Significant safety concerns; travel only if you have a clear reason to go. Civil liberties are tightly restricted and political expression can carry risk.
Regional breakdown
Most travellers head for Siem Reap and the Angkor temple complex, Phnom Penh, and the southern coast around Sihanoukville and Kampot. These areas sit well away from the trouble on the Thai frontier. Day-to-day issues here look like those in other Southeast Asian capitals: bag snatching from passing motorbikes, traffic risks. And the occasional drink-spiking report in nightlife districts. The picture changes sharply along the western and northwestern border with Thailand. The official advisory guidance warns against all but essential travel within 20km of that border. The official advisory guidance draws an even wider 50km Do Not Travel zone. Both governments name the Preah Vihear, Ta Krabey/Ta Kwai and Ta Muen Thom temple areas, all of which remain closed to visitors. Landmines and unexploded ordnance are still a real hazard in rural parts of Battambang, Banteay Meanchey, Pursat, Pailin. Siem Reap province (away from the main temple circuit) and Kampong Thom. Stick to marked paths and cleared areas. Locals know which tracks to avoid; outsiders walking off-trail in these provinces are the ones who get hurt.
Recent advisory changes
The official advisory guidance last updated its Cambodia page on 19 March 2026. It keeps the 20km no-go strip along the Thai border in place and lists the three contested temple sites as closed. Land border crossings between Cambodia and Thailand are still suspended. The official advisory guidance links the restriction to heavy fighting in 2025 that involved airstrikes and artillery, followed by a ceasefire on 27 December 2025. It notes that tensions along the border remain high even with the guns quiet. The official advisory guidance reissued its Travel Advisory on 25 July 2025 and holds Cambodia at Level 2, Exercise Increased Caution. It applies a Level 4, Do Not Travel rating to the area within 50km of the Thai border. Citing rocket and artillery fire between Cambodian and Thai forces. The wider Level 2 reasoning points to street crime in tourist areas and landmine contamination in the named western provinces. Neither government has ordered the departure of staff or dependents, and embassies in Phnom Penh continue to operate normally.
What travellers should know
Travel insurance is the first thing to sort out. UK insurers can refuse claims if you enter an area official advisory guidance warns against. So the 20km Thai border strip is effectively off-limits if you want cover. Plan overland routes through Vietnam or Laos rather than Thailand for now, and check with your airline before booking. Since some carriers have rerouted around the border zone. In the cities, treat phones and bags the way you would in any busy capital. Wear bag straps across the body, keep phones out of sight near the road, and use registered taxis or ride-hail apps after dark. The official advisory guidance flags that resisting a snatch-and-grab can lead to injury, so let the bag go if it happens. In the countryside, especially in Battambang, Banteay Meanchey and Pailin, do not wander off marked paths. Do not pick up metal objects, and do not enter fenced or signed areas. Carry a basic first-aid kit, keep some US dollars in cash for rural areas. And register your trip with your embassy if you plan to spend time near the border provinces.