ActivitiesWhat to do in Cambodia
Read here all about activities you can do in Cambodia: from cycling to golf, from quad biking to diving, from jungle treks to dance classes, from paragliding to aerobics and much more.
Golf Courses in Cambodia
Golf is a relatively new pastime in Cambodia, but it is developing fast. There are only four courses in the country right now, but four more courses are expected to be completed by 2011.
Most Cambodians know little or nothing about golf. So far, only foreigners and the upper echelon f Cambodian society can afford to play. Ordinary Cambodians are more concerned with making ends meet than learning about a foreign sport. This cultural and economic gap means that the new courses are still wide open to foreign visitors.
Cooking Classes in Cambodia
Some people argue that Cambodia's cuisine is nothing to write home about and a poorer cousin to Thai and Vietnamese cuisines. While we understand that view when judging the food offered on the streets of Cambodia, it is completely untrue.
The real, traditional Khmer food has a long history. In more recent times, the cuisine of Cambodia has been influenced by nearby countries as well as by the French. But go back 1,000 years when the Khmer Empire ruled over most of Southeast Asia.
Ultra Light Trike Flying in Cambodia
Cambodians refer to it as "the flying moto" and it's quite an appropriate name for the little airborne machine called a microlight, or alternatively, an ultralight.
Within the aeronautical trade it’s often referred to simply as a “trike”.
It is a three-wheeled, two-seater fibreglass pod fitted to an aircraft-grade aluminium mainframe with a motor and propeller at the back.
The pod is attached to a large wing similar in shape to a hang-glider, from which this aircraft actually evolved.
Mountain Biking in the Cardamoms
Chi Phat, a small village on the Preak Piphot River, is a former hotspot of poaching and illegal logging, now it is a hub of environmentally-friendly adventure activities.
Developed by Community Based Ecotourism (CBET), these projects aim to provide villagers with economically and ecologically sustainable income opportunities from tourism and help them protect the biodiversity and natural resources of their region against illegal logging, wildlife poaching, and land encroachment, while providing tourists with a unique green adventure in some rarely visited rural villages in the Southern Cardamoms.
Cycling in Cambodia
Cycling in Cambodia is for the more adventurous traveller, but if you're an experienced cyclist you'll discover the real Cambodia. Most of Cambodia is quite flat and recently many roads have been upgraded, so road conditions have improved considerably.
Of course you'll still come across bumpy roads in the countryside, but isn't that part of the fun? Cycling in Cambodia should only be done during the dry season, from November until March, when the temperatures are not too high.
When cycling just after the end of the rainy season, the country is lush and green.
Quad Bike Tours
Although mountain biking is for everybody, the hot and humid Cambodian climate is definitely not, so if you can’t imagine yourself pedalling around the countryside, a quad adventure might be your pick.
These automatic quad bikes are easy to drive and it’s a great way to get out and see some of the countryside and how people in rural Cambodia live.
Two companies offer quad bike tours: one in Siem Reap (Quad Bike Adventure) and one in Phnom Penh (Blazing Trails).
Cambodia's temples by chopper
It's one thing seeing Cambodia's ancient Angkor temples up close and personal. It's something else capturing a bird's-eye view of the once-thriving kingdom aboard a helicopter.
We've strapped ourselves in and put on our headphones, which fail to completely suppress the whump of the chopper's blades slicing the air and whirling us into the clear, blue sky.
Our Aussie pilot Phil Butterworth's voice crackles through our earpieces: "You've chosen a great day to fly. The weather conditions are pretty much perfect".
Top 10 Activities for Children
Cambodia is probably not the first country parents think of as the destination of choice.
How wrong you could be!
Cambodia is a great place to visit with children: friendly people, welcoming, and with plenty of things to do.
Not convinced yet?
Here is our Top 10 of activities in Cambodia that will keep kids entertained. Guaranteed!
Dirt Bike Tours in Cambodia
Cambodia offers a lot of opportunities for dirt bike riders. Many of the main roads between major towns are in good to reasonable conditions, but once off these roads the real adventure begins.
You can just rent a bike at one of the rental shops in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville or Kampot and - with a good map - find your own way around the country.
However, if you want to explore jungle tracks (like in the Cardamom Mountains), only do that with an experienced guide. In some areas there are hundreds of walking trails and ox-cart tracks and as there are no signs or people, you'd easily get lost.
Kayaking in Cambodia
Over the last few years kayaking opportunities in Cambodia have increased. You can do kayak trips in remote Ratanakiri province on the beautiful Se San River, in the even more remote Cardamom Mountains at a community based ecotourism project, or on the rivers near Battambang and Kampot.
Here we give you an overview of the best kayaking trips in Cambodia, including links to websites and telephone numbers of companies offering kayak tours.
Enjoy the peddling!
