A quote in the visitor book inside S21 prison reads 'Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it'. Whether or not this is true, there's no denying that it's important for tourists, as well as younger generations of Cambodians, to educate themselves about the Khmer Rouge regime in order to better understand the country's recent … [Read more...]
Visiting Sihanoukville: Koh Rong, Serendipity or Otres?
Cambodia is a country with a tragic past that's working hard to rebuild itself. As a result, its tourism industry is growing at an alarming rate. Many of these changes are positive, as they provide employment and fund the struggling economy. The trouble comes when overeager developers take over an area and turn it from an idyllic beach resort into … [Read more...]
Tips on Visiting Angkor Wat
HOW MANY DAYS? It's not easy deciding how many days to spend in Angkor Wat. Typically, one day doesn't feel like enough time, unless you really exhaust yourself, and three is a bit too much. Annoyingly, you have three ticket options. A one-day ticket costs $37, three days cost $62 and seven days cost $72 (prices updated in February 2017). Once … [Read more...]
Visiting the Floating Villages on Tonle Sap Lake
WHAT ARE THE FLOATING VILLAGES? Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. It's also home to approximately 80,000 people who live in 170 village communities comprised of floating and stilted houses. The lake is located about 17 km outside Siem Reap - a place few visitors to Cambodia miss thanks to its proximity to the temples of … [Read more...]
Living Like a Local in Cambodia – My Homestay Experience
Over the past few years, there's been a major shift in the way people travel. More and more of us are seeking out alternatives to mainstream accommodation. In 2013, homestay.com was launched. While other sites that help you find people to stay with focus mainly on the appeal of saving you money, homestay.com requires that a host is present during … [Read more...]
15 Reasons to do the Mad Monkey Kampot Kamikaze Run
WHAT IS IT? The Kampot Kamikaze Run is a fantastic four-day Kampot tour organised by the Mad Monkey Hostel. The first of its kind took place in September 2015, and happened to coincide with a massive tropical storm that flooded the town and made many of the roads impassable. Instead of ruining the experience, it turned out to be an incredible … [Read more...]
Responsible Travel in Cambodia with the Mad Monkey Social Enterprise
Responsible travel is all about leaving a positive impact on any place you visit. You can do this by respecting cultures and being careful to leave a place exactly as you found it. The popular mantra 'take only photos and leave only footprints' is a great one to stand by. If you really want to make a difference, though, you can take a more … [Read more...]
