Cambodia HOLIDAYS

Go on holidays in Cambodia to experience a slice of intoxicating history, meet the incredibly friendly Khmer people and take-in the country’s breathtaking natural beauty. Cambodia feels like a bit of a hidden gem in Southeast Asia , with the landscape spans low-lying plains, mountains and Gulf of Thailand coastline.

Cambodia is largely a land of plains and great rivers and lies amid important overland and river trade routes linking China to India and Southeast Asia. The influences of many Asian cultures, alongside those of France and the United States, can be seen in the capital, Phnom Penh, one of a handful of urban centres in the largely rural country. Once known as the 'Paris of the East' Phnom Penh was built at the confluence of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers. While the kingdom’s tumultuous past, which includes being a prominent part of France’s colonial empire, continues to exert a strong influence on present-day Phnom Penh, the city is moving on. On its wide streets, people smile and chat with an ease and friendliness that’s all too rare in big cities.

Considered as the gateway to the Angkor temple complex, Siem Reap has evolved into a modern, fun and very visitor-friendly city. Tourism has exploded in Siem Reap and there are a host of lovely and affordable resorts and boutiques here. The town is a hive of activity, with attractions running the gamut from contemporary galleries to edgy boutiques and slick eateries. Stroll along the leafy riverbank, enjoy a leisurely brunch in the old French Quarter and revel in the hubbub of Pub Street after dark. One of the best parts of any Siem Reap stay is relaxing poolside to beat the midday heat.

With a glorious jumble of ancient temples, tangerine sunsets, colonial structures, glittering rice fields, little-travelled islands and beaches with long stretches of powder-white sand, Cambodia is a place you won’t want to miss.

SELECT YOUR TIME FOR HOLIDAYS IN CAMBODIA

Cambodia’s is a country sandwiched in between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam with a 443 kilometre stretch of coastline in the south. The climate is tropical and due to most of the country being at a relatively consistent altitude and latitude there is not much of variation in weather patterns throughout the country. With a total land area of 181,035 kilometres squared it is the smallest country on mainland Southeast Asia. Cambodia can be considered bowl-shaped, the bottom of this bowl accounts for about 75% of the country’s interior which includes the Tonle Sap basin, the lower Mekong River flood plains and the Bassac River plain. These waters provide for the wetlands which are vast and centrally located and the annual flooding of the Mekong, which runs the length of the country, makes this highly fertile area good for agriculture. Surrounding these central lowlands are the walls of the bowl, mountain ranges to the north, east, south and south-west of the country rise up, but not to any great dizzy heights, with the highest peak of Phnom Aural reaching 1,820 metres. There are two distinct seasons, wet and dry, the wet season runs from May to October and the dry season from October to April. Let’s look a little closer at the differences between the two seasons.

PLAN YOUR FLIGHT FOR CAMBODIA HOLIDAYS

Currently, Cambodia has 17 airports , but only three of them serve international flights. They are Phnom Penh International Airport (PNH), Siem Reap International Airport (REP) and Sihanoukville International Airport (KOS). There are direct flights to Phnom Penh from an increasing number of cities in the region including Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul, Bangkok, Vientiane, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hanoi, Tokyo, Taipei, Jakarta, Manila and several cities in China (including frequent connections with Hong Kong). Alternatively, it’s also possible to fly direct to Siem Reap from Kuala Lumpur, Bursan, Seoul, Bangkok, Da Nang, Hanoi, Guangzhou, Hongkong, Singapore, Luang Prabang, Pakse, and a number of other Asian destinations. As the Cambodia's third largest international airport, Sihanoukville International Airport serves the flights from Kuala Lumpur,Beijing, Shanghai, Macau, Ho Chi Minh City and Bangkok.

There are no direct flights to Cambodia from Europe, North America, Australasia or South Africa, so if you plan to fly into Cambodia you’ll need to get a connecting flight from elsewhere in Southeast or East Asia.

Travelling from Europe to Cambodia: You can opt for many daily flights as well as nonstop flights which depart major international airports to Southeast Asian cities, with some airlines offering connections to Phnom Penh. The major national airlines such as British Airways, Air France, and Lufthansa fly direct to the major hubs of Southeastern Asia cities (Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi), from which it is possible to take connecting flights to Phnom Penh , Siem Reap or Sihanoukville . There are possible to get cheap flights with some surprising connections such as in India or Sri Lanka, as well as the Gulf states of Doha, Abu Dhabi , Dubai or Istanbul. There are also some longer distance options such as flights from Europe Seoul or Hong Kong, plus another 1hr on to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap .

Travelling from North America to Cambodia: The flight options are depending on what city you depart to Cambodia. Flying from the east coast of North America to Cambodia via Europe is the quickest way. The Gulf states (Dubai or Abu Dhabi), or the increasing number of Chinese airports that are now connected to North America and the Asian hubs. Conversely, from the west coast, it may well be quicker and cheaper to fly westward via an Asian city such as Seoul or Taipei. There are also daily flights from New York and Los Angeles to Bangkok, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore, all of which have onward connections to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Breaking your journey can be a great way to get the most from your vacation and a round the world ticket can offer great value.

Travelling from Australia and New Zealand to Cambodia: At the time of writing, no direct flights are operated from any city of this continent to Cambodia. However , there’s a wide selection of flights from Australia and New Zealand to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City, with onward connections to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.