General Information

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)

Location

Cambodia lies in South-East Asia and shares borders with Vietnam, Laos, Thailand & the Gulf of Thailand.

Weather

Located in south-east Asia, Cambodia has warm to hot weather all year round. The climate is influenced by the monsoon cycle and the weather alternates between wet and dry. November to February is comparatively the coolest season of the year, followed by another dry spell and the period between March and May is hot and dry. Temperatures hover around 30 degree Celsius and touch 40 degrees in April. The hot season is punctuated by the onset of monsoons and the period between June and August is hot and wet. September and October are cooler months but the rains are still intense.

November to February is the best time to visit Cambodia. The cooler season makes travelling more pleasant. The rainy season later on means messy travelling, as some provincial areas have sub-standard roads which worsen during the rains. Rains can also be a dampener if you want to spend a day at the beach at Sihanoukville. However, to many the rainy season is the favourite time of the year as the temples appear more beautiful in this season and the water bodies around the temples also fill up, adding to the beauty of the already green and lush landscape.

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.

Communications

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, with international calling facilities. However in provincial areas, they may be limited or not available at all and substantially more expensive.

Currency/ Money

The official currency of Cambodia is the Cambodian riel (KHR). It can be further split into 100 sen. The Cambodian riel is useful for purchasing local products and paying for transportation in the country, however the US dollar is widely used and is considered the unofficial currency of Cambodia. It is often preferred over the riel. It is easy to exchange even small denominations of the US dollar at hotels, restaurants and shops, but do make sure that the notes are clean and free of any damage or else they are regarded as worthless.

The Cambodian riel can be exchanged at an approximate rate of 4,000 riels per US dollar. However, in remote provinces, the riel is the preferred currency. Other currencies are not favoured, but in some places the Thai baht is also accepted.

Credit cards are accepted only in select places such as upmarket hotels and restaurants and at airports. ATMs are present in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Kampot and Battambang and dispense US dollars. Credit cards such as Visa Card, MasterCard and JCB are accepted at a charge of 2���??4 percent.

Electricity

Cambodia runs off a 230V/50Hz system.

Language

The official language of Cambodia is Khmer, which is spoken by approximately 95% of the population. French used to be the second language of choice, but the English language skills are improving at a fast pace.

Public Holidays

Cambodian Public Holidays include:

1 January: International New Year's Day
7 January: Victory Day over the Genocide Regime.
13 February: Meaka Bochea Day
8 March: International Women's Day.
14-16 April: Cambodian New Year
1 May: International Labour Day
12 May: Visaka Bochea Day
13-15 May: Birthday of His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni
16 May: Royal Ploughing Ceremony
18 June: Birthday of Her Majesty Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk of Cambodia
21-23 October: Pchum Ben Day
24 September: Constitution's Day
29 October: Coronation's Day of H.M. Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromneath Norodom Sihamoni, the King of Cambodia
31 October: Birthday of His Majesty King-Father Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia.
9 November: Independence Day.
4-5-6 November: Water Festival
10 December: International Human Rights Day.

Note: When a public holiday falls on Saturday and/or Sunday, then the Monday following the holiday is substituted.

Visa

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.

Food

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

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.