Cambodia Flights and Travel Guide

This country, although beautiful in nature, development, and culture, has endured a tumultuous process of remaking in the past 30 years. When you step off your Cambodia flight, expect to be a little overwhelmed. Traffic is absolute chaos, corruption is as petty as pick-pocketing and as prevalent as police payoffs. Poverty is beside you, in front of you, and behind you. 

Cambodia’s present-day tragedy dates all the way back to the Vietnam War, when nations battled among other nations under personal agendas. During this time, underhanded leadership in Cambodia bounced back and forth between party members, family members, and even enemy parties. When finally, the United States raided the country in the 1970s, famine was prematurely induced, drastically killing off natural resources like cattle and rice fields, and devastating Cambodia’s last attempts at self-reliance. In its weakest moment, a rapidly growing rebel group, Khmer Rouge took over, destroying anything even remotely “western” including schools, libraries, and places of worship. Anyone involved in or experienced in academia was targeted and swiftly exterminated, causing millions of Cambodians to flee to Thailand. The following years meant brutal and forceful days for natives, until the 1990s, when the UN stepped in, calling for a cease-fire and new leadership. 

When you book flights to Cambodia, remember that it is still on the mend. 

It’s rocky past political situation has trickled down into the infrastructure, crippling sanitation facilities, offsetting malnutrition, and limiting available immunizations for illnesses like polio, measles, and diphtheria. Despite its sometimes sneaky and disturbed underworld, the government is slowly stabilizing, thanks in part to Non Governmental Organizations in developed countries who have extended a hand in the repairing process. 

And while sometimes phone connections don’t work, time isn’t recognized, and laws fall by the wayside, you’ll see when you book a flight to Cambodia, that this healing country holds its head up high, proud of its ability to overcome, reproduce, and collectively move forward with hope. Many people book flights to Cambodia in order to help with humanitarian aid, mending infrastructure, rebuilding temples, and restoring the faith of a broken people.

Back to top

Cambodia Climate

Back to top

When to Fly to Cambodia

Since scorching temperatures are the norm here year round your best bet for booking flights to Cambodia is during the winter months of December to April, when temperatures cool down a bit, and the heat is easier to deal with.

Peak season:
Most travelers aim to book Cambodia flights around the winter months of December and April, when the high temperatures rest easy, and precipitation takes a break. Sun is still an issue year round though, so be sure to pack sunglasses, a hat, and plenty of sun screen.

Off season:
Unless you’re a fan of intense heat followed by intense rainfall, booking flights to Cambodia in the summer is not a very good idea. If you are, however, intrigued by its extreme patterns, and are ready to brave the climatic conditions, then it might be easy to find deals on accommodations and cheap flights to Cambodia during its moody off-season.

Back to top

Getting Around Cambodia

Just because you see the locals hitching rides here and there, doesn’t mean you should. An under currant of hitchhiking is a popular means of Cambodia travel among its residents, but for visitors, it could mean an unsafe ride, and miscommunication. 

Instead, opt for the local buses. These are rough rides too, but you’ll get to your destination on a somewhat regularly scheduled time table, and will also be able to rub elbows with the locals to get an idea of everyday life here. 

Tour buses are great Cambodia travel options for vacationers who don’t see the fun in planning. Budget tour companies like the Mekong Express and Capitol Tour run routes to and from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap for affordable prices, and take initiative so you don’t have to worry about any of the planning. 

Renting a car is another way to see the rural countryside when you book flights to Cambodia. If you’re not very confident mastering the winding dirt roads though, you can always hire a driver who knows the area well enough to navigate. Make sure that the car you choose is durable and equipped to handle the narrow pathways that the countryside presents.

The following chart gives approximate journey times from Phnom Penh (in hours and minutes) to other major cities and towns in Cambodia.

Back to top

Cambodia Insider Information

• Angkor: One of the most famous places that people booking flights to Cambodia see first is the Angkor region. Submerged in history and national pride, the area held the seat of the Khmer Empire from the 9th to 15th century. One time long ago, it was the world’s largest pre-industrial city, but now, if you explore the space, you’ll find only hidden treasures of ruins within the forests and on the edges of beautiful lakes. For some, the draw is Angkor Wat, a beautiful temple ornate with Buddhist Hindu influences. Whether this is your pilgrimage or simply a memorable stop on your journey, be sure to visit Angkor for a truly authentic Cambodian travel experience.
• Rural Cambodia: Although it may not seem like an alluring attraction, quite a few people who book flights to Cambodia make sure to experience the rural countryside in order to really get a feel for the country as a whole. Hire a driver or rent a car, and head out among the narrow, winding roads that lead you into the hidden passageways and uninhabited lands that makes this area so beautiful. The safety and ease of the roads are not always manageable, so make sure that if you rent a vehicle, it’s a durable one equipped for dealing with the unpredictable landscape. On your journey, don’t miss the beautiful Tonle Sap (Great Lake), which is Southeast Asia’s largest lake and biggest span of fertile wetlands.
• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs): Ever since Angelina Jolie adopted her first child, Maddox, from Cambodia years ago, more attention has been paid to the needs of the broken, needy parts of this beautiful country. Before then, few people outside of the Asian sphere knew of the depths of Cambodia’s political and economic suffering and instability. Now, with help from Non Governmental Organizations from all over the world, more people are helping to relieve some of the stress that has been put on the infrastructure and people. If you’re interested in voluntourism, then it's easy to help out. Many groups are promoted online, and your support is valued wherever and however you plan to contribute. Book a flight to Cambodia today to be part of the immense impact that foreign aid work has had on this beautiful, delicate place.
• Water Festival on the Banks of the Mekong: If you’re booking a Cambodia flight in November, try to make your trip land on the full moon. Although that may seem like a spontaneous way to make travel plans, it’s well worth it. Every year in November, the moon is full for three days, and one of the most extravagant festivals in the country takes place. A million people from all over the country gather at the banks of the Mekong River and the Tonle Sap to watch brightly colored boats enter competitive races. Twenty-one boats, representing the country’s 21 provinces drive as fast as possible, in spirit of Cambodia’s strength as a whole. Fireworks, traditional food, dance, music, crafts, games, and other activities mark the start of the fishing season, the reversal of the current, and the national pride that has been so fiercely challenged in recent years.

Back to top

Cambodia Airports

Back to top

Passport/Visa

Back to top

Entry Requirements

Back to top