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Had the opportunity to hang out at the at arrivals exit at the airport at Phnom Penh. Hordes of Chinese and Chinese tour groups. With buses picking them up directly from the exit.

Seems to be a lot fewer westerners arriving. The touts used to be 3 ranks deep, now just a thin raggedy line. Was this just a slow day, or is it a definite trend?



Also saw a backpacker sporting a small gym bag. Couldn’t have carried more than a change of clothes and maybe some shoes. Each arm through a handle and on the back it went. How can one survive Cambodia on a single change of clothes (or less)?

There are always less tourists during the wet/low season, and it also depends on the flights arriving what the majority of Nationalities will be, ie. flights from China will be mostly of full of Chinese. I don't think there are fewer "Westerners" arriving, but there are definitely way more Chinese.


I travel a lot, and mostly only travel with only a small backpack, big enough for a change of clothes, laptop and a book, but I'm definitely not a backpacker. How do you know this guy hadn't just done a border run, hence the small overnight bag? Also, many backpackers like to travel light and just buy cheap clothes at their destinations then ditch them before moving onto the next destination.

newkidontheblock wrote: ↑Sun Aug 19, 2018 9:04 pm Also saw a backpacker sporting a small gym bag. Couldn’t have carried more than a change of clothes and maybe some shoes. Each arm through a handle and on the back it went. How can one survive Cambodia on a single change of clothes (or less)?

So not actually a backpacker then.
How to survive?
Buy cheap clothes at the market perhaps?
Of course if you need a "special" size that won't work ...

One arrival doesn't mean all arrivals are the same.

2. Have you never done a quick over-nighter with a small bag with nothing but a toothbrush and a change of clothes?

Newkidontheblock...the gift that keeps on giving

Keep posting Newkid...we love ya dude

I spent four hours at the airport the other day for unlucky reasons. I also very much got the feeling the OP did. It’s clear the Chinese numbers are up but is there any data on other foreigners. It certainly ‘feels’ like it’s down this year.

It really depends at what time the different airlines are arriving. What time of day did you arrive OP ? (So I can avoid.)

The number of Chinese tourists to Cambodia has multiplied, and is multiplying, with the Chinese lowcost flights, but that in itself is no big deal. I went to NZ last year, and about half the arrivals at the airport were Chinese, but the country was not awash with Chinese tourists outside of the airport. It's just a feeling you get.

If you want to see lots of Chinese tourists then come on down to Sihanoukville and you won't be disappointed.

Here in Siem Reap are also a lot of Chinese tourists.

western tourist numbers are down.
uk 5% usa 9% or something from 2017



theres 85% more Chinese in 2018

Commercial tourism is a for chinese middle class and aussie bogans.

Used to be a sign of sophistication to have seen the world , Now its the opposite.