CAMBODIA INFOMATION

CAMBODIA TRAVEL GUIDE

20 USD per person and is valid from 30 days. You need to fill in a form and hand in one picture. A visa upon arrival is available at most border crossings (see section “border crossings”). Here the visa costs 25 USD per person and is valid for 30 days. You need to fill in a form and hand in one picture. The visa for Cambodia is valid for one month and occupies a full page in your passport. Please make sure you have enough pages in your passport. The passport has to be valid for at least 6 months.

Visa regulations are subject to changes. For the latest update please check with the embassy or consulate of Cambodia in your country.

Health and Vaccinations

Dangers to your health in Cambodia include Cholera, Malaria and Typhoid. Hepatitis A and E occur; hepatitis B is highly endemic. Dengue fever, diphtheria, tuberculosis and Japanese encephalitis occur. Cholera is a serious risk in this country and precautions are essential. Up-to-date advice should be sought before deciding whether these precautions should include vaccination, as medical opinion is divided over its effectiveness. Malaria risk exists throughout the year in the whole country. The malignant falciparum form is prevalent and is reported to be highly resistant to chloroquine. The recommended prophylaxis is mefloquine. Typhoid may occur. Polio virus transmission has been interrupted, but complete eradication is not yet certain. Before traveling to Cambodia consult your private physician on advice for vaccinations and prophylactics.

Money

The Riel is the official currency of Cambodia. The Riel comes in denominations of 100 000, 50 000, 10 000, 5 000, 1 000, 500, 100 and 50. There are no coins in Cambodia. In many places cash US Dollars and Thai Baht are accepted. The Riel is not freely convertible, which means that you can’t buy any outside of Cambodia, and any you leave with can’t be exchanged anywhere else. Many transactions in Cambodia are done in US Dollars. There are quite a few of ATM machines in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap where you can withdraw US Dollars. Some hotels and restaurants accept credit cards.
In banks in the bigger cities (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap) you can withdraw cash with your credit card and change traveler cheques. Cash US dollars, Euros and Thai Baht can be exchanged at banks all over the country. Many small shopkeepers change cash money. We advise to bring a mix of cash US Dollars, Euros or ATM cards.

Food

Rice and Fish, together with a tempting array of herbs, sauces and spices are typical Khmer cuisine. Cambodian cuisine, though uniquely Khmer, draws heavily on the traditions of both its Thai neighbors and Chinese residents. An

oft-repeated generalization which is, nevertheless pretty accurate, likens. Cambodian food to Thai food but without the spiciness. The main national staple is of course rice, but French colonial influence has dictated that the Cambodians eat more bread—generally French-style baguettes—than any other Southeast Asian country. Because of the country’s incredible richness in waterways including the Mekong, Sap and Bassac Rivers, not to mention the Tonlé Sap, freshwater fish and prawns are especially popular—in addition to which plenty of fresh seafood is available from the sea of Cambodia. Beef, pork, chicken, duck and other poultry are widely available but generally more expensive than fish dishes, whilst other less well known Cambodian delicacies include locusts, field rats, snakes and land crabs.

Adventure tours: Both are widely available!! There is a big selection of all cuisines in the main towns. However, on bike trips, we have tried and tested the restaurants we bring you to and have even checked their kitchens!! Food available will depend on your route and accommodation options.  On certain routes, there is exceptional food available. On some tours, we bring supplies with us. Bottled water and cold tissues are available while touring

Tipping & Taxes

Tipping in Cambodia is not customary. It is highly appreciated though. In more upscale restaurants a tip of between 5 and 10% is recommended. In other places leaving the small change is enough.
Guides and drivers of rented vehicles expect to be tipped. Of course tipping is always related to the quality of services rendered.

The only taxes you might encounter in the country will be airport departure taxes. International departure airport tax is currently 25 USD per person, irrespective of the airport. Domestic departure tax is 6 USD per person at the moment.

Cambodia Facts & Files

Country Name: The Kingdom of Cambodia

Country Name in Khmer language: Kampuchea

Motto: Nation – Religion – King

Land Area: 181,035 sq km

Currency: Riel (US dollars are as commonly used as Riel) 

Time: GMT + 7 hours

Country Calling Code: 855
Population: 14.8 million (estimate 2005).
Population Density: 81.7 per sq km. (31.5 per sq mi.)
Capital: Phnom Penh. Population: 1.17 million (2005).
Geography: Cambodia shares borders in the north with Laos and Thailand, in the east with Vietnam and in the southwest with the Gulf of Thailand. The landscape comprises tropical rainforest and fertile cultivated land traversed by many rivers. In the northeast and southeast areas are highlands. The capital is located at the confluence of the Mekong, Bassac and Tonle Sap rivers. The latter flows from a large inland lake, also called Tonle Sap, situated in the center of the country. There are numerous offshore islands along the southwest coast.
Government: Constitutional monarchy since 1993.
Head of State: King Norodom Sihamoni since 2004.
Head of Government: Prime Minister Hun Sen since 1998.
Language: Khmer is the official language and spoken by 95% of the population. Chinese and Vietnamese are also spoken. French was widely spoken until the arrival of the Pol Pot regime and is still taught in schools, but English is now a more popular language to learn among the younger generation.
Religion: 95% Buddhist (Theravada), the remainder Muslim and Christian. Buddhism was reinstated as the national religion in 1989 after a ban on religious activity in 1975.
Electricity: 220 volts AC, 50Hz. Two-pin plugs are in use. Power cuts are frequent.
Social Conventions: Sensitivity to politically related subjects in conversation is advisable. Avoid pointing your foot at a person or touching someone on the head. Women should keep their shoulders covered and not wear shorts when visiting pagodas. Cambodians greet each other with a hands-together gesture called sampeah. If someone sampeahs you, you should do the same. 
Photography: Permitted, with certain restrictions, such as the photographing of military installations, work site of temples. Respect people’s privacy - ask before you take someone’s photo, especially monks.

Climate: Cambodia has a tropical climate: warm and humid. Average of temperature is around 27 Celsius. Thus, it is suitable to visit most of the year round because it lies in a tropical zone. The best time to visit Angkor is during the cooler months between November and March. From late April or May to late October rains can be expected.

How to get here?
Siem Reap International Airport now provides easy and direct flights to Siem Reap from the capital city, Phnom Penh as well as from Bangkok, Phuket and Sokothai in Thailand, Ho Chi Minh, Saigon and Hanoi cities in Vietnam, Vientiane in Laos, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong .Those based in Europe will often use Amsterdam, Frankfurt or London as their hub to fly into Bangkok.

Those coming in from Australia or New Zealand many stop off in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur or Ho Chi Minh before hitting Siem Reap with a direct flight. North Americans generally end up in Bangkok before hitting Siem Reap with a direct fight. Many travel overland from Bangkok to Siem Reap or up by boat from Phnom Penh.

What can you do? Fly into Siem Reap and out of Phnom Penh and let us plan every minute of it for you! 1 day to 14 days, we can detail it for you. Go with a Khmer and International team who is established tour operator, welcomed into every hamlet and see a side of Cambodia that you could never have imagined existed... Angkor, the cities, provinces and rural countryside offer exciting conditions and safe travel opportunities and to bring you a unique travel experience.

Need to know?
Accommodation                                                                                                                                        The range of accommodation available in the major towns is excellent. Any adventure tour will involve a wide variety of accommodation and will include a mixture of hotels, guesthouses and some private houses. As we tour through remote areas of a developing country, it is to be expected that accommodation is not five-star. Some upgrades are possible. Nevertheless, everywhere we stay is clean, comfortable and the best standard available.

Accommodation in Cambodia
We can make reservations for you at your preferred hotel in Cambodia and organize pickups and tour start opportunities in Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Sihanouk Ville, Battambang and countless others.
Climate & Road Conditions
Cambodia is suitable to visit most of the year round because it lies in a tropical zone. However, for adventure tours, during the rainy season, roads may become rather challenging! It means some mud and difficult riding conditions.  Some like this a lot. We are up for it if you are!!! We conduct tours throughout the year. Some remote locations may not be possible to visit. Check with us before planning your trip to get the latest information on possible routes.

Security
Security is no longer the worrying concern that it was in the past few years. Cambodia is fast embracing tourism, recognizing the value of tourism and the revenue it brings into the country. Structures within the police and the army in Phnom Penh and more importantly, its provincial branches have strengthened. The Ministry of Tourism has placed increased emphasis on making it secure to bring tourists to see other attractions outside of Siem Reap, Phnom Penh & Sihanouk Ville.
On all trips, prior to departure, we communicate with our destination and our base with an expected time of arrival and group numbers. ICOM was by far the most popular mode of communication in rural areas but now nearly all areas have phone reception. HCAT has established local and security contacts at provincial and commune level and helpers and tourism providers on all routes.
On our routes to the north, northeast and northwest, local people are very happy to see us. Visitors open up the hidden Cambodia to increased tourism and related economic benefits. By traveling with an experienced team and tour leaders who understands the countryside and the people, you are assured that you're best interests are at heart. If and when sleeping out in remote areas in hammocks, we usually have a couple of local police who join us for a beer and sleep out also.

Land Mines

move on to another to continue their work. They are an interesting group to see along the way and they carry out a huge amount of valuable work. Tours can be organized to visit them in the field or their head offices to understand more.
On some trips we travel through forested area, following a well-defined provincial road. These routes are used all the time and are know to be safe. All our routes are well checked out and well traveled. When traveling in Cambodia, it is not advisable to travel off any of the main paths/trails in remote areas.