Our favourite Cambodia tours and excursions

Get an insider’s perspective on daily life in Cambodia with our hand-picked, hands-on experiences, each one designed to get you beneath the surface of the local culture.

What do we mean by “experience”? Well, what we don’t mean is cookie-cutter walking tours and ticking off TripAdvisor’s top-ten list. These experiences will take you inside the lives of ordinary Cambodians, putting you in touch with the culture through some of its most extraordinary people.

We get it — not everyone is a fan of guided day tours. Maybe that’s you. But then again, maybe you just haven’t been on a really great one yet. If that’s the case, let us be the ones to persuade you — because a tip-top tour or a hands-on cultural experience can absolutely make your vacation.

People are the key — we can’t stress that enough. We’ve combed the country for the most knowledgeable and engaging guides, and we’re rigorous about ensuring that the experiences we support benefit local communities. What’s more, we only ever recommend experiences we’ve tried and loved ourselves.

Take our bike tour of the Battambang countryside, for example. Sure, anyone can just rent a bike and go. But would you be able to visit cottage industries to see the craftspeople at work? Would you get to hear the local legend about that quiet, rural temple? Or be able to ask the village silk weaver how she does it? These are the little differences between a good experience and a great one; between seeing Cambodia and really experiencing it.

Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields

Between 1975 and 1979, as many as two million Cambodians — a quarter of the country’s population — were persecuted and killed by the Khmer Rouge. While it’s tempting to turn away from such nightmares, grappling with them is the only real way to appreciate the incredible resilience, determination and drive of the Cambodian people.

The genocide is commemorated at the Tuol Sleng Museum, a former school that served as a Khmer Rouge prison camp, and at the Killing Fields, where prisoners were taken to be executed. Visiting these sites is a profoundly chilling experience but, we think, an important one.

Angkor Thom scavenger hunt

If you like exploration with a purpose, it’s time to channel your inner Indiana Jones and unlock the secrets of Angkor Thom.

Armed with nothing but a map, some clues, and your camera, you’ll start at the South Gate, where remarkable statues depicting mythological demons and gods line the fifty-metre walkway. As you solve each riddle, you’ll be drawn into the heart of this ancient Khmer city, uncovering the stories behind the Terrace of the Leper King and the enigmatic faces of the 54 Bayon towers as you go. Once you’ve captured eleven photos, it’s time to meet up with your guide to find out if you completed your quest!