Kampong Cham Travel Guide

Kampong Cham is a sizeable town and province located on the banks of the Mekong to the north of Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and is mainly visited for its Angkor-style Wat Nokor temple complex.

Worth It?
It's perhaps not worth the hassle of getting to this fairly remote place, unless you enjoy temple architecture and getting away from other tourists.
What to Do
ride to the Bamboo Bridge and Koh Paen, climb Mountain Pros, enjoy the views at the hilltop temple on Mountain Srey, market shopping.

When to go: November to February is the best time to visit Kampong Cham to avoid the rain and excessive heat.

How Long?
You could easily spend a couple of days in Kampong Cham and not get bored.
Trivia
Wat Nokor near the town features well-preserved 13th century Khmer architecture.

Although a large city, it is much less chaotic than Phnom Penh and is thus easier and more pleasant to get about. In addition, most of the historic sights worth seeing in the area are well out of town, including temples, museums and a large lake.

Apart from the massive well-preserved 13th century Khmer Wat Nokor temple, there are loads of French colonial buildings in the town, plus a tinge of the 'wild west' as well as a certain laid-back feel.

Travel to Kampong Cham - Getting There

Phnom Penh's international airport is the main point of entry for getting to Kampong Cham, from where buses leave throughout the day. You can be here within a couple of hours by bus direct from Phnom Penh or even take a boat along the Mekong from the capital.

Kampong Cham Things to Do

Kampong Cham Attractions

Nokor Wat
an Angkor-style temple complex which dates back to the 11th century and features loads of mausoleums. Traditional Cambodian dances by children also take place at the temple every evening.
French lookout tower
this interesting structure lies on the other side of the river and was used to monitor river traffic by the colonialists. The stairs are tough-going but the views are grand.
Abandoned US airstrip
B52 bombers used to use this strip, which lies a couple miles from town on the Phnom Penh Highway 7.
Mountains Pros and Srey
not far from the airstrip, the mountains provide fine views over Kampong Cham.
Graves
not far from town are the mass graves of numerous victims of the Khmer Rouge atrocities.
best of the world Best of the World Best in the Country Best in the Country Recommended Recommended