Within sight of ruins nearly 1,000-years-old, the little Journeys Within B&B ( 877/454-3672) and tour company has been in business for over two years now in Cambodia. Founded by American ex-pat husband and wife partners Brandon and Andrea Ross, the Siem Reap-based business hosts travelers visiting the famous Buddhist shrine of Angkor Wat and guides them on personalized tours of Vietnam, Myanmar (Burma), Laos, and along the mighty Mekong River from China to Vietnam.

According to the company, its First Time Asia Tour, which includes Thailand’s fascinating museums and palaces in Bangkok; a stop at the northern hill city of Chiang Mai for elephant rides; a beach stay on lovely Phuket; and the Angkor Wat site in Siem Reap; is the most popular with families. Ms. Ross notes, "We have specific guides we use for tours with children who have a great way of making information not too overwhelming."

First Time Asia's initial stop in Bangkok offers opportunities to get a Thai massage, take a boat ride, and explore a flower market in this bustling city.  In Chiang Mai, a cooking class is in order as well as an elephant ride, while Siem Reap includes an educational visit to the Land Mine Museum as well as the legendary Angkor Wat. (Unexploded landmines are still a concern in rural areas of Cambodia; traveling with your knowledgable Journeys Within guide will ease that concern for your group.) 

The nearly 1,000-year-old Angkor Wat is part of a 40-mile temple complex that was "rediscovered" in the 1800s and is now a well-visited UNESCO World Heritage site.   The final leg of the tour will loop back around to Thailand's beach resort town of Phuket, almost fully recovered from the tragic tsunami of December 2004.

Back at the Journeys Within B&B, five more bungalows have been added to the three original rooms, including a two-story family suite with a king-bedded room and bath upstairs, and a sofabed, bathroom and kitchenette below. Additionally, a swimming pool and a Baby Ross are new additions, along with a massage room. Visiting families should plan on staying a few days, as there are local opportunities for hot air balloon rides, visits to a nearby lake and the village school, and walks to a "very ruinous temple" according to Ms. Ross, that kids can climb through. The Ross’ have recently begun a Give and Take Tour, providing volunteer opportunities in Cambodia and support for local schools and village wells to improve drinking water.

The Journeys Within B&B and its related tours are at the forefront of Cambodia's growing popularity as a travel destination on the Southeast Asian circuit.  As Cambodia emerges from its hardships of the 1970s and 80s, it remains a relatively poor country with a relatively underdeveloped infrastructure, but tourism establishments are beginning to steadily grow beyond the immediate vicinity of Angkor Wat. 

However, we recommend that families considering a journey to this fascinating area, first check the U.S. State Department's Consular Information Sheet on Cambodia and look for other consular information sheets and travel advisories on neighboring Thailand and Laos prior to making their travel plans.

Gia interned for Family Travel Forum while an English major at New York University.  She now works for True Romance Magazine. She likes to read, write, sing, golf, and of course, travel. One of her favorite places is Rome, and she hopes to live there for at least part of her adult life.