In Review: 15 Days of Backpacking in Cambodia

Why I Went There?

Even though I had grown tired of South East Asia in the weeks before I went to Cambodia, I have always wanted to visit Angkor Wat. Being already in Thailand close to the Cambodian border, Jenni and I decided make the trip there.

Where Did I Go?

I crossed the border at Poi Pet on the way to Siem Reap. After visiting the temples of Angkor there, we headed to Battambang before crossing back into Thailand through the same border.

My Other Blog Posts on Myanmar

Crossing The Infamous Thai-Cambodia Border at Poi Pet
A Long Break at Angkor Wat and Siem Reap
Battambang, Bamboo Train, And Phnom Sampeau

Expenses

Traveling with Jenni meant that we could share accommodation and taxi rides, making them cheaper per person than traveling alone.

Total Days: 15
Total Expenses for 2 People: 940 USD (470 USD/person)
Average for 2 People: 63 USD/day (31 USD/person)

This includes the 40 USD each for the e-visa.

You can use USD to pay for everything except small items like a bottle of water. ATMs all dispense USD.

Things can be shockingly cheap. Accommodation, while cheap, was the highest expense. In Siem Reap we paid 15 USD per night for a very nice room. Food is incredibly cheap too, with simple dishes costing 1 or 1.50 USD, and a beer costing 0.50 USD. You can also have lots of luxuries without spending much.

A lot of people will try to sell you a lot of things, and some of them will try to overcharge you. It’s best to do research in advance online for costs like taxis to particular places.

How Is It Like to Backpack in Cambodia?

The country is very popular on the South East Asia backpacking trail, so it is tailored for tourism. There are frequent buses from and to all the major cities. Most people in the service industry will speak at least good basic English.

Although I have not encountered it, I have heard many stories of travelers being scammed in Cambodia. So unfortunately one would need to be more on guard and paranoid when buying things and paying for services. Again, it would be smart to do advance research on prices and reputation of places.

I felt safe walking on the streets, even at night. I carried my DSLR camera around without being paranoid about it.

Conclusion

While it was just a 2-week visit, I ended up liking Cambodia way more than I expected. I enjoyed the interactions I had with locals. I also liked that it wasn’t very westernized like its neighbor Thailand. It retains a lot of its authenticity.

My Favorite Pictures