We LOVED LOVED LOVED Cambodia. We loved the people. We loved the country. We loved the Khmer comfort food. We loved learning there’s so much more to Cambodia than Angkor Wat (we’ll get to that later) and the Khmer Rouge. Sadly Cambodia’s cultural heritage was pretty much lost under the Khmer Rouge regime, and I cannot even claim to understand how that felt. However, from the Cambodian people we met on our drive from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, we did get a sense the county seems to be slowly healing and regaining their gorgeous culture that was stolen from them.
Many people visit Cambodia and decide to skip Phnom Penh for the more southern regions of Siem Reap or the beaches. We were excited to explore Phnom Penh and drive to Siem Reap rather than fly, to explore the country. We arrived after 24 hours of travel to the most vibrant city filled with the most incredible sights, smells and sounds we had ever imagined.
The beautiful Royal Palace has been the seat and residence of Cambodia’s royal family since the 1860s. The building is an excellent example of classic Khmer architecture and is a vibrant place of activity for Cambodian people who will often sit and pray for days to pay their respects.
We were there in November 2012 when the former Cambodian King and Prime Minister Norodom Sihanouk had died a few days earlier, and the streets were filled with Cambodian’s paying their respects, praying, crying and lighting incense. His body stayed in the Royal Palace for a period of time to allow Cambodians to gather and share one last farewell to their former leader.
It turns out eating bugs is very common in Phnom Penh (and Cambodia in general). The boys were in awe when we visited the local market to find baskets full of deep-fried baby chickens, cockroaches, crickets, plump ants, giant tarantulas and many more.
A popular street food the locals particularly love is fertilized duck embryos; we watched a group of kids sitting around just popping them in their mouths one after the other!
Central Market is a large indoor market filled with a huge assortment of goods, including clothing, jewelry, gems, flowers and souvenirs. There are also lots of stalls selling local food items such as seafood, spices and vegetables.
Since this market is indoors, it gave us a nice break from the blazing heat as it is properly ventilated.
This mostly paved highway (I use the word highway loosely) passes through many rural villages of Cambodia.
Along the way, we were able to catch a glimpse of daily life and saw many houses on stilts to avoid flooding during the rainy season, “snack” stands on the side of the road selling deep fried bugs, workers in the rice paddies, and women walking their cow from the market by a leash.
We stopped at Skun Spider Market on our drive from Phnom Penh To Siem Reap, and it’s a nightmare for anyone who is even slightly scared of spiders.
The town is literally crawling with spiders infesting the area for years, and is now a popular spot to stop.
After leaving the bus, we were greeted by a young boy with a handful of tarantulas wanting to put them on the head of my boys. After politely declining, we entered the market to see the most unbelievable displays of tarantulas that were cooked using various methods.
The spiders are caught in fields or holes where they are bred, before their venomous claws are removed, then deep fried in various herbs and oils. Yum… delicious right?
Driving along Route 6 from Phnom Penh towards Kampong Thom and Siem Reap, we were excited to spot an ancient bridge being guarded at either end by nagas.
This bridge located about 60km south of Siem Reap, is also known as Spean Thma or the bridge of stone. It’s one of the few Khmer Empireera bridges to have survived to the modern day.
I cannot recommend visiting Cambodia enough. The drive from Phnom Penh To Siem Reap gives you a feel for this beautiful country and the warm, hard working people trying to rebuild their lives the best they can.
Join my mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from me.
I’m a travel and health writer, digital and brand consultant, breast cancer survivor, and supermom to two active boys! I keep it real and share stories of raising teenage boys, family life after a cancer diagnosis, and family travels around the world! Each story is shared with my dry, and sometimes naughty sense of humor.
Join my mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from me.
Travel can be a great way to escape the stresses of daily life and recharge…
Join my mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from me.
Kathmandu is one of the most magical and visually stunning cities on the planet, and…
Join my mailing list to receive the latest news and updates from me.
Zac | 21st Nov 17
A very enjoyable read! Looks like you and your boys had a great time. We’re visiting Cambodia soon, what was yours and your boys’ favourite part?
Samantha Kuhr | 22nd Nov 17
Hi Zac! We loved driving around the countryside of Cambodia. But the true highlight for us was Siem Reap and Angkor Wat. That will be in an upcoming post. When are you visiting?
Zac | 22nd Nov 17
In about a weeks time, can’t wait to see Angkor Wat. I’ll be looking our for that post!
Samantha Kuhr | 22nd Nov 17
Have a great time! We were there in November too. Bring a rain coat and umbrella as you’ll see lots of rain and look out for the monkeys in Angkor Wat… they’ll run away with your phone if you aren’t careful!
Priyal | 21st Jan 20
Hi, youve convinced me that driving between Siem Reap & Phnom Penh is the way forward. I was wondering what company you used to book your journey?
Many thanks,
Samantha | 21st Jan 20
HI, I think you’ll really enjoy it. We have used Gadventures and Gateway Travel for tours in the past and would recommend them both! Check out to see what itineraries fit your needs! Have fun!