When Visiting Cambodia, Be Aware of This

Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Photo by Pj Go on Unsplash

While there are plenty of great things to explore when visiting countries around the world, there are also pitfalls to avoid. Each particular country has its own thing you need to be careful about, and that’s definitely true when it comes to Cambodia. Pickpocketing is very prevalent there, but this specific style of pickpocketing is something you must look out for.

Motorbike Thieves

The first thing you’ll notice when you go on the road in Cambodia is that the driving is a mess. There are always countless cars on the road veering into one another, everything appears unorganized, and there are tons of motorbikes as well as TukTuks, which are like open taxis. Speaking of TukTuks, it’s quite common for motorbikers to prey on tourists riding TukTuks by driving close to it and stealing the tourist’s wallet or phone.

This is, unfortunately, quite common in Cambodia, and something that you must be aware of before traveling there. You might think it’s okay to have your phone out so you can take pictures all around you as you ride through the town, but these motorbiking pickpocketers are waiting for just that. Make sure that if you ride in a TukTuk, you keep your phone either in your backpack or safely out of sight.