On our recent trip to Southeast Asia, we had some fantastic experiences—these are seven of the best things we did in Cambodia.

I’ll start by saying that the Cambodian people we met were friendly and helpful, making our time in their country a charming experience. But, of course, because their history is fraught with horror and sadness, visiting certain places was often excruciatingly difficult.

On this trip, we divided our time between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and I highly recommend both places for different reasons.

Tuk Tuk Street Food Tour, Phnom Penh

We booked Phnom Penh’s Ultimate Street Food Tour by a company called Urban Forage. The booking was seamless, and their communication via WhatsApp was good. Jackson, our tour guide for the night, picked us up at our hotel, and we set off on our adventure! This 4-hour tour caters to small groups of 1-8 guests. We were a group of six, so we had two tuk-tuks for our group that night. And we got lucky  – we met two other interesting couples.

We visited seven places that night – from local family restaurants to a market, street vendors and even a few bars (one with a live local band). We tasted all the best local cuisine (and some wild snacks) while Jackson told us the history and stories behind each place and meal. I learnt so much more than just about the food, which was amazing. This was a stand-out experience and one that I would highly recommend doing.

My Three Favourite Temples in Siem Reap

Because what’s a trip to Siem Reap if you don’t visit the temples?!

Angkor Wat Temple

We booked a three-day pass, which was fortuitous as it rained on our first visit to this magnificent temple. In hindsight, the rain lent a certain beauty to the temple, but I’m also glad we got to visit Angkor Wat on another day when the sun was shining.

Bayon Temple

Located in the centre of Angkor Thom capital city, you will find the Bayon “face statues” temple. Lots of little monkeys entertained us while we roamed this fascinating place.

Ta Prohm

Ta Prohm, or the “Tomb Raider Temple” as it is also known, is my favourite. I find it fascinating how the jungle has taken over this temple, with tree roots growing between the stones. This temple is amazing, so set aside enough time to browse and truly absorb the magic.

Kandal Village, Siem Reap

We discovered an art and culture precinct in a leafy neighbourhood north of Pub Street and south of the Old French Quarter. Kandal Village has cafes, galleries, homeware stores, gift stores, spas and clothing shops. We found so many amazing stores in this area, and I was impressed with the style and quality of the homemade goods on sale.

My favourites were DSK The Workshop (a fantastic leather shop), Louise Loubatieres (a lifestyle store), Manava (baskets, homeware and fashion accessories), Roxy Nail Spa and Common Grounds Cafe.

Khmer Herbal Compress Massage

The Khmer Herbal Compress Massage combines the healing effects of an aromatherapy massage with the application of a heated herbal Compress. It was heavenly! The treatment purifies, relaxes, warms, relieves aches and pains, and improves blood circulation. We had this massage at our hotel, and it was the best treatment I had on my whole trip. Those compresses are brilliant! If you see this treatment on a menu, I’d recommend trying it out.

A Circus Show

The Phare Circus is more than your average circus. It uses theatre, music, dance and circus arts to tell historical, folk and modern Cambodian stories.

Phare artists are students and graduates from Phare Ponleu Selpak’s (www.phareps.org) vocational training centre in Battambang. The centre was formed in 1994 by nine young men coming home from a refugee camp after the Khmer Rouge regime. They were helped during that time by an art teacher who used drawing classes as therapy. And wanting to share this new skill, the centre was born.

So they founded an art school, and a public school offering free education followed. A music school and theatre school came next, and finally, for the kids who wanted more, the circus school.

Phare, The Cambodian Circus, offers these students and graduates somewhere to hone their skills and a place to earn a decent wage. I loved this whole story and the amazing show.

Related: 7 of the best things to do on Koh Samui

More of the unforgettable things we did in Cambodia

These two places aren’t “best” in the traditional sense but were phenomenal in a sad, almost depressing way. I recommend visiting them, but be warned—you will be forever changed.

Tudl Sleng Genocide Museum, Phnom Penh

This museum was one of the most heartbreaking places I’ve ever visited, and I’ll never forget it. Despite the horror of seeing what the prisoners endured here, it’s an important reminder. The stories of so many of the individuals who died there can be read in all the rooms, serving as a testimony.

The Killing Fields, Phnom Penh

This shocking and utterly heartbreaking place filled me with horror and sadness. But as I said about the genocide museum, I feel it’s important to see and acknowledge this history and remember those who were killed.

Have you been to Cambodia? If not, is it somewhere you’d like to visit?

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