| Cambodia is one destination that continues to charm and attract visitors from all over the globe to witness its incredible beauty and breathtaking scenery. Considered as one of the jewels in Southeast Asia, The Kingdom of Cambodia, also formerly known as Kampuchea, is known for its warm hospitality, magnificent temples and a thousand year old culture and tradition. Being bordered by Vietnam, Thailand and Laos, Cambodia remains unique and preserves its splendor among its neighboring countries.
Cambodia is popularly known for its awe-inspiring man made wonder – the temples of Angkor. Undoubtedly considered to be a national symbol of the country (Angkor Wat is a part of the Cambodian Flag design), these astounding architectural feats have attracted millions of visitors that led to the growth of the tourism industry that made Cambodia a must visit destination within the Indochina region and within Southeast Asia. The temples never fail to fascinate its spectators as it tells you stories of a thousand years and shows you the glory of a once mighty empire. Aside from the temples, Cambodia also offers a wide array of sights and scenes all around the Kingdom. From the pristine beaches of Sihanoukville, through the jungle within the Cardamom Mountains, to the endangered dolphins in Kratie, to the local hill tribes of Mondulkiri, to the crater lakes of Ratanakiri, to a sunset cruise at the Mekong River and to the hustle and bustle of the capital city of Phnom Penh. The kingdom does not only offer a feast for your eyes, but gives you a festival of flavors to entice your palettes as well. From Amok (Cambodian curry) to their Beef Lok Lak (Khmer beef steak), a gastronomic journey is guaranteed. What makes the destination special is the warmth and hospitality of the Khmer people. Despite a dark page in their history, the country has opened and extended its arms to share to the world the grandeur and the glory of their Kingdom. The destination is oftentimes unexplained through words and is better explained and appreciated by experiencing it. With an ancient culture and tradition being combined with the charm and elegance of modern life, Cambodia is definitely a Kingdom of Wonder. |
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| Geography | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Located in the Southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia, it is bordered by Thailand to the Northwest, Laos to the Northeast, Vietnam to the East and the Gulf of Thailand to the West. The country is considered to be a low-central plain which is surrounded by uplands and mountains and features the Mekong River (12th longest river in the world) and the Tonle Sap Lake (Southeast Asia’s biggest lake).
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| Climate | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| It is normally categorized into two distinct seasons which are wet (May to October) and dry (November to April) seasons. The temperature range is from 21 to 35 degrees C. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Religions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Theravada Buddhism is the main religion being practiced by almost 95% of the country’s population. Islam would hold a 2% share while Christianity holds 1% share and the rest are summing up the remaining 3%. |  |
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| Language | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The language is officially called “Khmer” and uses Khmer script for their writing system. A majority of people (the older generations) would still be able to speak French and English is becoming a popular language amongst Cambodians. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Currency | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cambodian Riel (KHR)
The US Dollar (USD ) bills are widely accepted almost everywhere so please feel free to use them for your transactions however, please be reminded that US Dollar coins are not. Amounts in centavos used for loose change are normally converted to Khmer Riel (KHR). The Thai Baht (THB) may also be used sometime. |
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| Capital city | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Phnom Penh | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International Airports | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Phnom Penh International Airport and Siem Reap International Airport.
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| Time Zone - Voltage - Internet TLD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Time zone: GMT + 7 hours
Voltage: 250 V / 50 Hz Internet TLD: ".kh" |
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| Food | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cambodian cuisine is normally classified as the tamed version of its neighboring countries. It’s not as spicy as Thailand’s dishes and it bears some similarities with Vietnamese cuisine. The dishes are mainly influenced with hints from France and China. They would often have sauce based dishes, stir fried offerings and various soups infused with herbs and seasoning. Rice is considered to be the staple food for Khmers however, eating noodle dishes is also very popular. The overall cuisine is normally enjoyable even to those who have a discerning taste.
Go on a food journey whenever you visit Cambodia. Enjoy savory traditional dishes or try out exotic treats such as crickets and spiders for the ultimate gastronomic journey. Bring home the flavors of Cambodia with you by attending various cooking classes being offered. On another note, Cambodia also offers various restaurants offering different food themes from different countries. Several Asian and European restaurants are scattered mainly on the capital city of Phnom Penh and the tourist town of Siem Reap. |
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| Activities | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Over the years, Cambodia has slowly developed and dramatically increased the number of tourist activities within the country. Due to the diversity and influence both coming from the locals and the expats and because of the demand of the emerging tourism market, we can now enjoy more fun filled leisure options to compliment your holiday trip. There’s pretty much something for everyone. From dirt bike tours, to 4WD excursions, to horseback riding, scuba diving, to playing golf and even going on a micro light plane trip. Fun and exhilarating activities await the adventure seeker in you.
Be aware however, that all of these activities are to be done at your own risk. Most of these companies do not carry passenger liability insurance yet. Although all activities are generally safe, we still advise the guests to enjoy and participate safely and responsibly. |
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| Entertainment | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cambodia offers various local entertainment spots and various places of interests as well. The capital city has several shopping malls and shopping areas that you can visit while Siem Reap hosts some fine souvenir shops where in you can purchase high quality cultural souvenirs. Aside from the various restaurants, there also some local parks where in you can hangout plus the addition of various pubs and clubs to cater for you. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Internet connection | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| As the world becomes more tech-savvy due to the constantly growing digital age, Cambodia is also growing with the trend by having Internet connections nationwide. Wi-Fi spots are normally scattered throughout the main city and provinces while 3G connections are available through various cellular networks. This allows travelling more convenient and you can stay connected and updated with your digital lives. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cambodia VISA infomation | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| According to the visa regulation of Cambodia, all nationalities except for citizens of countries having bilateral agreements on visa exemption with Cambodia are required to have visa when entering Cambodia. The tourist and business visas are usually delivered by Cambodian Consulates and by Embassies found in Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Brunei, China, India, Japan, South Korea, North Korea, Australia, France, Belgium, Germany, Russia, Poland, Switzerland, United States, United Kingdom and Cuba.
To apply for a Cambodian visa, the applicants are required to present the original passport with a validity of at least 6 months and at least 6 months after the date of entry to Cambodia plus 2 passport sized photos. The visa is usually issued after three working days and is granted only for single entry with a maximum stay of one month in Cambodia. The tourist visa fee varies from between US$20- 30 depending on the agreement with various governments. |
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| Cambodia visa on arrival | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Foreign visitors can obtain a 30-day tourist visa and business visa upon arrival at the following international checkpoints:
A. International Airports:
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| Cambodia E-Visa | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The online visa service is currently available for tourists of most nationalities. Instead of applying through a Cambodian Embassy, you just need to complete the online visa application form and pay the visa fee with your credit card. The application of e-visa requires a passport validity of more than six months at time of entry, a recent passport-size photo in digital format (jpeg or png format) and a valid credit card (Visa/MasterCard/American Express/Discover). The e-visa will be issued after three working days and is delivered electronically to the applicant's mailbox. You just print out your visa and bring it along when travelling to Cambodia.
The e-visa processing fee currently costs US$ 25 per person and are subject to change with or without prior notice. This e-visa type allows a stay of 30 days in Cambodia and is valid for 3 months starting from date of issue. E-visas are used on the following International Airports and Border checkpoints:
The private policy of e-visa does not support tourists holding passports of Afghanistan, Algeria, Arab Saudi, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Sudan. They need to apply for visa from the nearest embassy or upon arrival at all major checkpoints. |
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| Cambodia Visa extension | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The tourist (T) and business (E) visas can be extended at the Immigration Department at the National Police Department. The Diplomatic (A), Official (B) and Courtesy (C) visas can be extended at the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The tourist visa can only be extended 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). |
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| Cambodia Visa exemption | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The immigration regulation of Cambodia allows the citizen of below countries to obtain a 30-day tourist visa on arrival at entry gate with passport valid for at least 6 months. These nations are Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand.
Source: http://www.mfaic.gov.kh/evisa/ |
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| Travel Tips | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
DINING AND DRINKING
SHOPPING
SIGHTSEEING
ADVENTURE TOURS
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