Cambodia has stepped firmly onto the global stage of responsible travel, earning a coveted place in Wanderlust Magazine’s Travel Green List 2026 and prompting a dedicated media brief from the Cambodia Tourism Board (CTB). The recognition positions the Kingdom as one of only two Southeast Asian destinations on this influential list, alongside the Philippines, and highlights how Cambodia is aligning tourism growth with conservation and community benefit.
Wanderlust, the UK’s longest‑running and largest travel magazine, has been championing authentic and low‑impact journeys for more than three decades. Its annual Travel Green List shines a spotlight on destinations, initiatives and places to stay that demonstrate how tourism can be a genuine force for good. For the 2026 edition, now in its fourth year, hundreds of global submissions were carefully reviewed and debated by a panel of expert judges, with a strong emphasis on long‑term environmental protection and secure, healthy communities.
In this year’s list, Cardamom Tented Camp in Botum Sakor National Park stands out as Cambodia’s flagship example of conservation‑led hospitality. Tucked into the foothills of the Cardamom Mountains, the camp operates on a “stay to protect” model, where guest stays directly support ranger patrols safeguarding a vast 1,800 square kilometer rainforest. Visitors explore pristine waterways and forest trails by kayak and on foot, while their presence helps finance the defense of one of mainland Southeast Asia’s last great wilderness areas. By keeping infrastructure low‑impact and channeling revenue into conservation, Cardamom Tented Camp has become a regional benchmark for how eco‑lodges can protect, rather than replace, nature.
Cambodia’s story in Wanderlust does not end with a single listing. The Kingdom is also featured in a substantial 15‑page travelogue section, one of only three destinations worldwide to receive such an in‑depth, multi‑page treatment this year. The feature proposes an immersive, country‑wide itinerary for conscious travelers, encouraging them to explore beyond Angkor and its iconic temples. As Wanderlust memorably puts it: “Don’t just come for that temple; discover why Cambodia deserves more than just a stopover.”
This latest wave of international attention arrives on the heels of another major accolade. Cambodia recently ranked first globally in the Natural Environment category of the 2026 U.S. News & World Report Best Countries index, underscoring the value of its landscapes, biodiversity and emerging conservation initiatives. From the rainforests and mountains of the southwest to the river systems of the Mekong and the flooded forests of Tonle Sap, the Kingdom’s wild places are increasingly recognized as core pillars of its tourism identity, alongside world‑famous heritage sites.
The timing of the Travel Green List 2026 recognition is ideal, coinciding with Cambodia’s Green Season. During these months, monsoon rains transform the countryside into a lush, cinematic panorama of emerald rice fields, full rivers, cascading waterfalls and mist‑shrouded highlands. Wildlife is active, the skies are dramatic, and the atmosphere is refreshingly uncrowded compared with peak dry‑season months. For travelers seeking slower, deeper journeys, the Green Season is increasingly seen as the best time to experience Cambodia’s natural beauty at its most vibrant.
In its media brief, CTB highlights that such global coverage brings both visibility and responsibility. Features in respected outlets like Wanderlust attract travelers who care about sustainability, culture and nature, but they also raise expectations that development will protect the very qualities that draw people here in the first place. CTB’s message is that Cambodia aims to grow tourism in a way that keeps forests standing, rivers clean and local communities at the heart of decision‑making.
Across the country, new eco‑lodges, community‑based projects and nature‑focused itineraries are beginning to follow the path pioneered by Cardamom Tented Camp. From coastal mangroves and island homestays to village treks and temple routes that spread visitor flows, there is a growing commitment to models that share benefits locally while safeguarding fragile ecosystems. If this trajectory continues, Cambodia’s rise in global sustainable travel rankings can help create a virtuous circle in which responsible visitors support long‑term conservation and community wellbeing.
Travelers inspired by Wanderlust’s Travel Green List 2026 are warmly invited to look beyond a quick temple visit and discover Cambodia’s deeper, greener side. For full background, data and official statements, you can download the complete CTB press release about Cambodia’s inclusion in the Travel Green List 2026 and its wider sustainability vision. See below.
