bas-reliefs, represents the zenith of Khmer architecture and is one of the coolest places to visit in Southeast Asia. From Phnom Bakheng hill continue south to Angkor Wat. By any standards, visiting Angkor Wat is one of the best things to do in Cambodia – the great temple is simply unsurpassed by any other monument.

6. Discover the "Great City" of Angkor Thom

Angkor Thom or “Great City”, encompasses a huge, square area of the land enclosed within an 8-metre (26ft) -high defensive wall and outer moats approximately 100 metres (330ft) wide. Each side of the wall is about 3km (2 miles) long, and it has been suggested that, at the height of its wealth and power, the city may have supported as many as 1 million people.

There are five gateways into Angkor Thom, each approached by a causeway built across the moat. As you approach from the south the view of the fortifications is impressive. The causeway is flanked by 108 large stone figures, 54 gods on the left and an equivalent number of demons on the right. In the distance, at the far end of the causeway, the southern gateway bears four huge enigmatic faces facing in the cardinal directions.

7. Learn the Art of Khmer Empire

Some of the country’s most stunning art, including ancient statues, are on display in Phnom Penh’s National Museum and the Angkor National Museum in Siem reap. Phnom Penh’s National Museum housed in a red pavilion that opened in 1917, holds a wonderful collection of Khmer art, including some of the finest pieces in existence. As you enter, buy a copy of the museum guidebook, Khmer Art in Stone, which identifies and discusses the most important exhibits.

8. Spend time in beautiful Tonle Sap lake

One of the best things to do in Cambodia is to take an excursion from Siem Reap to the nearby Tonlé Sap, Cambodia’s Great Lake. The road from the town leads towards Phnom Krom the only hill in an otherwise completely flat landscape. Phnom Krom – which is gradually being quarried away – is surmounted by a 10th-century sandstone temple of the same name which may be reached by a long flight of steps.

9. Admire the art performance of the Aspara dance

Khmer classical dance at its most elegantly stylized, with beautifully costumed performers evoking the legendary apsaras of Hindu mythology. Cambodian mythology and, more particularly, Cambodian temples are both richly endowed with bas-reliefs and murals of apsara or celestial dancing girls. These nymphs are graceful, sensuous females who dance to please the gods and to keep the cosmos moving in an orderly fashion.

10. Savour truly Cambodian cuisine

Khmer cuisine is often said to be like Thai food, but less spicy. This is partially true. Cambodian cuisine developed more than 1,000 years ago, before the local introduction of the chilli pepper by the Portuguese, or the founding of the first Thai kingdom in the 13th century. Unlike their neighbours to the west, the Khmer cooks kept chilli to the side, as a condiment rather than a central ingredient.

Of course, other cultures have, in turn, strongly influenced Cambodia’s food. Central in the nation’s cuisine are soups and fish sauce from the Vietnamese and the Chams; Indian curries; stir-fries, fried rice and sweet and sour dishes from the Chinese and spices from the Far East. Even so, Khmer cuisine has combined these elements with a distinct set of flavours and ingredients to form a unique taste.