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Travel safety profile · Asia

Is Cambodia Safe to Visit in 2026?

47 / 100

Higher Risk: Plan Carefully

Petty crime higher than neighboring countries. Landmine risk off marked paths in rural areas. Reviewed 24 April 2026 How we score

Live alerts in Cambodia Get the iOS app

What Warnely Is Tracking

Real-time incidents pulled from the Warnely pipeline. The dashboard renders a richer feed.

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Official Travel Advisories

UK FCDO

See travel advice

No advisory against travel to main tourist areas. Notes landmine risk in rural areas.

View full advisory →

US State Department

Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions

Exercise normal precautions. Notes crime and land mine risk.

View full advisory →

Cambodia compared to your home country

Cambodia's composite Warnely risk score is 47/100 (High Risk). Here is how that compares to common home countries for English-speaking travellers. Append ?home=GB (or US, AU, CA, DE) to the URL to pin your home.

United Kingdom 22/100

Cambodia is materially riskier than United Kingdom (2.1× riskier on the Warnely index).

United States 35/100

Cambodia is noticeably riskier than United States (1.3× riskier on the Warnely index).

Australia 14/100

Cambodia is materially riskier than Australia (3.4× riskier on the Warnely index).

Canada 15/100

Cambodia is materially riskier than Canada (3.1× riskier on the Warnely index).

Germany 20/100

Cambodia is materially riskier than Germany (2.4× riskier on the Warnely index).

Lower scores are safer. Each home country's score is its own composite on the same 0-100 scale. See methodology.

Regional breakdown

Cambodia sits at 47/100 as a country-level composite. Specific regions vary. Each card links to the regional safety page.

Phnom Penh Caution

Bag-snatching from motorbikes rampant. Petty theft common. Tuol Sleng/Killing Fields essential historical sites.

Siem Reap (Angkor Wat) Generally safe

Tourist hub – relatively safe. Pickpockets at temples; agree tuk-tuk prices upfront.

Sihanoukville Caution

Chinese-casino dominated; quality-of-experience collapsed. Most travellers head straight to islands.

Koh Rong / Islands Generally safe

Very relaxed beach scene. Petty theft on ferries. Drug use cracked down on heavily.

Battambang & Northwest Generally safe

Bamboo train, French colonial architecture. Off main tourist trail; safe but limited infrastructure.

Risk Breakdown

This is the static baseline rating across six dimensions. The Warnely dashboard adds a live 30-day signal alongside.

Crime3/5

Bag snatching, phone theft, and petty crime common. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh higher risk.

Natural Disasters2/5

Monsoon flooding Jul-Oct. No earthquake or volcano risk.

Health3/5

Malaria risk in rural areas. Limited medical facilities outside Phnom Penh. Dengue widespread.

Terrorism1/5

No significant terrorist threat. Very low risk.

Civil Unrest2/5

Political tensions exist but rarely affect tourists. Avoid political gatherings.

Infrastructure4/5

Road conditions poor outside main highways. Bus safety varies greatly. Limited rail.

Quick Facts

Plug type	A/C/G
Voltage	230V/50Hz
Time zone	UTC+7
Driving side	Right
Tap water	Unsafe

Visa & Entry

Type	eVisa (apply online)
Length	30 days
Cost	$36 (eVisa) or $30 VOA
Apply	Official portal →

eVisa 30 days $36 (recommended); also visa-on-arrival $30 cash at airport. Extendable.

Verify on IATA Travel Centre →

Summary: Visa on arrival (30 days) or e-visa for most nationalities. $30 USD fee.

Passport: Valid 6+ months.

Customs: 200 cigarettes, 1 bottle alcohol.

Prohibited: Drug laws severe. Antiquities export prohibited.

Practical Tips

Never stray from marked paths in rural areas due to landmines
Negotiate tuk-tuk prices before starting the journey
Use USD for most transactions – local riel for small change
Drink only bottled or filtered water
Keep valuables secure – bag snatching from motos is common

Common Scams & Practical Risks

Tuk-tuk commission scam: Drivers offer cheap rides then divert to shops/guesthouses where they earn commission.
Child beggar organizations: Organized groups use children to beg from tourists. Don't give money – donate to registered charities.
Fake orphanage tours: 'Orphanage tourism' exploits children. Don't visit orphanages as a tourist.

Solo & Women’s Safety

Solo Travellers

Cambodia is popular with solo backpackers. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh have excellent hostels. Angkor Wat is manageable solo. Be aware of bag snatching. Very affordable.

Women’s Safety Generally Safe

Generally safe for women. Exercise caution at night in Phnom Penh. Dress modestly at temples.

LGBTQ+ Travellers

Legal status	Legal, no recognition
Social climate	Mixed

Legal; no recognition. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap relaxed for tourists. Family/Buddhist pressure means most local LGBTQ stay closeted.

Verify current law on Equaldex →

Drug Laws

Severity	Severe (long sentences)
Cannabis	Severe penalties

Possession 1–20yrs depending on amount; trafficking life. Tourist enforcement varies by city; foreigners often deported for small possession but always face initial detention.

Verify on UK FCDO →

Emergency Numbers

police

117

ambulance

119

fire

118

tourist

012 999 999

If you decide to travel to Cambodia

A practical checklist that applies to any trip. Each item links to the part of this guide where the specifics live.

1

Check the live advisory Read the UK FCDO and US State Department pages within a week of departure. Advisories change. View current FCDO advisory →
2

Register your trip US citizens: enrol with STEP. UK citizens: register your itinerary with the nearest British embassy. Both enable consular contact in an emergency.
3

Save the local emergency numbers Police: 117. Ambulance: 119. Pin them in your phone's emergency-contacts screen so they're reachable from a locked phone.
4

Insurance with medical evacuation Travel insurance with a medical-evacuation limit of £10m or more. Cheap policies usually exclude or cap medevac, the single most expensive thing that goes wrong abroad. See the medevac entry in the glossary for what to check.
5

Confirm vaccinations and prescriptions Visit a travel clinic 4-6 weeks before departure for any routine vaccinations and country-specific recommendations. Check any prescription medication against the destination's import rules.
6

Set up a check-in routine before you go Agree a daily or every-other-day check-in time with a contact at home, plus a fallback channel if your primary one fails (WhatsApp goes down in countries that block it). The family communication plan covers the specifics.

Find every foreign embassy and consulate in Cambodia in the Warnely embassy directory →

Medical evacuation cost (pre-insurance)

Cambodia sits in Band B on Warnely's medevac cost dataset. The figures below are typical pre-insurance ranges in USD, calibrated against published bands from Global Rescue, MedJet, Allianz, and insurance-industry whitepapers.

Regional air ambulance

Typical $20,000 to $60,000

Air ambulance to a regional Western or strong-regional hub is usually achievable in one or two legs. Most major tourist destinations sit in this band.

For the full methodology, the four-band table, and the downloadable CSV, see /methodology/medevac. Sanity-check your travel insurance limit against the high end of this band before booking.

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<a href="https://warnely.com/guides/is-cambodia-safe"><img src="https://warnely.com/embed/cambodia/badge.svg" alt="Cambodia Warnely risk badge" width="360" height="44"></a>

Full embed options including Markdown and iframe variants: /embed/cambodia.

Data version v2 · Last reviewed 24 April 2026 · Next review by 21 October 2026 · methodology · Found something out of date? Tell us.

Common questions about Cambodia

Is Cambodia safe for tourists in 2026?

Petty crime higher than neighboring countries. Landmine risk off marked paths in rural areas. Warnely's overall safety assessment for Cambodia is High Risk (47/100), higher risk: plan carefully. Always check the latest UK FCDO and US State Department advisories before booking.

What's the crime risk in Cambodia?

Bag snatching, phone theft, and petty crime common. Siem Reap and Phnom Penh higher risk. Crime category score: 3/5 (moderate).

Are there health risks travelling to Cambodia?

Malaria risk in rural areas. Limited medical facilities outside Phnom Penh. Dengue widespread. Health category score: 3/5. Consult a travel clinic 4-6 weeks before departure for recommended vaccinations.

Is Cambodia safe for solo female travellers?

Generally Safe. Generally safe for women. Exercise caution at night in Phnom Penh. Dress modestly at temples.

When is the best time to visit Cambodia?

Cool Dry (Nov-Feb). 20-30°C, low humidity, perfect for Angkor. Peak season – book early.

What are the drug laws in Cambodia?

Drug penalties: Severe (long sentences). Cannabis: Severe penalties. Possession 1–20yrs depending on amount; trafficking life. Tourist enforcement varies by city; foreigners often deported for small possession but always face initial detention.

Do I need a visa to visit Cambodia?

eVisa (apply online). Stay length: 30 days. eVisa 30 days $36 (recommended); also visa-on-arrival $30 cash at airport. Extendable.

Which regions of Cambodia are safest to visit?

Generally safer regions include Phnom Penh, Siem Reap (Angkor Wat), Sihanoukville, Koh Rong / Islands. See the regional breakdown for current safety guidance on each area.

Is the tap water safe to drink in Cambodia?

Tap water in Cambodia is not safe to drink – use bottled or filtered water. Most travellers should stick to bottled or filtered water for cooking, drinking and ice.

What do governments say about travel to Cambodia?

UK FCDO: See travel advice. US State Dept: Level 1 - Exercise Normal Precautions. Read the full advisories on the relevant government sites – links are inside the Official Travel Advisories section above.