קמבודיה

<p dir="rtl">בירת קמבודיה האקזוטית משלבת חיים פשוטים עם אטרקציות מודרניות. בעיר אתרים היסטוריים מהממים כמו פגודת הכסף במתחם הארמון המלכותי, מקדשים ומוזיאונים מעניינים - ומבנים שמשלבים ארכיטקטורה קמרית ואירופית. השווקים הצבעוניים זולים במיוחד, וגם בקניונים הגדולים והמתקדמים של מרכז העיר ישנן מציאות מפתיעות. בנוסף, תמצאו בה שלל פעילויות - משיט על נהר המקונג המסתורי ועד מדיטציה בודהיסטית.</p>

A trip to this historic spot just 15 kilometers south of Phnom Penh is not for the faint of heart. Known as The Killing fields, some one million Cambodians were murdered here by the Khmer Rouge between 1975 and 1979. Nearly 9,000 bodies have been discovered—including former prisoners from Tuol Sleng.

A Buddhist stupa marks the memorial, and visitors can gaze through its clear walls at some 5,000 human skulls—all victims of the bloody regime. Dozens of mass graves are visible and it is not uncommon for travelers to find human bones, teeth or discarded clothing here—particularly after heavy rains—as a large number of people are still buried in shallow graves.

Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (Choeung Ek Killing Fields)

Between 1975 and 1979, Cambodia’s Khmer Rouge government killed and/or starved around 1.7 million of their citizens, roughly 20% of the population. Phnom Penh’s Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21), a former high school that served as a torture and detention center, documents their atrocities through films, photos, and artifacts.The BasicsThe museum offers a dark and disturbing window into the atrocities committed by the Khmer Rouge. The interrogation rooms have been left as they were in 1977, and photographs of the regime’s victims are on display, along with rusting tools of torture. The museum suggests visitors should be at least 14-years-old as the exhibits are too disturbing for most children. Visitors are expected to behave respectfully during their visit.Tuol Sleng is a common stop on Phnom Penh city tours, which typically also include the Royal Palace, the National Museum of Cambodia, and Wat Phnom. For a more in-depth look at the horrors perpetrated by the Khmer Rouge, book a Tuol Sleng tour that includes a trip to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek, south of the city, where S-21’s 17,000 or so victims met their deaths.Things to Know Before You GoThe Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is a must for travelers who would like to understand Cambodia’s dark history.The museum is not suitable for most children.Please dress respectfully, covering legs and arms, or you may be refused admission.Tuol Sleng bans visitors from using mobile phones on the premises. Photography is allowed, but this is no place for selfies of any kind.Tickets are free for Cambodian citizens and travelers who use wheelchairs.The exterior areas, including torture sites, information boards, and a memorial, are fully wheelchair accessible; upper floors are accessed only by stairs; some ground floor exhibits can be viewed from a wheelchair.How to Get ThereTuol Sleng sits in the heart of Phnom Penh, just a 1-mile (1.5-kilometer) walk southeast of the Royal Palace. The city has no public transport, so join an organized tour or book a pre-paid private driver if you want to avoid the hassles of negotiating with motorcycle taxis, “cyclo” rickshaws, and tuk-tuks.When to Get ThereThe Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum is open from early in the morning until late afternoon seven days a week. It’s worth arriving early in the day, during the working week, to beat the crowds and experience the site in peace. Two different documentaries are shown each day: Arrive reasonably early to catch the morning film or in the middle of the afternoon for the second screening.The Killing Fields of CambodiaThe Khmer Rouge executed most of their victims at a range of different sites known as killing fields. Today, many are preserved as memorial sites, with shrines and disturbing exhibits. The Choeung Ek Killing Fields, outside Phnom Penh, are the best known. Sights include a mountain of 8,000 skulls and a tree where Khmer Rouge fighters bashed babies’ heads in to save the cost of bullets.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (S-21)

With its golden sands and clear water, Nang Yuan Island (Koh Nang Yuan) is the poster child of southern Thailand. Hike the rocky, forested landscape; swim and snorkel in crystalline water; or just relax in relative quiet. Nang Yuan sees only a fraction of the crowds that flock to its neighbors.The Basics Unlike the nearby Koh Samui and Koh Tao, accommodation options on this slice of paradise are limited, giving Nang Yuan Island a remote allure. If you can’t stay the night, visit on a day trip. Nearly all island-hopping tours that depart from Koh Samui feature Nang Yuan. Tours typically give you free time to snorkel in the shallow reef off the coast of the island—home to marine life such as grouper, moray eels, and stingrays—and often also visit Koh Tao. Opt for a speedboat tour to cover more snorkel spots in less time.Things to Know Before You Go Nang Yuan Island is a quiet beach without the crowds of nearby Koh Samui and Koh Tao.There are no vehicles, chain restaurants, or large-scale hotels on the island, only a handful of guesthouses and traditional Thai restaurants.Since the island is privately owned, you must pay an entrance fee to visit and stay on Nang Yuan Island.How to Get ThereYou can come to Koh Nang Yuan via speedboat or catamaran from Koh Samui or Koh Tao. However, the cheapest way to get there is to hire out a longtail boat from the west side of Koh Tao, from which it is a 15-minute sail.When to Get There Day trips tend to leave the island by midafternoon. In the evenings and early mornings, you can almost have the entire beach to yourself. Crowds peak between December and February, but the dry weather and sunny skies during those months are perfect for swimming, sunbathing, and scuba diving.Hiking on Nang Yuan IslandAfter exploring the underwater wonderlands that surround Nang Yuan’s coast, take a hike to a viewpoint that reveals panoramic views of the three tree-topped islands that make up Nang Yuan and the serpentine sandbanks that connect it. The hike is only around 15 minutes via wooden boardwalks and steps, which can be steep and should be avoided during the midday heat.

Silk Island (Koh Dach)

Catch a performance of the Royal Dance Troupe at the open-air theater in the coronation hall or linger near the balcony, where the current king has been known to make an appearance. The private residence, built in 1866, houses an impressive collection of artwork, and the multi-purpose house of the white elephant, just outside the palace walls, is used for royal births, deaths and weddings. The current king may live in this well-known palace, but visitors can still tour most of its grounds.

Royal Palace

Take a tuk-tuk to the Royal Palace and begin the day along Phnom Penh’s three-kilometer strip of shops, hotels and eateries. This scenic walk wanders along the river’s edge and visitors can lounge easily at one of the numerous outside tables in popular cafes. Sisowath Quay is an ideal spot to sample local beer, strong coffee and real French baguettes. Travelers can comb through traditional handicrafts at Colours of Cambodia, or purchase a “happy monk” painting at the Happy Painting Gallery next door. Street 178, also known as Artists’ Street, offers local silk and numerous shops that are worth a look. Sisowath Quay is also convenient to the ferry terminal. Visitors can hop a boat to Siem Reap, where famous temple ruins draw travelers from around the world. Nearby Street 104 offers plenty of backpacker-friendly options, cheap accommodations and crowded, friendly pubs. This well-known walkway is a haven for tourists, so while you may not want to dedicate days to its exploration, the close proximity to many of Phnom Penh’s destinations make it worth an afternoon’s visit.

Sisowath Quay

A place of magic, where it’s conceivable that almost anything can be found for sale, Phnom Penh Russian Market (Toul Tom Poung Market) is a haven for tourists, displaying a wide variety of goods—most notably, designer brand knock-offs. The Russian Market got its name from the Russian tourists that frequented it in the 1980s; these days, you can hear a wide range of languages being spoken in its stalls.For those looking for souvenirs, “real designer clothes” at a huge discount and some remarkably fantastic food, you’re in the right place. As factories for such big name Western brands like Levi’s, Calvin Klein and Ralph Lauren are located in Phnom Penh, stock that is deemed unfit to be shipped abroad due to some flaw are then sold at the Russian Market. Stick to the eastern side of the market for clothing; the northern side sells a utilitarian mix of tools and household goods and the other two sides are a mixture of jewelry and watches, antiques and not-so-antiques, pirated videos and various crafts. The middle of the market is the jackpot–-it’s a veritable Mecca of jet-fuel-grade iced coffee, noodle shops and snacks of both the savory and sweet persuasion. 

Phnom Penh Russian Market (Toul Tom Poung Market)

פנום פן

בירת קמבודיה האקזוטית משלבת חיים פשוטים עם אטרקציות מודרניות. בעיר אתרים היסטוריים מהממים כמו פגודת הכסף במתחם הארמון המלכותי, מקדשים ומוזיאונים מעניינים - ומבנים שמשלבים ארכיטקטורה קמרית ואירופית. השווקים הצבעוניים זולים במיוחד, וגם בקניונים הגדולים והמתקדמים של מרכז העיר ישנן מציאות מפתיעות. בנוסף, תמצאו בה שלל פעילויות - משיט על נהר המקונג המסתורי ועד מדיטציה בודהיסטית.

יעדים פופולריים

יעדים רומנטיים

יעדים זולים