Cambodia is one of Southeast Asia’s most popular destinations. This friendly country is most famous for its stunning ancient temple of Angkor Wat but there are many other sights for volunteers in Cambodia to explore – from beautiful unspoilt coastal islands to vibrant modern cities! Bordered by Vietnam to the east, Laos to the north and Thailand to the west, it is also a fantastic base for volunteers in Cambodia to explore more of the Southeast Asia region.
Whether you are looking to get off the beaten track trekking in the jungles of the Cardamom Mountains, immersing yourself in the bustling markets of Phnom Penh or learning more about the country’s fascinating history, Cambodia is unmissable volunteering holiday destination. The country is also home to some extraordinary animals, but with many species now endangered, there is a great need for volunteers to work on conservation initiatives and animal rescue projects in Cambodia. Pod Volunteer is an award-winning non-profit organisation helping people to volunteer in Cambodia for as little as 1 week or as long as 3 months.
You can get involved in an animal volunteering project at a bear rescue centre to help provide rescued bears with optimum levels of care – sun bears are the rarest of the world’s eight bear species. Alternatively, help protect elephants by joining an active conservation team that provides a sanctuary to rescued Asian elephants.
Volunteers are needed all year round at the Bear Rescue project and the Elephant Conservation project. Climate wise, Cambodia has a tropical climate and can be hot and humid all year round. Temperatures average between 23-30°C, peaking in April and May and dropping to their coldest in the dry season from December to February. The main rainy season runs from May to November but there can be tropical rain showers all year round.
At Pod Volunteer we love to travel and have visited the projects in Cambodia. Here is our insider’s view of our experiences travelling and volunteering in Cambodia…
Things we loved: Phnom Penh – watching the sunset on the river front whilst sampling the local Khmer cuisine is an unmissable experience! Temples at Siem Reap - the world’s largest Hindu temple complex draws visitors from around the world looking to visit Angkor Wat. There is much to learn about the inspiring culture and heritage, you could spend days wondering at the intricate detail on the temples. Tonle Sap – is the largest freshwater lake in South-East Asia, offers an opportunity to see communities on the floating villages who are dependent on the lake for their livelihood. History – Cambodia’s turbulent history provides a visitor with an insight into the terrible days of the Khmer Rouge.
Things we weren’t so sure about! The beach resort of Sihanoukville is overdeveloped and is heavily polluted – however the beautiful islands off the coast from Kampot and Kep are not to be missed! Travelling around the country can be slow, particularly during wet season!
Visit our website where you’ll find a summary of our volunteering projects in Cambodia which you can click through to and find out about the volunteer role, location, accommodation and costs, see lots of pictures and read volunteer reviews!
