- Great circle of Angkor.
- Small circle of Angkor.
- Park Phnom-Bokor.
- Park Ream.
- Virchai Park.
- The village of folk crafts.
- Central Market Siem Reap.
- Park I-Ball.
- Show "Apsara".
- Lotus plantations.
Temple complexes
For centuries, ancient temples,located in Cambodia, remain a mystery for both visitors to the complexes and scientists. How did they manage to build fabulously beautiful structures in the middle of the jungle? Of particular interest is Angkor, built in the past as an urban settlement. Currently, there is no trace left of residential buildings. Houses were built of wood, which did not stand the test of time. But tourists still have the opportunity to appreciate such attractions of Angkor as the temples of the Small and Large Circles, as well as Angkor Wat. Stone temples successfully withstood bad weather and time and still represent cultural and scientific value. The Small Circle of Angkor includes the most famous temples built during the Khmer Empire, its undoubted heyday. Although the buildings belong to different times, they are united by their original design and undoubted beauty. If the pyramids of Egypt are the most majestic religious buildings, then the temples of the Small Circle seem to be among the most beautiful. Among them, the real pearl is considered to be Angkor Wat, the largest temple in the world. The complex has three levels, but only two are open to visitors. The first level introduces elegant bas-reliefs, and on the third there is a closed Buddhist temple, where tourists with bare knees and shoulders are not allowed. It is recommended to visit the temple at dawn, at this time the complex looks most attractive. Bayon Temple contains more than fifty towers, each of which depicts four faces of Buddha. The complex is also of interest as a rare landmark with bas-reliefs dedicated to the everyday life of the Khmers. This temple should be visited on a full moon, when the moonlight gives the walls a milky glow. The Terrace of the Elephants once served as a platform used for ceremonies of national importance. It is believed, for example, that it was here that the emperor inspected the army, built at the foot of a kind of tribune and consisting of elephants. No less interesting is the Terrace of the Leper King, decorated with elegant carvings. This is where the ancient rulers were cremated. The Temple Mountain built of sandstone, the Royal Palace, part of the Great Circle of Preah Khan and Preah Neak Poan, an island structure located in the center of a lake created from four combined reservoirs - these are undoubtedly majestic and unique monuments of the past.
National parks
Wanting to keep the forests intactCambodia, the authorities announced the creation of several nature conservation areas and national parks. As a result, there are 23 national parks in Cambodia, among which the most notable are Phnom Bokor, Ream, and Virchai. Phnom Bokor has earned fame not only as the most beautiful national park in Southeast Asia, but also as the most mysterious. Situated in the Elephant Mountains, the park attracts tourists with its virgin jungles and the opportunity to admire a herd of wild elephants up close. At the top point there is a pagoda, which is visited relatively rarely due to the difficult path. On the territory of the park, an inquisitive tourist will discover many small lakes and large waterfalls, an abandoned casino built during the times when Cambodia was a French colony, an uninhabited French town of the 18th century, an ancient church and other attractions. Underwater reefs and picturesque beaches, mangrove forests and two charming islands - All this is Ream National Park, known as Pre Sihanouk. Among the park's advantages are hundreds of bird species, quite unusual for a European resident, freshwater dolphins, often appearing in coastal waters, and, of course, many funny monkeys. If you are interested in getting to know the life of an ordinary Cambodian family, you can take a boat trip along Prek Tuk Sap, the river over which they build their houses on stilts. Virchai is the largest national park in Cambodia. This is the northern region of the country, inhabited by gaurs, tigers, elephants, lorises, macaques and many other species of animals. In addition, this region is home to small nations, whose lives are of particular interest to ethnographers and tourists. The park is well monitored. Here you can go on a short or, on the contrary, a fairly long tour, allowing you to fully get acquainted with the culture and sights of Cambodia.
Other entertainment
If a person has sufficiently appreciatedthe attractiveness of cultural buildings and pristine nature, he will enjoy the entertainment, of which there is plenty in Cambodia. For example, you can visit the I-Ball amusement park, specially created for young tourists who are not afraid to show a little madness. One of the park's curiosities is riding in a plastic sphere from a slide. This is a real chance to feel what feelings the laundry experiences during washing. Phnom Penh can rightfully be called the center of nightlife. Around 9 p.m., numerous beer bars and clubs open, which are visited by both tourists and locals. There are also special night clubs for men with female service personnel, live music and the opportunity to see Khmer dances. Tired of nightlife, tourists again set off to travel around a small, but incredibly rich in surprises country. If you want to indulge in romance, you should visit Sihanoukville, an island with hotels in the form of bungalows. The Apsara show will be interesting for connoisseurs of Khmer dances. The performance is accompanied by percussion. For lovers of ancient buildings, it will be useful to take a ride to the east of the Thommanon temple complex. Just two hundred kilometers away is the Spean Tmar Bridge, built several centuries ago. This is one of the best preserved architectural monuments. Lotus plantations are a rest for the eyes and soul. Admiring the pristine flowers, you involuntarily forget that they are grown for a practical purpose. Lotus seeds are the equivalent of Russian sunflower seeds. The leaves are used for packaging material, and the stems are used to make durable mats. Before returning home, it is worth stocking up on souvenirs. The best choice is undoubtedly in Phnom Chun Ching, a village of folk crafts created specifically to attract tourists. If you do not want to go to the village, all the necessary gifts for close and distant relatives can be purchased at the Central Market in Siem Reap, which opens at six o'clock in the morning. Once you visit Cambodia, you will definitely want to return to this exotic paradise.
