Things to cram in to Cambodia

Cambodia is full of delights. After only spending a short about of time there, we had to cram in as much as possible in the 10 days we had. If you're visiting Cambodia and have time restrictions on your travels, here's a few things that you could do!

Watch Angkor Wat at Sunrise

Now be prepared for an early start. You wake up at around 4am and get your transport to the ticket office to then be taken to the temple. It's an experience in itself to see the roads so busy and to be stuck in traffic so early in the morning. Once you are there, be warned that there are SO many tourists, it's not quiet like you see on Instagram. We opted to watch the sunrise from outside the grounds which was more peaceful, quiet and away from the masses of tourists.

Climb the steep stairs of Ta Keo

This temple is probably the only one without renovated steps. It's quite easy to climb up the narrow and steep steps. You don't realise how steep it is until you look down so it's not for those who are scared of heights as you do need to be careful. It's quite a simple temple but you get to enjoy the views once you get to the top. It's one of the more secluded temples too so is peaceful and quiet.

Visit the many faces of the Bayon Temple

The Bayon Temple is absolutely remarkable. It's amazing to see the faces that have stayed in tact and how big the actual place it. This is one of the most mind bendingly beautiful temples in the Angkor Archaeological Park that is so differently designed that you can't miss it.

Visit the Tomb Raider set of Ta Prohm

This is a temple in which nature enhances the experience of the place. The trees wrap around the grey and green stone and the carvings still have so much detail although there are lots of destroyed stone lying around. You really feel like you're on the set of tomb raider as it's just what you would expect and more. It is quite easy to get lost around but is well signposted.

Visit Siem Reap's famous Pub Street

The Pub Street is famously known by backpacker's and is a 10 minute walk from the Mad Monkey Hostel. It offers cheap beer at bars, clubs and local restaurants. You can even try some crocodile, ostrich, kangaroo or even snake at the likes of some of the restaurants. There's also street food options on this street. It's the lively place to be in the evening with bright lights and music booming.

Take a trip to Koh Rong Sanloem

With clear beaches, fine sand and the most peaceful sunsets, Koh Rong Sanloem is definitely where you can go for some down time. The beaches are full of swings and hammocks and dogs all owned by the local businesses that you can play with. There are no roads so everywhere is just sand. This means there are no cars, no motorbikes, limited wifi and you will need to bring cash as there are no ATMS. You can rent a kayak or go on a boat tour to swim with the light up plankton in the night too. Just hope that you don't bump into a water buffalo during your stay!

Walk the grounds of the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda

Phnom Penh is home to the Royal Palace and the Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo - Temple of the Emerald Buddha) which are situated together. With your ticket, you get a map and can walk the well kept grounds. Just check the opening times before you go. It's golden and beautiful, just what you expect of any palace in South East Asia. Within the pagoda, you can see many golden jewelled buddha statues.

Take some time to learn about the genocide carried out by the Khmer Rouge

If you get to Phnom Penh, you should definitely take some time to learn about the country's history and the mass genocide that took place in the 20th century when the Khmer Rouge came into power. The places to learn about this would be the Choeung Ek Killing Fields, where you can see the mass graves and learn about the location with an audio tour. If you are comfortable with doing so, you can also go to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - also known as the Security Prison 2. Formally a school, it was changed to a prison during the Pol Pot's regime. You can also get an audio tour here. This includes graphic information about the torture so be prepared and try to read up about this before you go so that you know what to expect.