Tips for Women Travelers in Cambodia

Finding tampons with applicators is challenging and should not be expected. OB without the applicator is what you will be buying here, and a pack of 8 will run you about $1.50. If you find tampons with applicators stock up, because who knows when you will see them again.  Pads are in abundance in the Kingdom of Wonder.

Tina: In Phnom Penh & Siem Reap (which have a big supermarket chain called Lucky and corner stores pretty well equipped with western products) you get what you need. Tampons and liners are available but maybe not your preferred size in the smaller stores. It’s worth checking out multiple stores in that case because they stock different things.

In the smaller towns your best bet is a local pharmacy but they might not have much. Just bring a supply if you plan to stay remotely with no visits to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh.

If you are traveling for more than three months, talk to your doctor about receiving more than the allotted 3-month supply at one time. My friend was able to swing a year’s supply before moving to Thailand.

Condoms are sold here but I have only seen packs of 3 and 6 and they are expensive. I also don’t know if the sizes are different here as well.

Tips for Women Travelers in Cambodia

Plan B is sold here for 2.50$. You can find it any of the pharmacies.

All medicine here is inexpensive and you are able to meet most medical needs through the pharmacy.

Tina: Condoms are available at corner stores in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, some service stations and pharmacies. The local pharmacies are mostly just a street-facing counter so you’ll have to ask for them but Cambodians seem pretty relaxed and polite so there shouldn’t be any embarrassment.

The pill is available over the counter but I couldn’t get my brand (Vallette) anywhere and nothing that had the same ingredients so I did a lot of research and decided to go with Yasmin instead which is widely available and priced between $7 and $12 for one month. Other brands that I often came across were Diane and some first-generation pills.

By the way here’s a great article by Lina Goldberg who has also written a really helpful and reliable expat book for Cambodia.

My roommate at the time went and got tested and it was expensive (over $100) but the doctor (who’s British) went on to explain that it is so expensive because they have to send the blood out of the country to get it tested properly because the machine that is needed is not in Cambodia, and for his practice it is more economical to send it out then to buy his own.

If you happen to have a yeast infection, they sell medicine for it, at the pharmacy and it runs you about $1.50.

Tina: Cambodian healthcare is very poor and I personally would be too scared to go to a local clinic for anything (not that I’ve noticed any local gyns anyway). However in Phnom Penh there are western clinics which can provide decent standard healthcare, but they aren’t equipped for complicated cases. Expats usually go elsewhere (e.g. give birth in another country).

We could hear the American doctor give training to the local staff and I had to ring the bell every time before the IV line ran empty so if you can, bring someone to watch over you.

In Phnom Penh everyone seems to go to the “International SOS” clinic. We’ve been there, too at night for a feverish emergency and it was ok.

We could hear the American doctor give training to the local staff and I had to ring the bell every time before the IV line ran empty so if you can, bring someone to watch over you.

I have been told that a lot of local men watch white women porn and they think that all white women are like those in pornos. I have one experience that leads me to believe that this is true. One evening I went out with my girlfriends for happy hour and we were playing pool.

We ended up playing against two Cambodian men, Cambodians are sharks on the pool table, and we lost.

One of the men came up to all of us after and tried to have us blow up this balloon in front of him. To me, that sounds like some weird thing that he saw in porno. We told him no and he said, “But the losers have to do what the winners say.” We all said no again and walked away without another word.

I am not advising against dating locals, but I am not advising to date locals either.

I am not advising against dating locals, but I am not advising to date locals either.

Tina: Most local guys over 20 will be married but that doesn’t seem to be a problem here. Even if you say you have a partner they might still ask if you’re interested in a Cambodian boyfriend.

I haven’t tried to date here. From what I’ve picked up the social standard is that girls come into marriage as virgins and social pressure is high to marry and have kids, but the reality looks a lot more flexible than that to me. Heterosexual couples usually don’t show much public affection while same-sex “couples” can often be seen holding hands (men, too) but that doesn’t mean they’re gay.

Tina: Yes. There isn’t a big scene for it here because it’s not a special thing. While locals are under social pressure to have a family being LGBTQ is still tolerated. Same-sex friends often are quite playful with each other so gay couples even have a slight advantage showing affection in public.

I can’t outline a specific event that I have seen, but when you’re here you can see it, it’s noticeably in the air. Very rarely do I see a mixed group hanging out, it is usually all women hanging out together and all the men hanging out together.

Tina: There is some contradiction about “the social norm” and reality. In theory woman should come into marriage as virgins, be protected, and not stray far from home. In reality woman are very confident and well able to fend for themselves. Cambodia is a very hierarchical country where rich people often don’t even publicly recognize someone who is worse off economically- even their own employees.

Also the language places a lot of focus on the age of the person you’re talking to. Even though there are quite a few factors determining your social status here, gender doesn’t seem to play a large role. Nobody is surprised (like many westerners) when I say that I build websites and women here come across as refreshingly confident, quick-witted and at ease with themselves. However, mixed-sex friendships don’t seem to be very usual.

Different things are expected of them, and it is normal to be married in your late teens early 20s and pregnant soon after. Sex trafficking and prostitution are a lucrative business in Cambodia and Cambodian women are at a high-risk to be manipulated and or forced into those lifestyles.

I admire how relaxed, confident, and open they seem to be. They are not shy commenting on my appearance and body in any way (glad that it’s usually positive because they don’t seem to hold back with their honest opinion.)

The standard of beauty here among local women and men is that the lighter you are the better. It represents wealth because you are not working outside.

I personally have not noticed “envy” from local women about my skin tone versus theirs, but I have had a complete women stranger come up, grab my arm, look at me with this sad look on her face and ask me why my skin was so red. I told her it was sunburn and she looked at me like I was a fool to not wear long shirts and pants in the 100- degree heat.

Tina: I admire how relaxed, confident, and open they seem to be. They are not shy commenting on my appearance and body in any way (glad that it’s usually positive because they don’t seem to hold back with their honest opinion.) Many just have an amazing energy! I’m not sure if their behavior is different towards local men but I think I could learn a thing or two from their composure.

Tina: When I say Australia, many come up with a “G’Day mate”, when I say Germany, sometimes they say “Guten Tag” or just “aah”. I don’t think it makes a difference to them, where you come from is just a polite question to ask. In more remote regions men and woman alike often stare at me. It’s just curiosity so I simply smile at them and always get the nicest smiles back.

The major safety issue is purse snatching. While this seems fairly harmless there are unforeseen consequences. Imagine: you have your purse crossed over your body, feeling safe, then all of a sudden someone comes up behind you and snatches your purse but to your and their surprise the strap doesn’t break and you get pulled off the bike and dragged or worst situation get run over by the motos, cars and tuk-tuks that are behind you.

I do not hear stories about people getting run over often, but getting dragged and pulled off motos is extremely common. Purse snatching does happen out of tuk-tuks as well but chances are you are not going to be pulled out of the tuk-tuk, which is why they are safer. Moto rides are some of the most fun, so what I would recommend is to wear a helmet if you can and definitely do not have a purse wrapped around you, hold it in your hand or in your lap, so if it does get snatched you don’t go with it.

I put everything in my bra. But, if you are a lady who MUST have a purse buy one from the market here. They are cheap, most times not made well, meaning the strap will break easily. With all of this being said make sure to not put anything of huge value is a purse.

Also, if you are enjoying the nightlife make sure that when you are taking a moto or tuk-tuk home that they are not wasted. Use your judgment; we all know what a drunken person looks and acts like. Also if you see the whole group drinking beer you probably should walk and find a driver who is not drinking, at least not at that moment.

Tips for women travelers in Cambodia

Overall I feel safe when going places and if you are going to be anywhere in Cambodia for an extended period of time especially in Phnom Penh and you find a moto or tuk-tuk driver that you like, get their phone number and ask them if they want to be your driver, it’s a normal thing to do here.

Tina: Safety of transportation here is questionable no matter your gender! Usually even taking a scooter is okay but if you feel unsure, make friends with a TukTuk driver, get his number, don’t be stingy and he’ll look after you. You could even call him in the middle of the night to take you home from a club.

Watch your bag though as in Phnom Penh there have been a few cases where guys on scooters tried to snatch bags from girls. Apparently one didn’t let go of her bag, got pulled off the scooter and died in the traffic. If you think your bag might be too easy to grab, get a TukTuk and sit in the middle with your bag close.

Also there are stories (more for expats than tourists) of motos/tuk-tuk drivers casing places when they drop you off then robbing you, so I like to be dropped off on my street not right in front of my house.

Tina: I haven’t come across any dangerous areas. I roamed some really dodgy looking markets in Phnom Penh during the day and got nothing but smiles. I walked around a park full of homeless people in Phnom Penh at nighttime with no issues and I even feel safe walking back alleys after dark in Siem Reap.

The more you show the more unwanted attention you will get. Maxi skirts and dresses are my best friends here. There are travelers that I see wearing short shorts, t-shirts etc and they don’t seem phased, but traveling and living are two completely different things. Most women dress very moderately here and I always feel the best bet is to try to blend in with the culture instead of standing out more than I already do.

Just because of the sun, I usually stick to t-shirts, but I rarely wear more than shorts; it’s just too hot!

Tina: Local woman wear long jeans and t-shirts during daytime but at night this might get a little more relaxed (sometimes you’ll even see shorts in Phnom Penh). You wouldn’t give offence wearing less than that, but you might catch attention from the local eye.

Just because of the sun, I usually stick to t-shirts, but I rarely wear more than shorts; it’s just too hot! I feel that’s good enough in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. In Sihanoukville, the major party spot, tourists often enough just wear swimwear everywhere; I’m sure the locals are used to it or at least very forgiving. In the provinces I would just wear knee-long pants until I get a feel for the place.