Cambodia
UK Foreign Office travel advice · 19 March 2026
Current safety guidance for Cambodia from UK Foreign Office travel advice. We cover 1 city in Cambodia, with reported scams for each.
Source: Cambodia travel advice — UK Foreign Office travel advice
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
A bomb was left near a casino in Phnom Penh in December 2022 and there was a shooting in the same month. Both were likely linked to organised crime, and tourists were not targeted.
Police have reported instances of drink spiking in some bars visited by foreign nationals. Do not leave drinks unattended.
Travellers have reported fake dollar bills being given as change in shops and clubs. Check that notes you receive are genuine and are not damaged or torn.
Be sceptical if offered an opportunity of easy work. Organised crime groups operate sophisticated job scams, advertising ‘easy jobs with high pay’. They traffic victims – some of them from neighbouring countries – mostly to secure compounds in and around Sihanoukville, border areas and Kandal. These jobs have turned out to be long hours of factory work where pay was low, passports withheld and free movement was allegedly restricted.
There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.
UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on staying safe abroad and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.
Although there’s no recent history of terrorism in Cambodia, attacks cannot be ruled out.
Attacks could be indiscriminate, including in places visited by expatriates and foreign travellers. Stay aware of your surroundings, keep up to date with local media and follow the advice of local authorities.
Be alert to the local security situation in border regions and at land crossings between countries. Get local advice before you set off. At the more remote crossing points, conditions can be basic. Local officials and tour operators can ask for unofficial fees or inflate visa prices at land borders. Make sure you know the correct visa requirements and fees before you travel.
Avoid all protests, demonstrations and student and political rallies as they can become violent without warning.
Cambodia remains heavily affected by landmines and unexploded weapons. Mined areas are often unmarked. Do not:
Most incidents of theft are bag snatchings, often by thieves riding past on motorbikes. Thieves will cut bag straps and snatch bags or phones from tourists on foot or in tuk-tuks and on motorbikes, often causing injury. There have been incidents on bus journeys where passengers have had items taken from bags while asleep.
Hotspots for petty crime include:
To reduce your risk from street crime:
Female travellers, including British nationals, have been sexually assaulted in Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. This includes incidents of lone women being sexually assaulted by men claiming to be motorbike taxi drivers in the Pub Street area of Siem Reap. Be wary of approaches from strangers and offers of transport.
Parties, including organised dance parties on Cambodia’s islands, may place you at risk of:
Islands are often isolated and access to medical or emergency assistance is limited or non-existent.
Cambodians are friendly, but you should be wary if a Cambodian or other foreign national befriends you quickly and invites you to their home or hotel to meet their family.
There have been deaths and cases of serious illness caused by alcoholic drinks containing methanol in Cambodia.
Even small amounts of methanol can kill. It is not possible to identify methanol in alcoholic drinks by taste or smell. See Travel Aware Spiking and methanol poisoning for information about how to reduce the risks.
Seek urgent medical attention if you or someone you are travelling with show the signs of methanol poisoning after drinking.
It may be useful to carry a copy of the photo page of your passport, but this is not a legal requirement in Cambodia.
The legal process in Cambodia is unpredictable, lacks transparency and is open to interference from political and business interests. The investigation and trial process falls far below the standard of the UK. Pre-trial detention can also last many months. The British Embassy will not interfere in the legal processes of a host country.
The conditions in Cambodian prisons are extremely poor and overcrowded. Medical facilities in prisons are also very poor. The UK has no prisoner transfer agreement with Cambodia so if you’re found guilty you can expect to serve your full prison term in Cambodia.
Possession, trafficking and manufacture of any illegal drugs are serious offences in Cambodia. This includes cannabis. British nationals have been caught carrying cannabis while transiting through Cambodia.
Airports in Cambodia have excellent technology and security for detecting illegal items. This is also used to scan the baggage of transiting passengers.
The Cambodia authorities have a zero-tolerance policy to drug offences. Possessing drugs, even in very small quantities, can carry severe penalties, including:
Legal processes before court hearings can be long and expensive. It can take many months for a case to come to trial.
Criminal gangs in the UK and elsewhere have been known to coerce people into carrying drugs across borders. Do not allow yourself to be persuaded.
It is important to be aware of your rights if you are detained by the police. See our guidance for those detained or imprisoned in Cambodia.
Police often raid venues known to be frequented by foreigners. You may have to take a urine or blood test if there is a suspicion you have used drugs. You will be arrested if the test is positive.
The Cambodian authorities have issued an official code of conduct for visitors at Angkor Wat and other religious sites.
You may be refused admission to religious sites, including Angkor Wat, if you wear skirts or shorts above the knee. Cover bare shoulders.
Never take photographs on or near military bases. Ask permission before taking pictures of people, especially monks and other religious figures.
Request permission in advance from the district head, provincial governor or national tourism board for any travel that authorities might see as out of the ordinary, including:
scientific research of any kind
carrying out surveys
extensive photography or filming
Same-sex sexual activity is legal in Cambodia. The LGBT+ community is becoming more visible, through gay clubs, club nights and the work of some human rights organisations.
Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.
The UK government has suspended all adoptions of Cambodian children by UK residents.
Commercial surrogacy is banned in Cambodia. If you pay a surrogate, you could get a fine or a prison sentence. See guidance on surrogacy abroad.
While there is good wi-fi and mobile phone networks in the main cities and towns of Cambodia, many of the islands and remote areas are not well covered. Make sure your friends and family are aware that you may be out of contact.
Cambodia does not have the same health and safety standards as in the UK. Be aware that safety advice will be minimal and there may be no warning signs about dangers at tourist sites.
If you’re considering jungle trekking, use a reputable tour guide. There’s no licensing system for tour guides, so get advice from your hotel, and look at online reviews before hiring a guide.
When swimming, kayaking, rafting, or using jet-skis:
See watersports safety advice from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA).
Diving school standards are not always as high as in the UK. You should:
If you have not had any previous diving experience:
If you are planning to drive in Cambodia, see information on driving abroad. Cambodia has one of the highest rates of road traffic accidents in south-east Asia. There are large numbers of fatalities and serious injuries. Many accidents are due to poor vehicle and driver safety standards. Travel after dark significantly increases the risk of accidents.
To hire a car or a motorcycle over 125cc, you may sometimes need to have the 1949 version of the international driving permit (IDP) and your UK driving licence. You cannot buy an IDP outside the UK, so get one before you travel.
Before you hire any vehicle, check drivers and any passengers are covered by your travel insurance and check the small print of the rental agreement.
For long-term car rental or to drive a private car, you need to get a Cambodian driving licence. Local travel agencies or car hire firms can help arrange this for a fee. Bring an IDP and your UK licence.
Travelling as a passenger by motorcycle taxi (‘moto dop’) is dangerous. Vehicles are poorly maintained and driving standards are low. There is also a risk that thieves (also on motorcycles) will snatch bags from off your bike, particularly in Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.
The police can impose an on-the-spot fine if you ride a motorcycle without a helmet. Riding without a helmet may also invalidate your insurance.
Do not hand over your passport as a guarantee for returning a motorcycle or scooter.
Accidents have happened when boats are overloaded or poorly maintained. Tourist boats sometimes operate despite weather warnings, particularly between Sihanoukville and the nearby islands.
Water levels in rivers and lakes are high during the rainy season from June to October, making currents faster and more dangerous. Boat travel on rivers is difficult in the dry season, from March to May, due to the exposure of sandbars and other hazards that can damage boats or cause them to run aground.
The Mekong River Commission posts official updates on the Mekong River.
Find out what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards.
Heavy storms during the monsoon season from June to October disrupt and damage the road network. Travel to some provinces can be seriously restricted by landslides at this time. Poor drainage results in flooded roads, causing major traffic congestion and delays in Phnom Penh - including along the route to the airport.
Monitor local news and weather reports, and weather updates from the World Meteorological Organisation.
Lakes, caves and waterfalls are particularly prone to dangerous flash flooding during the rainy season from June to October.
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