The provincial capital of the same-named province, Kompong Cham is one of the largest cities in Cambodia but feels more like a backwater town than the transportation and trade hub that it is. With the recent opening of the Kazuma Bridge and the cross-river ferries all being put out to pasture, the feel of the town has changed, with what's left being a laid back, sleepy town with an understated charm and incredibly friendly locals, an amazing number of whom speak very good English.

While the town has a relatively affluent feel to it, Kompong Cham's true hey days were in the 1930s and 40s when it was a cosmopolitan, bustling French port town supporting the massive rubber plantations that spread across the province -- some of which can still be visited today. Wander through the town and you'll see numerous French-influenced buildings and trader shopfronts, which while often dilapidated still retain an austere grace so totally lacking from the more modern buildings. Further afield, particularly on the river trip to Wat Maha Leap, you'll see several colonial-era mansions that would once have housed plantation owners and their families.

Directly across the river from Kompong Cham sits a French guard tower that was recently renovated and painted a soft purple. Dating back to the colonial period, it offers commanding views up and down the river. Further afield sit ancient Khmer sanctuaries, hill-top temples and the general rural scenery that makes this part of Cambodia so pleasant to travel through.