Phnom Penh

door is the elegant looking National Museum which contains ancient statues of Shiva and Vishnu and displays of pottery and bronzes from pre-Angkor periods.

See the Independence Monument in the heart of the capital. It was built in 1958 after winning back independence from France. Stroll through the bustling Old Market, a traditional market and photographers delight where locals purchase fruit, vegetables, motorbike parts and everything in between The New Market or Central Market is located in a cross-shaped, yellow, art deco building. With a busy bazaar feel to it, there is more for tourists to buy in the form of souvenirs, sunglasses, jewellery and electronic items. The Russian Market is a large, hot and sweaty marketplace that s the best place to find local souvenirs and imitation brand-name clothing.

Just 15 kilometres outside of Phnom Penh are the gruesome Killing Fields of Cheung Ek, where 17,000 civilians were executed and buried in mass graves during the Pol Pot regime between 1975 and 1978. A haunting yet historically significant place, it s a disturbing reminder of the atrocities that were inflicted on the Cambodian people.

The Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, or S-21 as it was known, was a high school taken over by Pol Pot s security forces. Tucked away in suburban Phnom Penh, it s hard to believe such indescribable acts of barbarism occurred here. The largest centre of detention and torture in the country, this is the horrific place the 17,000 Cambodians spent their last days before being sent to the Killing Fields. Room after room contains chilling black and white photos of the doomed men, women and children. Depressing and disturbing, it is an important part of the country s history. Once you have been here, and heard the stories and experiences of the guides, you are better able to appreciate and admire the newfound hope that is felt by the people all over Cambodia. Most have a connection to these places of horror, and are trying desperately to make positive changes to their city that was once left deserted by war.