Cambodia Tips & Faces
Offecial Name: KINGDOM OF CAMBODIA

Area
181,035km2. It is bordered to the North by Thailand and Laos, to the East and the South by Vietnam, and to the South and the West by the Gulf of Thailand.

Capital City
Phnom Penh (Population approx one million)

Population
12.491501 Million (2001) (90-95% Khmers) the balance being ethnic Chinese, Cham, ethnic Vietnamese and hill-tribe people.

Language
Khmer, secondary languages: English and French

Religion
95% Theravada Buddhist with the balance being Muslim, Christian and animist

Food and Drink
Rice and fish are the basic foods enjoyed by Cambodians. Delicious noodle soups are available at cafes. Fresh seafood is plentiful at Sihanouk Ville. In major cities a wide range of culinary fare is on offer including; Chinese, Thai, French, Korean, Japanese, Indian, Vietnamese and Middle Eastern.

Time:
Cambodia runs at GMT +7 hours, the same time zone as its neighbors Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.

Voltage:
220v/50Hz

Currency:
RIEL (USD1 approximately 4000 Riels). US dollars are widely accepted.

Tipping
Tipping isn’t obligatory but is widely practiced in hotels and restaurants in addition to the service charges shown on bills.

Airport Taxi
For visitors entering Cambodia through Phnom Penh International Airport, a taxi into the city will cost USD7 and will take approximately 15 minutes. Most hotels and better guesthouses provide airport pickups for booked guests. A (non-metered) taxi from Siem Reap International Airport into town, 8km away, costs about USD5 and takes 10-15 minutes.

Local Transport
Cars and mini-buses are readily available for touring the temples at Angkor or for day trips in and around Phnom Penh. The cost of a car and driver is US$20+per day.

Tephone
Phone cards are available, and can be purchased at many outlets. There are also several mobile phone systems. Mobile phones can be rented from booths on the street on a pay-per-call basis.

Opening Hours Government offices:
business hours are from 7:30am-11: 30am and 2pm-5pm, Monday to Friday. Banks are open from 8am-3pm Monday to Friday. Markets are open from early morning to late evening, including Sundays and pubic holidays.

International Gate Ways
- Phnom Penh International Airport
- Siem Reap International Airport
- Sihanoukville Port (Visa on Arrival)

Airport Tax:
International Airport:
- Foreigner: USD25
- Cambodian: USD18

Domestic:
- Foreigner: 6USD
- Cambodian: 5USD (Effective from 5th January 2004)

International Border Checkpoints
- Bavet (Svay Rieng Province)
- Kaam Samnor-Koh Rokar (Kandal-Prey Veng)
- Cham Yeam (Koh Kong Province)
- Poi Pet (Banteay Meanchhey Province)
- O'Smach (Oddar Meanchhey Province)
- Phnom Den (Takeo Province): No Visa on Arrival
- Dong Krolor (Stung Treng Province): No Visa on Arrival
 

VISA FOR CAMBODIA

Can be obtained at Royal Embassies and Consulates of Cambodia
- A visa on arrival, valid for 30 days, is issued at Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap International Airport. Poi Pet, O'Smach and Cham Yeam at the Cambodia-Thailand international border checkpoint and Bavet, Kaam Samnor at the Cambodia-Vietnam international border checkpoint.

Visa fees
- USD20 for Tourist visa
- USD25 for Business visa

Airports
- Phnom Penh International Airport
- Siem Reap International Airport

Cambodia-Vietnam border
- Bavet International Check Point
- Kha Orm Sam Nor International Check Point

Cambodia-Thailand border
- Cham Yeam International Check Point
- Poi Pet International Check Point
- O’Smach International Check Point

Application for an entry visa requires:
- A completed visa application form
- Passport valid at least further 4 months
- One recent photograph (4x6)
- Appropriate visa fee
- Supporting documents for business and official visas

Diplomatic, Official, Courtesy and Special (Cambodian national) visas are issued gratis.
Important: In order to be admitted into the country, tourists need sufficient funds for their stay and a return ticket.

Visa K
Visa K can be issued to a Cambodian national entering the Kingdom on a foreign passport. (The applicant has to provide well-documented evidence, such as proof that one’s parents were Cambodian).

Visa Exemption
The nationals of the Philippines and Malaysia do not need a tourist visa and many stay in Cambodia for 21 and 30 days respectively.

Visa extension
The tourist (T) and business (E) visas can be extended at the Immigration Department, National Police. The Diplomatic (A), Official (B) and Courtesy (C) visas can be extended at the Consular Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Note
A tourist visa can be extended only once for up to one month (single entry). A business visa can be extended for:
- One month (Single entry)
- Three months (Single entry)
- Six months (Multiple entry)
- One year (Multiple entry)
Ourstayers will be fined USD 5 per day.
 
CLIMATE & WHEATHER

Climate
The climate can generally be described as tropical. As the country is affected by monsoon, it is hot and humid with an overage temperature around 27.C (80.F). There are two distinct seasons: the Rainy Season and the Dry Season. However, the Dry Season is divided into two sub-seasons, cool and hot. These seasons are

The Rainy season:
From June till October 27-35.C (80-95.f)

The Dry season (cool):
From November till February 17-27.C (80-95.F)

The Dry season (Hot) :
From March till May 29-38.C (84-100.F)
 
CURRENCY
US dollars are as commonly used as the Cambodian Riel and even Thai Baht is acceptable in many places. Most hotels and many restaurants and shops set their prices in dollars. Small transactions are usually done in Riel. Always carry some small Riel for motorcycle taxis, snacks, beggars and other small purchases.

Riel notes come in 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 5000, 10,000, 50,000 and 100,000 denominations, but the distinctive red 500 Riel note is the most commonly used.

Credit cards and travelers checks are not common but are catching on. US dollar travelers checks are much more easily encashed than any other kind.

Money changers cluster around the markets. When accepting money, inspect the bills. Marred Riel is acceptable tender, but the tiniest tear in a large US note renders it worthless.

There are banks in all of the larger provincial capitals, including Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Battambang. Banks can change money, effect telegraphic transfers and some banks can cash travelers checks and accept Visa cards.

There is only one ATM in Cambodia, at the Canadia Bank in Phnom Penh, and you must have a local account in order to use it. You cannot access foreign accounts from this.
 
TRAVELLING AROUND CAMBODIA
Air travel, bus, train, boat and taxi are all modes of transport available to tourists in Cambodia. Your selection is best determined by how far you wish to travel, the time you have available, the amount you want to spend and, sometimes, by the weather as during the wet season travel by road especially in the provinces can be very slow.

For getting around the major centres such as Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, the most common form of public transport is the moto (motorbike taxi). The motos are fast, cheap (negotiate the price before your trip) and readily available however if you are unfamiliar with sitting as a passenger on a motorbike in heavy traffic, such as in Phnom Penh, then you may prefer an alternative mode.

The quaint cyclo is also common in the cities and is a safer more pleasant way of getting around compared to the moto, although obviously slower! Again, negotiate the price first.

For comfort and safety your best option may be to hire a car, with a driver, and this will cost you around US$20-$25 per day. Your hotel/guesthouse will usually be able to arrange a car for you.