Just 30 kilometres from Cambodia's world famous Angkor temples is an astounding sight tourists don't see.

Tucked away from foreign eyes on the outskirts of Siem Reap is a community of about 500 people who live - or survive - in a rubbish dump.

Spanish photojournalist Omar Havana spent seven months from October 2010 to April 2011 getting to know the people at the dump and documenting their lives.

He says what he saw was was "from another world", but that the people are happy.

Here Havana shares his photos and stories with ABC News Online.

Children and parents sift for food. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

A woman feeds a baby under a shelter at the dump. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

A boy scales a bin in search of food. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

A young girl smiles, surrounded by waste. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

People scrounge for food as fresh waste arrives. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

A boy shows off his find. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

Two young friends embrace. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

A woman fetches water. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

A pile of scraps. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

A young girl sits among the rubbish. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )

Girl laughs while rummaging for food. ( Supplied: Omar Havana )