Capital city, Cambodia
Is Phnom Penh safe?
Mostly friendly, but bag and phone snatching from passing motorbikes is common and traffic is chaotic.
Is Phnom Penh safe?
Mostly friendly, but bag and phone snatching from passing motorbikes is common and traffic is chaotic. Take normal city care; violent crime against visitors is uncommon.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 3/5, take real precautions.
- US travel advisory: Level 2: Exercise increased caution, updated 2025-07-24.
- Homicide rate in Cambodia: 1.8 per 100,000 people (2011, UNODC via World Bank).
- Road deaths in Cambodia: 19.6 per 100,000 people a year (2019, WHO).
- Emergency numbers: Police 117 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 118.
Safety in Phnom Penh at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 3/5 · Take real precautions |
| Crime | Snatch theft from motorbikes and tuk-tuks, pickpocketing in markets, and drink spiking in some riverside bars. |
| At night | BKK1 and the riverside stay busy and fine. Keep phones and bags away from the roadside and book app rides late at night. |
| Solo women | Comfortable for solo women by day. At night use app taxis, hold bags on the inner side and avoid empty side streets. |
| Other risks | Chaotic traffic and frequent crashes; Flooded streets in the rainy season; Heat Mar–May |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Tuk-tuk drivers offering 'free' rides then adding stops and fees
- Bar hostesses running up inflated drink tabs
- Counterfeit or torn dollar notes given as change
Take care
- Phone use near roadsides: motorbike snatch thieves
- Riverside after midnight: spiked drinks, pickpockets
- Night rides on motorbikes: poor lighting and drunk drivers
Calmer areas to stay
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.
How Phnom Penh compares 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 Phnom Penh safe for solo female travelers?
Comfortable for solo women by day. At night use app taxis, hold bags on the inner side and avoid empty side streets.
Is Phnom Penh safe at night?
BKK1 and the riverside stay busy and fine. Keep phones and bags away from the roadside and book app rides late at night.
What is the crime rate in Phnom Penh?
Snatch theft from motorbikes and tuk-tuks, pickpocketing in markets, and drink spiking in some riverside bars. Nationally, Cambodia records 1.8 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2011).
What number do I call in an emergency in Phnom Penh?
Police 117 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 118.
More about Phnom Penh
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Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Cambodia e-Visa
- Cambodia Airports
- Grab Cambodia
- World Bank: intentional homicides (UNODC)
- World Bank: road traffic deaths (WHO)
Safety ratings are SoloSquare's editorial judgment from official advisories, crime data and local reporting. Compiled and reviewed by SoloSquare. How we compile and score this. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.