Many people ask us where the best places to make bookings are in Cambodia, such as where to book travel, where to book accomodation in Cambodia, and even where to book flights to Cambodia. So, we listened! Here it is, a guide covering how to make the best bookings in Cambodia so you don’t get lost, stranded, or left shorthanded.
Before we start, check out our other blogs for more information about Cambodia, or get in touch and we’d love to help!
What are the best websites to use for bookings in Cambodia?
Of course, if you want to search for jobs in Cambodia, or find internship opportunities in Cambodia, you don’t need to look any further than Next Step. Equally, you don’t if it’s relocation you need, from airport pick up and visa support to accommodation booking, tourist tours, and bank account setup, we’ve got you covered! But in all fairness, we know that you want all the options first, so read on to find a refreshingly balanced view of how to make bookings in Cambodia.
Where to book my flight to Cambodia?
This is a tough question because the airline industry today, especially after COVID, is heavily outsourced. or at least if you want to get the cheapest flights to Cambodia. This is because, while you can book directly with the airline for the best service, you can then expect to spend another 100 to 1,000 USD on top of flights booked through an agent. Also, depending on the origin of your travel to Cambodia, you will likely have to book multiple flights with multiple different airlines which will connect to various destinations to get you to Cambodia! That said, I would recommend my go-to, with a few points to note.
- Skyscanner: Skyscanner is among the best flight ‘search engines’ and is great for finding lots of cheap options for travel, even if some of the flight variations will be a little crazy (including 16-hour layovers in various countries before you arrive in Cambodia).
Skyscanner not only checks the major airlines but also scans (as the name implies) small websites and budget airlines that larger search sites tend to miss. At Next Step, we think they are hands down the number one place to start when looking at booking flights to Cambodia. However, here are some points to note when using Skyscanner to book flights to Cambodia:
Check the OTA (online travel agent) which is offering the deal that Skyscanner shows you. Although you are searching through the Skyscanner search engine, this doesn’t mean Skyscanner is providing the flight
Where should I book my accommodation in Cambodia?
When it comes to booking accommodation in Cambodia, there are a number of factors to consider, these are broken down into the following:
- Are you booking accommodation for when you first arrive in Cambodia?
- Are you booking accommodation for a holiday in Cambodia?
- Are you looking for long-term accommodation in Cambodia?
If you are booking accommodation for when you first arrive, then I would suggest the following. Firstly, here at Next Step, we arrange relocation services for new arrivals who come to live and work in Cambodia regularly, so we can 100 percent help with booking your hotel or hostel before you arrive, which could not only save you money but will definitely save you time from endless scrolling through the many venues both in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap but around Cambodia in general. If you want to book through us feel free to contact us and one of our agents will be able to help you book based on your preferences asap.
Secondly, you can book accommodation in Cambodia directly by either calling or messaging over Facebook. The latter is quite a common way of booking accommodation in Cambodia, however, if you are not in the country yet we would advise you to go with the previous option.
The final option is to book through some more internationally recognized brands, such as Hostelworld, Agoda, or Booking.com. I will break these down in a little more detail below:
- Hostelworld: For me, this is the best hostel accommodation site available and it has hands down the largest inventory, with a really easy-to-use search interface and lots of availability for those travelers who like flexibility. Prices can vary, but you are always sure to find accommodation here.
- Agoda: Similar to the previous option, is one of the best sites for accommodation in Asia and you shouldn’t have too many issues using this platform either. Top tip always check reviews!
- Booking.com: This is probably the most well-known and they have a good reputation in Asia not only for hosting a lot of accommodation in Cambodia but that constantly providing the cheapest and lowest rates. This may be due to the fact that they have the widest selection of budget accommodation, but for us, they’ve always had the cheapest rates out of all the booking websites.
Where should I book group tours around Cambodia?
There are some great options for group tours around Cambodia, and many of the best and cheapest options can be found when you arrive in Cambodia. However, here are our more internationally orientated top-ranking group tour sites when staying in Cambodia.
- Intrepid Travel: For many Intrepid is the go-to for group tours in Cambodia and beyond. They differentiate themselves from other booking platforms because they cater for good small group tours that use local operators which in turn aim to leave a smaller environmental footprint.
- Get Your Guide: If you’ve never heard of it before, this is a huge online marketplace for tours and excursions in Cambodia. They have lots of tour different options available in Cambodia, as well as around the world, which cover everything from cooking classes, walking tours, street art lessons, and more!
- SafetyWing: Bringing up the rear, Safety Wing offers convenient and affordable plans tailored to digital nomads and long-term travelers. A slightly different concept to the former, they offer cheap monthly plans and solid customer service which tailors nicely to digital nomads and people who are living and working in Cambodia and want to make regular bookings for tours in the Kingdom.
What are the best travel guidebooks in Cambodia?
You will find lots of books on visiting Cambodia, however, lots are centered around the tourist experience, and as a company that specializes in living and working in Cambodia, we have weeded out the best ones that give a better overall view of traveling in Cambodia for longer periods of time or better yet, living and working in Cambodia.
- We’ll start with our favorite, you guessed it, Next Step! We have tonnes of information in our extensive blogs, media, and FAQ sections which you can access from anywhere (we love to hear about people reading our blogs while they are en route to Cambodia!).
- Secondly, movetocambodia.com is a site dedicated to moving, living, and working in Cambodia and you can order the book from their site directly. It is a great good that covers much more than just the usual, namely, where to visit (Angkor Wat), which museums to go to (Genocide Museum), and where to visit (the Royal Palace, night market, and the Killing Fields, to name but a few). It also has useful information about currency use (USD and the local Riel currency) as well as some local Khmer language to get you through.
There are also other online sites that you will find with a quick google, but these are few and far between and some of the information is not always entirely up to date. If you want any information about living and working in Cambodia, whether you are traveling around Cambodia for a short period of time (even as part of a larger journey around the amazing South East Asian region) or planning on staying longer and exploring options in for work in Cambodia or long-term stay in Cambodia, get in touch and we’d be more than happy to help.
Where can I get more advice on making bookings in Cambodia?
Next Step are the experts when it comes to living and working in Cambodia. Our mission is to open up the Kingdom of Wonder for the world so that both the Khmer people and the visitors they welcome can benefit. If you want to know more, you can get in touch with us directly via the chat icon in the bottom right corner (go on, have a look!), or via the contact us page at the top of this page. We’d love to hear from you!
