Why you should go to Cambodia country

Of all the mainland Southeast Asian nations, Cambodia is perhaps the most neglected from a tourist's point of view. The country is arguably known worldwide for two things: the magnificent Angkor Wat complex and two of the legacies of the Khmer Rouge -- land mines and security issues. 

Together these facets have worked historically to both attract and repel foreign tourists, resulting in a highly developed tourist infrastructure surrounding Siem Reap, the closest town to the Angkor Wat complex, while the rest of the country, from a tourism point of view, has developed at a far slower pace -- if at all.

The end result of this is that many visitors to Cambodia come primarily to see Angkor Wat and leave without seeing anything else. This is a missed opportunity as Cambodia offers a wealth of destinations aside from Angkor Wat.

The capital, Phnom Penh, located roughly midway between Angkor Wat and the Vietnamese border, is beautiful in a dilapidated kind of way and has developed into a decidedly cosmopolitan city with excellent eating and drinking available along with some great value and very unique places to stay.

You packed an umbrella right?

Some historically important places to visit should be on your itinerary in Phnom Penh, such as Tuol Sleng, the Killing Fields and the National Museum, but it's not all genocide tourism here. Boat cruises, cooking schools, an animal refuge, wet markets and the ever-scenic riverside boardwalk are all easy crowd-pleasers.

Another bustling city that attracts a fraction of the visitors it deserves, Battambang in the west of the country is both an attractive riverside city in its own right but also a convenient hub for exploring the hinterland with its temples, Khmer ruins and the bamboo train. Easily reached by bus or share taxi, you can also approach it by boat from Siem Reap, crossing the Tonle Sap, in what can be an incredibly beautiful and memorable trip.

Bamboo train outside Battambang.

While nearby Thailand may be better known for its island scene, the half-dozen or so islands off the Cambodian south coast are where it is at when it comes to the "new" islands of the region. Pristine beaches and crystal clear waters really deliver the goods. The coastal and riverside towns of Sihanoukville, Kampot and Kep meanwhile provide a relaxing small town vibe that may enthral those looking for a lower-key Cambodia.

Off the coast, Cambodia has a developing eco-ish sustainable tourism scene, most famously centred around the Chipat area midway between Phnom Penh and Battambang. Here you can experience village life and grow to better appreciate what remains of Cambodia's once-vast forests.Source from http://www.travelfish.org