Banlung

People who travel to Cambodia want to experience the local culture and get a sense of how local people live their lives. While the capital is a great starting point, it is only when you get out into the countryside that you see how regular Cambodians really live.

Banlung is a popular stop-off on Cambodia tours and one of the most laid-back places in the whole of Southeast Asia. Here, people aren’t so bothered about getting ahead or trying to make their next million. Instead, they continue to live in much the same way that they have always done. There’s a real sense of community and family here, and a welcoming atmosphere for tourists that you don’t usually find in the big cities.

Battambang

Battambang, like Banlung, is a little bit off the beaten track as far as Cambodian tourist destinations go, but it has a lot to offer.

Its most famous attraction is its bamboo train experience where visitors travel in bamboo carriages out of the town to the countryside beyond and then back again. The settlement is also the location of some of the darkest moments of the country’s history, with local burial sites for victims of the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge.

Pub Street In Siam Reap

Siam Reap is one of the most beautiful areas in the whole of Cambodia, brimming with local people going about their business. If you’re in Siam Reap, don’t feel pressured into visiting Angkor Wat immediately. Instead, spend some time taking in the local ambiance and exploring the culture.

Meeting new people is always one of the most fun things to do on your travels. If you have the urge to get to know fellow tourists and locals, then head on over to Pub Street – a part of the town brimming with neon lights and signs. You can’t miss it. Pub Street is one of the most affordable drinking locations on Earth. Low wages and taxes mean that you can pick up a beer here for less than 50p, which is incredible when you think about how much the same drink would cost in London.

Kampot

Most people imagine that they will just travel through Kampot or stay for a couple of hours before moving on. The town, however, has a habit of making people fall in love with it, encouraging them to spend days, not hours, soaking up its atmosphere.

Kampot has considerable French overtones thanks to its colonial history. The food here, therefore, has a significant Francophone influence. Top of the list of things to try is the local pepper crab covered in the town’s trademark pepper sauce.

So there you have it: four destinations that need to be a part of your Cambodia trip itinerary.