1. Ta Khmau City (Provincial Capital)
Just 11 km south of Phnom Penh, Ta Khmau is Kandal’s bustling satellite city and one bridge away from the capital. Wide boulevards, modern pagodas, and a giant riverside night market give it an energetic yet small-town feel. Locals flock here for affordable seafood, karaoke bars, and the province’s best kuy teav noodles.
2. Kandal Stueng District
The northern gateway famous for Wat Champuh Kaek, a majestic Angkorian temple hidden among sugar-palm trees, and the traditional ferry crossing to Koh Dach (Silk Island). The district’s riverbanks burst with morning markets and wooden boat traffic.
3. Kien Svay District
Known as “Phnom banh chok village,” where dozens of families serve Cambodia’s favourite breakfast—hand-rolled rice noodles with green fish curry—from open-air pavilions. Weekends see Phnom Penh families picnic under bamboo roofs beside lotus ponds.
4. Leuk Daek District
A peaceful Mekong island district reachable only by small ferries. Rice fields stretch to the horizon, interrupted by golden pagodas and traditional wooden houses on stilts. Sunset boat rides reveal the quiet beauty of river life rarely seen by tourists.
5. Lvea Aem District
Home to Phnom Oudong’s lower slopes (southern) slopes, with additional royal stupas and monasteries. The flat plains are perfect for cycling past silk-weaving villages and palm-sugar workshops that still use wooden presses.
6. Mukh Kampul District
The ferry point to Koh Chen island, Cambodia’s silver-crafting capital. Entire villages hammer intricate silver boxes, Buddha statues, and jewellery using centuries-old techniques. Visitors can watch artisans at work and buy directly from family workshops.
7. Angk Snuol District
A red-dirt rural district dotted with ancient laterite temples and sacred ponds. Wat Angk Snuol features beautiful modern murals, while nearby villages are known for traditional Khmer wedding musicians who still play wooden tro and chapei.
8. Ponhea Lueu District
The northernmost tip, where the Tonle Sap meets the Mekong. Seasonal flooded forests and floating villages appear during rainy season, while the dry season reveals vast sandbars perfect for local football matches and cow grazing.
9. S’ang District
Famous for Phnom Prasith and Phnom Prasat, twin hills crowned with colourful pagodas and panoramic views across the Mekong to Vietnam. A steep staircase lined with naga balustrades makes it a popular pilgrimage site during Khmer festivals.
10. Koh Thom District
The “big island” district opposite the Vietnamese border, reachable by a modern bridge. Endless rice bowls, water-buffalo carts, and traditional wooden ferries create timeless scenes. The district is also a birdwatcher’s paradise during migration season.
11. Khsach Kandal District
A watery wonderland of Mekong channels and floating houses. Fishermen cast nets at dawn while riverside pagodas host lively boat races during Bon Om Touk (Water Festival). The district’s fish markets supply half of Phnom Penh’s fresh catch.
Together, Kandal’s 11 districts wrap around the capital like a living green belt, offering silk islands, silver villages, ancient temples, floating communities, and authentic Khmer cuisine—all within an hour of Phnom Penh, yet feeling worlds away. Few places let travellers experience such rich river culture and rural serenity so easily.