I‘m not going to lie, this was a tough photo essay to compile. I’ve been sitting on it for weeks. Cambodia really struck a chord with me. More than I was anticipating.
Truth be told, I didn’t know as much about Cambodia as I did both Thailand and Vietnam. But I was staying in Cambodia the longest, around nine days. It rocked me. There was so much to see from crowded tuk-tuk rides in the capital of Phnom Penh to the crystal clear beaches of Sihanoukville to the tourist go-to exploring Angkor Wat at sunrise. (That was unbelievable.) Then there was the lush countryside with warm locals and hidden waterfalls. Cambodia has it all.
The dark past of Cambodia was also present. Cambodia went through a brutal genocide via the Khmer Rouge regime. Up to three million Cambodians were killed between 1975 to 1979. As I explored the countryside, you really didn’t see a lot of middle-aged Cambodians. As you’ll see, I captured a lot of portraits of the youth and elderly. In the end, there’s a rich new energy that runs through this beautiful country. So many beautiful moments every day.
Here are my favourite photos from exploring Cambodia with my mates at Intrepid. I couldn’t keep it under 100 selects. Click any photo to expand.
See more of my travel photography here.
Ryan Bolton's Photo Blog 
Wonderful shots. I especially like the 7th one, the monk standing in the darkness. Lovely portraits as well. The subject’s personality shines out of the image.
Thanks Marie! That’s my goal.
These are amazing!! What an amazing experience it looks like you had.
Stunning photos! Never been to that part of the world, but we would love to someday! We rode tuk tuks in Ethiopia…so much fun!
Beautiful photos! I am Cambodian and have never been to visit Cambodia. My parents were both in Cambodia during the Khmer rouge but were lucky enough to escape and make it America. When my dad was 7, they captured him and tied him up for weeks but my Grandma was told not to go looking for him. Since she did not, they eventually let him go believing he was an unimportant orphan.
Thanks so much for sharing and writing the little bit of history everyone should know about. ♡
Oh, wow, thanks for sharing, Hunida. The Khmer Rouge was devastating. Happy to hear your family has done well.