Paris Peace Accords 23 Oct. 1991

Wednesday, September 10, 2014

8 ways to make a Cambodia trip more rewarding - and more responsible

8 ways to make a Cambodia trip more rewarding - and more responsible


How can your clients ensure that their travels in Cambodia have a positive impact? Our tips series from Justin Francis, managing director of Responsibletravel.com, continues with a look at the south-east Asian destination
A Cambodian mother and child in a traditional canoe
Source: ND Strupler

There’s a reason that the temples of Angkor Wat are proudly displayed on the Cambodian flag; not even the tourist crowds can take away from the sheer magnificence of this vast complex.

But don’t be fooled into thinking Angkor Wat is it for Cambodia; rather than an extension to a Thailand holiday, the country offers an insight into authentic south-east Asia in its own right.

And while the scars of the Khmer Rouge regime remain, this is a country lit up now by friendliness and smiles of the Khmer people. As tourists here your clients will be part of a complex equation of poverty and hope, and you will need to ensure they have a positive impact on the local communities they meet.

Here are some tips to share with your clients and some issues to consider before you book them:

1. Quality temple time

Remind clients that Angkor Wat is just one in a vast complex of ancient monasteries. Taking the time to explore further reveals more ruins and a chance for clients to follow in explorers’ footsteps and discover their own hidden jungle temples.

2. Consider Kep

If your clients are after a Cambodian beach break, suggest Kep. Look for responsible ground agents, which have programmes that include this little fishing town, slowly coming back to life after almost being destroyed in the war. It’s a white-sand idyll, and a refreshing alternative to over-developed, seedy Sihanoukville.

3. Don’t hug an orphan

Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor Wat, has a population of just 100,000 people, yet has 35 orphanages, a number that has increased in line with tourism.

In most of the developed world, qualifications, experience and stringent checks are required to work with vulnerable children, yet in Cambodia any unqualified tourists of unknown backgrounds are allowed to spend time with abandoned children.

Urge your ground agents to remove any orphanage visits from their programmes, and if they, you or your clients are moved to help, consider supporting local NGOs working to place children in family environments instead.

4. Stamp out child sex tourism

Child exploitation and child sex tourism is a real problem in Cambodia. Over a third of the country’s sex workers are estimated to be under 18 and there are no specific laws prohibiting the prostitution of children.

Play your part in stamping this out by ensuring your ground agents only use hotels that are ChildSafe certified, meaning they will not allow tourists to bring local children into the hotel, and will report anyone seen with a local child.

Also encourage your clients to report suspected cases of sexual exploitation to hotel owners or call the police hotline - 023 997 919.

5. Conservative customs

Although strappy tops and short shorts tend to be the uniform of the backpacker crowd in Cambodia, the country is deeply religious, much of it without mass tourism, and still very conservative. Save the tanning for the beach or hotel pool and advise your clients to cover shoulders and even ankles when out and about, and especially when visiting temples.

6. Look, but don’t touch

In Buddhist culture the head is the “highest” most revered part of the body, conversely the soles of the feet the “lowest”. To avoid causing serious offence your clients should take care not to point their feet at a person or religious object, and should avoid touching a Cambodian’s head. Also advise your clients never to touch a monk and that men should not touch Cambodian women.

7. Take more respectful photos

The smiles from the Khmer people are very photogenic, but encourage your clients to ask permission before taking pictures. Rather than hide behind a camera, for the best images they need to talk and engage with their subject first - more respectful and much more rewarding.

8. Get your caffeine fix

Phnom Penh’s Russian Market sells phenomenal iced coffee. Tell your clients to look out for a small stall with a handwritten sign saying “Probably the best iced coffee in the world”. It probably is.



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