Kompong Cham

Away from the ever-popular touristic hubbub of Siem Reap and the urban fray of bustling Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham will seem like a day at the spa. But whatever this backwater provincial capital may lack in energy and action, it more than makes up for in bucolic charm and local authenticity.

For one, the town’s regional markets are an earthy and folksy affair, where pungent piles of Mekong river fish sit sweltering in the sun next to livestock and endearing local handicrafts. Then there are the abandoned relics of colonialism and the Vietnam War to explore; the dilapidated US airstrip down Highway 7 and the interesting array of Francophile homes in the centre. Also within town are the crumbling remnants of Wat Nokor and Wat Hanchey, but for a more fun experience cycle down the bamboo bridge, a remarkable man made structure that is reconstructed year on year to get to the island across.

Before heading further east from this travel hub, make a trip with your Kompong Cham tour guide to the petite heights of Phnom Pros too, where clusters of temples and pagodas sit separated from the lovely vistas of Phnom Srey by eerie killing fields.