Siem Reap is a great city to explore on foot. It is generally safe although there are odd incidents of bag snatching. Take the usual precautions such as leaving your passport and valuables in the safe at the hotel, and ...Read more
Siem Reap is a great city to explore on foot. It is generally safe although there are odd incidents of bag snatching. Take the usual precautions such as leaving your passport and valuables in the safe at the hotel, and walk with a group of friends, especially late at night.
Angkor Wat, Siem Reap
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Even though it’s safe for travel in Siem Reap, tourists should careful with the below points
The biggest problem is bag-snatching when pairs of kids on motor scooters zoom up behind the unsuspecting then grab their bag and speed off with the loot. They are quite happy to do this whether you’re walking, cycling, or on the back of a moto, making it incredibly dangerous for the victim.
Most importantly, if you don’t want to lose it, don’t carry it. Whether it’s credit/debit cards, passports, or jewelry, keep it in the safe at your hotel. Only carry cash, and for the things that you have to carry, like your phone or camera, make sure they’re insured.
There are a lot of commission scams in Siem Reap that involve certain guesthouses and small hotels paying moto and taxi drivers to deliver guests. Ways to avoid these scams include booking ahead via the internet and arranging a pick-up, or sticking with a partner guesthouse if you are coming from Phnom Penh. Alternatively, just go with the flow and negotiate with the hotel or guesthouse on arrival.
Related: Is Cambodia safe to live?
Finally, I think Siem Reap is safer more than dangerous, although it has bag snatching, scams, not all Cambodians are bad, just a small amount that they disrespect the rule.
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