Cambodia is so underrated! I honestly can’t believe I waited this long to visit. Besides the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, Angkor Wat Temples, there are so many other things to do around the country. This guide focuses on Siem Reap and Phnom Penh but as I’m writing this, I’ve applied for my second visa to visit Cambodia and explore more hidden gems outside these 2 major cities. [Will keep this updated.]
After spending a week falling in love 💗 with Cambodia, I put together this Ultimate Guide to Visiting Cambodia!
Things to Know Before You Go
Climate: It’s hot and humid year-round but November through May is when the country generally experiences low rainfall.
Best time to go: October-November and May-June are the shoulder seasons and typically less crowded.
Language: Khmer language is the country’s official language. English, Vietnamese, Lao, Thai, and Chinese are also widely used.
Phrases:
Hello – Susadei (soos-a-day)
How are you/I am fine – Soksaby (soks-a-bye)
Goodbye – Lee hi
Thank you – Arkun
No – Ot The (ot-tei)
Som Dtoh (som-toe) – Sorry or excuse me
Money: The US dollar is the main currency in Cambodia but the Cambodian Riel is becoming more widely used. Sometimes the Thai Baht is also accepted -like at the border to pay for your visa.
A quick conversion for you to remember:
$1 USD = 4,141 Riel
$5 USD = 20,707 Riel
$10 USD = 41,414 Riel
$20 USD = 82,829 Riel
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is truly an insurance company for Nomads, by Nomads. It’s designed to meet the medical and travel needs faced by Digital Nomads and other remote workers while they are outside of their home country. Coverage is mainly intended for long-term travelers which makes it ideal for Digital Nomads!
In terms of payment, SafetyWing uses a subscription-based payment system on a monthly basis instead of all up front and the rates can be as low as $42/month. Therefore, it’s truly a budget-friendly option!
Get a quick quote for your travel dates 👇
One of my favorite features is that SafetyWing may even offer you some medical coverage in your home country which is extremely rare in travel insurance and makes SafetyWing stand out from the rest.
Pros of SafetyWing Travel Insurance
- The monthly subscription model
- Can cover medical expenses when overseas
- Up to 2 children under 10 per family (1 per adult) can be included on your insurance free of charge
- Limited medical coverage in your home country
Cons of SafetyWing Travel Insurance
- Not as many travel insurance perks as other companies
- No coverage for personal electronics
Read this post The Best Travel Insurance for Every Type of Traveler for an in-depth review of the top 3 travel insurances.
How to Get to Cambodia
✈️ Airport: Siem Reap and Phnom Penh both have international airports. Smaller cities like Kampot, Battambang, and Sihanoukville have local airports.
🚌 Bus: The buses around Southeast Asia are the most budget-friendly way to get around. Buses are coming into Cambodia from Thailand, Laos, and Vietnam as well as from other cities in Cambodia.
As a solo female traveler, I felt safe on all of the buses I took and found them to be very clean. Be mindful that not all buses are the same, there are sleeper buses and then shorter city-to-city buses that usually have a bit less room.
The drivers don’t speak any English. But there is usually another employee on the bus that speaks enough English to tell you how much time you have at stops.
Getting Around
Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are safe to walk around day and night. [I’ll talk about safety below]. They are quite walkable in the main areas but if you’re visiting something a bit further out of town or maybe even if your feet just hurt there are some other options:
🚙 Grab: Grab is the Asian version of Uber/Lyft and is a great way to get local prices and avoid negotiating with tuk-tuk drivers.
🚕 TukTuk: There are tuk-tuks absolutely everywhere and they will always offer a ride. Make sure to negotiate the price before getting in.
Safety
Cambodia is a developing country but it’s definitely still safe to travel solo here. (I did as a solo female traveler). It is, however, important to stick to well-lit streets, be aware of your surroundings, and don’t wear flashy jewelry or handbags. Be mindful of your belongings while walking. It’s a common scam in SE Asia for motorcyclists and bicyclists to grab handbags off shoulders or phones out of hands and quickly get away. It’s best to wear a crossbody purse, backpack, or belt bag and keep your belongings zipped up inside.
Where to Stay
The Plantation Urban Resort and Spa in Phnom Penh is located near everything! It’s right behind the Royal Palace and the National Museum of Cambodia and an easy walk down to the Sisowath Quay Boardwalk and night markets. Easy to grab a tuk-tuk out front and safe to walk around the area solo and at night.
Step into the luxurious zen atmosphere of the Plantation Urban Resort & Spa from the bustling streets of Phnom Penh. It’s just what I needed after a long journey on the bus from Vietnam. The staff is warm, welcoming, and very attentive from the front desk receptionist to the restaurant staff, masseuse, and grounds workers.
Each room has a little patio, so if it’s not too rainy you can hopefully sit outside to enjoy. While I was visiting, the spa was being renovated but spa services were still available in-room. Immediately after checking in, I booked a 60-minute massage for $32 USD. I really got to test out just how comfortable my bed was. I fell asleep drooling and slept like a baby throughout my stay, so the bed definitely passed my comfort level test!
There are 2 pools (1 was being renovated during my stay), a spa (also being renovated), and a restaurant and bar on-site near the pool. The restaurant is a mix of Asian fusion and Western comfort food ranging from $3-10 USD per entree. With breakfast included, you never quite know if it’s a bowl of cereal and toast or a full spread. The breakfast buffet is available from 6:30 am-10 am. It offers oatmeal + toppings, cereal, an omelet station, a variety of fresh fruits, cold cuts, and cheeses, alongside some traditional Asian noodle and veggie options.
At just $50 USD per night, this 4.5-star resort felt like a steal for a budget-friendly traveler like myself. I’m already planning my next trip back!
Sunrise at Angkor Wat
1-Day Pass: $37 USD
3-Day Pass: $62 USD
7-Day Pass: $72 USD
Visiting Angkor Wat for sunrise is an absolute bucket-list moment! If you’re here, you absolutely must bite the bullet and head out at 4 am for a sunrise trip. It’s an all-day trip, so be prepared with all the essentials. Watch this video for all my tips on visiting Angkor Wat!
Hire a guide on your first day at Angkor Wat. This gives a full history lesson and usually, they’ll also be a great resource. My guide gave me recommendations for where to go to watch the sunset by myself, local restaurant recommendations, and this is where I found out about the Cambodian Circus. (More on that below). The tour includes transportation in an AC bus, cold bottled water, and an English-speaking guide to Angkor Wat at sunrise plus 3 other temples including the temple from Tomb Raider. I booked this tour for $26 USD through Get Your Guide.
Cambodia Landmine Museum
Roundtrip Tuk-Tuk from Siem Reap: $20 USD
Admission: $5 USD
The Cambodia Landmine Museum is often overlooked as it’s about 45 minutes to 1 hour outside of Siem Reap but it’s worth visiting. I was at the museum for over 2 hours reading and listening to all the information. Because in my opinion, it really gives a different perspective to the country.
The museum was founded by an ex-child soldier, Aki Ra, who started demining after leaving the Khmer Rouge. He devoted his life to removing landmines in Cambodia and to caring for young landmine victims. The museum hosts thousands of decommissioned landmines and offers an audio tour with a wealth of information about the history of the conflict, how landmines came to be in Cambodia, and what is being done to remove them.
Made in Cambodia Market
Free Entry
Unlike the night markets which can often be full of cheaply made goods, the Made in Cambodia Market offers quality products by internationally recognized artists. The market’s main focus is to support Cambodians in need of direct income as well as skills development. Prices are on the higher end for a market because you are paying for the quality plus the craftsmanship. But it’s well worth it!
Often you will find the artist working their own stall and live drawing, painting, or designing. It’s a really cool and unique experience. Each vendor will give you the history on the region the goods were sourced from, what village the crafts were designed in, or where the local artist is from. On the weekends you’ll find live music and dance performances by local Apsara dancers.
Angkor National Museum
Admission Fee: $12 USD
The Angkor National Museum in Siem Reap is a great addition to learning more about Angkor after visiting the temples. It provides a lot more additional details to the region. It’s also a great place to go in the middle of the day when temps are at their highest. The galleries showcase statues and artifacts that were discovered around the Angkor archaeological sites. As you walk through each gallery there is a natural flow of timeline and categories. It’s beautifully designed and fortunately has all the information available in English. My favorite gallery was the costume and design of the ancient women of the Khmer Empire Region.
Sunset at Phnom Bakheng
Roundtrip Tuk-Tuk from Siem Reap: $10 USD
Watching the sunset behind the temples is truly a breathtaking experience. The best part about watching it from Phnom Bakheng is that it’s up high, so you’re sure to have unobstructed views. Keep in mind, this means you’ll need to hike up to this spot. It’s not difficult at all but you’ll need to leave enough time (approximately 10-15 minutes) to reach the top. You don’t want to miss that pre-sunset glow golden hour!
Even though, we arrived just in time and there were already hundreds of people gathering to watch the sunset, I didn’t find it hard to find a spot. There is a lot of room plus different platforms you can stand on to get a better unobstructed view. If you want to get pictures with no people, I’d suggest arriving a little earlier or hanging around after. The second the sun dips below the horizon, everyone will start making their way back down.
Pub Street
Free Entry
Pub Street is the hub of Siem Reap where you’ll find the best nightlife and an assortment of restaurants. While nearly all of the restaurants are open all day along Pub Street, it truly comes alive once the sun sets. The famous Pub Street sign lights up at dusk along with all of the restaurants. It’s not hard to find as it’s the main area of Siem Reap. There will be music blasting from every direction partnered with street performances and delicious smells of every cuisine you can imagine. Of course, I highly suggest trying the local Khmer food but there’s also pizza, Greek, Mexican, Italian, vegetarian, Thai, etc.
Phare Cambodian Circus
Admission Fee: $18 USD
The Phare Cambodian Circus is unlike any circus you’ve ever experienced. There are NO ANIMALS involved and the performances use modern circus, music, and theater to tell Cambodian folk stories. The performers are students and graduates from Phare Ponleu Selpak’s vocational training center in Battambang Cambodia.
A little back story about the Phare Cambodian Circus and Phare Ponleu Selpak Vocational Training Center. The center was founded in 1994 by 9 young men who were in a refugee camp during the Khmer Rouge regime. They used art as a tool for therapy and upon returning, opened a free public school and art school. Eventually, they added music and theater to the school and currently have over 1,200 students enrolled yearly. The Phare Cambodian Circus offers graduates a place to hone their skills in the real world while earning a decent wage.
While the ticket price might be on the “high end” for Cambodia, it is well worth it! It’s a 1-hour performance packed full of entertainment plus you are supporting the local youth, which is priceless! This was honestly one of my favorite things that I did in Seim Reap aside from visiting the Angkor temples.
Check out more videos from the Phare Cambodian Circus here.
Old Market, Angkor Night Market, & Art Center Night Market
Free Entry
Phew! There are a lot of markets in Siem Reap and each one serves a different purpose.
The Old Market is the oldest Khmer market in Siem Reap. It’s divided into different sections. One section provides produce and meats and is where the locals shop daily for local household items. Then, there are vendors selling souvenirs, clothing, and art for tourists.
Angkor Night Market is quite a lively walking street. Vendors offer cheap booze, local food, and street performers will be entertaining well into the late hours of the night.
The Art Center Night Market is across the river from the main downtown area of Siem Reap. You’ll easily see it as it’s well-lit up along the riverside. This market has more textiles and art goods than souvenirs. Each night at 8pm there is an Apsara Dance performance here. It’s worth heading over here to watch and browse the stalls!
National Museum
Admission Fee: $10 USD
The National Museum in Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s largest museum. It has the largest collection of Khmer art with ceramics, bronze, stone, wood, pearl, and glass sculptures and objects. Covering pre and post-Angkor period as well as Angkor period pieces taken from the temples. It was quite fascinating to visit especially before heading up to Siem Reap to explore Angkor Wat itself.
Royal Palace
Admission Fee: $10 USD
The Royal Palace is one of the most visited sites in Phnom Penh. Tourists can wander around the Silver Pagoda, Chan Chhaya Pavilion, and Throne Hall as they are public areas. But do keep in mind that you’ll need to dress appropriately here meaning cover your knees and shoulders. When you enter, you can wander around solo but it’s best to hire a guide. Most of the guides at the entrance are well-informed recent college graduates.
You might notice that nearly half of the Royal Palace is off-limits. Cambodian monarchs have lived in the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh since it was built in the 1860s. Today, it is still an official royal residence for the King. In addition to the living area, the royal gardens and several other buildings are closed to the public. Many religious and royal ceremonies are held here and it’s a meeting place for guests of the King.
Sisowath Quay Boardwalk
Free Entry
The Sisowath Quay Boardwalk isn’t a must-visit. Most of the hotels, hostels, Airbnbs, and homestays around this area, so it’s a beautiful stroll at night. Walking down the boardwalk you’ll pass nearly all the top attractions in Phnom Penh. The Royal Palace, National Museum, Silver Pagoda, Wat Ounalom, etc. While strolling along here you can watch the boats go out and even rent one for 30-minutes or more.
Is Cambodia on your travel list now? Check out more of my posts below about living in and traveling around SE Asia!
