THE ancient temples of Angkor Wat, historic buildings, Southeast Asian culture and junglescenery are among Cambodia's chief attractions.

　　Adventurous travelers interested in Southeast Asian history(both ancient and modern)will enjoy Cambodia. But don't go there if you cannot put up with hot and humid conditions, unannounced schedule changes or the sight of severe poverty.

　　The National Museum in Phnom Penh is the best place to see examples of Khmer sculpture, in particular the Hindu deities.

　　Buddhism is Cambodia's dominant religion. Khmer is the official language - it's a difficult one to learn, but a little will go a long way. English is fast becoming the dominant second language, overtaking French, which is still spoken by many people who grew up before the 1970s.

　　Cambodian food is similar to Thai cuisine but without so many use of chilies. There's a wide variety of rice-based chicken, fish and pork dishes with tropical fruit and vegetables, as well as some noodle dishes.

　　Try elephant fish - it's delicious. Another classic dish is clay pot, which is a combination of meat and vegetables cooked in a clay pot at your table.

　　Good souvenirs include replicas of Angkor's sculptures, wood carvings, stone carvings, Cambodian music CDs and traditional musical instruments.

　　Those who know what they're looking for may want to buy precious stones. But perhaps the best buy in Cambodia is silk. Much is still hand-woven and colored with natural dyes.

　　The weather is best in December and January, but even then it's hot and humid. It's still tolerable in November and February but can be murderously hot during the summer months, from March to May, when high temperatures average 35℃. The worst weather is from June to October, when the rainy season is in full swing and the humidity is unbelievable.

　　Help:

　　humid adj. 潮湿的

　　Phnom Penh金边(柬埔寨的首都)

　　Khmer n./adj. 高棉人(的);高棉语(的)

　　sculpture n. 雕塑品

　　Hindu n./adj. 印度人(的);印度教(的)

　　deity n. 神

　　Buddhism n. 佛教

　　dominant adj. 最重要的;占支配地位的

　　go a long way 大有帮助 overtake v. 超过

　　cuisine n.烹饪 chili n. 辣椒

　　souvenir n. 纪念品 replica n. 复制品

　　tolerable adj. 可忍受的

　　in full swing正处于全盛时期