When I imagined visiting Cambodia, I knew I’d be stepping into a country shaped by tragedy as much as beauty. What I didn’t expect was to be guided through that history by someone who had lived it.

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Choosing the Guide Who Lived It

We arrived at the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum—once a school, later a torture site known as S-21 prison under the Khmer Rouge regime. As we entered, we were given a choice: take an audio tour, or walk through the museum with a survivor as our guide.

It was the same price—except if you chose the survivor, the payment went directly to her. We didn’t hesitate.

She was calm, softly spoken, and carried herself with quiet strength. As she walked us through the echoing halls and rusted prison cells, she shared her story—not rehearsed or theatrical, but raw and matter-of-fact.

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What was the khmer rouge?

From 1975 to 1979, Cambodia was under the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge, a communist regime led by Pol Pot. In their attempt to create a classless, agrarian society, they forcibly evacuated cities, banned religion, and executed anyone deemed educated, foreign-influenced, or simply “suspicious.” An estimated two million people—nearly a quarter of the population—died through starvation, forced labour, or mass killings. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, once a high school turned torture prison, stands today as a powerful reminder of this dark chapter.

One of the most difficult truths to sit with is that while this was happening, the Western world largely stood by and watched. During the Khmer Rouge’s reign of terror, the genocide unfolded with shocking silence from much of the international community. Many Western governments, including the U.S. and U.K., continued to recognise the Khmer Rouge as Cambodia’s legitimate government for years, even after their crimes became known. It’s a sobering reminder that genocide doesn’t always happen in the dark—sometimes it happens in full view of the world, and the world does nothing.

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Her Story: What She Survived

Her father, brother, and sister were all killed by the regime.

She still doesn’t know exactly where they died. Her brother, she believes, was sent to work on one of the many forced labour farms—and never returned.

She and her mother managed to escape Cambodia, crossing the border into Vietnam, where they stayed in hiding until it was safe enough to return.

Now, she works at Tuol Sleng—not because she has to, but because she wants to. She tells her story to visitors so the memory of what happened here is never erased. So that an atrocity like that never happens again.

Her mother has only ever visited her at work once. It was too painful to come back a second time.

What struck me most was what our guide said near the end of the tour. She told us that what still hurts her deeply isn’t just what happened, but that so few people have ever truly been held accountable. Many of those who were part of the Khmer Rouge regime still hold positions of power, protected by the political compromises made when Vietnam invaded Cambodia and overthrew the regime in 1979. She said it feels like justice was never fully served—and that for many survivors, the wounds are still open not just because of the past, but because of the silence that followed.

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The Power of Witnessing

I’ve visited a lot of museums on my travels, but nothing has stayed with me the way this did. Listening to her speak—standing inside the very rooms where prisoners were photographed, tortured, and executed—was something I still haven’t fully processed.

It wasn’t just a tour. It was a living act of remembrance.

Every time she told her story, she was reliving the most painful chapter of her life—not for sympathy, but for education. For truth. For history.

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Travel Isn’t Just Beaches and Bánh Mì

Backpacking through Southeast Asia can sometimes start to feel like a blur of smoothies, temples, and sunsets. But every now and then, you have a day that completely knocks the wind out of you. This was one of those days.

It reminded me that travel isn’t just about collecting places. It’s about witnessing stories—especially the ones that are hard to hear.

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If You Visit Tuol Sleng, Do This

If you ever find yourself in Phnom Penh, I urge you: take the survivor tour. Listen to their story. Look them in the eye. Pay them directly.

These are the people who lived through one of the darkest chapters in modern history—and they are still standing, still speaking, still fighting to be heard.

Don’t just walk through the museum. Be present. Be uncomfortable. Be human.

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Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum: What to Know

• Location: Phnom Penh, Cambodia
• Entry Fee: Around $5 USD (audio guide included, or pay directly to a survivor guide)
• When to Go: Early in the morning for a quieter, more reflective experience
• Respect: No selfies, no loud chatter. This is a memorial, not a tourist attraction
• Pro Tip: Bring tissues. You may need them

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I never got the name of the woman who guided us that day. But I remember her face, her words, and her strength. I think about her often—not just what she survived, but how she chose to return, to stay, to speak.

We often talk about resilience like it’s some grand, cinematic thing. But sometimes, it’s just a woman sitting in the place that broke her—and using her voice to make sure it doesn’t break anyone else.

If that’s not the purest form of bravery, I don’t know what is.

Enjoy your Travels

Em x

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