20 Cambodia Travel Tips You NEED To Know!

1. There’s so much more than Angkor Wat 

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Now let me explain – I don’t mean you should skip this incredible archaeological wonder, but just know the country has more to offer, ya’ know? 

There are even off-the-beaten-path sites that are similar to Angkor Wat without the crowds! Here are a few you can look into:

• Koh Ker
• Preah Vihar
• Banteay Chhamar
• Bang Melea

2. Understand the dark history of Cambodia’s Khmer genocide

I was absolutely floored that my 2018 visit to Cambodia (my first time in Asia) was the only time I’d ever heard of the horrific Khmer genocide. Idk about you, but I know I was never taught about it in US schools. 

During the sadistic rule of Pol Pot from 1975-1979, more than 1.5 million Cambodians were genocided, either directly or by mass starvation. Many of the country’s brightest minds were murdered as the regime sought to bring the country back to Year Zero, where everyone would labour in a “classless utopia”. 

Today, you’ll disturbingly notice that there aren’t many elderly people in Cambodia, and you’ll soon understand why. The two most prolific places in the country to bear witness to this frequently unknown genocide are the Killing Fields and the S21 Prison, both in Phnom Penh. 

3. Try out these local spots in the capital:

I really enjoyed Phnom Penh – it’s a pretty small city, and while there are some touristy bits, it was so easy to get off the beaten path. 

While everyone goes to the Russian Market and Golden Palace (and so did I for full transparency!), the most memorable places were these local spots where we quite literally saw zero other foreigners. Be sure to add them to your itinerary for Phnom Penh.

• Orussey Market 
• The Old Market 
• Toultumpong Market

4. Kep has the best crab on the planet 

No exaggeration at all, this was the best seafood experience I’ve ever had in my life. And trust me, your girl loves seafood! 

Kep is a small, sleepy seaside town and while it may not have the most beautiful beaches in Cambodia, there were more local tourists than foreigners, and of course… the best damn crab on the planet.

While there are a BUNCH of restaurants, the tea is that the very best, most economical experience can be found the right way: deep in the local fish market.

Right along the Gulf of Thailand, this no-frills seafood shop is thronged with dozens of stalls, lit by tiny fluorescent lights. But don’t be put off by any lack of luxury – you’ll easily find a local with a fresh batch of crabs ready to cook them for you on demand. The speciality of the region is green pepper (not the veggie, like black pepper, but green!), and you can rest assured that you’ll get to experience it in its full glory.

An entire kg of crab (and preparation) costs about $10 USD – you won’t want to have it anywhere else again! 

5. Try out a happy pizza… but don’t overdo it

While weed has been legal in neighbouring Thailand, it’s not…exactly… here in Cambodia.

With one cheeky exception that is!

Happy pizza – or basically pizza with weed on it – is infamous across the country and definitely worth trying at least once! 

Just be forewarned – this is NOT a gimmick and these can really get you lit if you’re not careful. Check out reviews (you can search Happy Pizza on Google maps), start with the lowest amount, and deffo don’t drive a scooter after eating one!

You can find happy pizza shops easily in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Kampot and Sihanoukville. 

6. Sihanoukville is utterly bizarre, a night in transit is for sure enough

Speaking of Sihanoukville…

Y’all, I truly believe this is one of the strangest places I’ve ever set foot in. It used to be a sleeping backpacker/hippie enclave thanks to its great beaches and formerly chill vibes.

Now it’s completely unrecognisable- I’ve only seen it in its newest form and cannot believe this was ever a town. It’s now a full-blown city filled with skyscrapers and buildings, but here’s the catch: it’s nearly entirely empty.

In the past decade it was heavily invested in by Chinese billionaires (mostly in the gambling and scamming sectors), and now you’ll see Mandarin signs everywhere and so many abandoned buildings. 

There are still some pockets of Cambodian vibes and local people, but many have been put out of business due to the change in ownership and vibes. It may be unavoidable to spend a night there, but that’s definitely enough – I wouldn’t add it to my Cambodian itinerary, that’s for sure. 

7. See wild river dolphins in Kratie

The magic of the Upper Mekong awaits, complete with Irrawaddy dolphins. These are extremely endangered and are definitely worth seeing if you’re into ethical wildlife encounters. 

The entire town is a vibe in itself too – so much more relaxed than Siem Reap, Kampot or Phnom Penh! You can even go stay on some very local river islands for a truly immersive experience. 

8. Get off the beaten path on Koh Rong 

Okay, I know – Koh Rong deffo isn’t off the beaten path these days. I was shocked when I pulled up to the ferry to head over and saw enough vacationers to make me think I was in Florida or something. 

But this island is BIG – and there really are ways to escape the mass tourism, luxury BS that you see on all the main beaches. 

Allow me to introduce you to Lonely Beach: not accessible by car or tuk-tuk, this small slice of paradise is truly for those of us looking for raw and authentic beach vibes. 

Old school wooden huts, no running water, solar electricity and no WiFi are exactly what you can expect here. Along with WAY fewer people, and the kind of seaside scenes you might have gotten back in the days before mass tourism/commercialism hit Southeast Asia. 

This was hands down one of the best parts of an entire four-month trip!

9. Support a local on rustic and less-visited Koh Ta Kiev 

This small island is one of the few in this part of SEA that is still laid back and motorised-vehicle-free.

There are only jungle trails that snake around the island, and three places to stay. I ended up spending a week on this island paradise, and the very best place you can post up is Naks Shacks. 

Owned and operated entirely by a local Cambodian family, the space is extremely peaceful and by far the cheapest for a bungalow. What’s more is that SMART has incredible, super-fast 4G coverage at Naks’, unlike the rest of the island, where it’s hard to get a signal.

10. Learn some Khmer 

While it’s very easy to get around the country, English is NOT widely spoken in Cambodia. People may know some bits, but not a lot.

Learning some of the local language, Khmer, won’t just make your trip easier, but it will also allow you to connect more with the incredibly kind local people you’ll be meeting!

11. Be prepared for potential drama at land border crossings 

Cambodia is notorious for corruption, and you can deffo see that at land borders, where you’ll often be charged more for a visa on arrival or basically be asked for a bribe. 

The worst border for this is Poipet, as it’s known for being popular with people who are illegally living in Thailand and doing visa runs. 

It may be easier to arrange things with a transport company, which is what many backpackers, including myself, did while entering the country for the first time. 

I’ve also crossed the Koh Kong border into Thailand, and weak passport holders beware: you may be asked to “check with Thailand” if they’ll let you in, even if you hold a perfectly valid visa. 

Luckily, it all worked out, but definitely one of the more annoying border crossings I’ve experienced to date! 

12. Head northeast

Some of the least visited parts of Cambodia can be found in its northeast corner, namely in the provinces of Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri. There were some of the best places I stayed in Cambodia, and we had some of our most memorable experiences here.

These rural locales give you a chance to really get to experience life in Cambodia that you won’t really get to see down south. 

Here you’ll find amazing hilly landscapes, waterfalls and even lakes. Both border North Laos and are filled with ethical ecotourism spots, 100% worth the long ass drive from Phnom Penh! 

13. Check out Battambang 

Widely known as Cambodia’s artistic capital, Battambang is also widely ignored by foreigners. Sure, some go – but not nearly as many as you’d expect.

Prior to the Khmer genocide, the city was famous for its artists, singers and musicians, and you can still see hints of that influence all around. 

There’s also some pretty incredible French architecture if that’s your vibe, along with the country’s only winery. This is a real Cambodian city, sans all the foreigners you see in PP.

14. Make sure you’re insured!

Healthcare is overall not very great in Cambodia, and when it is, it’s extremely expensive. If anything comes up, you deffo want to be covered!

ALWAYS sort out your backpacker insurance before your trip. There’s plenty to choose from in that department, but a good place to start is Safety Wing.

They offer month-to-month payments, no lock-in contracts, and require absolutely no itineraries: that’s the exact kind of insurance long-term travellers and digital nomads need.

SafetyWing is cheap, easy, and admin-free: just sign up lickety-split so you can get back to it!

Click the button below to learn more about SafetyWing’s setup or read our insider review for the full tasty scoop.

15. Know that e-Visas cannot be used everywhere

While Cambodia does have an e-visa system (and visa on arrival), it’s essential to know that the e-visa is NOT valid for all borders.

It will also force you to specify exactly where you plan to exit and enter, neither of which can be changed. 

Though certain visa-on-arrival land borders are known for being scammy, I still think they (or alternatively, getting a visa in advance at an embassy) are better options, especially if you want to keep your plans flexible.

16. Avoid Western-style salads 

While staying on Koh Ta Kiev island, in which there are only three places to eat, I was deeply craving a salad and decided to get one from a place I had eaten at multiple times before, including the PREVIOUS DAY when I’d eaten the same exact salad.

The cards were not in my favour for round tw,o though. Let’s just say I spent 6+ hours in severe pain double-dragoning in a bathroom without an automatic flush…

Better times HAVE been had!

To avoid my fate, I highly highly recommend avoiding Western salads anywhere in the country. After years living in Asia, I have had some good ones, but it’s always a gamble, ESPECIALLY on an island with questionable refrigeration! 

17. Be careful on Phnom Penh’s river walk 

While Cambodia is safe overall, Phnom Penh has a statistically seedier reputation than the rest of the country. Robberies do happen here, but still not to the level of Latin America. 

The main spot for these untoward events is the famous river walk. While you could avoid it altogether, if you want to check it out, do it during the day, or leave electronics at home. You can carry a small amount of cash to give away in case you need to. 

18. Winter is when you want to be here 

My very first visit to Cambodia was in July 2018, and my second was in January 2025. Now, I know some people don’t really care about the weather, but as someone who does, let me explain WHY this matters. 

In July, it rained nearly every day, it was extremely humid, and it was just all around not a vibe to wander around in. I didn’t even try to hit the beach that year, which made sense since it was almost never sunny. 

But in January, it was sunny nearly EVERY day and almost *chilly* on some occasions in PP, which meant we could spend hours outside without even sweating. 

The difference this makes is IMMENSE! Especially if you plan to really dig deep into Angkor Wat, which was nearly unbearable for me back in 2018.

But the real warning is to avoid March-May. These are the hottest months of the year in SEA, and are not fun times to be travelling. Heat stroke is a very real concern, and even the beaches become boiling. Rather, it’s one of the best places to visit in December on a budget.

19. Try a street-side Num Pang!

Vietnam has banh mi, but did you know the French left a culinary legend behind in Cambodia, too? 

I tried Num Pang for the first time recently and wow – truly one of the best things I ate in the country. Think a slightly toasted baguette filled with a juicy marinated pork, topped with ginger, pickled veggies, and sauce!

These guys can always be found on the street for just about $1.25 USD. And while you might be thinking, “Is that safe to eat?” all I know is that I was totally fine eating these bad boys, but the worst food poisoning I experienced in the county was from a “clean” Western cafe. 

20. Use Giant Ibis bus company when you can

Cambodia’s roads can get a bit crazy, which is why I deffo recommend using the country’s most reliable and trusted company when possible.

Giant Ibis has the best safety record and is still pretty cheap. For $12 or so, you get cold AC, reclinable seats, and even snacks! 

I’ve taken them twice and deffo preferred them to a minivan option. They don’t run on less common routes, but you can use them from Siem Reap – Phnom Penh and even down south to Kampot/Kep too.

I really loved Cambodia – the vibes, the people, the beaches, the food. It’s all wrapped up in a unique mixture that’s all its own. Though its history is dark, Cambodia’s future is looking a little bit brighter, and now is truly a fantastic time to visit.

From jungle-based hill tribes in the far north, crystal clear water and white sand beaches in the south, to one of the most magnificent archaeological sites on the planet, this is a country that’s got a little bit of something for everyone.

But one word of warning: people are catching on to Cambodia, and fast. Sihanoukville has already been all but destroyed, and old timers fear for the islands, too. So my recommendation is to get here fast to catch a bit of that old school magic!