Cambodia Trip Planning - The Sites

For the most part I'll just be tagging along, but if someone asks what I would like to do today, I've put together a list of things that caught my eye.

Things to do in Siem Reap
Angkor Archeological Park - Home to the magnificent Khmer temple ruins of Angkor, including the legendary Angkor Wat, Bayon and dozens of other ancient ruins of the Angkorian-era (9th-13th century) Khmer Empire. The Park encompasses more than 400 square kilometers just outside Siem Reap City in northwestern Cambodia and is a World Heritage Site.

Suggested three day itinerary: Day 1 (morning): Angkor Thom (south gate), Bayon Temple, Terrace of the Leper King, Terrace of the Elephants, Baphuon Temple; Day 1 (afternoon): Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng (for sunset); Day 2 (morning): Prasat Kravan, Banteay Kdei, Srah Srang, Ta Prohm, Victory gate, Thommanon, Chau Say Tevoda; Day 2 (afternoon): Pre Rup, Eastern Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, Preah Khan; Day 3 (morning): Kbal Spean, Banteay Srei, Banteay Samre; Day 3 (afternoon): The Ruluos group

Land Mine Museum - The Land Mine Museum is run by Aki Ra, an ex army Land Mine casualty. He started off by turning the garden of his home into a museum of mines and other ordnance. The museum is now located in a purpose built location approximately 12 miles from Siem Reap in the direction of Bantay Srei.

Angkor National Museum - In a beautiful building, you will discover the Golden Era of the Khmer Kingdom, through state of the art multimedia technology, to provide visitors a full easy to understand story of the legend.

Tara Riverboat – Largest riverboat on the Tonle Sap Lake. Explore the floating village of Kompong Phluk, flooded forest and great lake.

Psar Chaa - Old Market - This flea market offers Khmer antiques, Cambodian food and tourist souvenirs.

Puok Silk Farm – A silk farm and factory with a free tour.

Things to do in Phnom Penh
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum - This former torture and detention center is now a museum dedicated to the victims of the Khmer Rouge.

Russian Market - The Russian Markets (Phsar Tuol Tom Pong) are busy and full of life, as well as being able to buy thousands of things you don't really need, and gifts for people who don't really need them but...

The Killing Fields (Choeung Ek) - These were the execution grounds for the Khmer Rouge.

National Museum - This beautiful sandstone museum was opened in 1920 and showcases many fine examples of Angkor Wat statuary.

Wat Phnom – The temple on the hill. The only hill in town. According to legend, the first pagoda on this site was erected in 1373 to house four statues of Buddha deposited here by the waters of the Mekong and discovered by a woman name Penh.

Independence Monument - This obelisk commemorates Cambodia's freedom from France in 1953.

Royal Palace - Still the dwelling place of the king, this palace contains the Silver Pagoda (Wat Preah Keo Morokat), whose floor is made up of 5329 silver tiles, each weighing 1.125 kilograms.

Wat Ounalom – Headquarters of the Cambodian Buddhist patriarchate and the country’s pre-eminent center of Buddhist education.

Bon Om Touk (Water and Moon Festival) – The first through third in November this year. One of the biggest and most extravagant festivals in Cambodia. Brightly-colored boats do battle in highly competitive races.

Other places and activities
Mekong River – This is the major river running through Cambodia. I would love to be able to take a boat trip up the river and see the freshwater Irrawaddy dolphins.

Kompong Cham – This is the town where Steve's wife's family lives, and the third largest in Cambodia. Near by is the 11th century sanctuary Wat Nokor, the bamboo bridge across the Mekong to the island of Koh Paen is suppose to be impressive and there are a couple of hilltop pagodas to the east (Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei) that might be worth exploring.

Recommendations from the host of Tasty Dog in the Kingdom: Kampot and Kep, a couple of laid back coastal towns; Battambang, the second largest city in Cambodia; Mondulkiri, located in a uqueqe area of Cambodia and home of some beautiful nature hikes.

Preah Vihear Temple - This would have made my list, but due to a dispute with the Thai government, both sides currently have a hefty military presence there and I would get shot if I got near it.