The Best of Cambodia & Laos

are riding on a motorcycle, keep your
things wedged between you and the driver
to avoid being pulled off the back of the
bike if you are subject to a snatching. Stay
on main roads at night if possible.
You might just get a taste of old-style
Cambodian gun violence in certain nightclubs
(particularly the Heart of Darkness
in Phnom Penh; see p. 90). There have
been a number of cases of well-connected
young men going to nightclubs and starting
trouble for recreation. If you smell
trouble, back away or be conciliatory.
Last, be aware that the police are not
your friends. They can be massively corrupt,
so if you are in trouble contact your
embassy first.
7 SPECIALIZED TRAVEL RESOURCES
GAY & LESBIAN
TRAVELERS
Although Khmer society is very traditional
and conservative and the subject of homosexuality
has long been taboo, there is also
a real measure of tolerance toward gay and
lesbian people. Flaunting sexuality in general,
gay or straight, will invite certain
negative reactions, but rank homophobia
is rare toward foreigners. In February
2004, then-King Sihanouk wrote on his
website that he believed that God views
homosexuals, as well as transvestites, as
equal because “[God loves] wide range of
tastes.” The former king also supports gay
marriage. That remains his personal view,
but it is an indication of acceptable thinking.
On the other hand Hun Sen, the
longtime ruler and hard man of Cambodia,
disowned his own adopted daughter
in 2007 because she came out as a lesbian.
Cambodia held its first gay pride event in
2003 and it now takes place annually.
There is a low-key gay scene in Cambodia
with some gay bars in Siem Reap and
Phnom Penh.
The International Gay and Lesbian
Travel Association (IGLTA; & 954/630-
1637; www.iglta.org) is the travel trade
association for gay- and lesbian-friendly
tour operators. They have an online directory
of relevant businesses. Out Adventures
(& 416/583-2680; www.outadventures.com)
based in Ontario, Canada,
offers tours of the whole region. Another
operator offering gay-friendly tours is Purple
Dragon, based in Thailand (& +66
2238-3227; www.purpledrag.com).
SENIOR TRAVEL
Respect for elders is an integral part of
Khmer culture and family values. Yet in
Cambodia, senior travelers will not find
the sort of discounts and deals that are
found in the West. When booking your
flights and accommodations it’s worth
mentioning if you are a senior since there
may be discounts available.
The most important issues for senior
travelers are the potential rigor of the heat
in Cambodia and the paucity of adequate
healthcare. Both these factors should be
taken into account by senior travelers. It is
also beginning to compete with Thailand
as a retirement destination.
For general information on senior
travel, AARP (& 888/687-2277; www.
aarp.org), is an organization with over 40
million members that is dedicated to helping
the over-50s improve their lives. Membership
brings some discounts on
international travel and they produce a
magazine and a monthly newsletter.
Elder Treks (& 800/741-7956; www.
eldertreks.com) offers tours to those over 50
to both Angkor Wat and the wider region.
The organization Elder-hostel (& 800/
454-5678; www.elderhostel.org) arranges
worldwide study programs, including
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PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO CAMBODIA 3
SPECIALIZED TRAVEL RESOURCES