Historical Places in Cambodia

Exploring historical places in Cambodia is like stepping back in time. Ancient monuments, heritage buildings and cultural landmarks reveal the city’s fascinating journey through the centuries. MakeMyTrip offers 2432 historical attractions in Cambodia for 2026, perfect for travellers who enjoy history, culture and architecture.

Cambodia Historical Places That Stay With You

Cambodia doesn’t hand you its history neatly wrapped. One minute you’re dodging motorbikes on a dusty street, and the next you’re staring at stones half-eaten by tree roots, older than anything you’ve touched before. The Cambodia historical places add the perfect touch of heritage to your vacation.

Angkor Wat at dawn is the obvious one, towers glowing while dragonflies skim over the moat. Bayon is stranger, those huge stone faces watching you, smiling in a way that makes you uneasy. And then there’s Phnom Penh, the Royal Palace shining so bright you almost have to shield your eyes. These are the big names, the historical places in Cambodia people expect you to see, but being there never feels quite the way photos show it.

What you remember later isn’t just the scale. It’s how sweat runs down your back by noon, or the gravel crunches underfoot in an empty courtyard, or how the smell of incense clings to your clothes after you step out of a shrine. Visiting Cambodia historical places isn’t really about the checklist. It’s about the scraps of feeling that stick. Even the small activities like a glass of sugarcane juice outside a temple and monks in saffron moving silently past become part of the story you take away.

Historical Place in Cambodia

Temples & Sacred Sites

Angkor Wat

You arrive before sunrise, and the silhouette of towers slowly sharpens against a pink sky. Out of all the Cambodia historical places, Angkor Wat feels like the crown. It stands at the top of historical places in Cambodia, not just for its size but for the way it pulls you into another world. Even small activities here, like sitting quietly by the reflecting pool as the sun climbs, feel unforgettable.

Historical Background: The historical background takes you back to the 12th century, built under King Suryavarman II as a Hindu temple before becoming Buddhist over time.

Key Highlights: Walking through, the air smells faintly of incense, and carvings of apsaras cover the stone walls in endless detail.

• Timing: 5:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 3,700 for a day pass.
• Location: Siem Reap.

Bayon Temple

Deep inside Angkor Thom, Bayon greets you with giant faces carved into towers, smiling faintly as if they know something you don’t. Among the Cambodia historical places, Bayon stands out for its mystery. It belongs to the list of historical places Cambodia offers where art and spirit merge. And even simple activities, like tracing a fingertip across the stone faces, feel like a conversation with the past.

Historical Background: The historical background tells of King Jayavarman VII, who built it in the late 12th century as a Buddhist temple.

Key Highlights: The corridors twist, shadows play across carvings of battles and daily life. You hear your footsteps echo, sometimes broken by the sound of birds overhead.

• Timing: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Included in Angkor pass.
• Location: Angkor Thom, Siem Reap.

Ta Prohm

Roots twist around crumbling walls, giant trees swallowing the temple in slow motion. Out of all the Cambodia historical places, Ta Prohm feels the most haunting. It’s one of the historical places in Cambodia that shows how time reshapes everything. If you’re after unique activities, just pausing to listen, no voices, just wind through roots, may be the most powerful moment of your trip.

Historical Background: The historical background begins in the late 12th century, built as a monastery and university. Unlike other temples, it was left mostly untouched, letting nature claim it back.

Key Highlights: You walk through narrow corridors, light filtering through leaves, the smell of damp earth heavy in the air.

• Timing: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Included in Angkor pass.
• Location: Siem Reap.

Palaces & Royal Sites

Royal Palace, Phnom Penh

Golden rooftops glint in the sun, visible even from the riverside. Out of all the Cambodia historical places, the Royal Palace feels the most regal. It stands tall on the list of historical places in Cambodia, a blend of Khmer tradition and French influence. Even small activities, like sitting in the shade of the Silver Pagoda nearby, leave you with a sense of calm.

Historical Background: The historical background stretches back to the 19th century, when the palace was built as the official residence of the king.

Key Highlights: You step inside the courtyards, the air warm and still, and your eyes catch the detail, delicate carvings, murals fading but still alive with colour.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM (closed at midday).
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 1,000.
• Location: Phnom Penh.

Silver Pagoda

Within the palace grounds lies the Silver Pagoda, its floor laid with thousands of silver tiles. Among all the Cambodia historical places, the Silver Pagoda feels more intimate. It’s one of those historical places Cambodia offers that combines spiritual significance with royal splendour. And even quiet activities, like lighting incense or just sitting in its stillness, make the moment linger.

Historical Background: The historical background ties it to Buddhist kingship, with treasures like the Emerald Buddha and golden statues housed inside.

Key Highlights: As you walk through, the coolness of the stone underfoot and the faint glow of silver tiles remind you of the care that went into this place.

• Timing: Follows Royal Palace hours.
• Ticket and Price: Included in palace ticket.
• Location: Phnom Penh.

Preah Vihear Temple

Far north, perched on a cliff with endless views of the plains below, Preah Vihear feels both remote and grand. Out of the many Cambodia historical places, this one feels wild, shaped as much by the landscape as by human hands. It deserves its place among the historical places in Cambodia, especially for those who want history with solitude. And if you’re after unique activities, just standing at the edge of the cliff, watching the horizon fade, is enough.

Historical Background: The historical background traces it to the 11th century, built during the reign of the Khmer Empire as a Hindu temple dedicated to Shiva.

Key Highlights: The climb is steep, and the air thinner, but when you reach the top, the silence is overwhelming.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 250.
• Location: Preah Vihear Province.

Museums & Memorials

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum

The building looks ordinary from the outside, but once you step in, silence wraps around you. Out of all the Cambodia historical places, Tuol Sleng is the hardest to face. Yet it stands firm among the historical places in Cambodia, reminding you that history is not only about beauty but also about pain. Even the smallest activities here, like pausing by a window, staring at the courtyard where children once played, stay with you long after.

Historical Background: The historical background tells of a former high school turned into a prison during the Khmer Rouge era in the 1970s. Classrooms became cells, and walls still carry the marks of that time.

Key Highlights: You walk slowly, reading the faces in photographs, each one a story cut short.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 350.
• Location: Phnom Penh.

Choeung Ek Memorial (Killing Fields)

A short distance from the city, you reach open fields dotted with memorials. Among the Cambodia historical places, this one speaks quietly but powerfully. It belongs to the list of historical places Cambodia that you cannot ignore. And the activities here are simple, walking slowly, listening to survivor stories, or just standing still in silence.

Historical Background: The historical background traces this site to the mass executions carried out during the Khmer Rouge years. Today, a stupa filled with skulls and bones stands as a stark reminder.

Key Highlights: You hear the crunch of gravel underfoot, see the bright sky above, and it feels strange how peaceful the land looks now.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:30 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 250.
• Location: Phnom Penh.

National Museum of Cambodia

Back in the city centre, the museum greets you with red sandstone walls and gardens. Out of all the Cambodia historical places, this one feels like a bridge, linking the temples in the forest to the present-day city. It deserves its spot among the historical places in Cambodia, and even casual activities like sketching a statue or sitting quietly in the courtyard make you part of its rhythm.

Historical Background: The historical background dates to 1920, built to showcase Khmer art and culture from pre-Angkorian to Angkorian times.

Key Highlights: Inside, cool halls display statues of gods, intricate carvings, and delicate bronzes. You smell polished wood and old stone, hear the shuffle of footsteps echo against tiled floors.

• Timing: 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 400.
• Location: Phnom Penh.

Ancient Cities & Archaeological Sites

Angkor Thom

You step through the massive South Gate, stone faces watching from above, and suddenly you’re in what was once a whole city. Out of all the Cambodia historical places, Angkor Thom feels the most alive, like a city that hasn’t quite stopped breathing. It belongs among the great historical places in Cambodia, and even simple activities, like cycling through the ancient gates or sitting under banyan trees, carry the weight of history.

Historical Background: The historical background dates to the late 12th century, built by King Jayavarman VII as the capital of the Khmer Empire. Its walls once enclosed temples, palaces, and homes for thousands.

Key Highlights: Walking here, the roads stretch wide, lined with trees, and the remains of towers and terraces keep appearing out of the forest.

• Timing: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Included in Angkor pass.
• Location: Siem Reap.

Sambor Prei Kuk

Here the ruins sit quiet, deep in the forest, their bricks softened by moss and time. Out of all the Cambodia historical places, Sambor Prei Kuk is one of the oldest, a glimpse of where Khmer civilisation began. It deserves its place on the list of historical places Cambodia for those who like solitude with their history. And the activities here are simple, walking, pausing, listening, letting the forest tell the story.

Historical Background: The historical background goes back to the 7th century, long before Angkor, when this was the capital of the Chenla Kingdom.

Key Highlights: You wander between clusters of temples, many half-collapsed, tree roots weaving through broken walls. The only sounds are cicadas and your footsteps on dry leaves.

• Timing: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 350.
• Location: Kampong Thom Province.

Koh Ker

Farther out, Koh Ker feels raw, less visited, and almost secret. Out of all the Cambodia historical places, Koh Ker feels most adventurous. It stands among the historical places in Cambodia that give you both history and wilderness. And if you’re searching for unique activities, climbing that pyramid and just sitting on top, wind in your face, is unforgettable.

Historical Background: The historical background ties it to the 10th century, when it briefly served as the Khmer capital. Its pyramid-shaped temple, Prasat Thom, rises steeply above the forest.

Key Highlights: Climbing it, your legs ache, but the view stretches endlessly, green forests, red dirt roads, blue sky.

• Timing: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
• Ticket and Price: Starts from INR 750.
• Location: Preah Vihear Province.

Traveller Tips for Exploring Cambodia’s History

• Go early. Sunrise at Angkor or Ta Prohm before the crowds feels almost unreal. The light is softer, the air cooler, and the silence deeper.
• Carry water and a hat. The heat creeps up fast, especially when you’re climbing stones.
• Respect the space. Many temples are still active. Keep your voice low, dress modestly, and follow the flow of locals.
• Keep small cash handy for entry fees and roadside snacks.
• Add small activities around your visits like sip sugarcane juice outside a gate, ride a bicycle between ruins, or sit in a shaded courtyard just to watch the day unfold.