Safe to travel in Cambodia?

#13 - K1d,

Don't post experiences like that or you will be accused of being a liar by all the know betters.

For the BBQed rats, search for a 2 year old article on Gorhsars www.talesoasia.com site, I remember vaguely its a seasonal dish from somewhere off Battambang. #

What you mom has in mind are the cliche stories from the 90ies cowboy days in Cambo, so infamously depiced in the "off the rails" book. Hookers, machine guns, raids, drugs, pedos you say it, they have it ... cliche.

Today, Cambodia is a farely safe backpacking place with semi-decent travel infrastructure and you'll make it out alive unless if you keep your senses together. I had an excellent time there and no probs at all ...

I know where you're coming from as NZ is one of the safest places on earth so anywhere else is 'scary' by comparison.

IMO Cambodia is safe but you need to exercise the usual cautions at night.

Certainly I felt safer there than I do in London

Cambo, so infamously depiced in the "off the rails" book. Hookers, machine guns, raids, drugs, pedos you say it, they have it ... cliche.

Whacky Mom didnt even mention those....

There are still hookers, drugs and some pedos wandering the alleys, machine guns are only for the tourist firing at cows.

if you can live in new zealand and feel and be safe ,,than cambodia is kids play for you..much safer in cambodia than new zealand or aussie for that matter..i live in siem reap and had no problems,in fact i could walk down the street at midnight here and not have a problem,except maybe from a lady boy wanting a pick up ,but in sydney or perth or darwin no way.. but having said that,i lived in australia most of my life,than moved to bangkok and had a great time,,when i found out cambodia was a better place for me to do business,i was a little concerned of what i had read about the place ...and people also advised me that its not safe,,,but now i know that its a lot safer than cities in australia and also bangkok,,your greatest danger will be you love the place and people so much you will stay here forever...

The first time I was in Phnom Penh it seemed menacing at night off the riverfront and I saw some weirdness around the Russian Market. Stayed 1.5 blocks from Russian market for a month last summer and 2 weeks there last Christmas. Didn't feel menacing at all these recent times. No doubt, like every other city there are areas - like I felt safe here during the day, but night may be a different story.

bun cha
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machine guns

This should reassure mum
I live and work in Cambodia
I have lived in 6 different developing countries and I class Cambodia as the safest.

To a degree I know what I am talking about, I have had upto 75 single european girls working for me in places like Ghana, Zimbabwe,

You just need to apply common sense, keep to sensible accommodation, transport and don't travel at night.

Police
Outside of major towns your biggest problem will be language, but help, well you will have plenty of Cambodias trying to help, the average Cambodian will come rushing to your aid.

Food
Ask your mum how many times she washes her hands and utensils while cooking, I bet its only half as many as the average cambodian, I have two cooks working in the Orphanage and I would eat anything they cook with no fears, and I am based out in rural Cambodia not the big wide tourist areas.

If you want any more stuff drop me a line

Neville
New Futures Orphanage