Adventure Tours in Cambodia

Even though Cambodia isn’t a particularly large country, you’ll have plenty of options when deciding on a home base for your Cambodia adventure tour. Depending on the type of experience you’re after, you may want to focus on more coastal areas or stray inland to see just what the overgrown jungles have to offer.

Siem Reap. The launching point for flocks of visitors to the fabled ruins of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap is a worthy choice for reasons beyond its proximity to the famous temple complex. Although it is a popular tourist destination for Cambodia tours, Siem Reap also offers the chance to get off the beaten path. Whether you’re starting a trek through protected forests, learning about the complicated nature of volunteer tourism at local orphanages, or caring for rescued elephants at an ethical sanctuary, Siem Reap is the perfect place to get your Cambodian adventure started.

Phnom Penh. The capital city of Cambodia is a great choice for someone looking to get more of an urban feel with their adventure travel. Phnom Penh boasts palaces, temples, and western-style shopping malls alike, and its riverside location gives it unique access to outdoor adventures. You could head out on boat tours, horseback rides, camping and hiking adventures, or even rent a quad bike for a different vantage point of the city. After a day of gritty adventure, you could choose to relax in the opulent Raffles Hotel Le Royal, which has been a favorite of glamorous travel aficionados from Jacqueline Onassis to Angelina Jolie — just don’t be shocked by the New York City prices on the cocktail menu!

Rural Areas. To really dive into trips to Cambodia, you could forgo cities altogether and focus on a program in one of the various rural areas of the country. You could study resource management in the flowing waters of the Mekong River basin, volunteer at understaffed rural hospitals, and even work at a rescue sanctuary for Asiatic black bears and sun bears who have suffered from abuse. Living and working in one of the varied rural areas of this diverse country will open your eyes and challenge your ways of thinking; and while you may not run into the Hollywood version of Angelina, you’ll be more likely to see the Tomb Raider version somewhere among the overgrown temple ruins!