The most propitious time to visit Cambodia is focused in December and January, when humidity is bearable, temperatures, rainfall and cooler, unlikely. Since February, the levels amounts to be unbearable in April. A good time to visit Angkor, despite the humidity, the wet season is from May to October, because the pits are overflowing and the foliage is lush. However, we should avoid travel to the northwestern regions of the country during these months, because the roads are flooded and the journey is hard. In early November, we celebrate the country's largest festival, the Bon Om Tuk, essential.

Cambodia holidays and festival

China ethnicities and celebrating the Vietnamese Lunar New Year in late January or early February. The Khmer New Year celebrations across the country for three days in mid-April, and throwing large amounts of water and talcum powder. Chat Preah Nengkal (real festival of plowing) occurs in the vicinity of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh in early May. The key event of the Khmer calendar, the Bom Om Tuk, happening in late November to commemorate the end of the rainy season. This is the most appropriate time to visit Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. During the holidays, banks, ministries and embassies are closed.

Holidays

January 1 - New Year's Day

March 8 - Women's Day

April 13 - Khmer New Year

May 1 - Labor Day

June 1 - International Day of Children

September 24 - Constitution Day

October 23 - Paris Peace Agreement

October 30 - Anniversary of the King

November 9 - Independence Day

December 10 - Human Rights Day United Nations

Cambodia attraction and places

Phnom Penh

The capital retains its undeniable charm, despite a turbulent and often violent past. The crumbling colonial architecture represents an attractive backdrop to the bustling cafes lining the streets and renovated area of the riverside walk, a particularly active on Friday and Saturday nights. Among the places of interest include various VATS (temples) imposing such as Vat Ounalom center of the Cambodian Buddhist patriarch, the Wat Phnom Pagoda, situated on the summit of a hill and named the city and the newly painted Wat Lang Ka. The greatest pride of the city leads to the spectacular Silver Pagoda, one of the few places in the country that the Khmer Rouge did not destroy, but only retains 40% of the elements embodying the brilliance and richness of Khmer culture. Another prominent attraction is the National Museum, with samples of exceptional artesaníajemer.
The killing fields of Choeung Ek remember the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. In this enclave, just 15 km southwest from the capital, were executed about seventeen thousand people. After the glass panel of the stupa (Buddhist monument) built in 1988 in memory of the victims can be found more than eight thousand skulls, broken down by sex and age. Before his execution, the deceased had been confined in the prison known as S-21, located in the secondary school of Tuol Svay Preyl. At present, the Tuol Sleng Museum offers the testimony of the crimes and explains in detail the torture and death to which the victims were subjected. The central market area, where the boulevard Monirong is the main focus for budget travelers because it uneconomical housing, and many food stalls. The street markets are erected as places to browse and find interesting offers jewelry, antiques or ubiquitous Kramer (cotton scarves). To eat well and drink a little beer money, we recommend the area of the river walk.

Angkor

The biggest tourist attraction in Cambodia focuses on the renowned temples of Angkor. It is a set of one hundred pagodas, built between the XIII and IX centuries to glorify a succession of Khmer kings. Represent the sacred remains of what became in time a great religious and administrative center. Most of the city was abandoned in the fifteenth century and the temples were gradually swallowed by the forest. In the late nineteenth century, the enclave became a source of interest to scholars following the publication of the book Voyage à Siam et dans le Cambodge, the French naturalist Henri Mouhot. At present still made great efforts to remove vegetation that threatened to completely destroy the buildings, along with the work of restoration.
Among the magnificent Angkor Wat temples are the, the Bayon and TaProhm. A few kilometers from the pagoda, is Siem Reap, a town where travelers can stay and eat something.

Sihanoukville

Sihanoukville's beaches are not comparable with those of Thailand and also there are few sites of interest. However, as the country's only seaport, is the area designated to go and explore the south coast and nearby Ream National Park. The beaches that surround the place are four: Ochheuteal, Sokha, Independence and Victory, its fishing port offers the ability to instantly capture that difficult sunrise or sunset. An hour's drive can take a variety of activities related to diving and swimming in a waterfall. In its vicinity lies the sleepy colonial Kampot complex situated on the promenade of the river and next to it are the remains of the strange sea front of Kep. Sihanoukville is located 232 km from the capital, and is supplied by a regular bus service.

Battambang

This elegant riverside city, second largest in the country, home to some of the best preserved colonial buildings of Cambodia. Formerly, Battambang is located outside the route of the passengers, but in recent times, its infrastructure has improved and has become the location indicated to move the temples and villages around. He is considered a secondary center in the land route between Thailand and Vietnam, which ultimately may disappear if the improvements are made in the National Road 6, which joins Poipet to Siem Reap. Its major attraction lies in the charming shops and old French, which are grouped along the river's edge. There are also various VATS scattered around the city. In the small museum has a collection of objects from the period angkoriana and backs of the city you can visit some temples located on top of a hill, and other VATS and a large lake. 293 km of busy shared taxi ride between the capital of Battambang. It also has a service which operates daily flights, except on Tuesdays

Phnom Udong

Between 1618 and 1866, the capital of Cambodia was established in the city of Udong, 40 km north of Phnom Penh. This is a very peaceful, where tourists are scarce, except on weekends. The ruins are spread over two hills. In the small, lie the remains of two buildings, various stupas and the walls are shot through with bullets Ta San Mosque. At the foot of the hill, large cree which is a hidden treasure of the sixteenth century, which are scattered the ruins of a large Vihara (shrine) and a statue of Buddha that bombed the Khmer Rouge in 1977. Around these relics, there are some more tiny viharas, stupas and Buddha statues are still intact. At its base, stands a monumentoconmemorativo to honor the victims of Pol Pot which houses the bones of people buried in one of the hundred graves in the area.

Kompong Luong

Ten thousand people inhabit this floating city on Lake Tonle Sap. The ships are the foundation on which rise housing, schools, restaurants and karaoke, with the tide moving up to 5 km from its original position. Most of the Vietnamese population, as in the Vietnamese floating village of the north end of the lake. In Kompong Luong proposals and current games and any place to stay, so their interest is in discovering the environment of life on the water with an iced coffee or a beer in his hand. The city is located in the southern part of Lake Tonle Sap in Pursat province, about 40 km northwest of the town of Pursat.

Cambodia activities

As the Cambodian tourism industry is in its initial phase, the main activity that can be done is to make tourism. In Phnom Penh travelers can take their leisure time in activities like driving karts, the jet ski, mini-golf or bowling. Slowly we are creating a network of national parks across the country, with facilities for visitors, the most interesting and accessible, Ream and Bokor, are located on the south coast. In Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri, is feasible and mountaineering elephant ride, always within the limits and with guidance. For those who prefer snorkelling practice, we recommend the area of Sihanoukville (aka Kompong Som), which hosts the best beaches in the country.

Cambodia history

Very little is known about the prehistoric Cambodia, although archeological discoveries have shown that in the period prior to 1000 BC, the Cambodian people subsisting on a diet of fish and rice and lived in houses on stilts, a feature that still remain. Between I and VI centuries, most of the territory belonged to the Southeast Asian kingdom of Fu-nan, who played a key role in the development of political institutions, culture and art of the future states Khmers. However, it was not until the angkoriana was started in the eighth century, when the kingdom was transformed into an artistic and religious power.

In 1431, the forces of the Thai kingdom of Ayudhya sacked Angkor, causing a situation of war and dynastic rivalries between Thai and Khmer to be last for a century and a half. In this contest, also played an important role in Spain and Portugal, who had arrived a short time before the region, until the rancor toward their power increased so that in 1599 culminated with the massacre of the Spanish garrison at Phnom Penh bet. Beginning in 1600, and until the arrival of the French in 1863, the country was ruled by a series of weak monarchs.

After signing the treaty of 1863, Cambodia became a French protectorate and in 1884 forced the Gauls to King Norodom to sign another agreement by which the country became a genuine Cologne. The following period was marked by relative calm, even the peasant uprising in 1916 was considered a peaceful event. In 1941, the French gave the throne to Prince Sihanouk, 19, preveyendo the docility of the ruler. However, the years after 1945 were fraught with conflict, and French colonial power was declining due to the proximity of the war between France and the Viet Minh, which occurred in Vietnam and Laos. In 1953, proclaimed the independence of Cambodia, finally confirmed at the conference in Geneva next year, and the enigmatic King Norodom Sihanouk remained in command of the national policy for the next fifteen years before being overthrown by the army.

In 1969, United States planted bombs suspected communist base camps in the nation, causing thousands of casualties among civilians and the forced participation of the country in the Vietnam War. U.S. and South Vietnamese troops invaded the territory of Cambodia in 1970 with the intention of annihilating the Vietnamese communist forces, but the operation failed. However, they retreat of the leftist guerrillas Cambodian Khmer Rouge, to the interior. Cambodia was involved in this struggle, which ended with the taking of the capital of the Khmer Rouge.

Over the next four years, the Khmer Rouge led by Pol Pot, systematically killed about two million citizens, especially intenectuales in a brutal attempt to turn the country into a land dominated by cooperative farmers. Currency was abolished, the postal service was interrupted, the people became slave labor and Cambodia was virtually isolated from the outside world. In response to the continuing Cambodian incursions into their border provinces, Vietnam invaded the country in 1978, forcing the Khmer Rouge to flee to the jungle shrine located in the Thai border. From there, during the 1970s and 1980s, led a guerrilla war against the government, backed by the Vietnamese.

In mid-1993, held general elections supervised by the United Nations, which converged on a new Constitution and the renaming of King Norodom Sihanouk. The Khmer Rouge boycotted the elections, rejected peace talks and bought large quantities of arms to the Cambodian military leaders. In the months that followed the elections, amnesty backed by the government secured the first defections from the ranks of the Khmer Rouge, which continued until 1994, when the government finally declared illegal.

The difficult coalition between the National United Front of Prince Ranariddh and the Cambodian People's Party of Hun Sen was interrupted by violence in July 1997, when the situation eased, Hun Sen took the solo lead in the nation. The elections held in mid-1998 he was awarded a victory, despite the protests led by opposition candidates, who criticized the dubious electoral practices. Although it did not have dazzling democratic credentials, the man eyed and has proved a strong stabilizing force for Cambodia. The death of Pol Pot of an apparent heart attack in April 1998 was met with disagreement of opinions with anger because he was never tried, and with skepticism, because it was not the first time they gave him for dead. It is expected that the most prominent leaders of the Khmer Rouge are still alive to be tried in late 2001 in a trial sponsored by a tribunal supported by the United Nations and overseen by a joint team of foreign and local lawyers. However, hope for justice is marred by the fact that former members loyal to the Khmer Rouge still occupy positions of power, and only a very small group has been jailed. There is no certainty that Ieng Sary, former foreign minister and brother-in-law of Pol Pot, will be tried, because it might jeopardize the stability of the newly released country. This view can help greatly to restore faith in Cambodia, at attracting foreign aid and strengthening the country's position within the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations).

The future stability also depends on improving the ailing economy, which received a blow with the devastating floods that hit in 2000, to eradicate the ingrained culture of corruption and the need to meet King Sihanouk's successor The last of the long line of divine kings of Angkor.

The future stability is linked to improving the country's economy, which has long been in crisis, to the eradication of established culture of corruption, reduction of the army and the clarification of the controversial real estate. The Prime Minister of the Cambodian People's Party, Hun Sen, won the elections in 2003, but the political stalemate lasted until June 2004 when Hun Sen found an ally to form a collation and was able to resume his work in office. In October 2004, King Sihanouk announced his intention to abdicate due to health and inconvenience of internecine political strife in the country

Cambodia culture & people

Fortunately, much of the Cambodian cultural heritage has survived the historical approach of a clean sheet of the Khmer Rouge. In addition to the two million estimated civilian casualties, it also destroyed objects, statues and books, but some famous examples of architecture angkoriana as the temples of Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, were relatively unharmed. In the National Museum in Phnom Penh, can be examples of Khmer sculpture, as highlighted beautifully painted Hindu gods. The most tangible link with their country's glorious past is the real ballet, of great elegance and traditional relationship with the dance of Thailand, Java and India. During the Pol Pot years, even this art was threatened, survived with only a seamstress who conveyed the old techniques of costume design.

Theravada Buddhism is predominant in Cambodia with 95% faithful. The official language, Khmer, can be considered a difficult language to learn, but the few words to be learned will be of great help. English is rapidly becoming the second language of the country over the French, who continue to speak of many citizens, educated before the 1970s.

Khmer cuisine is similar to Thai but with fewer spices. A typical meal will include Cambodia in most cases a stock and must be based on the fish living in the nation. One of the specialties is the fish from the river on the grill, wrapped in lettuce or spinach and served with fish sauce and nuts. The salad is seasoned with coriander, mint or lemon grass, very common in three flavors Cambodian dishes. The French influence is seen in the meal on bread baked daily. Among the desserts are the bland rice cakes and fruit pudding. It is advised not to drink tap water and confined to the mineral water, fruit juices and soft drinks. They should also avoid muscular wines of recent proliferation

Cambodia map