GX Cambodia Summit of change

I flew out knowing only a handful of people from the UK, knowing that I would be meeting travel agents, influencers, journalists, suppliers and G Adventures employees from all over the world.

What I didn’t realise was just how much this trip would make me think about why we travel, how we travel and the difference our choices can make.

Arriving in Cambodia Our adventure began in Phnom Penh, where we were welcomed with a fantastic evening that felt more like a festival than a hotel welcome party. There were food stalls serving Cambodian dishes, traditional dancing, presentations from Cambodian officials and even the Minister of Tourism. There was just one slight problem… the rain! We were travelling during rainy season and Cambodia certainly wasn’t holding back. Thankfully, G Adventures had thought of everything and supplied us with ponchos, so we embraced the weather and carried on.

The following morning, we visited Silk Island, where we saw first-hand how tourism can support local communities. The project supports women through silk weaving, providing housing and equipment for women working on site while also supporting hundreds more women in nearby villages. It wasn’t just about buying a souvenir. We were seeing the people, skills and stories behind the products. And that became a recurring theme throughout the whole trip. A difficult afternoon in Phnom Penh One of the most emotional parts of the trip was our visit to S-21, the former prison used during the Khmer Rouge regime. I’d obviously learned about the history before visiting, but standing inside the buildings and seeing the tiny cells and photographs of the people who had been imprisoned there was completely different. Looking at those photographs was particularly difficult. You could see so much in people’s faces — fear, anger, confusion and, in some cases, people who simply looked completely broken. I found myself thinking, how can human beings treat other human beings like this? It was incredibly upsetting, but I’m also glad I went.

Travel isn’t always about beautiful beaches and amazing food. Sometimes it’s about understanding the history of a place and the people who have lived through it.

We also visited the Royal Palace, which was a complete contrast — beautiful buildings, incredible architecture and so much history. And while putting my shoes back on after visiting one of the rooms, I started chatting to a young Cambodian girl who was the same age as my daughter. Her English was incredible, and she was so confident chatting to a complete stranger. It was one of those completely unexpected little moments that stays with you. Tuk-tuks, temples and some rather unusual snacks!

The following day we headed towards Siem Reap, and one of the most surreal parts of the journey was having a police escort everywhere we went! It made us feel like absolute celebrities — and, more importantly, it meant we got around much quicker. We stopped at Sambor Prei Kuk, a UNESCO World Heritage Site supported by the surrounding villages, where tourism helps provide income through guiding, homestays, restaurants, weaving, cycling tours and local transport. We had lunch there and again saw how tourism can directly benefit local people. And then came the snacks… Our guide Tong decided that the group needed to experience some traditional Cambodian roadside delicacies, so out came the tarantulas, crickets and worms. As a vegan, I politely declined! Some of the others were brave enough to try them, though, and surprisingly reported that they weren’t actually as bad as they expected. Still not one for me!

Angkor Wat at sunrise Our first morning in Siem Reap started at 3:45am.

Yes. You read that correctly!

We headed out into the darkness towards Angkor Wat, walking through the pitch black before finding our spot for sunrise. I’d only visited Angkor Wat a few months earlier with my family, but somehow it felt completely different this time. Watching the sky slowly change from black to blue and then seeing the temple appear as daylight arrived was just magical. And experiencing it with a completely different group of people, seeing their reactions and excitement, made me appreciate it all over again. Travel that changes lives One of the things that really changed my perception of G Adventures during this trip was discovering just how many of its trips incorporate community tourism and social enterprises. We visited Spoons, a fantastic social enterprise and training restaurant in Siem Reap. It provides hospitality training, education and employment opportunities for young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds. Students gain hands-on experience in the kitchen and restaurant, alongside life skills development — and the results speak for themselves, with graduates going on to find employment in Cambodia’s hospitality industry. We ate there, watched local women demonstrating traditional handicrafts and had the opportunity to buy some of their work. The food was fantastic, but knowing what the restaurant represents made the experience even better. We also heard about New Hope, another organisation using education, hospitality training and employment to help improve people’s lives. One of the guides we met had actually come through the programme himself. Hearing him speak about his journey and seeing him now working as a guide made everything we’d been learning about suddenly feel very real. These weren’t just statistics on a presentation.

These were real people whose lives had changed. Seeing Cambodia change before my eyes.

One of the most fascinating experiences for me was returning to Kampong Phluk, the floating village on Tonlé Sap Lake. I’d been there just eight weeks earlier with my family. But this time, it was almost unrecognisable. When I visited previously, we could drive right into the village before boarding our boat. This time, the village was surrounded by water. The houses stood above the flooded landscape and the local shops had effectively moved onto boats. It was an incredible reminder of how much Cambodia’s communities adapt to the seasons and how closely their lives are connected to the water. It also made me realise that Cambodia deserves more than a quick stop on an itinerary. I’d always thought of it as somewhere people might visit for a few days as part of a wider Southeast Asian trip. But after this experience, I genuinely believe Cambodia could be a destination in its own right. You could easily spend two weeks here — and still have more to discover.

The Summit of Change Then came the main event: the Summit itself. And this was where I really began to understand what G Adventures and Planeterra are trying to achieve. Planeterra is the nonprofit organisation founded by G Adventures’ founder, Bruce Poon Tip, which uses tourism to help uplift communities around the world. What struck me most was that there were no big sales presentations. There wasn’t a focus on how many holidays had been sold or how much money had been made. Instead, the message was: Look at the difference travel can make. We heard from writers, adventurers, sustainability experts, community leaders and people working directly within tourism. We heard about regenerative travel, responsible tourism, conservation, climate and biodiversity, youth empowerment and the importance of listening to communities. One message from Nina Kahnkowski, author of The Mindful Traveller, particularly stayed with me. Instead of simply travelling somewhere, taking a photograph and bringing it home, she talked about being welcomed into a place, forming a relationship and creating something meaningful together. That really resonated with me. She also talked about choosing family-run restaurants, independent shops and community-owned accommodation — because the decisions we make as travellers can strengthen livelihoods and help keep traditions alive. And, as a vegan, one of her messages particularly hit home: Choose real nature over performing animals. See wildlife in the wild. Choose experiences that protect animals rather than exploiting them. It reinforced something I already feel very strongly about, but made me think about how important it is to help my own clients make informed choices too.

Women creating change One of the local change-makers we met was Kim, who was the first female tuk-tuk driver in her community. But Kim didn’t stop there. She went on to create a business that supports other women to become the primary earners in their households, helping them achieve greater financial independence and become more involved in the local tourism industry.

Another speaker talked about something as simple as planting trees. But this wasn’t just about planting trees. One example showed how planting avocado trees could actually create a sustainable business for a woman, giving her an income and independence. That completely changed the way I thought about reforestation. It wasn’t simply “plant a tree and save the planet.” It was about creating livelihoods. Creating independence. Creating opportunities. And creating a future.

Stepping outside my comfort zone There was another part of the Summit that was perhaps more personal for me. I was interviewed by Travel Weekly. Now, to some people that might not sound like a big deal. For me, it was. I’ve always been much more comfortable talking to clients one-to-one than standing up and putting myself out there. There was also a discussion around imposter syndrome, and that really struck a chord. Because even people who appear incredibly confident and successful can still experience that little voice saying, “Are you really good enough to be here?” I realised that perhaps I suffer from imposter syndrome more than I thought. And maybe part of this whole experience was learning to put that voice to one side and recognise that I had earned my place in that room too.

And then… the purple party!

Of course, it wouldn’t be a G Adventures trip without a pretty spectacular party! We were asked to wear purple for our final evening together, and G Adventures went all out. The incredible Bayon Temple was lit up purple, creating the most spectacular backdrop. It was only the second time the temple had been opened in the evening for an event like this, which made it feel even more special. There was incredible food, entertainment and plenty of dancing before we headed to the Labyrinth nightclub, where DJ Earthworm kept the party going. There were light-up glasses, glowing wands, party poppers… Let’s just say we weren’t exactly looking like a group of serious travel professionals by the end of the night!

From Cambodia mainland to paradise The following morning, I had to say goodbye to my UK friends and head off on my extension trip. I was tired, slightly worse for wear after the purple party and, if I’m honest, not feeling particularly sociable! And then I realised I was about to spend the next few days with a completely new group of people. There wasn’t a single person from the UK travelling with me. But that’s the funny thing about travel. Within hours, I’d made new friends from Australia, Canada, America and Estonia. We flew to the coast and then boarded a speedboat to Koh Rong (Koh Rong 2 days is wrong!!! Private joke!!). And wow. White sand, turquoise water, beautiful weather and a much slower pace of life. After six incredibly full days of travelling around Cambodia, it was exactly what I needed. I had a massage, slept, relaxed and finally had time to take everything in. And then came one of my biggest bucket-list moments. Bioluminescence. We headed out onto the ocean after dark and jumped into the water. As soon as I moved, the water around me began to glow. Little flashes of light moved around my body with every movement. It was like swimming through stars. Honestly, it felt like something from Avatar.

I tried to film it.

I tried to photograph it.

But the camera simply couldn’t capture what it looked like in real life. Some experiences really are meant to be experienced rather than photographed. Coming home with a different view of travel.  Eventually, it was time to leave Koh Rong, travel back to Phnom Penh and begin the journey home. And although I was exhausted, I didn’t really want to leave. This trip gave me so much more than beautiful memories. It gave me a completely different appreciation of responsible and community-led travel. I went to Cambodia expecting to learn more about G Adventures. I came home wanting to understand more about why we travel and what our travel choices can do for other people. Tourism can create jobs. It can preserve traditions. It can give women financial independence. It can provide education. It can protect wildlife. It can support conservation. It can give young people opportunities. And it can help communities build a future for themselves. But perhaps the biggest thing I’ve taken away is that responsible travel doesn’t have to mean travelling less or having less fun. It can simply mean travelling differently. Choosing the local restaurant. Buying from the woman who made the basket. Taking the community-run tour. Staying in a locally owned property. Choosing wildlife experiences that don’t exploit animals. And, perhaps most importantly, taking the time to meet the people who live there and listen to their stories. I flew to Cambodia as a Travel Counsellor who had won an amazing opportunity. I came home with new friends from around the world, a suitcase full of memories, a few more stories than I can probably fit into one blog… …and a much stronger belief that travel really can change the world. And now I can’t wait to help my clients experience it for themselves. ❤️