Is Cambodia Safe?
Cambodia is a safe country to travel, as long as you keep your wits about you. Violent crime is rare, and reports of armed attacks and robberies are scarce.
However, bag snatches and petty thefts are common, especially among tourists and around major public holidays when Cambodians are expected to bring money back to their families in the provinces. With this in mind, don’t carry all your valuables around with you while sightseeing and don’t walk around with a camera round your neck or snapping away photos with an expensive smart phone when a motorbike driver can whip it out of your hands.
Cambodia safety levels also make it a great place for solo travel, whether you’re male or female. Locals are friendly and willing to help out.
Cambodia Safety Tips
If taking a motodop (motorbike taxi) keep tight hold of your bag in front of you, and don’t leave it hanging over your shoulder as there are many reports of people being pulled off motorbikes, causing serious harm.
After dark, try not to stray down any dark back lanes. Negotiate any tuk tuk or motodop prices before starting a ride, and don’t even think of jumping a ride – it happens – because the tuk tuk mafia is a real thing. And don’t get lairy with the locals after abusing cheap beers.
Cambodia safety levels also make it a great place for solo travel, whether you’re male or female. Locals are friendly and willing to help out.
So long as you avoid drinking the tap water and check up on any recommended jabs before you set of on your Cambodia travel
An extra precaution is to use tuk tuks or taxis rather than motodops at night. Drunk driving is rife in Cambodia, with very few consequences for perpetrators. A raft of taxi-apps makes catching a cheap, private taxi easy. Download Grab or PassApp and get booking.
Cambodia Hygeine
So long as you avoid drinking the tap water and check up on any recommended jabs before you set of on your Cambodia travel, you shouldn’t have any health concerns, although it’s not a bad idea to take along medication in case you pick up a dodgy stomach.
While Cambodia’s health service is not as advanced as neighbouring countries, there are western medical practices in both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. If you do need medication, make sure you go to a reliable pharmacist such as UCare Pharmacy, as fake drugs are not unknown. The rough rule of thumb is the more western it looks then the more likely the drugs are to be genuine.
Begging Scams in Cambodia
It’s also worth noting there are a few common scams operating in Cambodia, so don’t fall victim. These come in the form of begging children taking unwitting tourists to buy over-priced milk, and fake monks – often found along Phnom Penh’s Riverside – selling bracelets, to visa scams on the borders and crooked gambling games. If it doesn’t feel right, walk away. But if you take these precautions you will find Cambodia travel as safe as in any other country.
For the latest UK Governement travel advice for Cambodia, click here.
