Angkor Wat Warnings Or Dangers

When in Cambodia, do not go off the beaten track. There could be a lurking land mine that can explode, kill or maim.

From past wars, there are still many unexploded landmines in the countryside of Cambodia. So be very careful not to stray off the path.

There are still cases of loss of lives and limbs due to landmines in Cambodia. Always bear this in mind.

According to a 2004 landmine report,
"...several provinces, particularly in the north and northwest of the country. In the forests of Banteay Meanchey, Battambang, Oddar Meanchey, and Pailin, the most affected provinces, people still have their limbs blown off as they search for a way to feed their families..."

A common scene as you wander around the sights are children trying to sell souvenirs such as postcards as well as drinks, bracelets, scarf’s and such like. They're quite persistent, even bordering on annoying but at the same time they are quite sweet and only trying to make some money. I got chatting to a few of them when I had a little something to eat at one of the food shacks that overlook the Bayon on Angkor Thom and asked them about school to which they replied that they went to one but I wasn't so sure they were telling the truth.

Honestly I cannot speak for the trekking opportunity, but as for the mines, the area around Siem Reap and Angkor Wat is publicized as clean, but they still highly recommend that you do not go off the established paths. I don’t want to rain on your parade, but I would look much deeper into reliable sources before going out in the woods.

One of the places that I stopped at was a handicrafts store of locals. They were all handicapped due to landmines. Some of them were teenagers, which means that there's still active ammunition in the ground.

Other than large tour companies 95% of all transport involve taking a taxi from the airport or border to your hotel. Ensure that your driver knows where your hotel is. Siam Reap is a large city of over a million people and contains as many as a thousand hotels. Some area are utter squalor and dangerous so it is important that you do not get lost. Our group became lost on the way to our hotel and our driver was very unhelpful, did not speak English and would not ask for directions or knew so little about the area that it would not have helped. It is very important for you yourself to know the location of your hotel on a map, speak Khmer or get a phone which works in Cambodia. Additionally, understanding the calling procedure and remembering the number for the tourist police, I think 1157 would come in hand. Don't let confusion of this nature ruin your trip it almost ended ours.

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My young friend Matt asked this question in his Cambodia page:

What will you do if suddenly this poor kid with a cute Cambodian English accent (That's nice to mimic!) suddenly leeches on you (without you asking), forces you to do the bargaining game with him and constantly harrasses you to buy his postcards? Will you:
A.) Pity the kid and buy his stuff.
B.) Politely say no and no until he leaves.
C.) Scream at him and harass him back! ?

Well, in our case it was this little 5 y.o. girl selling handmade bamboo objects that make a clicking sound when you shake it. She had her spiel down pat and had my friend's number. It's Letter A for my friend and the girl skipped happily off to look for another sucker (Me!). It cost us a dollar each and a little bit of pride as we drove off... our companions poking fun at us for our "high sucker quotient".

If you have a tender heart and you see these little kids coming, hold on tight to your wallet and run to the opposite direction. But if melting eyes and sing-song voice has no effect on you, then you'll be just fine! :)

I never at any time felt like my physical safety was in jeopardy in my three days in Siem Reap. I wandered freely through the Angkor complexes with the only harassment being from the young children or shopkeepers trying to sell you stuff. I had an arrangement to hire a tuk tuk driver for three days and had grown to trust him, and since it was in his best interest to make sure I was satisfied he made sure we always were happy and safe. For the most part Cambodian people are very peaceful, be on your usual gaurd and enjoy yourself

Staff who supervise in the temples are meant to ensure that tourists aren't encouraging the small armies of beggars, by giving them money etc. for photos and/or sympathy - and the kids often run when one of these attendants turn up. This was taken in Ta Prohm, where we had taken photograps of these kids, and gave them a little bit of money. Not happy Jan! She looked like a thundercloud!

Traffic is leathal in Cambodia, like in many countries around Southeast Asia. But the rules are pretty easy: trucks and buses go first, followed by cars before motorcycles and rikshas, followed by bicycles....and on the lowest step there is the pedestrian. Everything else is just detail.

I had the joyful experience riding my bike down the mainroad of Siem Reap when a speedying motorbike hit me with his rearviewmirror.....lucky me, my backpack caught the hit...most of it my newly bought orangejuice that exploded from the hit and spilled over everything.
Not to mention that the motorbikeguy drove right away nonestop.