Welcome to Heritage Watch!

Heritage Watch is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of Southeast Asia’s cultural heritage.

Cambodia is famed for the temples of Angkor but little is known of how these temples came to be. The secrets to the rise of Angkor are to be found in the lesser known temples and the countless prehistoric settlements and cemeteries across Cambodia.

Heritage Watch was founded in 2003 as a result of a sharp increase in the destruction of Cambodia’s precious cultural heritage - especially the looting of ancient temples and cemetery sites nationwide. 

Heritage Watch is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving the tangible and intangible cultural heritage of the world, through research, education, and advocacy.

Its mandate is to:
 • study threats to cultural heritage, including the illicit trade in antiquities, the looting of archaeological sites, and loss of historic architecture, among others.

 • educate the public on the artistic, informational, historical, cultural, and economic importance of heritage resources

 • increase access to and awareness of national and international law affecting cultural property, while working with the proper authorities to implement, enforce, and improve it.

• Promote responsible tourism that furthers cultural and economic development and encourage the tourism industry to support the arts, culture, heritage and development.

• foster communication between relevant governmental and intergovernmental agencies, nongovernmental organizations, academic institutions, and individuals

Heritage Watch has undertaken a diverse range of projects aimed at both the supply and demand end of the international antiquities trade as well as promoting responsible tourism in Cambodia.  

Many businesses in Cambodia already support the arts, culture, heritage and development. Heritage Watch is pleased to bring attention to these operators through its Heritage Friendly Tourism Campaign aimed at:

•    encouraging responsible tourism,
•    promoting longer stays in Cambodia that include visits to remote temple sites
•    encouraging local businesses to give back to Cambodia.
By using the services of responsible operators certified as Heritage Friendly Businesses you can help ensure that your visit to Cambodia is a ‘heritage friendly’ one.

A new initiative for 2008 is the DHARMA Project - the Database of Historical and Archaeological Regulations for the Management of Antiquities.

(Click here for a complete list of Heritage Watch projects.)
Heritage Watch has received international recognition for its work to save Cambodia’s cultural heritage, including: the Tourism Cares Award in 2007; the Pacific Asia Travel Association’s Gold Award in 2007; and the Archaeological Institute of America's (AIA) Conservation and Heritage Management Award for 2009.

Enjoy your visit to the Heritage Watch website. You too can participate, by making a donation, signing our online petition, or learning more about the dangers facing Cambodia's artefacts, and what we're doing to help!

You can also visit our Heritage Friendly Tourism page where you can read all about this award-winning initiative.

Also be sure to pick up your copy of TouchStone magazine while visiting Cambodia, it is full of great tips on travel and tourism and of course, local culture!