
Holidays to Cambodia
When you think of Cambodia, what springs to mind? Cutting-edge contemporary arts? Tropical islands with brilliant-white, deserted beaches? The largest, most unspoilt tracts of rainforest in continental Southeast Asia? Probably not – but these are just some of the reasons we fell in love with Cambodia, and think you will too.
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"I love Malaysia for its char kuey teow noodles and wildlife spotting, and Laos for its laid-back vibes but Cambodia has got to be my secret Southeast Asian winner.
"There's the floating villages along the Mekong and on Tonlé Sap Lake. There's cycling through the Battambang countryside, meeting people making rice wine, as part of their everyday. And then there are the temples – my favourite is the pink-toned sandstone of Banteay Srei, that much more intricate than its Angkor Wat relatives.
"Travellers are genuinely stunned by the beaches that rival Thailand, and jungles home to sun bears, slow loris and Asian elephants. And you may not expect people here to be as warm and friendly as they are in everyday interactions – from your Battambang cycle tour leader to your morning coffee barista in Phnom Penh.
"Cambodia's culture can be characterised by its optimism and forward motion. Though still poorer and less developed than neighbouring Vietnam or Thailand, there’s a real sense that Cambodia is on the up. You can feel it just walking around the streets of Phnom Penh: an ever-shifting, ever-exciting tangle of micro-bars, restaurants, music venues, galleries, and innovative social outreach projects. You can't help but be drawn into the local life around you, and for me, that's what travel is all about."
Planning your holiday to Cambodia
Best time to visit Cambodia
Cambodian weather is perhaps one of the simplest to understand across Southeast Asia – with minimal variance between regions, unlike its neighbour Vietnam, for example, where north, central and southern regions can starkly differ.
November to March is Cambodia's dry season, with temperatures ranging from 23°C-32°C.
April to May remains dry but temperatures really start to climb – with the mercury hitting 40°C. The landscape is browner and dustier, so it's not the most scenic of times to appreciate the countryside.
June to October is Cambodia's rainy, or wet season. We typically refer to it as 'green season' because the countryside is at its most lush. But don't expect day-long downpours. It's usually an hour or two in the afternoon, before sunny skies return.
Reasons to go to Cambodia
Rainforest and eco-touristm
Perhaps surprisingly, Cambodia is home to some of Asia’s last remaining tracts of primary rainforest.
It's host to vast, undisturbed havens for wild Asian elephants, pileated gibbons, clouded leopards and countless other species that are under constant threat from illegal logging, poaching, and plantation development. In Southeast Asia, only Borneo can boast more untouched wilderness, and the potential for jungle exploration and wildlife encounters is unmatched anywhere on the continent.
Fighting to protect Cambodia’s natural treasures are a growing number of passionate conservationists, many of whom have found novel ways to channel funds from tourism into habitat preservation. These include some (frankly stunning) floating river lodges, safari-style tent camps and wildlife sanctuaries where visitors can immerse themselves in the jungle while helping to ensure its survival (and enjoying some proper, secluded luxury to boot). This is ecotourism at its most powerful and inspiring – turning communities who may otherwise be logging or poaching into a force for good by providing sustainable jobs and access to education. If Cambodia is to halt the destruction of its forests, innovative projects like these will be absolutely integral.
Temple hopping
If you think there are a lot of ruins at Angkor, we’re only just getting started.
Beyond Siem Reap, the whole of Cambodia is strewn with them. Not as grand, perhaps, but just as powerful – and most of them completely ignored by temple-hopping tourists. Sambor Prei Kuk is an excellent example. Predating Angkor by several centuries, this ancient city lies sprawled through the forests between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but most people just shoot past it. It’s their loss, because this is one of the best places in the country to experience some of that old-fashioned, Indiana Jones-style exploration: pushing your way along overgrown paths and exploring tumbledown ruins completely alone but for the sounds of the jungle.
Banteay Chhmar is another of our low-key favourites. Built by the same Khmer king responsible for Angkor Thom and Bayon, this Angkorian city shares many features with those more famous sites – including giant stone faces. And yet you won’t find any hotels, restaurants, or mass tourism infrastructure here – only a string of villages, where you can take part in traditional farming and craft activities, stay with a local family, and eat delicious food home-cooked by your hosts. They’ll even organise for you to have a candlelit dinner in the ancient city itself – an experience that’d cost you an arm and a leg at Angkor...
Cambodian cuisine
In the Khmer language, "to eat" translates to "nam bai," which literally means "eat rice". Rice forms a core part of most meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner included), laden with fragrant herbs and edible flowers.
Khmer cuisine is based on flavour-packed pastes: prahok, a fermented fish paste and kroeung, a more herbal, spiced base. Everything is layered with flavour, from amok trei, a fish curry, to lap khmer (beef salad). Much of Cambodia's street food scene centres on meat and fish, so that's something to consider if you are vegetarian or vegan, but lots of Khmer restaurants are now offering plant-based dining. If you’re veggie, desserts can provide your street food treats: kralan (sticky rice and coconut), mango sticky rice and fried banana.
Tonlé Sap provides freshwater fish for amok curries and nom banh chok (Khmer noodles), while its French colonial history is the source of European pastries and French style baguettes (just like Cambodia's neighbour, Vietnam). In short, Cambodia's food is as varied as its history and vibrant culture would lead you to expect.
Combining Cambodia with Vietnam, Thailand or Laos
With a bit of planning, you can make the most of your long-haul flight time – a holiday to Cambodia can easily become a joint trip with Vietnam, Thailand or Laos.
If you want to pair the UNESCO sites of Cambodia's Angkor Wat temple complex with Laos' city of Luang Prabang, speak to us about our Laos & Cambodia Entwined itinerary. If you want to connect Cambodia to Vietnam via river cruise, our Mekong Explorer itinerary could be for you.
And, if you want to compare Cambodia's amok curry with Vietnam's uniquitous pho, visit Cambodia's Tonlé Sap lake and spend the night aboard a traditional junk ship in Lan Ha Bay, our Vietnam & Cambodia Uncovered itinerary can provide a great basis for your trip.
Khmer Rouge
Perhaps it’s surprising that a country which has suffered so much should be so open and welcoming to outsiders. Cambodia lost about a quarter of its population between 1975-9, during the Khmer Rouge genocide, and the effects of that trauma will ripple through society for generations to come. The place to begin to grapple with these events is in Phnom Penh, where the Tuol Sleng Museum and the Killing Fields tell the story of the Khmer Rouge era through a combination of artefacts and haunting photographs. Visiting these sites is a profoundly disturbing experience, but if you want to begin to understand the sheer horror of what Cambodia went through in the 1970s, they can’t be missed.
Part of the process of healing and moving on from the Khmer Rouge atrocities, in Cambodia’s case, has been through the arts – which are now experiencing an extraordinary renaissance across the country, providing hope and opportunity to young people.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do a Mekong River cruise in Cambodia?
Yes! Whether you want a luxury four-night cruise along the Mekong (try our Cambodia in Style itinerary for that), or hop on a sunset cruise in Phnom Penh for a couple of hours, many of the trips we plan include a Mekong cruise. Just remember to check whether the river is at full height (if the Mekong flow is too low, cruises can be cancelled).
How do I get to Cambodia?
Most travellers fly into Cambodia through Siem Reap or Phnom Penh international airport. If you’re staying in Cambodia, we recommend flying into one, exploring the country and then flying home from the other airport. We also love creating trips that include neighbouring Thailand, Vietnam and Laos. You can cross via Mekong river or by car – speak to us to get planning!
What is Cambodia's currency?
The Cambodian riel is the national currency, but anything costing more than 1 US dollar can be paid for in USD. You’ll get change back in riel, or a combination of riel and US dollars, depending on the value. Cashpoints issue US dollars.
How safe is Cambodia for travellers?
Cambodia is a safe place to travel to, so long as you take the standard precautions that you would whenever travelling anywhere: be aware of petty theft, steer clear of protests or civil unrest and don't do anything generally deemed risky. We always monitor the latest government travel guidelines.
Do I need a visa to travel to Cambodia?
If arriving at an airport, we advise getting an eVisa in advance. You can also get a visa on arrival, but eVisa saves time at the airport, and ticks something off your list.
If you’re arriving by cruise or overland, you can get a visa on arrival.
How expensive is Cambodia to visit?
Cambodia is considered one of the cheaper Southeast Asian destinations to visit. Remember to keep a stash of US dollars handy for any unexpected costs or emergencies.
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