Cambodia

The Kingdom of Cambodia is bordered by Vietnam to the east, Laos to the north, Thailand to the north and west, and the Gulf of Thailand to the south.

Understand

Cambodia has had a pretty bad run of luck for the last 660 years. Ever since the fall of Angkor in 1431, the once mighty Khmer Empire has been plundered by all its neighbors plus colonial France as well. After a false dawn of independence in 1953, Cambodia promptly plunged back into the horrors of civil war in 1970 to suffer the Khmer Rouge's incredibly brutal reign of terror, and only after UN-sponsored elections in 1993 did the country begin to totter back on its feet.

While much of the country's population still subsists on US$1 a day, the provision of even basic services remains spotty and political intrigue remains as complex and opaque as ever, the security situation has improved immeasurably and increasing number of visitors are venturing back and rediscovering Cambodia's temples and beaches. Siem Reap, the gateway to Angkor, now sports luxury hotels, chic nightspots, ATMs and an airport fielding flights from all over the region, but venturing off the beaten track is still an adventure.

History

Following a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all cities and towns. Over 1 million displaced people died from execution or enforced hardships. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside and touched off 13 years of fighting. As a result of the devastating politics of the Khmer Rouge regime, there was virtually no infrastructure left. Institutions of higher education, money and all forms of commerce industries were non-existent in 1978, so the Country had to be built up from nothing. UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance of normalcy, as did the rapid diminishment of the Khmer Rouge in the mid-1990s. A coalition government, formed after national elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces.

Economy

Cambodia's economy slowed dramatically in 1997-98 due to the regional economic crisis, civil violence, and political infighting. Foreign investment and tourism fell off. In 1999, the first full year of peace in 30 years, progress was made on economic reforms and growth resumed at 5%. GDP growth for 2000 had been projected to reach 5.5%, but the worst flooding in 70 years severely damaged agricultural crops, and high oil prices hurt industrial production, and growth for the year is estimated at only 4%. In 2001, severe floods damaged an estimated 15% of the area devoted to rice. Tourism now is Cambodia's fastest growing industry, with arrivals up 34% in 2000 and up another 40% in 2001 before the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US. The long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge. The population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside, which suffers from an almost total lack of basic infrastructure. Fear of renewed political instability and corruption within the government discourage foreign investment and delay foreign aid. On the brighter side, the government is addressing these issues with assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors.

Regions

North-West Cambodia:

Eastern Cambodia:

Southern Cambodia:

Cities

• Banlung - far northeastern provincial capital located near some great waterfalls and national parks
• Battambang
• Kampong Cham - sleepy provincial capital on the Mekong
• Kompong Thom - waypoint between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap
• Kratie - small town in the north-east on the Mekong
• Phnom Penh - the capital
• Poipet - the busiest border crossing town on the Thai border
• Siem Reap - the access point for Angkor
• Sihanoukville - seaside town in the south, also known as Kompong Som
• Stung Treng - if you're heading north to Laos you'll be stopping here for the night

Other destinations

• Angkor Archaeological Park - home of the imposing ruins of ancient Khmer civilization
• Preah Vihear - hilltop temple pre-dating Angkor

Get in

All visitors, except citizens of some (but not all) Asian countries need a visa to enter Cambodia. As usual the visa can be obtained at any Cambodia Embassy or General Consulate overseas. Visa is available on arrival at Pochentong International Airport (Phnom Penh), Siem Reap International Airport, all six international border crossings with Thailand, some international border crossings with Vietnam, and at the main border crossing with Laos. You will need one passport-size photo, filled forms and a passport which is valid for at least 6 months. Tourist visas cost US$20 and business visas US$25. The tourist visa is valid for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days in country itself at a cost of US$15 through most travel agencies. Beware of the scams listed in the "by bus" section.

By plane

Phnom Penh International Airport (previously Pochentong International Airport) and Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport are the two most commonly used airports for travel to and from Cambodia. Travellers going specifically to visit the Angkor temple ruins may prefer to use Siem Reap as it's only a few minutes away from the main sites.

Direct flights connect Phnom Penh with China (Guangzhou | Hong Kong | Shanghai), Laos (Vientiane), Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur), Singapore, Taiwan (Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok) and Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh City).

Direct flights connect Siem Reap with Laos (Pakse | Vientiane), Singapore, Taiwan (Kaohsiung | Taipei), Thailand (Bangkok | U-Tapao) and Vietnam (Danang | Ho Chi Minh City).

From November 2005, low-cost carriers Air Asia have introduced flights from both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap; JetStar Asia have begun flying between Singapore and both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh; and PMTair have launched Phnom Penh to Bangkok and Siem Reap to U-Tapao services.

Other airlines already operating flights to/from Cambodia include Angkor Airways, Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, China Southern Airlines, Dragonair, Eva Airways, Lao Airlines, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Shanghai Airlines, Siem Reap Airways (a subsidiary of Bangkok Airways), SilkAir, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, and Vietnam Airlines.

By bus

There are no direct bus services from Thailand, but there are good Thai bus services to the main border crossings. On the Cambodian side, more basic and less frequent bus services are available from Poipet and Koh Kong. There are direct bus services from Saigon to Phnom Penh.

Beware of scams when entering Cambodia overland. The most common scam is the inflation of the visa fee from the official US$20 to 1000 baht or more - you may want to get your visa from a Cambodian embassy/consulate in advance to avoid this. Past scams have included requirements to purchase a SARS health form for 50 baht, a fine for not presenting an international vaccination certificate, and a US$100 to Cambodian riel exchange requirement.

• Bangkok - Siem Reap - see the Aranyaprathet and Poipet articles for more details

This route is in better shape than it once was but still a bit of a hassle, particularly when entering Cambodia. On this route, tourist bus employees often take kickbacks from restaurants and guesthouses they suggest, and tourist buses will stay at rest stops for 2-3 hours or feign mechanical problems, extending the travel to 12 or more hours, which usually makes tourists too tired to argue when arriving at an overpriced guesthouse.

• Bangkok - Sihanoukville - see the Hat Lek and Koh Kong articles for more details

Starting in Bangkok, catch a bus to Trat, and from there a minibus to the border. After crossing into Cambodia there are two possibilities - the once-daily boat to Sihanoukville (can be unpleasant in adverse weather), or else a minibus or taxi to either Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh (note that most of the road is not sealed and conditions vary considerably, depending on time of year and maintenance).

• Saigon - Phnom Penh

It can be interesting to go by tour (3 days) on the Mekong delta, ending up in Phnom Penh. The cost is about US$35 in total for three days from Saigon to Phnom Penh (2002).

By boat

To/from Laos - There is one border crossing for tourists on the Mekong, a 90 minute speedboat ride north of Stung Treng. The border guards are quite corrupt and try to make some extra dollars from tourists.

To/from Thailand - There are no ferry services between Cambodia and Thailand. However it is possible to cross the border from Thailand to Koh Kong on foot, take a 15 minute share taxi or motodop (motorbike taxi) ride, and then proceed to Sihanoukville by ferry from there (or vice-versa).

To/from Vietnam - It's possible to travel between Saigon and Phnom Penh by boat, or by combination of road and boat.

Get around

By road

Cambodian roads, while somewhat improved from their previous state, remain mostly in abysmal condition. Although the three main routes to Phnom Penh (from Siem Reap, Sisophon, and Sihanoukville) are all sealed and in good condition, most other highways are unpaved dirt, and while now maintained fairly regularly, they fall apart with alarming speed in the wet season. Overloaded logging trucks also do a good job of smashing poorly built bridges. In all, buffer your schedule and expect delays when travelling around the country.

For longer journeys there is a system of buses and pickup trucks that usually operate from the market square, with most departures between 06:00-09:00.

Motorcycle taxis are ubiquitous. For quick trips across town, just stand on a corner for a moment and someone will offer you a lift - for a small, usual standard, fee.

Motorcycle rentals are available in many towns, with the notable exception of Siem Reap.

By boat

Ferries operate seasonally along many of the major rivers. Major routes include Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Siem Reap to Battambang. Boats are slower than road transport, charge higher prices for foreigners, and are sometimes overcrowded and unsafe. Then again, Cambodia's highways are also dangerous, and boats are probably the safer of the two options.

The boat trip between Siem Reap and Battambang is longer, less comfortable, and more expensive than the bus, but is favoured by some travellers for its up-close view of subsistence farming (and hundreds of waving children) along the river.

By train

As of January 2006, the only passenger train in Cambodia travels very slowly from Phnom Penh to Battambang every other day, and back again on the alternate days. It's also possible to travel on non-passenger trains if you enjoy that kind of thing.

Talk

Cambodians primarily speak Khmer, which unlike most languages in the region is not tonal, but makes up for it with a large assortment of consonant and vowel clusters. Some elder Khmers speak French from the colonial days, but partly because of the Khmer Rouge era (in which those speaking foreign languages were targeted for extermination), to actually encounter anyone fluent in French is rare in most parts of the country. German and other European tongues can be found in the tourist centres (but are even rarer than French) and Japanese is also a popular language for tourist industry workers.

In market situations, most Khmers will know enough English to complete a basic transaction, though many vendors carry calculators into which they punch numbers and show you the screen to demonstrate the price. Carrying your own calculator for this purpose may help, but is not necessary.

Buy

The Cambodian riel is the local currency, but US$ are so widely accepted in Cambodia that you don't really even need to exchange money. The exchange rate is fairly stable at 4000 riel to the US$, and it's not uncommon to receive change in a mix of the two. Thai baht is also accepted, particularly near the Thai border (especially Battambang, Koh Kong, and Poipet); further east (including Siem Reap) baht can easily be exchanged, but cannot be spent (except at uncompetitive rates).

VISA and JCB are the most widely accepted credit cards. MasterCard and American Express cards are becoming more widely accepted slowly. American Express traveller's cheques in US$ are the most widely accepted. Credit cards and traveller's cheques are accepted in major business establishments, such as large hotels, some restaurants, travel agencies and some souvenir shops.

ATMs can be found in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Elsewhere, some banks can process cash advances on credit card. For the rest of the country it's best to stick to cash or traveller's cheques.

Keep in mind that traveller's cheques can only be cashed at competitive rates in banks in Cambodia's larger cities (guesthouses in heavily touristed areas may offer similar services but at horrendous rates). If you're planning on heading out off the beaten track, you need to take enough (US$) cash to get you back to a point where you can get more.

Although US$ notes are universally accepted in Cambodia, coins buy nothing but confused looks.

Eat

Cambodia food uses coconut, seafood, chicken, and the ubiquitous "river spinach" found in much of South-East Asia. There is a strong French influence found in the availability of good coffee (served with sweet condensed milk), French bread, and Laughing Cow brand cheese.

Aside from the national noodle dish there is lots to be found on the markets. Try the tarantula, snakes on a stick and different sorts of insects. A simple, cheap but complete meal with rice, veggies, and meat is often served in a plastic bag on the streets.

Cambodia's domestic beers include "Angkor" and "ABC", most big international labels (San Miguel, Carlsberg, etc) can also be found.

Wine is on most moderate to upper range restaurant menus, but probably wont be found in many bars or night clubs, unless they are in Western hotels.

If you are lucky you can find some coconut beer to try.

Sleep

Cambodia has the usual South-East Asia range of accommodation from US$2 guesthouse rooms to US$100+ air-con hotels. At the budget end, expect to provide your own towels etc.

Learn

Cambodia has limited opportunities for language and cultural studies.

Work

There are opportunities for volunteer work, mostly in Phnom Penh in the areas of English Language as well as health education, working with homeless youth and other development projects.

Stay safe

Cambodia is a safe and friendly country, with the usual exception for large cities late at night (particularly Phnom Penh) and unobserved luggage or wallets. Bag snatching (especially from tourists, including those on bicycles and motorcycles) is a problem in Phnom Penh. Be discreet with your possessions (especially cash and cameras) and as always, take extra care in all poorly lit or more remote areas.

Cambodia suffers from a legacy of millions of land mines left during the war years. For the average tourist, mines are not really an issue, as areas like Siem Reap and Angkor Wat have long since been thoroughly demined. However, travel beyond well established paths is still not recommended. In border areas (such as Preah Vihear) exercise caution and heed warning signs, and do not venture beyond well established roads and paths.

Stay healthy

Most medical services in Cambodia are an absolute joke, and the rest are few and far between and very expensive. Should you become seriously ill or injured while in Cambodia, evacuation to Thailand or Singapore will be the most likely result. Because this can be incredibly costly, adequate insurance cover is an absolute must while in Cambodia.

There are presently no vaccination requirements to enter Cambodia, unless arriving directly from Africa. Border officials have from time to time operated scams whereby travellers were "fined" for not having proof of vaccinations, however this now appears to have stopped completely.

Before visiting Cambodia, be sure to discuss prevention with a qualified specialist / travel clinic. It's especially important to review the relevant vaccinations (hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, measles, rabies, tetanus-diphtheria, typhoid, etc) well in advance; in addition, both malaria and dengue fever are endemic in most parts of Cambodia.

HIV/AIDS is widespread and on the increase - always wear protection!

Tap water in Cambodia is not suitable for drinking. Phnom Penh municipality claims that its water is treated and cleaned, and this is probably true; however by the time it gets to your tap, it's been contaminated. Bottled water is the only thing you should ever drink or brush your teeth with.

Respect

Remember during your stay that Cambodia is a country at a crossroads. While the more heavily touristed places like Phnom Penh and Siem Reap will be well adjusted to tourist behaviour, people in places such as Stung Treng or Banlung will be less adapted. Always remember to ask permission before you take a Khmer's photo, as many in the more backwater areas won't like their photo taken, and some in the urban areas will even ask you to pay for the service of having a picture of them!

Haggling - Khmers are (by and large) not the hardcore hagglers that their Vietnamese neighbours are, so it's important to be respectful when haggling over something in the market or with your motodop. If you're staying at a Western owned hotel, or going to a Western owned bar, realize that the people you haggle with at the markets need your money a lot more than the people at the hotel or the bar that you aren't even bothering to haggle with. The bottom line is that you shouldn't take the attitude that every single transaction at a market must be bargained into the ground. If a woman is asking for 1,000 riel for a bottle of water, don't haggle, pay it. If a vendor is asking for US$1 for a small T-shirt, don't haggle, pay it.

Contact

Country Code: +855

Internet cafes are cheap and popular in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh but may be scarce elsewhere in the country. Visitors entering Cambodia from Thailand should not expect comparable technology - many cafes feature late 1990's computers with modem-like Internet connections.

Get Out

Airport taxes are levied on all departures, payable after checking in at the airlines counter and before going through customs clearance. Keep the receipt as it will be checked later. For international departures, the tax is US$20 at Phnom Penh and US$25 at Siem Reap. For domestic departures, the tax is US$5.

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