TIPS TO CAMBODIA
Cambodia
We offer you a place far, far away where smiles are free and thus traded daily. Banyan trees envelop ancient temples while sticky rice cooks on an open fire. Ancient and recent history mix to show a country that has endured so much yet has so much to give....We offer youCambodia!
Highlights
Angkor Wat and hundreds of other temples hidden for so many years are now becoming major tourist attractions. After the must sees, explore more remote and hidden temples that invoke a sense of discovery.
Phnom Penh, with its wide tree-lined boulevards and gleamingRoyalPalace, is shedding its old reputation, but still struggles with the effects of its tumultuous past. Peace has come though and brought with it fabulous restaurants and luxurious and unique hotels.
Rotanak Kiri and Mondul Kiri, provinces inEastern Cambodia, are home to some of the most remote and undisturbed hill tribes. Through our eco- and cultural-minded tours we strive to show tourists the flavor of hill tribe life without damaging or leaving our mark on it.
Stretching for 13,000 square kilometers in the wet season and only 2,500 square kilometers in the dry season due to its seasonal change of direction, the Tonle SapLakeis a unique body of water and the lifeblood of Cambodia. Explore its flooded forests, visit local fish farms and observe the life of floating village residents. For even more peace and quiet retreat to the Prek Toal Bird Sanctuary where you can see a multitude of birds that also depend on these waters.
TheMekongRiver transcendsCambodia from North to South. InPhnom Penh it offers stunning sunsets and river cruises and further north you'll find the almost extinct Irrawaddy dolphins, which exist only here inCambodia.
Recent history makes a sad and important part of any Cambodian tour. TodayCambodiaoffers many memorials to the estimated two million victims of the Khmer Rouge. Though hard to bear,TuolSlengPrisonMuseum, Choeng Ek Killing Fields and theKillingCavesof Battambang offer a sad and shocking look at the world's only autocide.
If you've ever wanted a $1 lobster then we offer you Sihanoukville, a quiet beach town that is yet to be discovered. Surrounded by national parks and boasting private beaches, this is where life really does seem to slow down. Hop on a scooter and explore or take a boat ride out to one of the many deserted islands.
Safety
For many yearsCambodiahas been closed off to the world due to wars and the Khmer Rouge Regime. Until 1998Cambodiawas a place few visitors chose to go. Now, however,Cambodiais making a miraculous recovery.
Driven by a desire for freedom and peace seen only in those that have experienced war, the people ofCambodiaare rebuilding their country and the tourism industry is responding.
This is not to say that there are no dangers inCambodia. They still suffer from a serious land mine problem and though the international community and the people ofCambodiaare doing all they can, it will take years for the entire country to be cleared.
Mines are, however, cleared from all tourist areas, crime has dropped significantly and rebel groups no longer exist. Journeys Within prides itself on safety and works hard to make guests feel safe and comfortable exploringCambodia, a country which is now truly at peace.
Best Time to Visit
Cambodiacan be visited year-round, but what you'll see and how you see it will vary from season to season.
In the dry season, from November to April,Cambodiais the easiest to get around. Roads to distant temples, which are impassable in the wet season, are useable and your days are your own as long as you don't mind a little dust.
The rainy season, from May to October, givesCambodiaa whole new coat of paint. Fields turn green, the roads turn brown and ponds spring up everywhere. The rainy season suitsCambodiaand it is a great time to visit as long as you don't want to take too many unpaved roads or mind sheltering from an afternoon downpour while visiting the temples.
The only time to avoidCambodiais March to May, when it gets unbearably hot.
