Two Weeks Around Cambodia with a 5-Year-Old and an 8-Year-Old

Every year, our family takes a two-week trip to somewhere new. Previous years were Europe and Australia — safe, easy, predictable. This year, our 8-year-old son Yuto had been studying ancient civilizations at school and begged to see Angkor Wat. We added Cambodia to the list, and it turned out to be the best family trip we've ever taken.

We started in Siem Reap with four nights at a family-friendly hotel with a pool (non-negotiable with young kids). Angkor Wat was genuinely magical for the children. We hired a guide who specialized in family tours and turned the visit into a story — "This was a city with a million people when London had only 50,000!" Yuto was fascinated. Our 5-year-old daughter Hana loved searching for the carved Apsara dancers on every wall.

We limited temple visits to 2-3 hours each morning, then retreated to the pool. This rhythm worked perfectly. The kids got culture in the morning and play in the afternoon. We also visited the Cambodian Cultural Village, which is touristy but the kids loved the miniature buildings and traditional performances. The Angkor Night Market was a hit — Yuto bought a carved wooden elephant he still sleeps with.

Battambang was our surprise favorite. We took the slow boat from Siem Reap down the Tonle Sap (the kids loved spotting birds and waving at floating village children). Battambang has a wonderful circus — Phare Ponleu Selpak — that had both children screaming with delight. We also did a countryside tour by tuk-tuk: rice paddies, fruit orchards, and a village where Hana was given a baby chicken to hold (she didn't want to give it back).

Phnom Penh was two nights — enough for the Royal Palace (Hana called it "the golden castle"), the riverside promenade (great for running off energy), and a boat trip on the Mekong. We skipped the Killing Fields with the kids — age-inappropriate — and instead visited the National Museum, which has beautiful Khmer sculptures and a tranquil courtyard.

Our final four nights on Koh Rong Sanloem were pure family paradise. Shallow, warm, crystal-clear water where even Hana could wade safely. We stayed in a family bungalow steps from the beach. The kids spent hours building sandcastles, snorkeling in shallow water (Yuto spotted a seahorse!), and playing with other traveling children. The bioluminescent plankton night swim was "the coolest thing ever," according to Yuto.

Cambodian people were incredibly kind to our children. Everywhere we went, locals would smile at the kids, offer them fruit, and try to make them laugh. Restaurant staff would entertain them while we ate. Tuk-tuk drivers would point out animals and make funny faces. The warmth toward children is cultural and genuine.

Total cost for the four of us: about $3,200 for two weeks including internal flights and island accommodation. In Japan, a comparable two-week family trip would cost three times that.