Security:
Cambodia
is not yet safe for travel in the jungle or to remote temples alone.
Visitors should only tour these areas with an official tour guide who knows the
country and its landscape. That said, it is imperative that visitors do
not stray into the jungle because of land mine, which have not been 100%
cleared. It is also not permissible to buy antique souvenirs as doing so carries
a fine of possible imprisonment.
When
to go?
Visitors
may visit Cambodia either during the rainy
season (May to September) or the dry season (October to April). Most tourists
visit during the dry season, but it does get a bit warm at around 27 degrees C
at that time. The best time to visit is actually November, December or January,
but during these three months hotels are at the highest rates. Visitors may
also choose to visit in July or August during the rainy season, but a good time
to visit as there are not so many visitors at the temples and hotel packages are
low. The beach at Sihanouk Ville is not recommended for a visit during the
rainy season nor is the Hill tribe at Ratanakiri Province. Battambang, old French
building town, is highly recommended for a visit anytime, which offers excellent
views of rice fields and fruit plantations.
What
to bring?
Travelers should remember to pack sunglasses, mosquito repellent, sport or
closed-toed shoes, and an umbrella if visiting during the rainy season and also
remember to discuss with your doctor any medications you might need for your
visit.
Clothes
Cambodian’s wear long sleeve shirts and long trousers traditionally. At temple
sites, visitors must wear long sleeve shirts and trouser in order to protect the
Khmer tradition, to respect the religious temples and to protect from the sun.
Strong shoes should be worn for walking and climbing steep stairs. At Sihanouk
Ville, shorts are allowed, but women must wear T-shirts or short jeans to swim.
A rain coat is also useful if visiting Cambodia from May to September.
Travel
Insurance
Insurance is important in Cambodia and a company called Caminco
is a secured broker allowed to sell insurance to visitors. Insurance will help
when visitors do tour Cambodia and, it is a good idea to buy travel accident
insurance from Caminco or another local tour operator when visiting.
Money
& Credit Cards
The
local currency in Cambodia is
“Riel,” a name which comes from a small white fish of the Great Lake. Riel is used throughout the entire
country, but at most of the town centers the “Dollar” may be used when
purchasing goods, foods, accommodations, transportation, Visas or paying airport
taxes. At the moment, 1 USD = 4000 Riel (1 US dollar = 1.35 Euro). At the
border the exchange rate is 1 USD = 3500 Riel. Money changing can be done
everywhere from local marketplaces to banks. In fact, it is better to keep
USD for traveling in Cambodia.
Credit
cards are also useful in Cambodia. Visitors can take USD money
from ATM machines. ANZ Royal Bank
ATM charges $2 USD for taking USD from a VISA card transaction. Canadia
Bank ATM charges $5 USD per transaction.
Traveler’s cheques are not widely accepted in Cambodia, but visitors may change
these at the bank with a two percent commission being charged.
Post &
Communications
Stamps
are found at most post offices or hotels. For sending a postcard the cost is
2200 Riels, depending on the weight. Post offices are open from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00
p.m. Telephone service works throughout most of the country as well,
but the most popular mobile phone is Mobitel (012-). For fixed phones, these are
Camintel and Telecom, which work best in the country. For calling overseas, the
cost is around $2 USD per minute. Local calls are only about 400 Riel per
minute. For international calls, the best idea is to go to an Internet Café for
lower rates at about 2000 Riel per minute.
Time
Cambodia’s
time zone is the same as
Thailand, Laos and Vietnam and is seven hours ahead of
GMT (Greenwich Mean Time)/UTC.
Opening hours
Government offices: Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 11:30 and from 14h to 17h
Banks: Monday to Friday from 8 am to 15h and from 8am to 12pm Saturday
Shops: most remains open daily from 7:30 am to 20h
Companies: 8h-11h30 / 14h-17h
Market: Open every day
Public
Holidays and Special Events
The
calendar of
Cambodia is taken from the lunar
system, so the date is not the same and it changes from year to year. Cambodia’s
important events and holiday are Chaul Chhnam Khmer “Khmer
Happy New Year or SangKran” usually held on the 13, 14 and 15 of April
(Occasionally starting from the 14 to 16 of April). Students are allowed to have
15 days break while in school. Besides these days, there are many other
events such as “Bon Om Tuk” Water festival or the festival of
boat racing held in November and usually in front of the Royal Palace Phnom
Penh. “Pchum Ben” or Ancestor Day is usually when Khmer people
bring their foods to pagodas and pray to their ancestors. Independence
Day is held on November 9, the day the country became independent from
French colonization (1953).
Health
The two major problems usually encountered in countries of Southeast Asia
are water and mosquitoes. The water, whose quality does not meet Western
standards must be purchased in a bottle of mineral water still sealed. Never
drink tap water and avoid as much as possible to eat vegetables raw or slightly
cooked shellfish, ice water and ice cubes. However, we can always fill a gourd
with water is then disinfected using pellet type Micropure "we will easily find
stores with all touring as" Old Camper ". Whatever solution you choose, remember
that in these warm climates, drinking is essential to avoid dehydration.
Mosquitoes can carry various diseases and rampant especially at dusk and in the
forest. Your doctor will advise you without doubt a Profilaxis based
anti-malarial. However, no treatment can be guaranteed 100% effective due to the
emmergence resistant strains, and side effects may be particularly undesirable
for some people. The best way to protect remains to wear long clothes and bring
bomb repulsive based on "repellen" available from any pharmacy.
Vaccinations
No vaccination is officially required. However, some medical centers may
recommend anti-cholera inoculations and anti-tetanus even those against typhoid
and Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B. If in doubt, please contact a reference to the
Pasteur Institute.
