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If you’re planning to visit Cambodia with a baby in 2025, we’ve written this article especially for you. Cambodia is outside of most people’s comfort zones. So, if you’re visiting Cambodia with a baby, you’re definitely doing something brave. Although traveling Cambodia with a baby is totally worthwhile, there are some important things you need to know before you go.
Every parent knows that planning and preparation are key to success, especially when it comes to traveling with little ones. So, if you are planning to visit Cambodia with a baby, this is the perfect article for you.
In the past, we lived in Cambodia and ran a charity based in Siem Reap. Over the years, we have visited many times, including several trips with our own kids. In fact, when our firstborn boy was a baby, we had an amazing time traveling around Cambodia. So, we have loads of insights, experience, and tips to help equip you for your trip to Cambodia with a baby. In the article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know, including tips on feeding, what you can buy for babies, facilities for families with babies, and much more.
FIND A PLACE TO STAY IN SIEM REAP – Don’t miss these Fantastic family friendly hotels in Siem Reap
PLAN YOUR TRIP – The BEST things to do in Siem Reap with kids
What is the best way to get around in Cambodia with a baby?
There is not a well-developed public transport system in Cambodia, so you will need to rely on tuk tuks to travel around. Some people use motorbike rentals to explore Cambodia; however, we do not recommend it if you are traveling with a baby. Learn more about taking tuk tuks in Cambodia.
Tuk-tuks are a safer option for a family and are relatively affordable (a short journey around town is likely to cost $1 – $2, a day trip around Angkor Wat should cost around $15 – $20). Tuk-tuks can normally seat 4 people. Ideally, we recommend using a sling (on the front) to carry your baby safely in a tuk-tuk.
For longer-distance journeys around Cambodia, there are long-distance buses, or you can take a sleeper bus (which actually has full beds on board). Alternatively, you can take flights between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh.
Learn more about Transport in Cambodia – The Best Ways to Get Around in Siem Reap
What is the food like in Cambodia for babies?
If your baby has already weaned onto solid foods, you will need to consider what to feed them in Cambodia. Feeding a baby in Cambodia may be a little challenging, and baby-friendly food can be limited, especially in more rural village areas.
Finding baby friendly food
If you are remaining in the main cities (Siem Reap and Phnom Penh), you should be able to find a good variety of hygienic, safe, and baby-friendly food. However, if you are planning to travel to more remote areas such as villages or temples, then we recommend packing plenty of snacks and food for your baby. Here are some great baby-friendly foods that you can easily find in Cambodia:
- Bananas: Bananas are affordable and very common in Cambodia. As a sealed fruit, they are also relatively hygienic and baby-friendly.
- Bread: Although Cambodia is a Southeast Asian country, and rice is a big staple, you can also find plenty of white bread around. This can be a good source of carbohydrates to keep your baby going. There are bakeries and convenience stores in most towns.
- Eggs: Cambodia has a lot of spicy food and curries; however, you can often find places serving eggs, which is a tasty, nutritious, and healthy option for your baby.
- Western Food: Many cafes and restaurants situated in the main towns and tourist areas serve Western food. This means that you can find things like chips, pastas, and pizzas. This may not be the healthiest choice for your baby, but it can be good to find some food that they are familiar with.
Getting water in Cambodia
In terms of water, it is not safe to drink directly from the taps in Cambodia, so you will need to rely on buying bottles of mineral water. Many hotels and guest houses have kettles in your room so you can boil the water for an additional hygiene measure. It costs around 3,000 riel ($0.75) for a 1.5-liter bottle of mineral water in Cambodia.
What things can you buy in Cambodia for babies?
It may surprise you to find out that you can buy plenty of things for babies in Cambodia. You can buy everything from baby clothing to milk bottles and dummies. You can buy boxes of formula, and you can also buy things like nappies and wet wipes relatively easily.
If you are committed to a particular brand of formula or baby nappies, it is important to make sure you travel with a plentiful supply because you may not be able to find your preferred brand in Cambodia.
The price of nappies and baby milk in Cambodia is also relatively high. For example, large packs of Nappies (60 nappies) generally costs around $10 in Cambodia. If you are staying in Siem Reap, there are plenty of convenience stores (including 7 Eleven) and a few supermarkets that sell baby milk, nappies, and wet wipes. There is also a specialist baby shop situated in Siem Reap.
If you go shopping in any of the night markets, you can often find baby-sized clothes in Cambodia. It is also fairly easy to find baby toys.
How do you help babies adjust to the climate in Cambodia?
One of the big challenges of traveling in Cambodia with kids is the intensely hot climate. Cambodia has two distinctive seasons: the hot wet season when temperatures are high and humidity is intense, and the hot dry season when temperatures can be extremely high, and sun exposure can be a risk and challenge.
If you are traveling to Cambodia from a relatively cool temperate climate, you and your family are likely to struggle with the intense heat in this country. We recommend making sure that you book a room with air conditioning (most rooms do have air conditioning, although some cheaper accommodation may only offer fans). It is important to stay indoors or at least remain in the shade, especially during the hottest parts of the day when the sun can be very intense, and temperatures can be extremely high. Make sure that you drink plenty of water, and ensure that your baby stays hydrated; they may need to drink around twice as much as they would in a cooler climate.
It is important to use sun protection if you are planning to be out during the hottest times of the day. We recommend SPF 50 sunscreen. We have also found it very helpful to travel with an umbrella for shade. You can also use a small portable battery-powered fan to help keep your baby cool during the day; this is another great way to help them adjust to the climate and prevent them from getting too hot.
In our experience, the high temperatures can make babies sleepy and groggy. Allowing your baby to sleep is not a bad idea; however, if they are sleeping in a sling, make sure that your baby does not overheat as you are walking around.
Can you find Family-friendly accommodation in Cambodia?
In general, if you pay for more expensive and luxurious hotels, they will have better facilities and amenities for families. For example, if you are hoping to get a cot in your room, you will need to pay for a mid-range or a luxurious hotel. More expensive, luxurious hotels are also likely to have things like baby chairs in the restaurant and babysitting services (this normally costs an additional fee).
If you are considering staying in a low-budget hotel or guest house, we recommend looking for a property that includes air conditioning. If you stay in budget accommodation with a baby, there will be some risks and challenges that you need to be aware of.
For example, some cheaper guest houses offer wooden or bamboo rooms. This can mean that you are more exposed to mosquitoes. We recommend traveling with a mosquito pop-up tent for your baby or looking for a room that has a mosquito net.
It is also important to recognize that it is very rare to find a room in Cambodia that includes a bathtub. Most rooms include a shower, and it can be challenging to bathe your baby. In the past, we have used sinks to give our baby a bath. Many low and mid-budget rooms in Cambodia have hard tile floors; this can be particularly risky if your baby is learning to pull themselves up or if they are close to walking. Also, watch out for staircases in hotels; it is very rare to find properties that have baby gates. Some hotels also have outdoor swimming pools, so we recommend supervising your baby very carefully if they are playing outside.
Cambodia with a Baby – Essentials to pack
If you’re planning to visit Cambodia with a baby, we recommend spending some time thinking about your packing list. This is not designed to be a comprehensive packing list; rather, this packing list is designed to give you an idea of some of the things that you may need if you’re planning to travel around Cambodia with a baby.
1 Formula
If you bottle-feed your baby, we recommend traveling with plenty of baby milk. It is important to have a spare bag in case of spillages or loss of your main supply. Remember to seal bags of baby milk carefully because the insects can be very intense in Cambodia.
2 Bottle
It is worth traveling with a bottle because your baby will need to drink plenty of milk or other fluids in the hot Cambodian climate.
3 Light clothing
Bring plenty of light, loose-fitting clothing for your baby. Remember to consider sun protection and protection from mosquitoes in the evening.
4 Nappies & wet wipes
Remember you can buy diapers and wet wipes in Cambodia, but if you have a preferred brand of nappy, you will need to bring a sufficient supply. Wet wipes are especially useful – not just for nappy changes but ALSO for staying clean and hygienic. If you can’t fit in enough nappies – don’t sweat it, you can buy nappies in Cambodia.
5 Travel changing mat
Baby changing rooms and changing mats are rare (almost non-existent) in Cambodia. So there are really two options. Find a place that you’re happy to change your baby (e.g. on your lap). Or get a good compact travel changing matt so you can do changes anywhere.
6 A pop-up mosquito tent
This has been one of our favorite travel hacks! Traveling with a small pop-up mosquito tent for a baby is a great way to protect your baby from insects and also keep them contained. If you are planning to share a bed with your baby, pop-up mosquito tents for babies are relatively cheap and available online. They are also small and very lightweight for packing.
7 Sling or baby carrier
If you’re planning to travel around Cambodia with a baby, we recommend using a sling or baby carrier rather than a pram. Although you could technically travel around with a pram, it is likely to be bulky and awkward. For example, a pram may fit in a tuk tuk, but this would be awkward. Many of the streets around Siem Reap are crowded (especially the markets), and this can be challenging with a pram. Also, there are plenty of very bumpy streets around – and curbs too. A sling is a lot easier in Cambodia.
8 Small portable fan
A small battery-powered fan is a great way to help your baby acclimatize to the intense heat and keep their temperature down when you are walking around town. You can buy a small battery-powered fan very cheaply, and it is relatively small and easy to travel with.
9 Head torch
This can be particularly useful if you are planning to feed your baby in the night, and you don’t want to wake everyone up in your room. Also, Cambodia is liable to power cuts, especially in periods of stormy weather, so having a head torch can be particularly useful if you are looking after a baby at night.
10 Sun Protection
Don’t forget to pack sun protection. Bring SPF50 suncream, a sun hat and a compact travel umbrella (this is a great way to give your baby shade if you’re walking through a more exposed area)
ALSO don’t miss our baby-travel packing list – How to pack for a flight with a baby
Doing Laundry in Cambodia
Most hotels and guest houses in Cambodia offer laundry services. Just leave a bag of laundry with the front desk and get it back a day later – clean, dry and folded (it’s a good life when someone else does your laundry for you and your family!) In general laundry costs $1 per kilo in Cambodia. Expect to pay around $3 – $5 for an average family load.
Cultural Tips for Visiting Cambodia with a Baby
We found Cambodian culture to be very welcoming and friendly towards families. They love to see babies traveling in their country, and they will often greet parents with a warm smile. We have found locals to be particularly helpful and kind when we have traveled around Cambodia with our own kids.
Cambodian culture is relatively quiet and conservative; however, breastfeeding is widely acceptable and very normal in this culture. If you are breastfeeding in Cambodia, we do recommend using a feeding scarf to cover yourself and your baby; this is a respectful way to breastfeed in Cambodia.
Is it safe to visit Cambodia with a baby?
Yes, it is relatively safe to visit Cambodia with a baby. Although Cambodia may seem like a challenging and potentially risky country, it is relatively safe for family travel. Of course, every type of travel comes with inherent risks; it’s always important to research carefully and make your own decisions. However, Cambodia is a relatively safe country, especially if you are well-prepared.
Cambodia is relatively safe and stable politically; however, it is important to remain aware and informed before you travel. We have found the information on the UK FCO website to be up to date and helpful. Never travel against the advice of your consulate, as this can invalidate your travel insurance.
Illness and disease are potential risks if you are traveling in Cambodia. If you or your baby eat street food in Cambodia, there is a risk of food poisoning, especially if you are not adjusted to the local pathogens. Cambodia does have dengue fever and malaria (both transmitted by mosquitoes), and the villages are at higher risk. Consider bite protection, including long sleeves and trousers for your baby, and also mosquito repellent. Some guest houses also include mosquito nets. We also recommend using a pop-up mosquito net tent for traveling with a baby.
Make sure that your child is fully vaccinated. If you have any questions or concerns, we recommend booking an appointment with a medical travel clinic or with your GP prior to your trip. It is important to make sure that any required vaccinations are up to date a sufficient amount of time before you travel.
It is also important to make sure that you have a medical travel insurance policy that covers you and all members of your family for the entire duration of your trip.
