Things to Do in Cambodia

About Cambodia

Cambodia’s heat greets you at the airport door — a thick, wet blanket that smells of frangipani blossoms, tuk-tuk exhaust, and woodsmoke from roadside grills. This is a country where the sublime and the surreal exist on the same dusty street. In Siem Reap, the predawn silence of Angkor Wat — where the first sun turns the five lotus-bud towers into silhouettes against a peach sky — breaks just hours later into the neon-lit chaos of Pub Street, where you can get a draft beer for 50¢ (2000 riel) and a plate of lok lak (peppery beef stir-fry) for $3. Phnom Penh is a city of brutal contrasts: the serene silver-floored Royal Palace sits a 15-minute remorque ride from the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, a history so visceral you’ll feel the weight of it in your chest. The infrastructure can be rough — expect potholed roads outside major towns and frequent, sudden downpours in the wet season that turn streets into rivers. But that’s the trade for the unvarnished reality of a place still writing its next chapter. You come here not for polished comforts, but for the moments that recalibrate your sense of the world: sharing a $1 (4000 riel) bowl of kuy teav noodle soup with a monk at a pre-dawn market, or watching the Tonlé Sap lake turn to liquid gold at sunset from a wooden boat in Kampong Phluk. It’s raw, it’s real, and it sticks to you long after you’ve left.

Travel Tips

Transportation: Forget renting a car — the real Cambodia is seen from the back of a remorque (tuk-tuk). A short trip within a city like Siem Reap or Phnom Penh typically costs $2-3 (8000-12000 riel), but you’ll get a better deal hiring a driver for a full day (around $20-25) to tour temple complexes. For longer distances, the Giant Ibis bus company is the most reliable and comfortable option; the 6-hour trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap costs about $18. Download the Grab or PassApp ride-hailing apps before you land — they’re cheaper and eliminate haggling. The one pitfall? Agree on a price before you get in any unmetered vehicle, and confirm if it’s in US dollars or riel.

Money: Cambodia runs on a dual-currency system: US dollars for anything over a few bucks, and Cambodian riel for small change. You’ll get riel back for any transaction under $1. Withdraw dollars from ATMs (most dispense $100 bills; you’ll need smaller denominations). A typical budget meal from a street-side stall runs $1.50-3 (6000-12000 riel), while a sit-down restaurant dinner might be $5-10. Credit cards are accepted at upscale hotels and some restaurants in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, but cash is king everywhere else. Insider trick: Always carry a mix of small US bills ($1s and $5s) and riel. Paying with a $10 bill for a $2 purchase often means you’ll get your change in a less-favorable riel rate.

Cultural Respect: The sampeah — a palms-together bow — is the traditional greeting; the higher your hands and the lower the bow, the more respect shown. Use it when meeting elders or monks. When visiting temples (especially Angkor Wat and the Silver Pagoda), cover your shoulders and knees; sarongs are often available to borrow. It’s considered deeply disrespectful to touch someone on the head or point your feet at a person or a Buddha image. Monks cannot touch or be touched by women — if you’re a woman handing something to a monk, place it on a surface for him to pick up. A little Khmer goes a long way: “Sous-dey” (hello) and “Aw-koon” (thank you) will earn you genuine smiles.

Food Safety: Eat where you see a high turnover of locals. The sizzling wok at a busy stall on Phnom Penh’s Street 136 or beside Siem Reap’s Psar Chaa (Old Market) is your safest bet — the food hasn’t been sitting around. Stick to cooked items: banh chhev (crispy crepes), bai sach chrouk (grilled pork and rice), or piping-hot noodle soups like kuy teav. Be cautious with pre-cut fruit and ice in drinks unless you’re at a reputable cafe. Bottled water is essential. The pitfall to avoid? Western-style salads in low-traffic restaurants; the greens may have been rinsed with tap water. For the adventurous, the fried tarantulas in Skuon are a crispy, salty novelty (they taste like soft-shell crab), but make sure they’re fresh from the fryer.

When to Visit

The dry season (November to April) is when Cambodia gets most of its visitors, and for good reason — the weather is at its most forgiving. From November to February, temperatures hover around a pleasant 25-30°C (77-86°F), the humidity drops, and rainfall is rare. This is peak season: expect temples like Angkor Wat to be crowded, and hotel prices in Siem Reap to be at their highest, often 40-50% more than in the wet season. March and April get fiercely hot, with temperatures soaring to 35-40°C (95-104°F); it’s less crowded but can be grueling for temple exploration. The wet season (May to October) transforms the landscape. The countryside turns a luminous green, and the moats around Angkor reflect the temples in perfect mirrors. Afternoon downpours are intense but brief. This is the budget traveler’s window: flights and hotels can be 30% cheaper, and you’ll have popular sites largely to yourself. The trade-off is high humidity and muddy, sometimes impassable rural roads. Key festivals dictate crowds: Khmer New Year (mid-April) sees the entire country on the move, while Water Festival (usually November) floods Phnom Penh with millions. If you’re after perfect weather and can handle the costs, late November or early December is likely your best bet. If you prioritize value and don’t mind carrying an umbrella, September tends to offer a sweet spot of lower prices and slightly less rain.