In January 2027, partway through our year travelling around Southeast Asia and Australia, my family and I joined an 8‑day Intrepid Travel Family Tour in Cambodia. With three children aged 14, 9 and 6, it was the perfect way to explore a big, complex destination in a safe, structured and incredibly rewarding way.

Phnom Penh & Koh Dach: gentle culture and real life

We started in Phnom Penh, meeting two other families in our small group and our brilliant local leader. Days were paced with children in mind: a cyclo tour of the city, the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, the National Museum, Wat Phnom and a sunset cruise on the Mekong, with plenty of pool time and flexible evenings. One of our favourite days was a trip to Koh Dach island, where some of us cycled quiet village lanes and others rode alongside in a tuk tuk. We visited a traditional silk workshop, watched tofu skin being made and simply enjoyed drifting through everyday Cambodian life: stilted houses, children playing, people cooking, chatting and going about their day.

Siem Reap: community projects, Angkor, circus magic & lake life

The second half of the tour was based in Siem Reap and was full of meaningful, family friendly experiences:

• Driver Srey: We were transported by women drivers from Driver Srey, a social enterprise that trains and employs female tuk tuk drivers, many of them single mothers. Having the same drivers throughout our stay gave the kids familiar faces and showed very clearly how tourism can support local women.
• Rokhak water hyacinth weaving: We visited Rokhak, a not‑for‑profit that turns invasive water hyacinth into beautiful baskets and homeware, creating fair, flexible work for local women. Our weaving attempts were slow and rather wonky, but the women were endlessly patient and it was a real highlight for the children.
• Angkor temples: We explored Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm (the famous “Tomb Raider” jungle temple) by tuk tuk. Our Intrepid leader did a fantastic job of bringing the history to life in a way that worked for all ages, with snack stops and shade breaks built in.
• Phare, the Cambodian Circus: An evening at Phare was a huge hit. Performers, trained at the non‑profit arts school Phare Ponleu Selpak, mix modern Khmer stories with acrobatics, theatre and live music. Our 9‑year‑old acro‑gymnast was in her element, and knowing the show provides fair employment for young people from vulnerable backgrounds made it even more special.
• Family cooking class & APOPO “HeroRats”: We cooked our own Cambodian dishes after a market visit, and spent time at APOPO learning how rats and dogs are trained to detect landmines and unexploded ordnance so land can be safely returned to communities. Both were fascinating, hands‑on experiences that the children are still talking about.
• Floating village on the Tonlé Sap: We also took a boat trip out onto the Tonlé Sap to visit a floating village. Seeing how homes, schools and everyday life adapt to the changing water levels was humbling and eye‑opening, and it is one of those experiences that I know will stay with our children for a very long time.

Why I recommend Intrepid family tours

As a Travel Counsellor I have booked Intrepid family tours for clients for years, but experiencing one with my own family really confirmed why they work so well:

• Itineraries are designed around families, with built in downtime and realistic pacing.
• The focus on responsible, community based tourism means your holiday has a positive impact, not just a big photo album.
• Travelling with a small group and local leader takes away the stress of logistics in a destination like Cambodia and adds a huge amount of insight.

Tailor‑made family adventures with the right supplier

Intrepid is just one of the specialist operators I work with. As an independent Travel Counsellor I have access to a wide range of trusted family friendly suppliers, which means I can help you choose the most appropriate option for your family’s ages, comfort levels and style of adventure.

If your family likes the idea of a small group adventure, but you are not sure where to start, I can:

• Recommend the most suitable Intrepid family tour or alternative family‑focused itinerary from another specialist partner.
• Build a tailor‑made itinerary around the tour, adding city time before or relaxing beach time afterwards.
• Suggest other destinations where this style of travel works brilliantly for families, from Vietnam and Thailand to Costa Rica or Jordan.

If you would like to explore a Cambodia family adventure (or a similar trip elsewhere), I would be delighted to chat through ideas and help you find the right fit for your family.

(You can read a more detailed review of our trip here)