Distinction: Cambodia, a new green star of global tourism

Recognized by the prestigious Travel Green List™ 2026 of the British magazine Wanderlust, the Kingdom of Cambodia is emerging as one of the world’s most exemplary destinations for responsible travel. A recognition that comes at the perfect time.

There are honors that go beyond a simple tourism label. When Wanderlust Magazine, the oldest and most influential travel publication in the United Kingdom, includes Cambodia in its Travel Green List™ 2026, it validates an entire philosophy of travel. That of a country which has deliberately and ambitiously chosen to make tourism a vehicle for preservation rather than an instrument of degradation.

In its fourth annual edition, this ranking does not reward the most spectacular or most visited destinations. It honors those that demonstrate, through concrete actions, that travel can be a positive force—for local communities, for ecosystems, and for future generations.

A camp in the heart of the untamed

At the center of Cambodia’s selection is the Cardamom Tented Camp, located in the foothills of the Cardamom Mountains, on the edge of Botum Sakor National Park. This is not just another ecolodge: it is a model of integration between hospitality and active conservation, directly funding ranger patrols tasked with protecting the surrounding forest.

The site offers travelers a rare immersion—untouched waterways, forest trails, freely roaming wildlife—while ensuring that each overnight stay follows a minimal-impact logic. Across navigable waterways and primary forests, covering nearly 1,800 square kilometers of preserved territory, visitors become, during their stay, unintentional yet real contributors to the protection of a threatened biome.

“Do not come only for the temple; discover why Cambodia deserves far more than just a stopover.” — Wanderlust Magazine, Travel Green List™ 2026

Far more than a line in a ranking

This distinction goes beyond a simple mention. Cambodia is one of only three destinations in the world to receive a fifteen-page feature in the magazine—an immersive itinerary designed for the conscious traveler, inviting readers to rediscover the country in all its complexity and beauty. A rare invitation that transforms institutional recognition into a living narrative.

Wanderlust emphasizes that this year again, the jury received hundreds of applications from around the world, carefully reviewed by a panel of international experts. “Being selected is a significant achievement and reflects the strength and impact of the work carried out in Cambodia,” the editorial team stated in an official correspondence.

Context · A double international recognition

Wanderlust’s recognition comes on the heels of another major accolade: in 2026, Cambodia ranked first globally in the Natural Environment category of the Best Countries ranking by U.S. News & World Report. Two institutions, two distinct approaches—one editorial, the other analytical—converging on the same conclusion: the Kingdom of Cambodia has established itself as a global reference in environmental preservation.

The green season, an underappreciated asset

The timing of this distinction is no coincidence. It coincides with the start of Cambodia’s green season—this monsoon period that experienced travelers have come to appreciate for its enhanced landscapes: intensely green rice fields, rushing waterfalls, mist-covered mountains, and highly active wildlife. Far from the crowds and scorching heat, the green season reveals a more intimate, more authentic, and wilder Cambodia.

This Cambodia—the one of intact forests, preserved rural communities, and responsible tourism initiatives—is precisely the one that Wanderlust has chosen to celebrate.

In a sector where the temptation of greenwashing is ever-present, the rigor of the Travel Green List™ selection process gives this distinction particular credibility. For Cambodia, it confirms that its tourism development model is being observed, admired, and now explicitly recommended to the world.