Travels with Tricia

Cambodia

With its mighty Angkorian temples, lush jungle landscapes, and welcoming people, Cambodia is a special place to explore.

I’ve been to Cambodia twice. My maiden voyage there was as a solo traveler. It was my first time visiting Southeast Asia, and I also journeyed to Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos during that three-week adventure. A few years later, Shawn and I spent 16 days in Cambodia, as part of a five-month-long Asian trip.

Though the country is rebounding from years of genocide and war, a visit there is still fraught with reminders of Cambodia’s tragic past. When I saw children begging, or men with amputated limbs selling books and postcards in Phnom Penh, I often felt overwhelmed and uncertain how to make a difference. One way that visitors can help is by frequenting family-owned businesses and other well-respected establishments with a cause. I’ve shared some sites I found worthwhile on this page.

Below, you’ll also find my clickable Cambodia index, as well as destination-specific tips and accommodation ideas.

Click the index button below to see all my posts from Cambodia.

cambodia-index

Table of Contents

General

Places

Phnom Penh

  • Remember those who lost their lives at the hands of the Khmer Rouge by visiting the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and Choeung Ek Killing Fields.
  • Enjoy a dining experience with a cause at Friends the Restaurant. This social business works with former street children by teaching them valuable skills in the hospitality industry and other vocations. We found Friends’ tapas-style food to be superb! (I had a tasty baguette with sautéed zucchini and peppers, along with a refreshing citrus drink.) The cost was a bit more than what we would’ve paid at another local restaurant, but the prices were still extremely reasonable — about $15 for the two of us. We also appreciated the restaurant’s cheery, immaculate interior. Paintings made by young Cambodian artists adorned some walls, while a gallery of black and white images of youth participants filled another corner of the restaurant. What was most gratifying, however, was knowing that the riels we spent were going to a worthwhile cause!
  • Explore the well-manicured grounds of the Royal Palace, then marvel at the glittering Silver Pagoda.
  • Brush shoulders with locals out for an evening walk — even worshippers carrying lotus blossoms — as you stroll Phnom Penh’s Riverside.
  • Peruse stalls overflowing with stacks of silken scarves, silver jewelry, homemade chopsticks, woodcarvings, and name-brand clothing labels at the Russian Market.
Customers dine inside Friends restaurant in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
Friends Restaurant.
Choeung Ek Killing Fields Stupa and grounds.
The Choeung Ek Killing Fields Memorial. Tragically, this stupa contains thousands of skulls of victims.
Choeung Ek Killing Fields Memorial and stupa containing thousands of skulls.
The memorial’s stupa, which contains thousands of human skulls (right).
A room at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum where black and white images of murdered victims are on display.
The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, also known as S-21, is a high-school-turned-brutal-prison. The Khmer Rouge murdered thousands of people here. The victims’ haunting images are on display.

Siem Reap

The sun rises over Angkor Wat, casting shadows in a pond filled with lotus flowers and lily pads.
Sunrise at Angkor Wat.
A couple stands beside the ruins of the Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia.
Atmospheric Ta Prohm Temple.
Bobbins of orange, cream, and fuchsia silk inside a drawer at a silk farm near Siem Reap, Cambodia
Bobbins of silk at the Artisans d’Angkor Silk Farm.
Motorbikes drive along a Siem Reap street, some filled with three passengers, others with heavy cargo. There is a palm tree overhead and a gold archway leading to a temple.
People and cargo pack motorbikes on a Siem Reap street.
Cambodian Landmine Museum Siem Reap Cambodia
A display inside the Cambodian Landmine Museum.

Takeo Province

A traveler uses a traditional tool to shred coconut in Cambodia's Takeo Province.
Shredding coconut the traditional way.
Travelers visit an English class in Cambodia and stand beside students.
Visiting an English class at the local college.
Three people thresh rice on a wooden surface in Cambodia alongside a house and palm and banana trees.
Learning how to thresh rice.
Tourists visit an outdoor market in rural Cambodia.
Visiting the local market.

Accommodation

  • Takeo Province – We wanted an immersive and authentic small-town Cambodian experience, so we traveled from Phnom Penh to Takeo Province by bus. We spent 10 extraordinary days at the Meas Family Homestay (affiliate link), which is located in a rural community called Angk Ta Saom, about 70 km (43 miles) southwest of Phnom Penh. This was one of the highlights of our three weeks in Cambodia — if not the highlight! Owners Siphen and Mach, who are both educators, introduced us to several activities in their community. We learned how to thresh rice, we visited high school and college English classes, and we accompanied Siphen to the local fresh market. The homemade meals were fantastic too! (We feasted on freshwater lobster, tropical fruit, coconut shakes, and dishes incorporating rice grown in the area.)
The two hosts of a guesthouse in Takeo Province stand with two of their guests.
With our exceptional hosts, Siphen and Mach.
The entryway of the Meas Family Homestay in Ang Kro-Som Commune,Tram Kork District, Angk Ta Saom, Takeo Province Cambodia is visible. There is a metal gate, a flower-filled garden, and an inviting house with an open porch.
The Meas Family Homestay in Ang Kro-Som, Takeo Province.
Pink lotus blossoms fill a pond in Cambodia.
Pink lotus blossoms fill a pond on the grounds of the homestay.

Additional Cambodia Resources

crossing the Cambodian Thai border on foot
Walking across the Thailand-Cambodia border.
Arrival Departure Card Cambodia
Shawn holds his Arrival / Departure card, issued as we crossed from Thailand into Cambodia.

Get inspired with my posts from Cambodia:

A blue bucket filled with yellow mimosa flowers sits at a fresh market in Croatia. The flower is associated with International Women's Day celebrations. Celebrating International Women’s Day
A horse stands in front of Angkor Wat, in Cambodia. Photo du Jour: A Bejeweled Horse – Angkor Wat, Cambodia
Khmer Architecture in the Shadows of Angkor Wat
A pile of lotus buds in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Vignettes From Phnom Penh’s Riverside
A couple, standing in front of the Ta Prohm Temple in Cambodia, which is overgrown by trees. A Return to Angkor: The Tree-Adorned Temple of Ta Prohm
The remnants of two smiling faces adorn the Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom, Cambodia. A Return to Angkor: Exploring Breathtaking Bayon Temple
Tourists walk toward Angkor Wat in Cambodia. An Afternoon at Angkor Wat
Two pairs of devatas (goddesses) are shown carved into Angkor Wat in Cambodia. The Devatas and Apsaras of Angkor Wat in Black & White
Six adults, dressed in traditional Cambodian costumes, stand near Angkor Wat. Angkorian Dress-Up in Cambodia
Bobbins of orange, cream, and fuchsia silk inside a drawer at a silk farm near Siem Reap, Cambodia Learning the Fine Art of Sericulture & Weaving on a Cambodian Silk Farm
Green and white silk thread is guided onto a roll on a silk farm near Siem Reap, Cambodia. Photo du Jour: Smooth as Cambodian Silk
A father gazes at a landmine awareness exhibition in downtown Phnom Penh while his son curiously watches onlookers. A Landmine Awareness Photography Exhibition in Phnom Penh
People thresh rice in rural Cambodia. Threshing Rice on Christmas Day in Cambodia
Bridging a Divide on the Backroads of Cambodia’s Takeo Province
Tuktuks pass by the exterior of Phnom Penh's Royal Palace, just before sunset. Photo Du Jour: Phnom Penh’s Royal Palace at Sunset