Phnom Penh City Guide - excursions

Choeung Ek
Choeung Ek was the extermination camp where the prisoners from S21 (now the Tuol Sleng Museum) were transported to and executed. Also known as the Killing Fields after the movie of the same name, about 17,000 people were buried here in mass graves. A tall Memorial Stupa was constructed to commemorate the dead and more than 8,000 skulls are displayed behind the glass. At the entrance, a handwritten sign in Khmer and English summarises the atrocities caused by the Khmer Rouge.

Sihanoukville
While this beach town doesn't have much to compare with Thailand's pristine coast, it does make a great getaway from the dusty or muddy (depending on season) rest of Cambodia. Sihanoukville is the country's only deep water port, making much of the city industrial and unattractive to tourists. But there are several secluded tourist beaches with all the requisite trappings: dishevelled beach bars, guesthouses and hawkers. As there isn't much to do in town, it is worth the extra money to stay in the quaint beachside guesthouses. Nightly beach barbecues prepare great food and offer cheap beer. The government is said to have plans to develop the area for larger resorts which will surely ruin its laid-back beach charm in years to come. Regular daily buses provide a three to four hour journey to and from Phnom Phen, along Cambodia's best road. There is also a ferry connecting to Koh Kong, the Cambodian/Thailand border.

Kep
From Sihanoukville, a great destination is the one time popular resort town of Kep. The Khmer Rouge did a number on this town but the crumbling villas of past French and rich Cambodian tourists add to its ruinous mystique. A beautiful coastal road and nearby Rabbit Island provide present day visitors with a relaxed atmosphere. For the best restaurants in town, and best seafood in Cambodia, try the shack-like buildings near the water and order the crab. Kep is around a 3 hour taxi ride from Sihanoukville or a 4 hour bus ride from Phnom Phen.

River Dolphins
Irrawaddy river dolphins, once in danger of extinction, are now saving the rural north-eastern town of Kratie. For years the dolphins were killed in now illegal fishing practices and hunted by the Khmer Rouge, but their appeal to tourists is bringing the welcomed dollar to the region. Kratie is accustomed to budget travellers, with a choice of cheap guesthouses. All of these offer motorbike drivers for the scenic 9 mile (15km) drive to the dolphins' river home. From the river shore, tourists can rent small boats to get closer. While the oarsmen retain a healthy distance from the surfacing animals, viewers can get near enough to see a similarity between Khmer and dolphin smiles.