Country dialing code

+855

Capital city

Phnom Penh

Official language

Khmer, with French and English also spoken

Currency

Cambodian Riel


When to visit: November to March is the best time to travel with little rain and less humidity. In November the waters of Tonle Sap Lake are high and perfect for boat trips; by April/May water levels may be so low as to prevent boat travel across the lake. While the monsoon season from May to October can see heavy afternoon or evening rainfall, these usually last only an hour or two. The temples have far fewer visitors at this time and look their best framed by the rainy season greenery.


Highlights

Temples Of Angkor Wat

Visually, architecturally and artistically breathtaking, Angkor Wat is one of the greatest religious monuments in the world. Built in the 12th century as an Hindu temple for the god Vishnu by the ruling Khmer King Suryavarman II, 
it was slowly converted to a Buddhist temple. 

Kbal Spaen

Kbal Spean is one of the earliest Hindu pilgrimage sites in Cambodia. A short trek through dense jungle rewards you views over plains to the Kulen hills and the “River of 1000 Lingas” with remarkable stone carvings of Hindu gods, animals and other symbols in the riverbed.

Phnom Penh

Phnom Penh still maintains considerable charm. The National Museum is the largest repository of Khmer art and a visit to the notorious “Killing Fields”, which chronicles the unfortunate years under the brutal rule of the Khmer Rouge, is worthwhile.

Battambang

Get off the beaten track and discover the charming town of Battambang. It is an architectural treasure trove, boasting well-preserved French colonial architecture, delightful countryside and ancient temples.

Tonle Sap Lake

Floating fishing villages dot the semi-submerged forest that line the flood plain rim of the lake, offering an excellent place to see lakeside rural Cambodia. Experience the lifestyle of the locals with a boat ride to remote villages.

Khmer Cuisine

Cambodian cuisine plays a large part in the enjoyment of any visit to the country. It derives its flavours from locally grown herbs and spices and sweet, sour, salty and bitter are blended seamlessly.

Useful information

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Communications

Country Code for Cambodia: +855
Visa Global Assistance: Call the US on (+1) 303 967 1090

Emergency Services: Fire: 118 Police: 117 Ambulance: 119. The emergency services may not have English speaking staff. To avoid delay it may be best to seek the assistance of a Khmer speaker to call the emergency services.

Shopping

Cambodia working hours for Government offices are 7.30am to 11.30am and 2pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Business offices hours are  8am to noon and 2pm to 5pm, Monday to Saturday. Shops are generally open 8am to 8pm 7 days a week, banks from 8am to 3pm Monday to Friday and the opening hours for markets are generally 6am to 5pm 7 days a week.  

Tipping

Tipping has become a more established practice in Cambodia in recent years, and helps the income of the Cambodian workers. The amount is entirely a personal preference, however as a guideline USD 2-3 or its local currency equivalent  per person, per half day (more for a full day) can be used. Of course you are free to tip more or less as you see fit, depending on your perception of the service quality and the length of your trip. Porters may be given around 4000 riel.
Restaurants: We suggest adding around 4000 riel to your bill, depending on service; more for expensive establishments.

Getting Around

Getting around in Cambodia is actually quite straightforward. All the primary trunk routes are all-weather sealed roads, there is a reasonably developed bus network, a comprehensive "we can go anywhere if the price is right" taxi for hire system and, while some of the routes have faded away, it is still possible to get to some places by boat. Overall fares are very reasonable.

Language

Khmer is the official language, spoken by  95% of the population but French and English are both widely spoken.

Visas

The Travel Corporation has partnered with the company Sherpa to provide travellers with the latest government and health restrictions. Simply enter the country you want to travel to for information on safety regulations, border closures, quarantine requirements, your travel visa and more using the Sherpa travel tool.

FIND OUT WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW FOR YOUR TRIP


Official travel advice is available by visiting the SmartTraveller Website

Customs

Greetings between Cambodians are dependent on the relationship/hierarchy/age between the people. The traditional greeting is a bow combined with a bringing together of the hands at chest level (similar to bringing hands together for prayer). If one intends to show greater respect the bow is lower and the hands brought higher. With foreigners, Cambodians have adopted the western practice of shaking hands. Women may still use the traditional Cambodian greeting. The simple rule is to respond with the greeting you are given. 

In Cambodia people are addressed with the honorific title "Lok" for a man and "Lok Srey" for a woman followed with the first name or both the first and surname.

Health

The following information is intended as a guide only and in no way should it be used as a substitute for professional medical advice relative to a travellers individual needs and vaccination history. No guarantee is made as to its accuracy or thoroughness. For further information, please contact The Travel Doctor.

Vaccination against Hepatitis A is recommended for travellers to Cambodia. Vaccination against Hepatitis B, Rabies (particularly if working with animals) and Typhoid (particularly when travelling to areas with poor sanitation and hygiene) should be considered, especially by frequent or long stay travellers. Care with food and beverage selection is recommended. There is a medium risk of Malaria in Cambodia and Dengue Fever also occurs, thus insect avoidance measures and anti malarial medication may be necessary depending on your itinerary. Japanese Encephalitis is present in Cambodia and vaccination should be considered by travellers spending more than four weeks in rural areas of the transmission zones. 

Please consult a medical practitioner or contact The Travel Doctor for your specific risk to these preventable diseases and the appropriate avoidance measures. Australians travelling to Cambodia should ensure that they have adequate travel insurance to cover the length of their stay. For further information please visit the Smartraveller website, www.smartraveller.gov.au/zw-cgi/view/Advice/Cambodia

Electricity

Electrical plug type: European and Japanese (sometimes a combination of both)
Voltage: 220-240 and 110-120 (Australia 240 volts)
Modem plug type: American (same as Australia)

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