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Angkor Wat stone carving. Cambodia Travel Fast Facts Getting there: regular flights (direct or indirect) to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Language(s): Khmer, French, English Official currencies: The Cambodian riel and US dollar. What to see: Royal Palace, Siem Reap and Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, the beaches of Sihanoukville.

Following the devastation by the Khmer Rouge government (led by the notorious 1970's communist dictator Pol Pot), today Cambodia has recovered its sure footing as a constitutional monarchy.

Modern Cambodia also continues to grow in popularity as a prime Southeast Asia travel destination for savvy travelers.

The country's main highlights begin in the capital Phnom Pehn, where the Royal Palace is a definite must-see, followed by relaxing walks along the developed river front where other interesting tourist sites, shops and restaurants abound.

Traveling northwest, Siem Reap is another prominent tourist stop offering fine hotels and restaurants, as well as a good jumping-off point for other area attractions.

Nearby, no visit to Cambodia would be complete without a visit to Angkor Wat, truly a man-made wonder and one of the world's largest religious monuments, featuring elaborate 12th century stone carvings that remain hauntingly vivid.

The eerie ruins of Ta Prohm, with its dimly-lit chambers and a giant silver cotton tree growing in its midsts - is also instantly recognizable to film fans as the backdrop for the Hollywood hit film Lara Croft: Tomb Raider.

Meanwhille, along the southwest coast, Sihanoukville (locally known as "Snooky") is Cambodia's most celebrated beach resort town. Long a vacation destination for prosperous Cambodians, it's now become a popular backpacker spot. Check out Victory Beach for cheap accommodations, Serendipity Beach for great nightlife, and Otres Beach for peace and quiet.

Elsewhere around the country, don't miss opportunities to take in more centuries-old temples, ancient Buddha figures, and stupas (memorial shrines) — such as Choeung Ek that showcases where the Khmer Rouge regime executed about 17,000 people between 1975 and 1979 — with 5,000 human skulls on display at the infamous Killing Fields just outside Phnom Pehn.

DID YOU KNOW? Cambodia Travel Fun Facts

Your tuk-tuk awaits.

• For tourists, the tuk-tuk is a motorized rickshaw -- a basic cab pulled by a motorcylce -- that serves as Cambodia's taxis.

• While visiting Cambodia, rent a motorbike, a motorcylce, or moped. All over the country, motorized two-wheelers are the transportation of choice. Almost every Cambodian owns one.

• The Cambodian flag is the only national flag that has an image of a building – the Angkor Wat.

• Looking for a McDonalds restaurant? You won't find one. To this day, a franchise has never opened in Cambodia.

also see -> Top Beaches in Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam

Exploring the Temples of Angkor

More about Cambodia tourism around the Web:

Around the Web, check out the full spectrum of Cambodian travel experiences at top sites featuring practical information on getting there and getting around, recommendations on hotels, restaurants and other major attractions, plus deep background into Cambodian religion, culture and history, and striking photos of the land and its people ...

Tourism of Cambodia - The official site with an extensive guide to the country's top attractions, photos, history & culture, complete maps of Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and SihanoukVille, online hotel bookings, entertainment highlights, restaurant contact information.

Ministry of Tourism Cambodia - The official government site featuring top tourist attractions with practical travel tips, history, traditions, native dishes and cultural background, photo gallery, trip planner, basic Khmer phrases with pronunciation guide, FAQ, related links.

Cambodia Tourist Attractions - Photos and information on top attractions including the Angor Wat, temples at Angkor Thom and Bayon, and a special look at Ta Prohm.