-the Kingdom of Cambodia, or more accurately: Kampuchea, is a Southeast Asian nation bordered by Vietnam to the east, Laos to the north, Thailand to the northwest, and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.


Cambodia has had a pretty bad run of luck for the last 500 years or so. Ever since the fall of Angkor in 1431, the once mighty Khmer Empire has been plundered by all its neighbors as well as colonial France. After a false dawn of independence in 1953, Cambodia promptly plunged back into the horrors of civil war in 1970 to suffer the Khmer Rouge's incredibly brutal reign of terror, and only after UN-sponsored elections in 1993 did the country begin to totter back onto its feet.

 

But the security situation has improved immeasurably, and increasing numbers of visitors are rediscovering Cambodia's temples and beaches. Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor, now sports luxury hotels and amazing golf, chic nightspots, ATMs, and an airport fielding flights from all over the region, while Sihanoukville is an up-and-coming beach destination and the capital, Phnom Penh is everybody's image of a bustling Asian city. However, travel beyond the most popular tourist destinations is still an adventure where you will need "local knowledge" to explore.

Tom & Simon are visiting again in early December - Join the Club and be the first to try our
new, improved Cambodian range of alternative adventure holidays...!