Phnom Penh Country Guide

Cambodian electricity runs off a 230 volt/ 50 hertz system.

Philippine and Malaysian citizens can travel to Cambodia for 21 and 30 days respectively without a visa, but all other nationalities are required to have a visa upon entering Cambodia. Visas are available on arrival at both international airports in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and at some land crossings but not all. It is US$20 for a 1 month tourist visa and US$25 for a business visa which is good for 3 months and can be extended multiple times. You will need a passport that is valid for at least the next 6 months and 1 passport photo.

For overland entries, visas are available upon arrival at the Vietnamese (Bavet and Kaam Samnor) and Thai border crossings (Poipet and Krong Koh Kong) but not the Lao crossings (Koh Chheuteal Thom or Dom Kralor). Note that at the Thai crossings at Poipet and Krong Koh Kong, it is 1,000 baht for a tourist visa and 1,500 baht for a business visa, which is higher than the standard rate elsewhere, and border officials may refuse US dollars.

Beware of entry scams: do not be scammed by drivers or others who insist you need their help to get a visa, guards claiming there is a fee for a SARS form or immigration police overcharging for the visas. Particularly for the latter two, it is probably more effective to refuse politely, pretend to not understand or ask for a receipt (which they wouldn't be able to produce for false fees) rather than losing your temper or shouting.

Renew your visa through a Cambodia travel agent or the Department of Immigration on Airport Road (Confederation de Russie) opposite.

We suggest you check this information with your relevant government consulate for the most current information regarding Cambodian Visas and Passport requirements for entry.

Phnom Penh

As the Cambodian capital, commercial and political centre, Phnom Penh offers the most dramatic display of changes with its boom in restaurants, shops, pubs and nightlife spots as well as hotels and guesthouses to accommodate the increasing number of visitors and expatriates.

Located at the confluence of three waterways, the Tonle Sap, Tonle Bassac and mighty Mekong River, Phnom Penh offers visitors a glimpse of a country seized by dramatic changes. You can see the beauty of Khmer culture and tradition through the National Museum, the Silver Pagoda and its many wats (temples) as well as be reminded of its grim, not so distant past through the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and nearby killing fields of Choeung Ek.

As the "Kingdom of Cambodia", it is fitting that the Royal Palace here is once again occupied by the royal family. In addition to the tourist sites, the city has some of the best shopping and eating establishments available in the country including some run by aid organizations to fund humanitarian projects.

Phnom Penh is a great place to take in at leisure so soak in the atmosphere: take a boat tour on the river or stroll along the lovely riverbanks, sample the local cuisine at sidewalk restaurants, bargain for handicrafts at the open markets and observe and appreciate how the local Khmers go about their everyday lives. See our Phnom Penh Destination Guide for more details.

Siem Reap - Angkor Wat

Whereas Phnom Penh is the country's commercial and political centre, Siem Reap is the Khmer cultural and spiritual heartland - perhaps because the Angkor-era temples are such an important reminder to the Khmers of their once glorious history. The Angkor archaeological park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and, naturally, the major attraction in Siem Reap.

Cambodia travel tours, transportation and multilingual guides are all available to meet the demands of temple-trekking tourists in their travel to Cambodia. Everything from 5-star Cambodia hotels to budget guesthouses have popped up all over Siem Reap to accommodate the increasing number of visitors. Restaurants, internet cafe photo shops, pubs and discos have followed suit. It is second only to Phnom Penh for shopping and dining.

As the centre of Cambodia's cultural revival, Siem Reap is also perhaps the best place to see a traditional Khmer apsara dance, performed at several hotels and restaurants throughout the town.

Likewise, when you travel to Cambodia you can visit a silkworm farm where traditional Khmer textiles are produced and observe the making of shadow puppets, and traditional wood and stone carvings. Visitors can also take boat tours on the Tonle Sap Lake or go outside of Siem Reap a bit to visit traditional floating fishing villages and a bird sanctuary. See our Siem Reap Destination Guide for more details.

Battambang

Take a scenic river trip from Siem Reap and travel to Cambodia's second largest city and \\"rice bowl\\", Battambang - an elegant, provincial, riverside town with French colonial and traditional Cambodian architecture. Not far outside of town are old pagodas, Angkor-era ruins, caves, waterfalls, and unspoiled, picturesque countryside.

Sihanoukville

Cut out of the jungle to be a port city in the 1950's, Sihanoukville (previously called Kompong Som) today is the country's most popular beach getaway and fairly modern compared to most Cambodian towns.

Locals and foreigners come from Phnom Penh, particularly on the weekends, to the town's four white sandy beaches, virtually untouched offshore islands, 24-hour casinos, budding nightlife and ample selection of restaurants serving a range of international fare as well as fresh seafood. To accommodate the influx, the town offers a lot of cheap and mid-range hotels and guesthouses as well as a new resort complex.

In terms of festivals and holidays to take into account when deciding when is best to travel to Cambodia, here are two to consider.

Chaul Chnam is the three day celebration of the Khmer New Year which usually occurs in mid-April. The country is lively during this time and passers-by are often doused with water and talcum powder, not entirely unpleasant given the seasonal heat. Angkor Wat becomes extremely crowded at this time with many locals coming to pay a visit.

Bon Om Tuk is the Water Festival that usually occurs in November and turns Phnom Penh especially, but also Siem Reap, into large, festive, carnival venues. There are colourful and exciting boat races held in the waterways, concerts, fireworks, rides, food vendors and people everywhere. It is an exciting time but avoid it if you are looking for a laid back atmosphere.

Also note that during the lunar new year, somewhere between late January and mid-February, many Chinese and Vietnamese shops and businesses may close to observe their own culture's new year.

Khmer food is said to be similar to Thai and Lao food especially in its abundant use of coriander, mint leaves and lemon grass, but less spicy overall compared to Thai food.

There is more information about Khmer cuisine on the Restaurants page.

Behaviour and Customs

During your Cambodia travel you needn't be too worried about offending locals since you will probably not be held to the strictest standards. However, a general awareness of acceptable behaviour is all part of being a responsible traveller.

Most Cambodians are Khmer and most Khmer people are Theravada Buddhists, which means there are certain standards of behaviour, dress and taboos dictated by their religious beliefs and customs.

In general, it is advisable to behave politely and with restraint and to dress modestly. You should greet someone who is greeting you with either a handshake or the traditional greeting, which is similar to that used in Laos and Thailand - place the palms of the hands together in front of you and make a slight bow. Below is a list of do's and don'ts for your Cambodia travel.

Do:

- use the right hand to accept things or shake hands.
- remove shoes before entering private homes and many wats (temples)
- dress modestly when visiting temples - a shirt and long pants when possible
- bargain cheerfully when shopping at the markets to get a good price
- lay your chopsticks flat across the bowl when not using them
- buy certified replicas of archeological artifacts only. Replicas are well made and you can get documention proving they are replicas and not genuine artifacts
- try to learn some Khmer - Hi, Please, Thank you, Where is, How much, numbers 1-10, and peoples names are a great start in any language.

Don't

- drink water or ice from taps orunknown sources, especially in the provinces. Bottled water is safe and available everywhere. Ice in cities usually comes from purified water 
- travel roads alone at night, particularly in remote areas, if you can avoid it as hold-ups and motorcycle theft still occur and there are guns in Cambodia 
- stray off well-marked paths, particularly in the countryside, as Cambodia still has many undetonated bombs, mines and other explosives
- buy archaeological artefacts - real or not. This encourages looting of national treasures from temples and ruins. Items will be confiscated at customs anyway.
- get frustrated or angry when bargaining- it should be kept friendly
dont be surprised if people push right in front of you - there is no tradition of queuing in Cambodia.
- point your foot at a person or object.
- get carried away with public displays of affection
- lose your temper and shout. Being persistently polite works better.
- climb on Buddhas or photograph them without permission as they are all considered sacred
- touch another person's head - even as a friendly gesture. The head is sacred.

Cambodia has four seasons: November to February is the cool/dry season, March to May is the hot/dry season, June to August is the hot/wet season and September to October is the cool/wet season. The highest rainfall occurs in September & October, with June-August still receiving plenty of rain. Temperatures remain relatively constant throughout the year, and can range anywhere from 20-30 degrees celsius, approaching 40 degrees celsius in April, Cambodia's hottest month.

If you have a choice, the cool and dry season from November to February is probably the best time to travel Cambodia as the lack of rain makes travel easier (particularly if you are going to provincial sites where roads may be substandard) and the not-too-hot weather is pleasant for sightseeing and hanging about.

The rainy season can make travelling on less than perfect roads even more difficult and dampen a beach trip to Sihanoukville, however, the rains are predictable - a few hours in the afternoon - and can make temples appear even more beautiful, especially as the ponds around the temples fill up. While still magnificent to behold, visiting the Angkorian temples during the hot dry season can be difficult on the body (particularly in the middle of the day), foliage is dead, the grounds are parched and ponds are all dried up.

Click on this Weather link to view current conditions in Phnom Penh.

Population: just under 14 million people
Total Area: 181,000 square kilometres
Time Zone: GMT 7 hours time zone
Capital City: Phnom Penh (900,000 people)

To view the current time in Phnom Penh, click on this link to TimeAndDate.com.

The official language of Cambodia is Khmer, which is spoken by 95% of the population. French and English are also spoken. Some handy Khmer phrases for traveller to know include:

Hello - pronounced soursdey
Good-bye - pronounced lea hey
Sorry - pronounced som tos
Thank you - pronounced Or kun
How much - pronounced Tlai punman
Yes - pronounced bart (male) & jah (female)
No - pronounced teh
I don't understand - pronounced kngom men yol teh
Where's the toilet? - pronounced ter bantub tek nov ti na?
One - pronounced moo-uhy
Two - pronounced pee
Three - pronounced buh-ee
Four - pronounced boo-uhn
Five - pronounced pram

The local currency in Cambodia is called the riel, but for money in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap & Sihanoukville (and most of the larger towns) you can almost always use US dollars. Check today's Cambodian riel Exchange Rates from OANDA.com, The Currency Site.

It is quite easy to exchange even small bills of USD for riel in restaurants, shops, markets, hotels and guesthouses, but be sure the USD bills you use and receive in change are fairly clean and free of tears as old bills are often not accepted.

Riel are often handy for paying for small things like moto fares. Other currencies don't receive as favourable an exchange rate and are usually only exchangeable through banks. Thai baht is as popular as USD in some towns in the west of Cambodia but in particularly remote areas, you may be more limited to the riel.

Except for upper end hotels and restaurants or if you're purchasing airfare and big ticket items, most places do not accept credit cards. There are no ATMs in Cambodia, though cash advances can be made on credit cards for a fee. Banks and some hotels accept travellers cheques.

The country code to dial into Cambodia from overseas is 855, followed by the area code (Phnom Penh is 023 & Siem Reap is 063) and then the phone number. To code to dial overseas from Cambodia is 00, and then the country, area & phone numbers.

Emergency Numbers are as follows in Cambodia: Police (117), Fire (118), & Ambulance (119).

International mail services to North America, Europe & Australasian destinations take approximately 5-10 days to arrive. Parcels can only be posted in Phnom Penh and is quite expensive.

Phone calls can be made at post offices or telecom offices in most towns. Phone cards are needed and range from $2-$50 to purchase. Mobile phones can be rented in the arrivals hall at Pochentong International Airport. Usage is by pre-paid phone card, available in values from $5 to $100.

Internet cafes are readily available in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap and at quite reasonable rates. However in provincial areas, they may be limited or not available at all and substantially more expensive.