You can find free Wi-Fi in Cambodia's hotels, cafes and airports, but mobile data is the more dependable way to stay online while you travel. According to Ookla's figures, Cambodia's median mobile download speed is 111.90 Mbps, roughly twice the median for fixed broadband (54.74 Mbps). Buying a local SIM or eSIM, on the other hand, involves a passport scan plus a biometric face scan. This guide uses the airports' and operators' official pages, measured speed data and a Cambodian government awareness session to show what Wi-Fi can and cannot do for you in Cambodia, and what to arrange before you fly.
If you want to be online from the moment you land, you can set up a Cambodia eSIM before you leave. See the Coral eSIM plans for Cambodia and pick the data allowance that fits your trip.
Wi-Fi in Cambodia: mainly hotels, cafes and airports
As a traveller in Cambodia, the places where you can get free Wi-Fi are mostly hotels, cafes and restaurants, and airports. How fast that Wi-Fi is varies from one venue to the next.
Free Wi-Fi only works while you are inside the building, though. Much of what you need a connection for happens outdoors: exploring the Angkor temples, getting around by tuk-tuk or ride-hailing app, shopping at markets. We could not confirm from official sources whether there is a public Wi-Fi network that anyone can use around town.
- Hotel Wi-Fi: usually available in rooms; speed depends on the property
- Cafe and restaurant Wi-Fi: staff typically give you the password
- Airport Wi-Fi: useful for messages right after arrival (see the next section)
- At the temples and on the move: Wi-Fi is not something to count on, so you need mobile data
The Angkor complex in particular is spread over a wide area, and you will often want to check your location on a map or book a ride back. You do not want to be offline until you get back to your hotel.
Airport Wi-Fi in Cambodia: the new airports in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap
Cambodia's main gateways are Techo International Airport (KTI) in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI), close to the Angkor temples.
Techo International Airport (Phnom Penh)
The official Techo International Airport website lists free Wi-Fi among its services, alongside lounges, dining and shopping. We could not find the network name, any time limit or the login method on the official site.
Siem Reap Angkor International Airport
We could not find any information about Wi-Fi on the official website of Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. That means you cannot check in advance whether you will be able to use airport Wi-Fi to book a ride or contact your hotel on arrival.
Even when airport Wi-Fi connects, you are using it without knowing its conditions. If booking a ride or reaching your hotel matters, make sure your own data connection works the moment you switch off airplane mode.
Mobile internet speed in Cambodia: about twice as fast as fixed broadband
In Cambodia, mobile data on your phone is faster than the fixed broadband that Wi-Fi runs on. Ookla's Speedtest Global Index (updated August 2026) gives these median speeds for Cambodia:
- Mobile: 111.90 Mbps download, 21.86 Mbps upload, 18 ms latency (ranked 43rd in the world)
- Fixed broadband: 54.74 Mbps download, 53.99 Mbps upload, 5 ms latency (ranked 108th)
On download speed, mobile is roughly twice as fast as fixed broadband. If your hotel Wi-Fi feels slow, switching to your own mobile data is often the better option. For maps, ride-hailing apps, photo uploads and video calls, the speed is more than enough.
These are national medians, however. Coverage and speed differ between cities, rural areas and the temple sites.
Buying a local SIM or eSIM in Cambodia: identity checks
Cambodia's major mobile operators are Smart, Cellcard and Metfone. All three present SIM options for travellers on their official websites.
Tourist SIMs are sold at airport booths
Smart says its Smart Traveller SIM is available at the Smart booth at any international airport in Cambodia. It is valid for 15 days and includes calls and SMS as well as data. Cellcard offers a tourist product called "Traveller SIM", and Metfone publishes a tourist SIM guide on its website.
A passport scan and a face scan are required
Smart's official page asks prepaid customers to register with a scan of their passport (or Cambodian national ID card) and a biometric face scan. It gives two reasons: protecting the number from unauthorised use and complying with government rules.
Smart's local eSIM works the same way: buying it through the app means scanning your passport and then your face for verification. On top of that, you must be connected to Wi-Fi when you buy it. In other words, to buy a local eSIM you first have to find Wi-Fi.
We could not access the website of the Telecommunication Regulator of Cambodia (TRC), so this article does not cover the regulator's own rules on SIM registration for foreigners.
If you set up a travel eSIM before you leave, you skip these in-store or in-app checks and can start using data as soon as you arrive. Your phone needs to support eSIM and be carrier-unlocked (how to check eSIM support). Online identity checks are explained in what is eKYC.
Using free Wi-Fi in Cambodia safely
At a cyber-security training session in July 2026, Cambodia's Ministry of Post and Telecommunications (MPTC) covered using public Wi-Fi safely as one of its key topics, alongside creating strong passwords, two-factor authentication and protecting mobile banking apps.
For travellers, the basic precautions are:
- Do not use online banking, card payments or account logins on airport or cafe Wi-Fi
- Turn on two-factor authentication for your main accounts
- Do not open links in messages from people you do not know
Switch to your own mobile data before paying or logging in. For more on the risks, see free Wi-Fi security tips.
Internet in Cambodia: frequently asked questions
Is there free Wi-Fi at Cambodian airports?
Techo International Airport in Phnom Penh lists free Wi-Fi as one of its services on its official website, but we could not find the network name or any time limit there. For Siem Reap Angkor International Airport, we could not find any Wi-Fi information on the official website.
How fast is mobile internet in Cambodia?
According to Ookla's figures updated in August 2026, the median mobile download speed is 111.90 Mbps, roughly twice the median for fixed broadband (54.74 Mbps). Your phone's data connection can be faster than hotel Wi-Fi.
What do I need to buy a local SIM in Cambodia?
According to Smart, SIM registration requires a passport scan and a face scan. Smart says its Smart Traveller SIM for tourists is sold at the Smart booth at Cambodia's international airports.
Can tourists buy a local eSIM in Cambodia?
Smart says you can buy a local eSIM through its app with a valid passport. The process includes a face scan, and you must be connected to Wi-Fi when you buy. If you want data straight after landing, setting up a travel eSIM before you leave is less hassle.
Is free Wi-Fi in Cambodia safe?
Cambodia's Ministry of Post and Telecommunications itself treats safe use of public Wi-Fi as a key topic in its training. Avoid online banking, card payments and account logins on public Wi-Fi, and do those things over your own mobile data.
In Cambodia, treat Wi-Fi as a backup and set up an eSIM before you land
Wi-Fi in Cambodia works in hotels, cafes and airports, but not at the temples or on the road. Mobile data, meanwhile, is roughly twice as fast as fixed broadband, which makes it the right backbone for your trip. You can buy a local SIM or eSIM, but it takes a passport scan and a face scan, and a local eSIM also needs Wi-Fi to buy. Set up a travel eSIM before you leave and use Wi-Fi as a backup at your hotel. That is the most reliable way to stay connected in Cambodia.
See the Coral eSIM plans for Cambodia, or browse plans for other destinations.
