Experience the best of Kampong Cham

The town sits on the west bank of the Mekong, about 80 kilometres north-east of Phnom Penh, and its streets run down to the water, where boats cross the river. The Mekong rises in the wet season and falls again in the dry, changing the banks every year. The Kizuna Bridge, a long modern span, links the town with the far bank. Rubber plantations cover much of the surrounding province.

Two hills rise above the town, Phnom Pros and Phnom Srei, each with a Buddhist shrine and a view across the river and the rice fields. Wat Nokor, an old Khmer stone temple with a Buddhist pagoda built within its walls, stands on the edge of town. Further upriver, near Kratie, rare Irrawaddy dolphins still live in quieter stretches of the Mekong.

Khmer cooking here follows the river. Fish amok, a coconut fish curry steamed in banana leaves, is the national favourite, and prahok, a fermented fish paste, flavours many dishes. Rice is the base of every meal. The dry season from November to April is the most comfortable, and the rainy season from May to October floods the low ground.