Cambodia Safety Guide
Health, security, and travel safety information
Emergency Numbers
Save these numbers before your trip.
Healthcare
What to know about medical care in Cambodia.
Public facilities are basic. Private clinics in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville treat foreigners but demand up-front payment in cash or card.
In Phnom Penh, Royal Phnom Penh Hospital, No. 888, Russian Confederation Blvd, Sen Sok (24/7 emergency 023 991 222), and Sunrise Japan Hospital, No. 177E, Kola Loum Street, Chroy Changvar (emergency 023 260 151). In Siem Reap, Royal Angkor International Hospital, National Road 6 (Airport Road), runs an emergency service with ambulance (012 235 888). Near Kampot, Sonja Kill Memorial Hospital is 6 km west of town on National Road 3 (FCDO list). For an ambulance in Cambodia, call 119. Sources: UK FCDO list of medical and dental services in Cambodia, updated 4 Nov 2026; UK FCDO Cambodia travel advice, getting help, updated 19 Mar 2026.
Pharmacies crowd the towns; U'Care and Pharmacie de la Gare chains stock imported brands. Counterfeit pills circulate, check seals and expiry. Ask the pharmacist to print English dosage notes.
Not legally required to enter Cambodia. Yet strongly advised for evacuation and hospital bills.
- ✓ Carry copies of prescriptions. Common drugs like antibiotics are often sold over the counter.
- ✓ Stick to sealed bottled water. Tap water is chlorinated but pipes are old.
Common Risks
Be aware of these potential issues.
Drive-by bag-snatching and phone-grabbing by motorbike passengers, in Phnom Penh and the late-night blocks of Siem Reap.
Daytime heat runs 32, 38 °C year-round, higher in March, May; humidity saps salt and water while you climb temples.
Motorbikes rule. Helmets are compulsory yet rarely handed to passengers. Speeding and poor lighting follow sunset.
Stray dogs patrol markets. Macaques at Angkor and Kbal Speh bite when they spot food.
Scams to Avoid
Watch out for these common tourist scams.
Child holding baby formula approaches tourists at temples asking you to buy an over-priced tin from a nearby stall. Goods are later returned for a cash split.
Driver has a cheap day rate, then insists on a find shop or tailor stop where you're pressed to buy so he earns petrol vouchers.
Arriving overland, fake officials demand an extra stamping fee or inflated visa cost before passport control.
Roadside vendor fills your tank with yellow-tinted water. The moto breaks down soon after and the driver wants a repair tip.
Safety Tips
Practical advice to stay safe.
- • Shoulders and knees covered. Scarves not accepted at Angkor guards.
- • Climbing on crumbling sandstone risks falls. Heed rope barriers.
- • Watch bartender open sealed cans. Spiked buckets occur on Pub Street.
- • Use PassApp or Grab tuk-tuk home; solo riverside walks invite bag-snatching.
- • ATMs dispense USD; withdraw inside bank lobbies to avoid card skimmers.
- • Carry two stashes: small notes for street stalls, larger notes zipped away.
Information for Specific Travelers
Safety considerations for different traveler groups.
Cambodia stays socially conservative. Solo women rarely face violent crime yet may draw comments or tuk-tuk drivers asking for phone numbers.
- → Sit behind female passengers on motorbike taxis when you can; say 'no thank you' firmly to persistent drivers.
- → Pick guesthouses with 24-hour reception and CCTV; note the fire exit in wooden riverside hostels.
Same-sex relations legal since 2022; no anti-discrimination statute.
- → Book centrally in Phnom Penh (BKK1) and Siem Reap (Pub Street vicinity) where gay-friendly bars cluster.
- → Skip overt affection near school grounds or pagodas to avoid unwanted commentary.
Travel Insurance
Protect yourself before you travel.
Medical evacuation to Bangkok or Singapore can top the price of a round-the-world ticket. Insurance locks in direct billing and helicopter transfer.
Ready to plan your trip to Cambodia?
Now that you've got the research covered, here's where to go next.