Backpacking Tips For Cambodia

You are walking along a picturesque street in dazzling sunshine. There are markets selling trinkets, clothing and street food on either side of the street with many locals haggling for their purchases. You can smell the strong aroma of freshly ground coffee mixed with the spices of a coconut curry cooking nearby. Welcome to Cambodia!

Cambodia’s neighbours, Thailand and Vietnam are popular backpacker destinations but Cambodia is in a sense overlooked despite having lots to offer.

If you want some rest and relaxation then visit Siem Reap Town; a small colonial town with lots of charm. Spend your days walking along the river front, popping into coffee shops and enjoying a long slow lunch, drinking, socialising and admiring the architecture. Make sure you make the effort to get up before dawn and watch the sunrise over the Ancient Temples at Angkor.

Book a temple tour and spend about 40 minutes in each temple before moving on, allowing you enough time to appreciate each destination. Stay at the clean and modern Siem Reap Hostel and soak up the sun next to the pool. Eat delicious local curries and Lap Khmer, a traditional beef salad before cooling off with an ice cream from Blue Pumpkin Ice Cream Parlour.

Then make the journey to the capital Phnom Penh, a peaceful and tranquil town compared to most capital cities. In day time you can scour the streets and markets for trinkets and gifts. Then head on up to Mount Penh where, after a bit of a climb, you can see the magnificent statue at the top and have your fortune read. There is no shortage of restaurants by the river to frequent and when you are too tired to socialise any more then head to Eighty8Backpackers, renound for its pool parties.

If you want to learn a bit about this country’s history then travel to the Choeng Ek Killing Field Memorial where you can listen to an audio guide tell you about the brutality of Pol Pot’s failed programme of socialism. Although sad, it will give you a huge insight into what has made the country the place it is now and how far it has come. So, if you are considering a backpacking trip this year then consider Cambodia; we think it will pleasantly surprise you!