Love Letter To Cambodia

Cambodia is probably the most underrated country in SE Asia. Thailand gets hordes of tourists for the food and shopping in Bangkok and the pristine beaches along the Andaman Sea. Vietnam has the rolling hills of Sapa in the north and the hustle and bustle of Ho Chi Minh in the South. Indonesia has the rugged beauty of Java. And Bali. Cambodia is an afterthought for most tourists considering SE Asia, but here are some reasons why I've visited Cambodia more than any country in SE Asia.

When people think of Cambodia, they think of Angkor Wat. What most people don’t realise is that there are gorgeous temples in Siem Reap that are much less crowded and just as worth visiting. Beng Mealea for example. Local guides are on hand to explain the history, and if you’re into film photography like me, the ancient ruins make for stunning backdrops.

What I love about Cambodia, more than anything else, is the nature. Yes it’s hot, but it’s also great weather to be ziplining, horse riding, fishing and swimming at the waterfall.

We chased sunsets, went on river cruises, and tried Cambodian fine dining.

It’s not just nature either. Through the work I do in education, I’ve been struck by the resilience, hunger and ambition of the many young Cambodians I’ve met over the years. A couple of years ago, I was invited by USAID and Asia Foundation to deliver the keynote at YSEALI Summit 2022. In 2019, Saturday Kids, the coding school for kids I founded, ran a free coding programme in Phnom Penh with the support of USAID and Raintree Cambodia.

The Cambodian people have gone through terrible times, and the recent tariffs imposed by the Trump Administration hit developing economies like Cambodia hard. One way we can help is by visiting the country and spending our tourist dollars there. It’s doubly meaningful if some of those dollars are in support of non-profits doing amazing work.

This June, Yamayama Travel is offering the Cambodia Beat The Odds Tour to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. As part of the tour, we will visit non-profits like Phare Circus, Angkor Centre for Conservation of Biodiversity and Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre. We will pay for and cook lunch for 200 children, and for every young person aged 16 and below who joins this tour, Yamayama will donate US$10 a month to the Ponheary Ly Foundation for a year.

An excerpt from my keynote speech at YSEALI Summit couple of years ago.

Help the Cambodian people beat the odds with your time and tourist dollars.

Put some positive light out there, be the yes in somebody’s life.

Yamayama Travel will be running Cambodia Beat The Odds Tour 7-13 June 2025.