What To Do In Cambodia

Ask anyone what they know about Cambodia and they will probably tell you: war and civil unrest.  It is a country with a very unhappy past but it is now emerging as a popular off-beat tourist destination.

The country is a lot safer than it once was but you should still exercise caution and travel in groups, particularly at night, because crime rates are still high particularly in the cities.  The safest way to travel around in Cambodia is on a tuk tuk, which is a motorbike with three wheels towing a carriage.

Not to be missed are the Killing Fields, a chilling reminder of the Khmer Rouge regime wherein thousands of people were executed in this remote location and buried in a mass grave that was uncovered and is now open for inspection by visitors.  It is a horrible place to visit in many ways, but oddly compelling and a hugely important reminder of the horror of such regimes.  S21 is a similar ‘attraction’; it’s an old school house that was converted during the regime to act as a prison and concentration camp, with claustrophobic cells that are barely wide enough to lie down in.

If you’re looking for something a little more light-hearted, you could visit the beach town of Sinhoukesville, which is sandy and beautiful.  Or Angkor wat, which comprises hundreds of elaborate stone temples which are simply amazing, especially at sunset.  You could easily spend several days at Angkor wat, and a three-day pass costs around $40US.

Cambodia is a very cheap holiday destination (after flights) and you will see things that you couldn’t see elsewhere.