Cambodia with Kids: Temples by Bike, Real Costs and the Visa Catch (2026)

Cambodia, 12 Years On 🇰🇭

Marty and I spent about three weeks in Cambodia around 12 years ago, on our two-year trip around the world. No kids yet. Just Marty’s backpack, my very impractical suitcase and a lot of very cheap beer. 🍺

It turned out to be one of the places from that trip that stayed with us. We cycled to Angkor Wat, stood quietly at the Killing Fields and slept in a treehouse where a lizard ate Marty’s backpack. Some of it was hilarious. Some of it was hard to see.

We haven’t been back with Louie (9) and Leo (2) yet. This guide mixes our own memories with careful research into what family life in Cambodia looks like now. Where we haven’t seen something ourselves, we’ll say so. A lot changes in 12 years, so check current details before you book.

The Short Answer

Cambodia can work well as a one to three month family season, especially if you’re homeschooling and want low costs and history you can touch. It’s harder as a long-term base. Healthcare outside Phnom Penh is limited, longer visa extensions now involve more paperwork, and March to May is fiercely hot.

Our rough estimate for a family of four is around €1,800 a month in Siem Reap and €1,950 in Phnom Penh, before school fees and insurance. The full breakdown is in The Money.

Our Three Weeks in Cambodia

A Bus from Bangkok and Angkor by Bike

We crossed into Cambodia by bus from Bangkok, where our world trip had started. From there we moved between Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Koh Rong, before crossing into Vietnam near Ha Tien.

Angkor Wat was special. We cycled there from our guesthouse, which meant arriving hot, sweaty and quite pleased with ourselves. Seeing the temples from a bike, at our own pace, is still one of my favourite memories of the whole trip. 🚲

If your kids can ride, it’s worth considering. Just start early, before the heat builds.

The Heavy Days

Some days in Cambodia were hard. We visited the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek, where the memorial is filled with the skulls of people killed under the Khmer Rouge. Nothing really prepares you for it.

On the road to an elephant sanctuary, we passed many elderly people begging. We had no cash on us, and I still remember how bad that felt. If we went back, I’d carry small US dollar notes. It doesn’t fix anything, but I’d rather be able to give something than drive past empty-handed.

The Suitcase, the Treehouse and the Hungry Lizard

On this trip, I’d decided to bring a suitcase instead of a backpack. Mostly it was fine. Then we reached the island.

I had to drag that suitcase across hot sand to our accommodation, while Marty stood there with his backpack, laughing at me. Before the island, we’d spent a few nights in a dome tent in Sihanoukville, so I’d already had some practice.

Then came the treehouse on Koh Rong, right on the beach. It was magical, until a big lizard decided to eat part of Marty’s backpack. I’m fairly sure there was food inside. It was bigger than I wanted it to be, and honestly a bit scary. 🦎 Maybe the backpack wasn’t the smarter choice after all.

The Pedicure Standoff

Sitting on the beach one afternoon, a steady stream of women came by offering manicures and pedicures. I said no to every one. Then a cute young girl asked, and I couldn’t say no.

Within minutes, the women I’d turned down arrived as a group, and they were not happy with me. It was chaotic and a little funny. It also showed me how hard people were working for every dollar.

Out Through Ha Tien

We left Cambodia overland, crossing into Vietnam near Ha Tien. If you’re planning a slow loop through Southeast Asia, Cambodia sits neatly between Thailand, Laos and Vietnam.

What’s Changed Since We Were There

Cambodia’s coast looks very different now. Sihanoukville went through a huge casino and construction boom, and beach areas like Serendipity and Otres are hard to recognise. The relaxed coast where we camped is now lined with towers and casinos.

You’ll still pass through Sihanoukville to reach the islands, but most families won’t want to stay long. More on the rest of the region is in our Asia guide.

Why Don’t More Families Choose Cambodia?

There’s a worldschooling community in Kampot, and the families there often ask in their Facebook group why more travelling families don’t come. It’s a fair question. Here’s our honest answer, from the outside looking in.

• The healthcare worry. Anything serious means Phnom Penh or Bangkok. For parents of a toddler like Leo, that’s a real consideration. Good health insurance with evacuation cover helps, but it doesn’t remove the distance.
• The history is heavy. How do you explain the Khmer Rouge to a 9-year-old? Many parents aren’t sure, so they choose somewhere easier.
• The heat. March to May is tough with young kids, and the wet season brings flooding in some areas.
• The visa admin. Long stays are possible, but there’s no nomad visa, and the rules for extensions are harder to pin down than in Thailand or Malaysia.
• Schooling outside the capital. Phnom Penh has many international schools. Elsewhere, the options are small.
• It isn’t on the nomad family map yet. Chiang Mai, Bali and Da Nang have big family communities. Fewer families in Cambodia means fewer families choose it, and the cycle continues.

The thing that would pull us there is community. Knowing a worldschooling group already lives in Kampot changes the picture. A ready-made community is often what makes a new place work for a family.

Where Could Your Family Base Itself in Cambodia?

We’ve only seen Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Koh Rong ourselves, and that was before kids. For family bases, four areas come up again and again in our research: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Kampot (with nearby Kep) and the southern islands.

Each suits a different family. The right choice depends on what you need right now: schools, hospitals, quiet or community.

🛕 Siem Reap

History on the Doorstep and an Easy Pace

Siem Reap is the town most families start with, and it’s where we cycled out to Angkor Wat. Tourism drives the economy, but there’s more to it than temples: galleries, cafés, a creative scene and a smaller, slower feel than the capital.

Families looking for longer rentals often focus on quieter residential areas such as Wat Bo, Sala Kamreuk and Wat Damnak. Much of the town is flat and compact, which makes bikes and tuk-tuks practical for daily life.

Beyond Angkor, you’ll find cooking classes, silk and craft workshops, wildlife projects and rural villages within easy reach. For worldschoolers, a month in Siem Reap can cover history, religion, art and ecology without much planning.

Why Siem Reap Could Suit Your Family

• The Angkor temples alone are worth a long stay, and a multi-day pass lets you visit in short, cooler bursts.
• Our cost estimate for Siem Reap is the lowest of the 50 family bases we’ve compared.
• The town is small enough to learn quickly, which helps with younger kids.
• Siem Reap has an international airport with regional flights.

Where to Work

The 1961, a long-running gallery, café and coworking space, is one of the best-known spots for remote workers in Siem Reap. Several newer coworking cafés have opened around town too.

Spaces open and close regularly, so check current details and test the Wi-Fi before you commit to a membership.

Things to Weigh Up

• Tourism shapes the economy, so prices and services shift with the high and low seasons.
• Healthcare covers general care, but serious cases usually mean Phnom Penh or Bangkok.
• The wet season, roughly May to October, brings heavy rain and can affect rural roads.
• Internet quality varies between homes, so test speeds before signing a lease.

🌇 Phnom Penh

Schools, Hospitals and a Busy Capital

We passed through Phnom Penh on our trip, and it’s where we visited the Killing Fields. The capital is louder and busier than Siem Reap, with riverside boulevards, French colonial buildings, new towers and a big street food scene.

It’s also the most complete place to live in Cambodia. Phnom Penh has the widest choice of international schools, the best private hospitals, embassies, international supermarkets and the largest expat community. For families with older kids who need curriculum continuity, or anyone with health needs, it’s the practical choice.

Expat families often look at BKK1 (Boeung Keng Kang 1), close to cafés, restaurants and services. Toul Tom Poung, near the Russian Market, has a more local feel. Chroy Changvar, across the river, is quieter, and Sen Sok is home to several international school campuses.

Why Phnom Penh Could Suit Your Family

• The best schooling and healthcare in the country, by a wide margin.
• A larger parent network, with sports, swimming and activity options for kids.
• Good flight connections for regional travel.

Where to Work

Impact Hub Phnom Penh, open since 2014 and focused on social enterprise, is one of the city’s best-known coworking communities. The capital has many other coworking spaces and cafés, from simple day-pass desks to large creative hubs.

Spaces change often, so check current details before you go.

Things to Weigh Up

• Traffic is heavy, especially at school drop-off and pick-up times.
• Air quality can be poor in congested areas.
• The city can feel intense for young kids who need open space.
• Rents in popular expat areas are higher than elsewhere in Cambodia.

🏞️ Kampot and Kep

Riverside Quiet and a Worldschooling Community

We didn’t make it to Kampot, though we crossed into Vietnam not far from it. It’s the town we’re most curious about now, because a worldschooling community already lives there.

Kampot is a small riverside town with faded colonial buildings and the Bokor Mountains behind it. Life centres on the river, the market and a small, creative expat scene. Kep, a quiet seaside town nearby, is known for its crab market and the pepper farms in the surrounding countryside.

The town suits families who want to slow right down. Remote work is possible, but Kampot is a place for building community rather than plugging into ready-made services.

Why Kampot Could Suit Your Family

• An existing worldschooling community, which makes finding other families much easier.
• A small town with a slower pace.
• Bokor National Park, the river and Kep’s coastline nearby for nature days.
• Pepper farms and markets that turn food into a lesson.

Where to Work

Kampot has few formal coworking spaces. Most remote workers use their rental or a laptop-friendly café. Check internet speeds before committing to a home, and keep a local SIM as backup.

Things to Weigh Up

• Healthcare is basic. Serious care means a drive of around three hours to Phnom Penh.
• Internet quality varies a lot between properties.
• Some riverside homes and roads can flood in the wet season.

Schooling Options

Kampot itself has no large international school. Peppercorns Home School, started by expat parents, has offered early years and primary learning. Many Kampot families have also used Kep International School, a bilingual Khmer and English school with a bus from Kampot. Check current details with both.

Most nomad families here blend homeschooling, online classes and local tutors. The river, the mountains and the pepper farms do a lot of the teaching too.

🌴 Koh Rong and the Southern Islands

Barefoot Weeks, Not Work Deadlines

This is where we stayed in our treehouse, and where I dragged that suitcase across the sand. The islands are reached by ferry from Sihanoukville, and they’re best for a slow break rather than a working base.

Koh Rong is the most developed, with most services around the main village of Koh Touch and accommodation from simple bungalows to small resorts. Koh Rong Samloem is quieter, with sheltered bays. Smaller islands such as Koh Ta Kiev are more basic again, with limited power.

Days revolve around swimming, snorkelling, sandcastles and early nights. For kids, that’s a lot of learning without anyone calling it a lesson.

Why the Islands Could Suit Your Family

The islands work best as a few weeks of rest between bases with better infrastructure. Some families plan them as a break from screens and schedules, with work kept to the essentials.

Working From the Islands

We don’t know of any dedicated coworking spaces on the islands. Some guesthouses have Wi-Fi, but don’t plan on heavy work. Many families scale back to essential tasks while they’re here.

Things to Weigh Up

• Internet is limited and unreliable.
• Healthcare is very basic, and rough seas in the wet season can disrupt ferries.
• Accommodation is often rustic: fans, cold showers and patchy power.
• Bring medication and anything else you can’t do without from the mainland.

What Daily Life Could Look Like

Let the Heat Set the Schedule

From our own trip, the heat is what I remember most. In Cambodia, it shapes the whole day, so most families plan around the cooler mornings and evenings.

Early Starts and Market Runs

Mornings are the productive part of the day. Parents work early, kids do lessons, and markets are best before the midday heat. Fresh produce is easy to find, which makes home cooking simple.

Slow Afternoons

Afternoons are for the pool, a shady café, reading or a short outing. Pushing through the heat rarely works with kids, so most families find it easier to slow down than fight it.

Evenings Out

As the day cools, towns come alive with night markets, street food and riverside walks. Evenings are when Cambodia feels most social.

What Cambodia Does Well for Families

💸 Low costs

Siem Reap is the cheapest of the 50 family bases in our cost of living comparison, and Phnom Penh isn’t far behind.

🛕 History you can walk through

Temples, markets, festivals and village life make history, religion and ecology hands-on. Angkor alone could fill weeks of worldschooling. Our ancient history destinations guide has more ideas.

🇰🇭 Kids are welcomed

Travellers often describe Khmer culture as warm towards children. Expect your kids to get plenty of smiles and attention.

🌿 Nature close by

Rivers, beaches and national parks are rarely far away, even from the towns.

Finding Family Accommodation in Cambodia

Houses, Apartments and Long-Stay Deals

Family homes in Cambodia are generally good value, but prices vary a lot by area and standard. We haven’t rented long term there, so treat this as a starting point and check current listings.

🛕 Siem Reap

Furnished three-bedroom houses were listed at around US$400 to US$600 a month (about €345 to €520) when we checked in September 2026, usually on 6 to 12 month leases. Many come with a garden.

🏙️ Phnom Penh

Expect to pay more in BKK1 and other popular expat areas, especially for modern apartments with security, a generator and a pool. Quieter areas and older buildings cost less.

🏞️ Kampot

Houses and bungalows, often with gardens, are generally cheaper than in the capital. Ask about flooding for anything on the river.

🌴 The Islands

Bungalows range from very basic huts to small resorts. In simpler places, expect fans rather than air conditioning, cold showers and variable power.

Tips for Finding a Place

• Book a short stay first and look around in person.
• Ask local expat and parent groups on Facebook for leads.
• Long-stay rates are often lower than listed prices, so ask.
• Test the internet, and ask about backup power, water supply and wet-season flooding before you sign.

👉 More in our guide to Accommodation for Digital Nomad Families.

Working Remotely from Cambodia

Good in the Cities, Patchy Elsewhere

Remote work is realistic in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, with more planning needed elsewhere.

Internet and SIM Cards

Both cities have fibre internet and good 4G coverage. Metfone, Smart and Cellcard are the main mobile networks, and prepaid data plans are cheap. Pick up a local SIM on arrival as your backup connection, and check current plans in store.

Internet gets weaker in Kampot and becomes unreliable on the islands and in rural areas. Plan on mobile hotspots as your main connection there, and expect slower weeks. Our internet guide for nomad families covers SIMs, eSIMs and backup plans.

Time Zone and Work Rhythm

Cambodia is on UTC+7, the same as Thailand and Vietnam. That’s handy for Australian clients, while European working hours fall in your afternoon and evening. The heat pushes most families toward a work block in the morning and family time in the afternoon.

👉 More in our guide to Remote Work for Digital Nomad Parents.

Schooling, Worldschooling and Childcare

International Schools in the Capital, Worldschooling Everywhere Else

Outside Phnom Penh, most nomad families worldschool or homeschool, and Cambodia makes that easier than most places. Angkor is history and archaeology. Rice paddies cover farming and ecology. Markets bring maths and language into daily life.

Families often combine an online programme with local tutors for Khmer language, dance or art. Our worldschooling hubs directory lists communities across the region.

👶 Childcare

Nannies and carers are widely used by expat families in the main towns, and preschools exist in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Rates vary, so ask other parents locally what’s fair, and always check references.

International Schools in Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh has Cambodia’s widest choice of international schools. A few of the best known:

• International School of Phnom Penh (ISPP): founded in 1989, a non-profit IB World School (PYP, MYP and Diploma) on Hun Neang Boulevard, south of the centre. Published 2025-26 fees ran from about KHR 38 million to 119 million a year (roughly €8,000 to €25,000). The 2026-27 schedule is on the school’s website.
• Northbridge International School Cambodia: an all-through IB school for ages 2 to 18 on an 8-hectare campus in Sen Sok, part of the Nord Anglia group.
• iCAN British International School: a British curriculum with IGCSE and A-Level pathways.
• Footprints International School: a smaller international school. Check current fees and curriculum.
• Lycée Français René Descartes: the French lycée, following the French national curriculum.
• Australian International School Phnom Penh (AISPP): the Australian Curriculum combined with IB programmes, on Angkor Boulevard in Russey Keo.

On top of tuition, budget for registration and capital fees, uniforms, transport and exams. Fees change every year, so check with each school directly. Our international schools directory covers more cities.

👉 More in our guide to Education and Childcare for Digital Nomad Families.

Healthcare, Vaccinations and Staying Well

🏥 Medical Care

Phnom Penh has the best medical care in the country. The Thai-owned Royal Phnom Penh Hospital is the best-known private hospital. The clinic long known as International SOS on Street 51 is now linked with Raffles Medical, so check its current name and services.

In Siem Reap, Royal Angkor International Hospital and several private clinics handle general care. For anything serious, families usually head to Phnom Penh or fly to Bangkok.

Outside these cities, care is basic. Health insurance with medical evacuation cover is essential anywhere in Cambodia. Our health insurance guide for nomad families compares the options.

💧 Water and Food

Drink bottled or filtered water everywhere, including in the cities. Big refill bottles keep costs and plastic down. Street food is part of the fun, and busy stalls with high turnover are usually the safer bet.

💉 Vaccinations

No vaccinations are required for entry for most travellers. The exception is yellow fever, if you’re arriving from a country with yellow fever risk. Travel health authorities commonly recommend these for families staying longer:

• Routine vaccines up to date, including MMR, tetanus, diphtheria, whooping cough, polio and chickenpox.
• Hepatitis A, for everyone including children.
• Typhoid, if you’ll eat local street food.
• Hepatitis B, for longer stays.
• Rabies, especially for kids who may approach dogs, monkeys or other animals.
• Japanese encephalitis, for longer stays or time in rural areas.

🦟 Dengue and Malaria

Dengue is the biggest everyday health risk, all year round. Use repellent daily and sleep under nets or screens. The Qdenga vaccine is approved in the EU from age 4 and may be worth discussing with a travel clinic.

Malaria risk is low in Phnom Penh and around Angkor and Tonle Sap, but higher in some rural and border areas. Ask a travel clinic about your exact plans.

Before You Go

See a travel health clinic four to six weeks before you leave. Our travel vaccinations guide explains what to ask, and our Health and Wellness hub covers the rest.

Things to Do in Cambodia with Kids

🛕 The Angkor Temples

The Angkor Archaeological Park covers around 400 square kilometres, with temples built between the 9th and 15th centuries. Angkor Wat is the famous one, and it’s huge. We cycled there, and it’s still a highlight of our whole world trip.

Ta Prohm, with tree roots swallowing the stone, is the one kids tend to remember. Bayon has giant stone faces, and Banteay Srei, a small pink sandstone temple, sits about an hour’s drive north of town. With little ones, go early, take breaks and spread visits over a multi-day pass.

🐘 Wildlife and Nature

The Cardamom Mountains in the southwest are one of the region’s most biodiverse areas, with treks and river trips. Phnom Kulen, north-east of Siem Reap, has waterfalls, carvings in the riverbed and a large reclining Buddha carved into a sandstone boulder. Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s largest freshwater lake, has floating villages that change completely between the wet and dry seasons.

We visited an elephant sanctuary on our trip. If you’re planning one, choose a place that doesn’t offer riding and lets you watch the elephants rather than handle them.

🎨 Culture and History

The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields at Choeung Ek in Phnom Penh tell the story of the Khmer Rouge years. We found Choeung Ek very hard. They’re best for older teens, or for parents to visit alone and talk through at home.

Phare, the Cambodian Circus, in Siem Reap, is a social enterprise show that tells Khmer stories through circus and theatre. Check the current schedule before you go. Apsara dance shows, cooking classes and craft workshops are easy to find in Siem Reap too.

🏝️ The Coast

Around Kampot and Kep, you’ll find crab markets, pepper farms and quiet beaches. Koh Kong in the southwest has rainforest, rivers and eco-lodges for families who want somewhere wilder.

Visas and Staying Longer

Cambodia has no digital nomad visa. Most families arrive on one of two visas, and both Australian and Dutch passport holders need one. Last checked: October 2026.

Tourist Visa (T)

The tourist visa gives 30 days and can be extended once for one more month at the Immigration Department in Phnom Penh. It doesn’t allow work, and overstays cost US$10 a day.

You can get it on arrival for about US$30, or apply in advance through evisa.gov.kh, the only official e-visa site. The e-visa adds a small processing fee and isn’t accepted at every land border, so check your crossing first.

Ordinary Visa (E)

The ordinary visa also starts with 30 days, then gets extended in Cambodia. The most common extension for longer stays is the EB, issued for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months. The 6 and 12 month extensions allow multiple entries.

The Catch for Long Stays

A first 6 or 12 month EB extension may be issued without a work permit, but later extensions generally need one. Cambodia’s Immigration Department doesn’t publish these rules clearly in English, so check with them, or a registered agent, before planning a full year.

Register on the FPCS App

Everyone in Cambodia must be registered on the Foreigners Present in Cambodia System (FPCS) to renew a visa. Your landlord or hotel should register you. If they don’t, you can register yourself through the app.

The e-Arrival Card

If you’re flying in, submit the free Cambodia e-Arrival card within the 7 days before you arrive. Arriving overland? Check the current process at your border.

Work and Tax

Being allowed to stay doesn’t automatically mean you’re allowed to work. Cambodia’s rules on remote work for overseas employers aren’t clearly published, and tax depends on your residency and home country. If you’ll stay more than a few months, get local advice.

Each family member needs their own visa, children included. Visa rules change, so check the Royal Embassy of Cambodia or your nearest embassy before you go.

👉 More options in our guide to staying longer without a nomad visa, and our Visas for Digital Nomad Families hub.

Finding Community in Cambodia

Small, but Easier to Find Than You’d Think

Cambodia’s nomad family scene is much smaller than Chiang Mai’s or Bali’s. That can feel lonely at first, but small communities are often easier to break into.

Siem Reap

Coworking spaces such as The 1961 are a natural place to meet other remote workers. Local expat and parent groups on Facebook and WhatsApp are where families organise meet-ups, shared lessons and outings.

Phnom Penh

The capital has the biggest expat community, with parent networks around the international schools, sports clubs and activity groups. Impact Hub’s events are a good way in for working parents.

Kampot

Kampot has an active worldschooling community that’s keen for more families to visit. Join their Facebook group before you arrive and introduce yourself. In a town this size, people find each other quickly.

Search Facebook for expat and parent groups in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Kampot, and check our worldschooling hubs directory for more communities in the region.

Practical Tips Before You Go

Getting Ready for Cambodia

💵 Carry small US dollar notes

Cambodia uses US dollars alongside the riel. Clean, undamaged notes are preferred, and small change helps everywhere. On the road to the elephant sanctuary, we had no cash, and I wished we had. Our guide to managing money across borders covers cards and fees.

📱 Get a local SIM on arrival

Metfone, Smart and Cellcard all sell prepaid plans. A local SIM doubles as your backup work connection.

✈️ Submit your e-Arrival card

Flying in? Submit it online within the 7 days before you land.

🦟 Use repellent every day

Dengue risk is year-round, so make repellent part of the morning and evening routine for the whole family.

💧 Drink bottled or filtered water

This applies everywhere in Cambodia, including the cities.

🌡️ Time your arrival

November to February is the coolest, driest season and the easiest with young kids. March to May is very hot. The wet season runs roughly May to October, with greener landscapes and fewer tourists.

🏥 Know your nearest hospital

Find the closest private clinic or international hospital before you need it. Outside Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, plan to travel.

🧳 Pack a backpack, not a suitcase

Learn from me. Sand, dirt roads, ferries and tuk-tuks are all easier with a backpack. Just don’t leave food in it on Koh Rong.

🚗 Choose cars over motorbikes

Road safety is a real concern. A car, or a tuk-tuk with a driver, is a much safer choice than a family motorbike.

📖 Check current travel advice

Look at Smartraveller or your own government’s advice before you go, including for areas near the Thai border.

Culture, Respect and a Lighter Footprint

A Faith Woven Into Daily Life

Most Cambodians follow Theravada Buddhism, and the local wat (temple) is the centre of many communities. Monks collecting alms in the early morning are a common sight.

Big festivals include Khmer New Year in April, Pchum Ben (the festival of the ancestors) in September or October, and the Water Festival in October or November.

Visiting Temples with Kids

Cover shoulders and knees, take shoes off where asked and keep voices low. Explaining the basics before you go helps kids feel part of it rather than just watching.

Travelling Lightly

Cambodia faces real pressures from deforestation, plastic waste and mass tourism. Families can help by eating at locally owned places, buying from markets and makers, refilling water bottles and choosing social enterprises.

More Than a Budget Stop

The country is still recovering from the Khmer Rouge years, when an estimated 1.5 to 2 million people died. Getting to know the people and the history, not just the low prices, makes for a much richer stay.

Travelling sustainably as a nomad family →

The Honest Challenges

What Makes Cambodia Hard

Healthcare

Outside Phnom Penh, healthcare drops off sharply. In Kampot, Siem Reap or on the islands, anything serious means travelling to the capital or Bangkok. Plan for it with good insurance and a clear idea of where you’d go.

Dengue

Dengue is present all year, and antimalarials don’t protect against it. Prevent mosquito bites every day. See a doctor quickly if anyone has a sudden high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, aching joints or a rash.

Heat and Humidity

March to May is very hot, often well above 35°C, with high humidity. That’s hard on toddlers, so plan outdoor time around mornings and evenings. The wet season brings some relief but also flooding in rural areas.

A Difficult History

The Khmer Rouge era is within living memory, and you’ll feel it. Standing at the memorial at Choeung Ek was one of the hardest moments of our trip. Decide in advance how much you’ll share with your kids, and at what age.

Visa Uncertainty for Long Stays

There’s no digital nomad visa, and the rules on longer extensions and remote work aren’t clearly published in English. Keep good records of your income, and check current requirements before each renewal.

FAQs

Is Cambodia safe for families?

For everyday life, generally yes. The bigger risks are road safety, dengue and limited healthcare outside Phnom Penh. Check your government’s current travel advice before you go.

How long can a family stay in Cambodia?

Up to 60 days on a tourist visa with its one extension. You can stay longer on an ordinary visa with EB extensions, though later renewals generally need a work permit.

How much does it cost to live in Cambodia as a family?

Our estimate is around €1,800 a month in Siem Reap and €1,950 in Phnom Penh for a family of four. That excludes school fees, health insurance, flights and visas.

Siem Reap, Phnom Penh or Kampot?

Siem Reap suits families who want history and an easy pace. Phnom Penh is best for schools and hospitals. Kampot suits slow living, with a worldschooling community already there.

Are there international schools in Cambodia?

Yes, mostly in Phnom Penh. Outside the capital, the choice is small. Kep International School runs a bus from Kampot, and Peppercorns Home School in Kampot was started by expat parents. Check current details with each school.

Should we take kids to the Killing Fields?

It’s a personal call. Many families wait until children are older teenagers. Visiting on your own and talking it through at home is another option.

When is the best time to visit Cambodia with kids?

November to February, the cooler dry season. March to May is the hottest stretch, and the wet season runs roughly May to October.

Is Cambodia good for worldschooling?

Very, if your family is comfortable with basic infrastructure. Angkor, markets, festivals and pepper farms make history, religion and science hands-on.

Can we combine Cambodia with Thailand, Laos and Vietnam?

Easily. Buses run between Bangkok and Cambodia and on to Vietnam, which is how we travelled. See our guides to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and Saigon.

Our Takeaways

Twelve years on, the things I remember from Cambodia aren’t the sights I ticked off. They’re the bike ride to Angkor Wat, the faces on the road to the elephant sanctuary, and Marty laughing while I hauled a suitcase across the sand.

Cambodia isn’t the easy choice for a nomad family, and we won’t pretend it is. But if you come for a season, pack light, carry small notes and lean on the families already living there, it could teach your kids more than almost anywhere in the region.

And please, take a backpack. Just don’t leave food in it. 🦎

Discover more: Family-Friendly Destinations for Digital Nomads