Are you planning a trip to Cambodia? Are you fascinated by its culture and history? Would you like to explore its natural beauty and attractions? If yes, why not take some time to learn a few interesting facts about Cambodia before you leave for the journey - surely, you're eager to get to know this unique Southeast Asian country!

With centuries of history and a mix of spiritual influences, Cambodia is a perfect destination for any curious traveler. From traditional temples and ancient monuments to vibrant markets full of colors and flavors - exploring this unique country can be both amusing and enlightening.

In this article, you will find a few interesting facts about Cambodia that will introduce you to the captivating culture of this country and help you set the scene for the journey of your dreams. Get ready to dive into an amazing adventure!

1. Cambodia’s flag - unique features of the national symbol

The Cambodian flag may be considered special because it is the only national flag in the world that features a building. The structure presented on the flag is the Angkor Wat, a temple serving as a reminder of the country's ancient heritage.

Considered the heart and soul of the country, Angkor Wat was built in the early 12th century and is the biggest religious complex on the planet, listed as a world heritage site.

Although red, blue, and white (the colors visible on Cambodia’s national flag) are rather popular in the flag designs, they all carry a significant meaning.

The blue and red stripes on either side of the Angkor Wat represent Cambodia’s two main rivers - the Mekong and the Tonlé Sap. The white piece in the center stands for purity and the nation's major religion - Buddhism.

2. Angkor Wat - largest religious monument in the world

The Angkor Wat is an ancient temple complex located in Cambodia. Dating back to the 9th century Khmer Empire, it is one of the largest religious monuments in the world, serving as a symbol of Cambodia’s wealth and strength.

Considered one of the greatest architectural masterpieces, the temple takes a spot on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites due to its cultural importance and historical significance.

During its glory days, Angkor Wat served as a political and religious center of power, with many sculptures dedicated to Buddhism. Nowadays, the temple is a major tourist attraction in Cambodia, where visitors can explore its majestic ruins while gaining insight into the culture and developments of the Khmer Empire.

It is widely regarded as one of the most important archaeological sites in Southeast Asia, drawing millions of visitors each year.

3. Khmer - the official language of Cambodia

While there are around 19 indigenous languages spoken within Cambodia, Khmer is the only official language used daily in government, education, and media. Related to Thai, Lao, and Vietnamese, it is written with an abugida script.

Given its grammar complexity and complicated spelling rules, it is said that it can take over 5 years to become fluent in reading, writing, and speaking Khmer! What an incredibly fascinating language!

Interestingly, Khmer uses numerous French loanwords, especially from periods when Cambodia was colonized by France. Even the name of the country comes from the French word “Cambodge” - it originated from the way Frenchmen were pronouncing the Khmer word Kampuchea.

It is worth noting that although westerners tend to call the country Cambodia today, citizens of Asian countries are more likely to call it the Country of Kampuchea.

4. Geckos - lucky creatures that predict the future

Geckos are regarded as a symbol of good luck and fortune. Many Cambodians believe finding a gecko in your house will bring you wealth and success, as these animals symbolize prosperity and abundance.

It is said that Geckos are messengers of the gods and can bring blessings to those who treat them with due respect.

As god-sent creatures, geckos are also believed to have the divine power to predict future events. Many Cambodians say that counting the chirps of a gecko will foresee the future of a relationship - it’s considered good luck if a gecko is in the same room as the couple and calls out at least seven times.

 Although these beliefs might seem a little strange to outsiders, Cambodian people take these superstitions very seriously.

5. Cambodia eVisa - an easy way to cross the border

Naturally, planning a visit to Cambodia requires you to take care of all the necessary documentation. You should have not only a valid passport but also a visa that will remain in force for the duration of your trip. Luckily, since 2006, it has been possible to apply for a visa for Cambodia online - through the eVisa application form.

The electronic permit is a great facilitation of travel for thousands of foreign visitors to Cambodia. The registration is effortless as you are only required to complete an application form, submit the necessary documents (scan of the passport’s bio-data page, current photo of the applicant), and cover the mandatory visa processing fee.

Once your inquiry has been approved, the authorized Cambodia eVisa will be delivered to your e-mail address. The document will remain valid for 90 days from the date of issue.

6. April - New Year celebrations in Cambodia

The Cambodian New Year, also known as Choul Chnam Thmey, takes place in April. It is a cheerful three-day holiday that marks the end of the harvest season and the beginning of the Khmer calendar year.

During the festive celebrations, Cambodians clean their homes, prepare traditional meals, and visit local Buddhist temples to offer their prayers and receive blessings for the next year.

From dancing to traditional music to playing competitive games, the Cambodian New Year celebrations are full of energy. The highlight of the holiday is a parade around the city walls where people dressed in bright, colorful clothes take part in activities such as boat racing. During this time, Cambodians come together to socialize and exchange gifts while also indulging in some of their favorite cuisines.

7. US Dollar - the unofficial currency of Cambodia

Although the official currency of Cambodia is the Cambodian Riel (KHR), the US Dollar is widely accepted throughout the country. Many businesses, especially in tourism, accept payments in USD.

If you start looking for souvenirs to buy for your relatives, you will notice that all the items have two prices written on them - one in KHR and one in USD. Interestingly, all ATMs dispense cash in USD.

Cambodia's reliance on the US Dollar started around the time of the Khmer Rouge fall. Now, the majority of government transactions take place in USD. This phenomenon is not only unique to Cambodia, as neighboring countries of Laos and Vietnam also report high amounts of financing assumed through US Dollar currency due to its raised stability and convenience for those trading across borders.

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Temples of Angkor

An important archaeological site, Angkor plays host to the Temple of Angkor Wat, Preah Khan and Ta Prohm and the Bayon. Extending over 400 square kilometers, Angkor was at one point the center of the Khmer Kingdom. Wander through its vast landscape and marvel at the impressive monuments, awe-inspiring architecture and extensive collection of art from the 9th to
14th centuries.

The Killing Fields (Choeung Ek)

Located 15 kilometers outside Phnom Penh, The Killing Fields are where prisoners were taken in 1975-79 to be executed after interrogation by Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. Heartbreaking and confronting, The Killing Fields Museum is a monument to the estimated 2 million Cambodians who lost their lives during this period. It’s a kind gesture to pay your respects and honor the memories of the victims of the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror.

Battambang

History buffs with a passion for architecture will delight in a visit to Battambang as it encompasses beautifully preserved French-period architecture dating back to the early 1900s. Climb the stairs to Wat Banan, a Buddhist temple built some time in the 10th to 13th centuries and featuring intricate carvings and towers. Or visit the Laang Spean cave, the most ancient Cambodian archaeological site dating back to 6000 BC.

Koh Ker

Once the capital of the Angkorian empire, Koh Ker is the home of the Prasat Thom, a 55 meter wide, 40 meter high pyramid shrouded by jungle built in
921 AD. Climb to the top for expansive views over the jungle. Don’t forget to visit the monuments along the ring-road, including Prasat Balang and Prasat Thneng. After touring these archaeological wonders, it’s a good idea to hire a motorbike or car and take yourself on a self-guided tour of the spectacular buildings and sculptures dotted all around Koh Ker, soaking in the history of this remote area on your way.

Bokor Hill Station

Known as a “French ghost town”, construction of Bokor Hill Station began in 1921 on the Damrei Mountains but was abandoned in the 1940s during the
First Indochina War. Although it is now merely a collection of ruins, the site remains important, as it is a testament to the way the colonial settlers spent their leisure time. Bring a picnic and climb to the top for an unmatched view of the Gulf of Thailand.

If you are looking for a holiday destination steeped in history, you really cannot do better than Cambodia. Traveling independently is fairly easy but if you late to have things taken care of for you Cambodia tours are  an easy way to make sure you don’t miss a thing!

Is Cambodia a destination you’d like to visit? Or maybe visited already? What do you like about this part of the world, or what do you expect to see? Share your thoughts with us in the comments section below, and this post too if you liked it!

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Our early morning drive to the dock was a on pick-up truck instead of the bus they had mentioned. Nothing extraordinary had it not been raining as heavily as it was. Liza managed to squeeze into the cabin with other travellers, but I had to jump on the back with another couple and hoped that my raincoat would do its job. It did, unlike the backpacks which were quite wet by the time we reached the dock.

The boat is nothing fancy: made of wood, it can carry up to 20 passengers inside and you can climb on the roof for views if you want to. The first hour or so (leaving from Siem Reap) is not very exciting as all you see is water. After that though, you begin to see isolated houses built on stilts, with nothing but water surrounding the roughly 40 to 60 m squared with perhaps another 4 m2 of a floating den with chickens and a pig tied to it. Obviously extremely poor, the families would eagerly wave at our passing by boat, happy about seeing foreigners who can’t help much but wave back smiling and taking pictures.

We crossed two towns along the way, carrying the occasional passengers from one place to another for free (courtesy of your relatively expensive ticket) and stopping in one of them for a snack, drink or food if you want to. I went to the toilet, a wood cabin the size of an average table with a hole on the floor and the lake water moving slowly below.

These views repeat themselves along the way, but you never get tired. Eventually you cross marshlands which bring the boat to an unwanted stop making the crew jump into the water to free the blades from the algae, and about 30 minutes of navigating upstream a small river you arrive to Battambang. There were two vans willing to take travellers to their hotels: most choose the cheaper Chaya Hotel at 5 $/person/night, but we chose Park Hotel for 12$/double room/night which apppeared much better. What a deal. Only 6 months old, spotless, with AC, fridge and a modern toilet it was our best hotel in Cambodia and one of the best of the trip.

Battambang itself is nothing special, but there are a few side trips to be done nearby. We decided to spend 3 nights pushed as well by the excellent accommodation, and soon after checking in we had arranged trips for the next two days with a friendly tuktuk driver that included one of the oldest houses in the area (100+ years old) and a chat with the owner, the local wood train, another stupa with memories(skulls) of Pol Pot victims, a temple on top of a hill (about 150 steps), a wine brewery (awfull, but the grape juice was very good), one of the largest local temples, the black buddha and small family run businesses where local food was made and distributed. Good fun, with the added bonus of seeing local people from the tuktuk when going from one place to the other.

Foodwise, there is not much to choose from in town, but some ladies make an excellent porridge in the street stalls ( not the market) with a great taste, very cheap, and filling. We enjoyed our stay very much, although at one point Liza did not join me when visiting a small cliff from which Pol Pots army pushed innocent people to their deaths. Unfortunately his presence is found in way too many places.

On our last day we shared a taxi and a van with two other travellers to Bangkok, a city we know realtively well and would provide a few days’ break in our trip.

Cambodia is a spectacular country home to very warm and gentle people who have endured one of the most horrific regimes in the world. The visits to stupas and S-21 are not for the faint hearted but a must (in my opinion) if you want to know about Cambodia and its people. Too many tourists fly to Siem Reap, visit Angkor Wat, leave two days later and say they have visited ambodia. False. Wrong. BS. They might know Angkor Wat, but have skipped the best of this great kingdom, its people, and fail to admire their warmth having endured the dark side of humans as portrayed through Pol Pot and his regime.

It is quite expensive when compared to its neighbouring countries because it has adapted the USD as currency, so helping out money-wise when possible brings some relief to the benefactors. And finally, if you can, visit any. I guarantee you will not regret it, even if you show up empty handed, and will take great memories with you to share. if adults are happy to see you, you can’t even imagine how happy kids can be only because you say hello.

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Cambodians are genuinely friendly, helpful and smiling people, yet only two decades ago they were victims to one of the most brutal, violent and opressive regimes any country has ever seen: Pol Pot and his Khmer Rouge. Appearing as a Cambodian’s equivalent to the VC and Vietnam’s communist party, the Khmer Rouge gained power by overtaking the government of the time and was expelled by the invading vietnamese military less than ten years later. Soon after Pol Pot began his “return to the rural” scheme; first by forcing all city people into the countryside to work in farms.  And second, he attempted to “clean”society from possible rebel leaders and capitalists. Under these conditions between 1.5 and 2 million people were tortured and executed, for reasons as vain as wearing glasses, knowing more than one language, or having attended university. Many times reasons were non existant or necessary: “It is better to eliminate 5 innocent people than to let a guilty one go”would say the chief military officer.

Thankfully the regime is over (some leaders are still pending prosecution in The Hague for crimes against humanity), and to learn more about what happenned we visited the Killing Fields of Choenung Ek. You can still smell death in the soil of this place, where thousands of people were killed, and today a stupa (something like a temple) holds hundreds of skulls of victims burried in mass graves. Most of them have cracks, proving the the Khmer Rouge killed most of its victims by clubbing them to death to save bullets. Babies were killed by grabbing them from their feet and swinging their heads against a palm tree. Families were forced to walk into the mass graves and were killed while relatives had to watch. Did any escape? Very few did, because when taken from the field hundreds would have a hole drilled in their hand and have a rope placed through it: running away was not an option.

This was not all though. Our next visit was camp S-21, what once was a school was transformed into a prison and torture ground. The somber building is very much empty today, but still holds the beds where the innocent people were tortured to confess non exitant crimes, as well as pictures of hundreds of faces of them, many children. A few other pictures are of victims that never made it past their torture.

The suffering of the victims caught up with us , and Liza and I left the building in a sad and depressed mood. Our tuk tukl driver was right there, waiting for us with the smile that most Cambodians have. How could he smile , I wondered, with all the tragedy still palpable in his country? Wondering what to do next, we remembered that a traveller had recommended we visit any orphanage in Cambodia. We did. And it was the best thing we could have done.

The tuktuk driver suggested we visit the lighthouse orphanage (www.lighthouseorphans03.org), and on the way we stopped to buy them  palm oil and a huge box of cookies. As soon as our tuktuk made it past the entrance gate, we realized that we  were in a for a good time. 6-13 year old children ran to us saying hello and waving their hands, and as soon  as we stepped out they warmly grabbed pour hands and took us to where the supervisor was, a dutch lady who had settled there many years ago. We gave them the cookies, spoke with them, and a few kids wanted to show me their rooms, never letting go my hands when going there. Liza went another way with the girls, experiencing the same charm and love as I was. I learned that some of the kids were sponsored by foreigners, allowing a better education and future: one of these kids already spoke 3 languages at the age ot ten. About two hours and many pictures later we left, feeling very optimistic and happy thanks to these wonderful children who had given us so much love for nothing.

Phnom Pen is a mysiterious city that never leaves travellers untouched. Be it because  of its tragic recent past, the contrasting wealth of a selected few versus the poverty of a majority, the splendid architechture of the Royal Palace versus the mostly dirty streets, or the warmth of the children of an orphanage, there is something that will affect you somehow.

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