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Silver Pagoda Complex
From the palace compound you enter the Silver Pagoda complex through its north gate. The Silver Pagoda was so named in honour of the floor, which is covered with more than 5000 silver tiles weighing 1kg each, adding up to five tonnes of gleaming silver. You can sneak a peek at some
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Koh Ker
Abandoned to the forests of the north, Koh Ker, capital of the Angkorian empire from AD 928 to AD 944, is now within day-trip distance of Siem Reap. Most visitors start at Prasat Krahom where impressive stone carvings grace lintels, doorposts and slender window columns. The princip
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Phnom Kulen
Considered by Khmers to be the most sacred mountain in Cambodia, Phnom Kulen is a popular place of pilgrimage on weekends and during festivals. It played a significant role in the history of the Khmer empire, as it was from here in AD 802 that Jayavarman II proclaimed himself a dev
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Cambodia Landmine Museum
Established by DIY de-miner Aki Ra, this museum has eye-opening displays on the curse of land mines in Cambodia. The collection includes mines, mortars, guns and weaponry, and there is a mock minefield where visitors can attempt to locate the deactivated mines. Proceeds from the mu
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Kep National Park
The interior of Kep peninsula is occupied by Kep National Park, where an 8km circuit, navigable by foot and mountain bike, winds through thick forest passing by wats and viewpoints. Quirky yellow signs point the way and show trailheads to off-shooting walking paths which lead into
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Royal Palace
With its classic Khmer roofs and ornate gilding, the Royal Palace dominates the diminutive skyline of Phnom Penh. Its a striking structure near the riverfront, bearing a remarkable likeness to its counterpart in Bangkok.Being the official residence of King Sihamoni, parts of the ma
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Angkor National Museum
Looming large on the road to Angkor is the Angkor National Museum, a state-of-the-art showpiece on the Khmer civilisation and the majesty of Angkor. Displays are themed by era, religion and royalty as visitors move through the impressive galleries. After a short presentation, visit
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Phoum Kandal & Chong Kos Floating Villages
Much less visited than other floating villages, the Tonlé Sap River hamlets of Phoum Kandal (ភូមិកណ្ដាល) and Chong Kos (ចុងកោះ) are a colourful vision of brightly painted wooden houses, with tiny terraces strung with hammocks, all built on rickety DIY pontoons. To fully explore the
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Silver Pagoda
Within the Royal Palace compound is the extravagant Silver Pagoda, the floor of which is covered with five tons of gleaming silver. You can sneak a peek at some of the 5000 tiles near the entrance - most are covered to protect them. Rivalling the floor, an extraordinary Baccarat-cr
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Otres Beach
Past the southern end of Occheuteal Beach, beyond the Phnom Som Nak Sdach (Hill of the King’s Palace) headland, lies stunning Otres Beach; a seemingly infinite strip of casuarinas that gives southern Thailand a run for its money.Although no longer the empty stretch of beach it once
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Preah Khan
From Prasat Preah Stung, the Preah Khan Temple Enclosure access road leads 400m southwest to the magnificently well-preserved eastern gopura (entrance pavilion) of Preah Khan itself, which is surrounded by a (now dry) moat similar to the one around Angkor Thom. Once through the gra
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Banteay Chhmar
Now atmospherically encroached by forest, Banteay Chhmar housed one of the largest and most impressive Buddhist monasteries of the Angkorian period and was originally enclosed by a 9km-long wall. It is one of the the few temples to feature the enigmatic, Bayon-style four-faced Aval
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Bayon
At the heart of Angkor Thom is the 12th century Bayon, the mesmerising if slightly mind-bending state temple of Jayavarman VII. It epitomises the creative genius and inflated ego of Cambodia’s most celebrated king. Its 54 gothic towers are famously decorated with 216 gargantuan smi
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Prasat Preah Vihear
An important place of pilgrimage during the Angkorian period, Prasat Preah Vihear was built by a succession of seven Khmer monarchs, beginning with Yasovarman I (r 889–910) and ending with Suryavarman II (r 1112–1152). Like other temple-mountains from this period, it was designed t
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National Museum of Cambodia
Located just north of the Royal Palace, the National Museum of Cambodia is housed in a graceful terracotta structure of traditional design (built from 1917 to 1920), with an inviting courtyard garden. The museum is home to the world’s finest collection of Khmer sculpture – a millen
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Ta Prohm
The laterite temple of Ta Prohm was built by King Jayavarman VII (r 1181–1219) on the site of a 6th-century Khmer shrine. The main sanctuary consists of five chambers, each containing a modern Buddha. The facades of the chambers contain intricate and well-preserved bas-reliefs. In
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Angkor Wat
The travellers first glimpse of Angkor Wat, the ultimate expression of Khmer genius, is matched by only a few select spots on earth. Built by Suryavarman II (r 1112–52) and surrounded by a vast moat, Angkor Wat is one of the most inspired monuments ever conceived by the human mind.
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Tuol Sleng Museum of Genocidal Crimes
In 1975, Tuol Svay Prey High School was taken over by Pol Pot’s security forces and turned into a prison known as Security Prison 21 (S-21); it soon became the largest centre of detention and torture in the country. Between 1975 and 1978 more than 17,000 people held at S-21 were ta
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Banteay Srei
Considered by many to be the jewel in the crown of Angkorian art, Banteay Srei is cut from stone of a pinkish hue and includes some of the finest stone carving anywhere on earth. Begun in AD 967, it is one of the smallest sites at Angkor, but what it lacks in size it makes up for i
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Discovering Cambodia with Tom Vater
1. Are there any local customs travelers should be aware of?
As in many other Asian countries, travelers should be aware that a clean personal appearance goes a long way to make things go more smoothly. Away from the beaches, bare-chested men in shorts and women in bikinis or hot-pants offend, emb
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