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Cambodia holiday

Travel tips, best time to visit & highlights for your Cambodia holiday in Asia

Cambodia fascinates with the legendary Angkor Wat, a moving history, and the warmth of its people. Away from the temple complexes, untouched islands, floating villages, and a growing foodie scene beckon. Cambodia is rough, authentic, and incredibly affordable.

Capital

Phnom Penh

Language

Khmer

Currency

Riel (KHR) / US Dollar

Time zone

UTC+7

Flight time from DE

approx. 11–13 hours (with layover)

Entry requirements

Passport, Visa on arrival (30 days)

Top hotels & accommodations in Cambodia

Selected hotels and holiday accommodations in Cambodia — with images, reviews, and direct booking links with our partners.

HolidayCheck

Anantara Angkor Resort

Siem Reap / Angkor, Kambodscha

Hotel Heritage Suites

Siem Reap / Angkor, Kambodscha

Park Hyatt Siem Reap

Siem Reap / Angkor, Kambodscha

Hotel Sokha Beach Resort & Spa

Sihanoukville/Kampong Som, Kambodscha

Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor

Siem Reap / Angkor, Kambodscha

Borei Angkor Resort & Spa

Siem Reap / Angkor, Kambodscha

Shinta Mani Club

Siem Reap / Angkor, Kambodscha

Lotus Blanc Hotel

Siem Reap / Angkor, Kambodscha

Top 5 highlights in Cambodia

The places you absolutely must not miss.

Angkor Wat

The largest religious temple complex in the world – sunrise over the towers is unforgettable.

Phnom Penh

Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, moving Killing Fields, and the vibrant nightlife along the riverside.

Koh Rong

Paradisiacal islands with bioluminescent plankton and white beaches.

Battambang

Colonial architecture, the Bamboo Train, and Cambodia's emerging art scene.

Tonle Sap

Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake with floating villages and a unique way of life.

Hotels in Cambodia

Vergleiche tausende Hotels, Apartments und Resorts auf Expedia – mit Bestpreis-Garantie, kostenloser Stornierung und Bonuspunkten.

Über 700.000 Hotels

Kostenlose Stornierung

Bestpreis-Garantie

Hotels in Cambodia vergleichen

* Weiterleitung zu Expedia.de. Es gelten die dortigen Nutzungsbedingungen.

Reise-SIM für Cambodia

Prepaid-SIM mit Datenvolumen für Cambodia. Einfach einlegen und sofort lossurfen – keine Roaming-Gebühren.

Sofort einsatzbereit

200+ Länder

Kein Roaming

SIM-Karte für Cambodia bestellen

* Weiterleitung zu travSIM.de. Es gelten die dortigen Nutzungsbedingungen.

Reiseversicherung abschließen

Rundum-Schutz ab 9,90 € auf TravelSecure.de

Pauschalreisen & Rundreisen

Berge & Meer – 170 Tage Cookie

Best time to visit Cambodia

Recommended travel time

November–February (dry season, cool)

Summer

30–35°C

Winter

25–32°C

How much does a holiday in Cambodia cost?

Average cost per person per day (excluding flight)

🎒

Budget

15–25€

Hostel, street food, public transport

🏨

Mid-range

25–60€

Hotel, restaurant, excursions

🌟

Luxury

60–150€

Boutique hotel, fine dining

Calculate your budget accurately

5 travel tips for Cambodia

Insider knowledge to make your holiday better.

Angkor Pass for 3 days ($62) is worth it – the site is huge

US Dollars are accepted everywhere, Riel only as change

Negotiate Tuk-Tuk prices in advance – $3-5 per city ride

The Killing Fields and S-21 Museum are shocking but important to visit

Amok (fish curry in banana leaf) is Cambodia's national dish

Food & drink in Cambodia

These dishes you must try!

Fish Amok

Lok Lak

Bai Sach Chrouk

Nom Banh Chok

Fried Tarantula

Sugarcane Juice

Discover Cambodia

8 regions, cities and highlights in Cambodia

Areas

brown concrete building under white clouds

Angkor Wat

Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the largest religious temple complex in the world and a masterpiece of Khmer architecture that has awed visitors since its construction in the 12th century. The temple was dedicated by King Suryavarman II as a Hindu sanctuary to the god Vishnu and later transformed into a Buddhist site — this dual identity makes it unique. The five lotus-shaped towers, reflecting in the water moat, create one of the most iconic silhouettes in architectural history. Over 1,200 meters of bas-reliefs tell stories from Hindu mythology and the Khmer Empire in masterful detail. The sunrise over Angkor Wat, when the towers appear as black silhouettes against an orange sky, is one of the most magical moments in Southeast Asia. However, Angkor Wat is just a part of the vast Angkor Archaeological Park, which contains over 1,000 temples spread over 400 square kilometers. Ta Prohm, where powerful roots of strangler figs entwine the temple ruins, became famous as a filming location for Tomb Raider. Bayon impresses with its 216 smiling stone faces. Three days is the minimum to explore the most important temples. November to February offers cool, dry weather and is the best time to visit.

UNESCOTempleHistory

Cities

Battambang

Battambang is Cambodia's second-largest city and the cultural heart of the country — a place that offers everything Siem Reap has lost in authenticity. The colonial architecture from the French era, the Bamboo Train, the surrounding temples, and the emerging art scene make Battambang a hidden gem for travelers seeking the real Cambodia. The Bamboo Train (Norry) is Battambang's most famous attraction — and one of the craziest train rides in the world. On the abandoned tracks of the French colonial railway, a bamboo platform on metal wheels rattles through rice fields and villages. When two trains meet, the one with fewer passengers is quickly disassembled, the other passes by, and then everything is reassembled. The city itself surprises with well-preserved colonial architecture along the Sangke River. French villas, Art Deco buildings, and Cambodian wooden houses create a charming urban landscape that is unmatched in Southeast Asia. The art scene — street art, galleries, and Phare, the famous Cambodian circus — gives the city a creative energy. The surroundings offer fascinating temples and landscapes: Phnom Sampeau has a "Killing Cave" that reminds of the dark Khmer Rouge history and offers millions of bats swarming out of a cave at sunset. Wat Banan is a miniature Angkor Wat on a mountain peak. And the rice fields and villages between the temples showcase rural Cambodia in its timeless beauty. Phare, the Cambodian circus, is Battambang's cultural flagship. Former street children and youth from difficult backgrounds perform acrobatic shows that combine Cambodian stories with circus art — touching, impressive, and one of the best live experiences in all of Southeast Asia.

CambodiaBamboo TrainCircus

Coffee beans roasting inside a metal container.

Kampot

Kampot is Cambodia's most charming small town — a sleepy riverside town with decaying French colonial buildings, famous pepper, and the most relaxed atmosphere in the country. Located on the Praek Tuek Chhu River, Kampot offers boat trips to firefly forests, the nearby Bokor National Park, and a crab market. The famous Kampot pepper is a world-renowned spice that can be tasted directly on the plantations here.

ColonialPepperRiver

a wooden pier extending into the ocean under a cloudy sky

Kep

Kep is Cambodia's forgotten seaside resort — once the glamorous bathing spot of the Cambodian elite and French colonizers, today a sleepy coastal town with decaying villas in the jungle and the most famous crab market in Southeast Asia. The mix of morbid colonial romance, the freshest seafood, and the nearby Kep National Park with its hiking trails makes Kep a fascinating contrast to the rest of Cambodia.

SeafoodBeachColonial

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, is located at the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Sap, and Bassac rivers and has transformed from the shadows of the Khmer Rouge into a dynamic Southeast Asian metropolis. The Royal Palace with the Silver Pagoda, whose floor consists of 5,000 silver tiles, is a testament to the splendor of the Khmer Empire. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields of Chöung Ek are shocking yet essential testimonies of the Khmer Rouge era. At the same time, the city is flourishing: Along the riverside (Sisowath Quay), cafes and restaurants line up, the BKK1 district is a hotspot for young creatives and digital nomads, and the island of Koh Pich is developing into a modern neighborhood. The markets — especially the Russian Market and the Central Market in the Art Deco dome building — are a feast for all senses.

HistoryMekongTemples

Siem Reap

Siem Reap is the gateway to the temples of Angkor and has transformed from a sleepy provincial town to a vibrant travel destination with surprising cultural depth. The city serves as a base for exploring the Angkor Archaeological Park, but also offers numerous experiences off the beaten path that make a longer stay worthwhile. Pub Street and the Old Market form the tourist center with restaurants, bars, and souvenir shops. However, the true Siem Reap is discovered off the beaten path: Phare, the Cambodian circus, offers breathtaking acrobatic shows every evening, promoting young artists from disadvantaged backgrounds. The silk farms on the outskirts showcase traditional Khmer silk weaving, and cooking classes reveal the secrets of Cambodian cuisine with Amok, Lok Lak, and fresh curry pastes. Tonle Sap Lake, Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake, is just a few kilometers south and is home to floating villages whose residents have lived on the water for generations. Sunset boat tours provide unique insights into this extraordinary lifestyle. Biking tours through the rice field-dotted landscape around Siem Reap showcase rural Cambodia. November to March is the ideal travel time with pleasant weather.

Angkor WatTemplesNightlife

Islands

Koh Rong

Koh Rong is Cambodia's tropical island paradise — a 78 square kilometer island in the Gulf of Thailand, known for its 43 kilometers of powdery white sandy beaches, crystal clear turquoise waters, and dense jungle, making it one of Southeast Asia's best-kept beach secrets. While neighboring islands are already overcrowded, Koh Rong maintains a magical balance between tropical wilderness and gentle tourism. Long Set Beach (Long Beach) on the west coast is one of Asia's most beautiful beaches: seven kilometers of uninterrupted white sand, lined with coconut palms and untouched jungle, with no high-rise buildings in sight. At sunset, the light bathes the beach in gold and pink, and at night, the sea glows bioluminescent — millions of plankton organisms create a magical blue glow with every movement in the water. The bioluminescent plankton is Koh Rong's most unique natural wonder: during the new moon, on moonless nights, the shallow water at several beaches transforms into a sea of glowing blue lights. Every step, every swimming movement creates sparks of blue light — an experience that feels like swimming in liquid starlight. The jungle in the interior of the island is home to rare wildlife: long-tailed macaques, hornbills, flying foxes, and pythons live in the dense tropical forest. Hiking trails crisscross the island through the rainforest, past hidden waterfalls and secluded bays that can only be reached on foot.

IslandBeachBioluminescence

Lakes

Tonle-Sap-See

Tonle Sap is Southeast Asia's largest freshwater lake and a hydrological wonder: it grows and shrinks by five times its size in rhythm with the seasons — from 2,500 square kilometers in the dry season to up to 16,000 square kilometers during the monsoon, when the Mekong carries so much water that the Tonle Sap River reverses its direction and floods the lake. This phenomenon, unique in the world, is celebrated every year with the Bon Om Touk Festival. Over a million people live on and around this vibrant body of water in floating villages — entire communities on the water, with stilt houses, floating schools, churches, basketball courts, and even a floating police station. Kompong Luong is one of the largest of these villages: hundreds of houses on pontoons float on the lake, connected by a network of boats that serve as buses, taxis, and delivery vehicles. Chong Kneas, the closest to Siem Reap, is the most touristy floating village — here the contrasts are most apparent: children paddle to school in washbasins, women cook in floating kitchens, and fishermen sort their catch in crocodile farms that also float on the water. Kompong Khleang, further away and less visited, showcases the dramatic adaptation to fluctuating water levels with its stilt houses reaching up to 10 meters high. Tonle Sap is also one of the most productive freshwater ecosystems in the world: the flooded forest forms a wetland that serves as a nursery for hundreds of fish species and is home to over 200 bird species — including rare ibises, pelicans, and the endangered Bengal vulture. A boat ride through the flooded forest at sunset is a natural experience of quiet beauty.

Floating VillageLakeBoat Ride

Package holiday to Cambodia

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Holiday apartment in Cambodia

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Complete guide for Cambodia

Regions, attractions, food, routes, costs & practical tips — all in one digital guide.

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Suitable for:TemplesHistoryBudgetBeachAdventure

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Plan a holiday in Cambodia

Cambodia is one of the most popular travel destinations in Asia, offering Temples, History, Budget and much more. The best time to visit Cambodia is November–February (dry season, cool), when the weather is ideal for exploration and relaxation. With a daily budget starting from 15–25€ (Budget) to 60–150€ (Luxury), Cambodia is suitable for various travel budgets.

From the capital Phnom Penh, Cambodia can be excellently explored. The official language is Khmer, and the currency is Riel (KHR) / US Dollar. From Germany, you can reach Cambodia in approx. 11–13 hours (with layover). Whether you want to try culinary highlights like Fish Amok, Lok Lak, Bai Sach Chrouk, visit top attractions, or simply enjoy the atmosphere: Cambodia has something for every type of traveller.

Use our free travel tools to prepare your Cambodia holiday perfectly. With the holiday finder, you can discover if Cambodia is the right destination for you. The budget calculator helps you plan costs realistically, and with the packing list, you won't forget anything.

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Suitable holiday types for Cambodia:

Budgetreisen Strandurlaub Kulturreisen Abenteuerurlaub

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