Kompong Thom Museum

This tiny one-room museum was opened in 2010 but is already gathering dust, and if it sees an average of one visitor a day we’d be surprised.

Exhibit-wise they’ve gone for quality not quantity — there are some superb exhibits, particularly a collection of Sambor Prei Kuk and early period lintels. All the favourite Angkor statue subjects are there: lions, nagas, Buddha, Lokesvara and Vishnu, in stone and in wood, along with some impressive lingas and a seventh century inscribed stele.

It’s priceless stuff and it’s a shame more people don’t get to see it. Good as it is – and all exhibits come with English-language explanations – it would be difficult to spend more than 10 minutes here even if you peruse every item. Still, there isn’t too much else to do in town, it’s free to enter, and you can stop off and see Wat Kompong Thom on the way there or back.