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A glimpse of life and people in Cambodia.
Southeast Asia is known for having warm and friendly people, but we find that Cambodians are especially lovely. I am constantly humbled by the generosity of strangers and the willingness of people to show kindness immediately, something that as westerners we aren’t often used to. (Stranger danger!) From tuk tuk drivers to street side vendors, construction workers to business people, if you make the effort to smile at someone you are just about guaranteed a smile in return. As you walk down the road, grins and shouts of “Hello!” from little kids light your path. And whether they are curious or just friendly, those smiles often make my day.
Despite such a recent traumatic history of genocide from 1975-1979 that deeply affects the country today, people in Cambodia are happy. Life happens out on the street, and people are socializing everywhere. I can’t count how many times we’ve been offered to join in a meal or have a beer with relative strangers.
We’ve found that it’s possible to forge friendships easily with Cambodians as many young people speak English well. A lot of people are eager to talk with you, and willing to offer help or advice should you need it. We have managed to make wonderful Cambodian friends here, and were even bridesmaid and groomsman at a Cambodian friend’s wedding!
The people we’ve met and friends we have made in Cambodia are what keeps us coming back to this amazing country, and why we eventually chose to move to Phnom Penh.
Here is a glimpse of some of the wonderful people in Cambodia:
Phnom Penh
(Toul Tom Poung/Russian Market)
- Sisters at an outdoor market.
- A very friendly moto driver.
- Monks waiting for their morning offerings from vendors at Tuol Tom Poung.
- Butchers inside Tuol Tom Poung.
Phnom Penh
(Riverside)
- Old friends pause for a chat along the riverside in Phnom Penh before continuing on with their sales.
- This older woman carries a scale around the riverside. She offers her weighing service in exchange for a few hundred Riel, around 10 cents.
- Lighting incense outside a temple at the riverside.
- A lovely woman sits outside a temple at the Phnom Penh riverside selling flowers and incense.
- Live birds for sale just outside a temple at the riverside in Phnom Penh. You can buy and release them for good luck.
- Young monks in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.
- A nun selling memorabilia of King Norodom Sihanouk in front of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh. The King died on October 15th, 2012 while on a trip to Beijing.
- Hard living is an understatement for what so many Cambodians have gone through in their lifetimes.
- Drink vendors near the National Museum.
- A nun buys fried bananas from a vendor on the street.
- A moto driver taking a late afternoon snooze.
- People pause to look at an art exhibition along the riverside in Phnom Penh.
- A fruit vendor along the riverside.
Kampong Speu Province
(Medicine Man)
- A medicine man at his home, which doubles as a clinic, in Kampong Speu, Cambodia.
- He mainly treats severe wounds and breaks. This woman broke her femur in a motorbike accident.
- Despite a lack of painkillers, the 30+ degree heat, and no formal medical facilities, these women manage to smile. The patients are all treated in this outdoor setting, and stay there for weeks or months while they heal.
- A very friendly woman helping at the medical clinic in Kampong Speu.
Kampong Speu Province
(Volunteering as English Teachers)
- Two of our students walking home from government school in Kampong Speu.
- Our student walking in front of laundry drying at the center where the children live.
- The kids, excited to receive new pillows from Australian volunteers.
- An after school bike ride through the countryside with some of our students.
Kampong Speu Province
(Villages and countryside)
- A boy and his teddy in the village where we lived in Kampong Speu.
- A little girl pulling her toy truck in the village.
- A woman tending to the rice paddies in Kampong Speu. Photo credit to our student Samnang, 12.
- Her kids stared at us, bewildered, from behind some rice stalks. Photo credit to our student, Samnang, 12.
- A young woman biking home to her village after a long day working in the rice paddies.
- A Vietnamese-Cambodian family who run a coffee shop in front of their home in Kampong Speu.
Kampong Speu Province
(Cambodian Wedding)
Bridesmaid and Groomsman at our Cambodian friend’s wedding in the countryside.
Kep
- A woman and her grandson sit at the beach during sunset in Kep, Cambodia.
Siem Reap
- A fisherman silhouetted during sunset at Sras Srong lake in Siem Reap.
- A moto driver pauses for a cigarette break to watch the sunset at Sras Srong lake in Siem Reap.
Such beautiful, warm smiles! I often find tht he people really make a place, and I’m glad to see you had so many lovely ones lighting up your time in Cambodia. 🙂
Agreed, people are often the best part about a place, and people in Cambodia are a huge reason why we love living here!
We only planned to stay in Cambodia for three nights (whirlwind SE Asia trip back in 2013) but stayed for five and that was partly down to the warmth of the people! You are a very talented photographer. I’m a teacher too! My students love to hear about our charity visit in Phnom Penh.
Cambodia has that affect! The people here are so lovely. Thanks for the compliment 🙂 It helps that Cambodians are so friendly and willing to have their photo taken. Cheers for the comment!
These photos capture Cambodia so beautifully!
Thank you Silvia! So glad you think so! 🙂
Great pictures, reminds of all the smiling people we met. Somehow I never really fell for Cambodia and my memories of it are mostly negative. However since so many travellers are raving about it nowadays, maybe I should give it a second try. A friend of ours recently moved there so that would be an excellent change for a second visit 🙂
Oh I hope you come back for a second shot! After traveling and volunteering in Cambodia for months long stretches several times we finally moved to Phnom Penh in May 2015. We absolutely love it!
Your portraits made me feel like I was right there, and very welcome to be. Great post.
What a lovely compliment, thank you Jen!
What fantastic photos! I have been to Cambodia and I also found the people to be friendly and warm. I loved my time there and hope to return some day. You have done an amazing job showing the Cambodian people and their daily life.
Thank you so much, Jackie! The people here are extremely friendly, and photogenic 🙂
Great shots of regular life. People will be people everywhere and daily scenes of life remind us that we have much in common. Brings back memories of my various trips there. Thanks for sharing
Thanks, Mar! So true, and beautifully said. Glad these shots could bring back memories of your trips. Cheers!
I have not been to Cambodia yet but Macrae has and he always says that they are some of the nicest people in the world. I would love to go and experience the culture and people but until then appreciate these amazing photos and a glimpse into the life of Cambodian people. You’ve captured so much in these photos!
Thanks for sharing. We’re actually hoping to get to Cambodia in a few months. With lovely people and lots to see and do, we’re looking forward to our visit! And how neat that you were able to participate in a traditional wedding!
I really love your portrait shots of the people. Each photo has a story. We find walking around markets in Asia super interesting as well as there’s always so much variety and life!
Thank you for sharing this. People usually post about places to see and tips but thank you for introducing us to the people who are there. You captured it well