Central River Plains

The Mekong River and Tonle Sap Lake and River are core to Cambodia’s traditions and livelihoods. These river systems feed the rice fields and create fertile floodplains. The Mekong river enters Cambodia from Laos and travels through Stung Treng to the provinces of Kracheh (Kratie), Kampong Cham and Tbong Khmum.

Walking bridge constructed from bamboo across a river. — The Koh Paen Bamboo Bridge in Kampong Cham is nearly 1km long.

The Tonle Sap and Mekong rivers meet in grand style in Phnom Penh where twice a year you can watch the Tonle Sap River change direction as the lake swells or reduces and from a height you can see the brown water of the Mekong meet the green blue water from the lake. After leaving Phnom Penh the Mekong River travels through Kandal and Prey Veng on its way towards the Mekong Delta in Vietnam.

An elaborate golden pavilion with multi-layered orange roofs and a central spire at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, surrounded by a flock of flying birds against a blue sky. — The Moonlight Pavilion at the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. It’s used as a stage for royal dancers and a viewing stand for the King during parades.

The provinces which border the Mekong and Tonle Sap are great for seeing rural riverside life. In Kracheh (Kratie) you can cycle around islands like Koh Trong, go on a boat to see dolphins at Kampi, cross the ferry in Phnom Penh to buy a traditional Cambodian scarf the krama or cross the worlds longest bamboo bridge in Kampong Cham.

Not everything is about the rivers though, you can also see pre-Angkorian temple complexes at Sambor Prei Kuk in Kampong Thom or take in Phnom Penh’s history with visits to Choeung Ek Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum or the Royal Palace.