2 Years In Cambodia — It’s Been The Best Time Of My Life, I Love It, And So Will You!

I arrived in Cambodia’s capital, Phnom Penh, in late December 2021. I had no idea what to expect — my expectations were low after spending 3 disappointing years in Bali.

I came to Cambodia at the time as it was the only country in Southeast Asia that opened its borders for international travel while the pandemic was still ongoing.

The government had the foresight to make it easy for international travelers to enter, unlike its neighboring countries, which still upheld quarantines or complicated and expensive procedures.

I’m in the 22nd month in Cambodia, and I have no plans other than staying.

It’s the best country I’ve visited and lived in. I’ve lived in 7 countries on 3 continents over the past 4 decades. I’ve also traveled to many other countries for business or pleasure.

I believe that qualifies me as a seasoned international traveler and an experienced expat.

My Cambodia Uncovered Story So Far

I’m not close to finishing exploring Cambodia — I’ve only scratched the surface to better understand the country and its people.

That’s the main element of establishing a successful and happy life in any country —understanding its culture, practices, traditions, how things tick, and how to interact with people.

You can only function well as an expat in any country if you grasp and practice those basics.

Unfortunately, many expats worldwide don’t bother — instead, they remain in their bubbles with each other and don’t care about the country they’re living in or how its people see them.

And that’s why expats are often unpopular, particularly in Southeast Asia.

Stage 1. Phnom Penh

I knew nothing about the city, where to go, and what to do. So I just threw myself right into the heat of the action.

From what I’d read, it was supposed to be a dirty, overcrowded, disorganized, and somewhat dangerous city.

Of course, like all cities in SE Asia and most of the world, it does suffer from trash issues in some areas, but it’s not at all bad.

Positives:

The central residential areas are clean
Traffic is not that bad
Fantastic international and local restaurants at affordable prices
Great nightlife with live music or DJs
Easy to get around by Tuk-Tuk, taxi, or motorbike
Quality supermarkets, lots of organic meat and vegetable suppliers
Easy-going, friendly expats and locals
International Airport

Negatives:

Not enough green space or parks for walking and relaxing
Air pollution

The Independence Monument in Phnom Penh. The 1 great walking spot! Photo

Rob Hourmont

In Summary

Phnom Penh is a hustling and bustling, easy-to-live in fast-paced city.

There’s a good mix of expats, and the Khmer people are extraordinarily helpful, polite, and friendly.

It’s one of the coolest cities I’ve lived in.

Stage 2. Kampot

After spending 8 months in Phnom Penh, I started longing the country life and wanted to explore nature. So, I packed my bags and moved south to the popular, eclectic little town of Kampot.

Kampot’s is so compact it’s more like a big village than a town. Nestled along a small river, it’s a quiet place. Only a few tourists were to be seen when I was there.

Most aging expats have lived there forever and will until they pass — because they love it there.

It’s an easy-going, super low-key place where you can get on with life and not care about anything else in the world.

That’s why I rate it as a better place to live for older retirees rather than younger people.

There’s plenty of exploring around Kampot — Mount Bakor offers excellent walking trails and views. There are several waterfalls, cages, and creeks to visit nearby.

Kep, a quaint little fishing village famous for its crab market, is only a 30-minute drive away and definitely worth a day or two’s stay.

Beautiful sunsets in Kep. Photo by

Rob Hourmont