Things to Do in Cambodia (2026)

Cambodia · KH

Banteay Srei

Known as the "Jewel of Khmer Art," Banteay Srei is a 10th-century temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, celebrated for its exquisite miniature scale and incredibly intricate carvings in pink sandstone. Unlike the massive stone structures of Angkor Wat, this temple feels intimate and delicate, resembling a fairy palace hidden within the forest. Located 25 km northeast of the main Angkor complex, Banteay Srei is unique because it was not built by a king, but by courtiers and scholars serving the royal family. The temple's red and pink sandstone surfaces are covered in bas-reliefs so detailed they look like woodcarvings, depicting scenes from Hindu mythology with a grace and preservation found nowhere else in the region.

Buddhist temple

Cambodia · KH

Srah Srang

Srah Srang (ស្រះស្រង់, "Royal Bath") is a great rectangular reservoir tucked inside the Angkor Archaeological Park, lying just east of the temple of Banteay Kdei and south of the old East Baray. Though it carries a temple tag on the map, what visitors actually find here is a long sheet of mirror-still water framed by an elegant laterite landing stage — one of the quietest and most photogenic corners of the whole Angkor circuit. Measuring about 700 by 350 metres and holding water year-round, the basin was first dug in the mid-10th century and then reshaped around the year 1200 under the Buddhist king Jayavarman VII, who added the cruciform pier on its western shore. Today that terrace, opposite the eastern gate of Banteay Kdei, is prized as a sunrise viewpoint where the sky glows over open water with none of the crowds that pack Angkor Wat at dawn.

Hindu temple

Cambodia · KH

Preah Enkosei Temple

Tucked behind a working Buddhist pagoda on the east bank of the Siem Reap River, Preah Enkosei is one of the city's quietest treasures: a cluster of tenth-century brick sanctuaries that predates Angkor's great monuments, yet sits within easy walking distance of the town centre. No temple pass is needed, no queue, no crowds — just two restored prasat towers, a carved lintel of national importance, and a mustard-yellow monastery hall shaded by gnarled frangipani trees. For visitors who want a genuine Angkorian atmosphere without the heat and traffic of the main park, Preah Enkosei offers something rare: a small, intimate temple where living worship and a thousand-year-old architecture share the same grounds.

Beach

Cambodia · KH

Ochheuteal Beach

Ochheuteal Beach is Sihanoukville's main and most popular beach — a long, narrow, gold-sand strip on the Gulf of Thailand fronted by a continuous line of hotels, beach bars and seafood restaurants. Locals and travelers once called it UNTAC Beach, and its northern shoulder is the well-known Serendipity Beach. It is the city's lively social shoreline: think sunset barbecues, grass umbrellas, ice-cold drinks and a steady buzz of beach vendors. It's an easy, low-key stop to eat, drink and watch the sun melt into the sea, and the ferry pier at its eastern end makes it a natural base for hopping out to the islands. Worth knowing up front: heavy development along the frontage in recent years has changed the beach's character and affected the water, so Ochheuteal is now better enjoyed for its atmosphere and food than for a swim.

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A little more
of Cambodia.

Banteay Srei

Srah Srang

Preah Enkosei Temple

Ochheuteal Beach

Finding your next place…

A little more
of Cambodia.

Banteay Srei

Srah Srang

Preah Enkosei Temple

Ochheuteal Beach