Long considered Cambodia’s third city after Phnom Penh and Battambang, lately Kompong Cham has been somewhat left in the dust by the fast-growing tourist towns of Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. Kompong Cham remains an important travel hub and acts as the gateway to eastern and northeastern Cambodia. This role has grown thanks to the first bridge to span the Mekong’s width in Cambodia, dramatically cutting journey times to popular destinations like Kratie and Mondulkiri.