Is Siem Reap safe?
Safe and welcoming with low violent crime. Bag snatching from passing motorbikes, tuk-tuk overcharging and traffic around Pub Street are the main issues.
Key facts
- SoloSquare safety rating: 4/5, safe with normal care.
- 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 Siem Reap at a glance
| What to expect | |
|---|---|
| Overall | 4/5 · Safe with normal care |
| Crime | Bag and phone snatching by thieves on motorbikes, theft from hostel dorms, and occasional drink spiking in Pub Street bars. |
| At night | Pub Street is busy until late and generally fine; elsewhere is quiet. Book a tuk-tuk through an app or your hotel after dark. |
| Solo women | Comfortable for solo women. Take care with drinks and bags at night, and use app rides rather than street tuk-tuks late. |
| Other risks | Heat Mar–May; carry water at Angkor; Motorbike crashes on dusty roads; Dengue in the rainy season |
Scams, areas and local laws
Common scams
- Tuk-tuk drivers quoting double fares or insisting on commission stops
- Fake children's charities and orphanage visits asking for donations
- Bar-bill changes and counterfeit dollar notes as change
Take care
- Pub Street after midnight: bag snatching, spiked drinks
- Remote roads to temples at night: unlit and rough
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 Siem Reap 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 Siem Reap safe for solo female travelers?
Comfortable for solo women. Take care with drinks and bags at night, and use app rides rather than street tuk-tuks late.
Is Siem Reap safe at night?
Pub Street is busy until late and generally fine; elsewhere is quiet. Book a tuk-tuk through an app or your hotel after dark.
What is the crime rate in Siem Reap?
Bag and phone snatching by thieves on motorbikes, theft from hostel dorms, and occasional drink spiking in Pub Street bars. Nationally, Cambodia records 1.8 homicides per 100,000 people a year (2011).
What number do I call in an emergency in Siem Reap?
Police 117 · Ambulance 119 · Fire 118.
More about Siem Reap
Going to Siem Reap solo?
SoloSquare is where travelers, nomads and locals in Siem Reap meet up for small plans: coffee, dinners, walks and day trips. Join one, or start your own in a minute.
Sources
- US State Department travel advisory
- Angkor Enterprise (Angkor Pass)
- Cambodia e-Visa
- Royal Angkor International Hospital
- 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.