Security:
Cambodia is not yet safe to
travel to jungle or to remote
temple alone, visitors should do
tour with official tour guide
who know where to go and visit
(Group tours with local guide is
recommended). Do not stray into
jungle because of land mine is
not 100% cleared. Antiques
souvenirs are not allowed to
buy; it is against the law of
Cambodia. Someone did against
the law; they will be imprisoned
or heavily penalized.
When to go?
Visitors can
visit Cambodia in whole time, rainy
season (May to Sep) and dry season (Oct.
to Apr.). But the most tourist season is
the dry one, because it is dry and a bit
warm, temperature is around 27 degree C.
The best time is November, December and
January. These three months, the hotel
rate is high, and number of clients is
the top one. Visitor can choose to visit
at July or August in rainy season, but
it is good to visit, not so many clients
at the temples and hotel or package are
low. To go to the beaches at Sihanouk
Ville is not recommend at rainy season
and also to Hill tribe at Ratanakiri
province. Do not forget to enter
Battambang, old French building town
with best view of rice field and fruit
plantations. Visitors can go to
Battambang any time, road is better now.
What to bring?
Travel tools
are sunglasses, cream anti mosquito,
sport shoe and discuss with your doctors
to prevent before you come.
Clothes
Cambodian
wears long sleeve shirts and long
trousers traditionally. At temple sites,
visitors have to wear long sleeve shirt
and trouser in order to protect Khmer
tradition or to respect religious
temples and to protect the sun. Shoe
should be for sport and steady for
walking and climbing the steep stairs.
At Sihanouk Ville, short is allowed, but
not too open, women should wear T-shirt
or short jean to swim. Rain coat is
useful if you choose to visit Cambodia
at the month of May to September.
Travel Insurance
Insurance is
important in Cambodia, now Caminco the
secured company that sell services to
visitors. Insurance can help when
visitors tour around Cambodia. Better to
buy a travel accident from Caminco or
from local tour operator or visitors
will take risk to adventure in the
country.
Money & Credit
Cards
Local
currency is “Riel”, name come from small
white fish of the Great Lake. Riel is
popular uses in the whole country. But
most of the town center “Dollar” should
be kept for paying, because goods,
foods, accommodation fee,
transportations, Visa fee, Air Port tax
are in US Dollar. For changing 1 USD =
4000 Riel (1 US dollar = 1.35 Euro). At
border exchange rate is 1 USD = 3500
Riel only. Do not worry for changing;
every where in market places or banks,
visitors can change their money. Better
to keep USD for traveling in the whole
country.
Credit cards
are useful in Cambodia. Visitors can
take their USD money from ATM Machine.
ANZ Royal bank ATM charges 2 USD for
taking USD from VISA card for per
transaction. And Canadia bank ATM
charges 5 USD per one transaction.
Travelers cheques
are not
widely eccepted in Cambodia, but
visitors can change it at the bank by
charging commission 2%
Post &
Communications
Stamps are
found at the post office or hotels. For
sending a postcard cost 2200 Riels. But
letter is higher depending on weight of
it. Opening time is 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Telephone is almost extended in the
whole country. The most popular mobile
phone is Mobitel (012-). For fix phones
are Camintel and Telecom serve best in
the country. For calling to oversea,
cost around 2 USD per minute. But local
call out is only 400 Riel per minute.
For international call, should go to
Internet Coffee is lower rate, it is
2000 Riel per minute.
Time
Cambodia
time zone is the same as Thailand, Laos,
Vietnam it is 7 hours front of GMT (Greenwich
Mean Time)/UTC.
Business Hours
Official
hours are from 7:00 AM to 11:30 AM and
2:00 PM to 5:30 PM. But banks close
about 4:00 PM.
Public Holidays
and Special Events
Calendar of
Cambodia is taking from lunar system, so
the date is not the same; it changes
from year to year. Cambodia important
events and holiday are
Chaul
Chhnam Khmer “Khmer Happy New Year
or SangKran” is usually held at 13, 14
and 15 April (Occasionally start from 14th
to 16th of April). Students
are allowed to have 15 days break.
Beside this
there are many other events such as “Bon
Om Tuk” Water festival or the
festival of Boat racing held on November
and usually in front of Royal Palace
Phnom Penh. “Pchum Ben” or call
Ancestor day is usually Khmer people
bring their foods to pagodas and pray to
their ancestors. Independent day
is held on 9 November, the day which was
independent from French colonization
(1953). Chinese and Vietnam held their
happy new year at January and February
some time. In Khmer call “Chaul
Chhnam Chen” which Vietnamese call “TET”.
Hotels and
guesthouses
Now,
accommodation is not a problem any more
for all budgets of visitors. There are
many new construction sites in Siem Reap
and Phnom Penh city; they are all
Guesthouses and hotels. New 4 and 5
stars now are built in all major town
centers such as Siem Reap, Phnom Penh,
and Sihanouk Ville. And also 1 to 3
stars are presented in other provincial
town. Guesthouses rate from 5 to 20USD.
Hotel rates from 10 USD to more than
5000 USD per night.
Tour Guide
