Battambang

Admittedly, Cambodia doesn’t get the greatest rep in comparison to its neighbouring countries. It’s a poorer country than Thailand or Vietnam, and as such, petty crimes like theft can be more commonplace here. Cambodia is also known for a flourishing drug trade: yet there have recently been major crackdowns in response – so the country is becoming cleaner, safer and more tourist-friendly these days.

In our experience, Cambodia is safe for solo travellers (including female travellers), groups and families. Especially if you choose to book a tour with Wide Eyed Tours & Travel: because our local guides can advise you on things to do and things to avoid as you travel. Such as:

• When visiting busy areas at night – like the riverfront street in Phnom Penh – keep your belongings secure and on you at all times.
• Don’t drink the tap water and use bottled water to clean your teeth.
• Take extra care before crossing the road – look left, then right, then left again – to avoid any motorbikes or Tuk Tuks which may be zipping past the cars.
• If you want to go exploring on your own and don’t want to flag down a street Tuk Tuk, download PassApp – it works just like Uber to get you where you need, safely. (You can, of course, call our local travel team either and they’ll sort you out!)

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Although Cambodia has a fast-growing economy, it’s still one of the poorest countries in Asia – beating only Laos and Myanmar in terms of GDP per capita. That’s its current state, at least: but the fact that it is a marketing hub, that it has a growing middle class and holds a lot of potential in terms of developing infrastructure plus international trade, means that mightn’t be the case that much longer.

Cambodia is certainly one to watch in terms of economic growth and, at least in the short-term, the country might expect to become quite wealthy overnight.

When travelling in Cambodia, however, this probably won’t be apparent just yet. And although there are good restaurants and bars to be discovered, you won’t be as spoiled for choice as, say in Bangkok or Ho Chi Minh city.

It also isn’t as cheap to travel through as its neighbours: while very affordable by Western standards, things like meals out or coffees are more like a few dollars less than what you’d pay at home, rather than a fraction of the price.

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Cambodia is a great tourist destination for the variety of activities on offer and the diversity of its landscape: all accessible in even a short trip. Unlike Vietnam, where you might spend your two-week holiday travelling up the coast, you could see Cambodia’s main sites, plus relax on the beaches down south, in the same amount of time.

With Tuk Tuks and PassApp making it easy to get around the cities, train lines from north – south and air conditioned buses or express minivans covering everywhere in between, Cambodia travel is both a simple and a pleasurable experience.

Sure, the food may not be as outstanding as Vietnam or Thailand – but there are plenty of local specialities to enjoy (and our travel team can help you to track them down!) Plus, if you’re hankering for Western dishes, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

Really though, Siem Reap and the temples of Angkor Wat are among the biggest reasons for tourists to visit Cambodia. No matter if they’re busy, if the heat is blinding, if you’re recovering after a few too many drinks from the night before…they are simply splendid. They won’t disappoint: and neither will Cambodia.