Southeast Asia
Is Cambodia safe?
L2Exercise increased caution
Is Cambodia safe?
Generally safe and friendly, with low violent crime against visitors. Bag snatching, road crashes and scams are the real risks; avoid the tense Thai border zone.
Key facts
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2025-07-24.
- Homicide rate: 1.8 per 100,000 people (2011, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths: 19.6 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 117 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 118.
- Solo women: Solo women travel widely. Take care late at night around Siem Reap's Pub Street and with street motorbike taxis; book rides in apps.
Risks, scams and laws
Main risks
- Bag and phone snatching by thieves on motorbikes
- Very high road accident rates, worst after dark
- Landmines and unexploded ordnance off rural paths
- Thai border zone tense after 2025 clashes
Common scams
- 'Easy job' offers that lead to trafficking into scam compounds
- Counterfeit or torn dollar notes given as change
- Inflated visa fees at land borders
Laws visitors break by accident
- Zero tolerance on drugs, including cannabis; police raid bars and run urine tests.
- Cover shoulders and knees at Angkor and other temples or you can be refused entry.
- Don't photograph military sites; ask before photographing monks.
Safety by place in Cambodia
| Place | Safety |
|---|---|
| Siem Reap | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Koh Rong | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Kampot | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Koh Rong Samloem | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Battambang | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Kep | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Phnom Penh | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Sihanoukville | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
Quick answers
Is Cambodia safe for tourists?
Generally safe and friendly, with low violent crime against visitors. Bag snatching, road crashes and scams are the real risks; avoid the tense Thai border zone.
Is Cambodia safe for solo female travelers?
Solo women travel widely. Take care late at night around Siem Reap's Pub Street and with street motorbike taxis; book rides in apps.
What is the emergency number in Cambodia?
Police 117 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 118.
Safety by place
Sources
- World Bank: intentional homicides
- US State Department travel advisory
- Cambodia e-Visa (Ministry of Foreign Affairs)
- Cambodia e-Arrival
- Bakong Tourists (National Bank of Cambodia)
- UK FCDO travel advice: Cambodia
- Speedtest Global Index: Cambodia
- World Bank open data
Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.