Cambodia may be a small country, but don’t underestimate how many things there are to see while you’re on one of Cambodia’s tours. A tour of Cambodia will allow you to see all its landmarks and hidden gems, without needing to worry about planning. That’s because your tour will already have everything from your accommodations to your daily itinerary covered.
Cambodia can be a difficult country to navigate as a foreigner, but with the help of a tour guide, transportation will be organized and all your questions will be answered. Tours of Cambodia start and end in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, but you can also add Cambodia as a stop on larger tours of Southeast Asia, where you can visit bordering countries like Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia.
Are you ready?
Cambodia Tour Destinations
Cambodia has a lot to offer whether you’re looking for a more serious trip or something more adventurous. Anyone who comes to Cambodia must do a tour of the Killing Fields, S-21 Prison, and other genocide sites to get a deeper understanding of this country’s history. A tour guide can tell you personal stories of victims of the Khmer Rouge, providing you with further insight on these places and the history of the Khmer Rouge.
You must also do a tour of Angkor Wat and the surrounding temples, like Ta Prohm, the “Lara Croft” temple. Angkor Wat can take days to explore, but luckily, your licensed tour guide will help you take care of your entrance, make sure you’re there to watch the sunrise, and transport you on tuk tuk to the different temples.
Siem Reap and Phnom Penh are awesome cities with a lot to do. Your tour guide can organize a City Cyclo Tour, and when you’re done with that, a spa day where you can get a traditional Cambodian massage. Your tour can also take you on a snorkelling day trip, a day of gibbon ziplining, or a visit to the Cambodian Circus. When you’ve had enough of the city life and you want to explore the countryside, you can do a Mekong Boat Tour to see the rare irrawaddy dolphins or swap your regular hotel for an authentic homestay at the Chambok Village. You can also do a tour of the silk farms and rubber tree and pepper plant plantations.
And, like any busy traveler, you need to make time to eat! Cambodian tour packages will make sure you get to taste the very best of Cambodian cuisine. Try a Khmer cooking course, an authentic dinner in a Cambodian community-based project, or just taste the local food. No matter what you eat, it will certainly satisfy your tastebuds!
What are you waiting for? It’s time to book your trip the Kingdom of Cambodia! And, remember, if you want to visit other countries, your tour can help you with visas and border crossings, too. Check out these tours of Cambodia to learn more!
Facts About Cambodia
Want to surprise your tour leader when you arrive? We’ve got some interesting facts about Cambodia from real life tour guides. Check these out!
- The Khmer Empire was one of the largest in Asia for a period of six hundred years. It made up a huge portion of Southeast Asia, and parts of which are now modern day Vietnam and Thailand.
- The Khmer Rouge was a communist regime that created a genocide which killed more than a million Cambodians. The ethnic cleansing ultimately sent educated people to the countryside to become peasants. They tortured and killed anyone who wasn’t “pure Khmer,” had a higher societal job, previously worked for the opposing government, or even wore glasses.
- The leader of Khmer Rouge was Pol Pot, born with the name Saloth Sar. He died in 1998, though it’s still not clear if his death was caused homicide or suicide.
- The S-21 Prison which is now the S-21 Tuol Sieng Museum was once a high school.
- Angkor Wat, which means “City Temple” is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest religious site in the world. It was built by King Suryavarman II between 1113 and 1150 AD to the Hindu god, Vishnu.
- “Operation Menu” was the name of covert United State’s SAC bombing campaign, located in eastern Cambodia during the Vietnam War
- Cambodia was the film location of Indiana Jones and Tomb Raider. Actress Angelina Jolie, who played Lara Croft, has become a Cambodian citizen and adopted her son, Maddox, from Cambodia.
Hana LaRock is originally from New York, though has called other places around the world her home for the last two years. She currently lives in South Korea as an English teacher and freelance travel writer. When she’s not working, she enjoys writing, reading, spending time with her dog, and of course, traveling. You can find her at www.hanalarockwriting.com.
