Cambodia Birding Tours

Cambodia has an area of 181,035 square kilometers (69,898 square miles) and lies entirely within the tropics. Cambodia’s landscape is characterized by a low-lying central plain surrounded by uplands and low mountains and includes Tonle Sap (Great Lake) and the upper reaches of the Mekong River delta. The most distinctive geographical features are the inundations of the Tonle Sap, measuring about 2,590 square kilometers (1,000 square miles) during the dry season and expanding to about 24,605 square kilometers (9,500 square miles) during the rainy season. This densely populated plain, which is devoted to wet rice cultivation, is the heartland of Cambodia. Much of this area has been designated as a biosphere reserve and is a hugely important area for bird life in the region.

Various factors contribute to Cambodian culture including Theravada Buddhism, Hinduism, French colonialism, Angkorian culture, and modern globalization. The Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts is responsible for promoting and developing Cambodian culture. Cambodian culture not only includes the culture of the lowland ethnic majority, but also some 20 culturally distinct hill tribes colloquially known as the Khmer Loeu, a term coined to encourage unity between the highlanders and lowlanders.

Angkor Wat is the best-preserved example of Khmer architecture from the Angkorian era along with hundreds of other temples that have been discovered in and around the region. Angkor Wat (Angkor means “city” and Wat means “temple”) is a Hindu-Buddhist temple. It resides within the ancient Khmer capital city of Angkor. Angkor Wat lies 5.5 kilometers (3.5 miles) north of the modern town of Siem Reap and is considered to be the largest religious structure in the world. Originally constructed as a Hindu temple, dedicated to the god Vishnu, for the Khmer Empire by King Suryavarman II during the 12th century, it was gradually transformed into a Buddhist temple towards the end of the century; as such, it is described as a “Hindu-Buddhist” temple. The construction of Angkor Wat took place over 28 years from 1122 to 1150 AD and is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, it is also the most-visited tourist destination in the country.