Cambodia Tourist Attractions
For Cambodia travel guide, Without a doubt, the Angkor Wat is the hottest tourist attraction in Cambodia, many travelers head straight to Siem Reap for a short stay then leave after appreciating this wonder. However, if you give a few more days to Cambodia, this land will surely offer you a more inspiring and unforgettable travel experience in return. From the historical and cultural essence in Phnom Penh, laid-back atmosphere floating around local market at Battambang, to the white-sand beaches and relaxed off-shore islands in Sihanoukville, the country just won’t let you down.
Sorted by cities, you can easily find more about things to do & see in Cambodia, or just spare all the troubles and let your travel consultant tailor-make a Cambodia tour exactly according to your interest.
Food in Cambodia
Being one of the oldest living cuisines in the world, Cambodia food, or Khmer cuisine, is renowned for its freshness, simplicity, seasonality and regionalism for cambodia travel guide
The Cambodians love strong and vibrant taste of flavors, such as sweet, sour, and salty. Plenty of herbs, leaves, dipping sauce and other garnishes are used in dishes, comprising the unique Khmer cuisine that most travelers once have sampled, they won’t turn back.
Rice is the staple food of the Cambodians, who consume it daily with all meals using various cooking techniques like steam, fry, sticky rice, rice noodles, etc.. Cambodia is blessed with large volume of freshwater rivers and streams, which makes fish the most important meat source for them, especially those who live in the Tonle Sap Lake region. Curries are common to see in Khmer cuisine. They are less spicy than that of Thailand but contain the same amount fried vegetables and more garlic. Tropical fruit like mango, coconut milk and banana is served as dessert, the sweeter the better. Just for your information – durian fruit is still the king of fruit in Cambodia as with the rest of Southeast Asia.
Popular dishes with cambodia travel guide’s idea
Amok: As the most well-known Cambodia food, Amok is a staple curry dish made from fish (or can be replaced with chicken), which is cooked in banana leaves with coconut milk and Khmer curry paste. In both local cookshop and upscale restaurants, you can find this dish easily.
Nom Banh Chok: It’s the loved Khmer noodles that most westerners miss it so much when they return home. The rice noodles are topped with green fish gravy and green bean, banana flowers and other vegetables. The locals usually have it as breakfast, which costs less than a dollar in Phnom Penh every day in street stands.
Bai Sach Chrouk: The dish can be seen all over the country, serving as a favored snack made from grilled pork or beef infused with lemongrass and coconut milk or garlic, a portion of rice and a bowl of chicken broth will come along.
Cha Houy Teuk: Here comes the dessert time. Cha Houy Teuk is the best Cambodian dessert popular with young people. It’s a sweet jelly dessert made from sticky rice or sago marinated in coconut milk and topped with heaps of taro, red beans and other edible garnishes
Fried Crab: If you’re visiting a seaside town in Cambodia, don’t miss the specialty, fried crab, which is prepared with green Kampot pepper and garlic chives. Restaurants in Phnom Penh also have live crabs transferred so you can have a feast here as well.
Shopping in Cambodia
For Cambodia travel guide, Visitors always want to dig and find the most worthwhile souvenirs before they go back home from their Cambodia tours. Indochina Odyssey Tours constantly receives questions from our customers such as where to shop and what to buy in Cambodia. That’s why we put together all the questions and answer them one by one to give you the best guide of shopping in Cambodia.
Khmer Silk: The soft and beautifully designed Khmer silk is sold like hot cakes across the country. There are two kinds of Khmer silks: the old silk made years ago and the new silk produced in nowadays. They share the same quality but not the price.
T-shirts: Of course, this item is the favorite souvenirs in any tourist destination. Bringing home a t-shirt featuring the famous Angkor Wat or other Khmer symbols is kind of cool. Price ranges from $2~5 depending on the quality and where you get.
Paintings: Cambodia has never lack outstanding artists. You don’t have to go to galleries to get great paintings because the one you find in the streets is also a stunning work. It’s also good to support the local artists who don’t have the privilege of specific galleries.
Handicraft, Statues and Gemstones: The Cambodians are endowed with the genuine skill of making handicraft and the ancient traditions were handed down from generation to generation. Delicate carvings, Buddha statues bas-reliefs (just as those you find at the enclosure of Banteay Srei) are available in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
No one would deny the temptation of colored Cambodian gemstones. In Siem Reap, you can see jewelers selling sapphires and rubies. It’s advised do some homework about gems before you decide to pay.
Visa for travel to Cambodia
For visitors who want to stay in Cambodia within 30 days, a Tourist Visa ($30) is applicable, which can be extended only once. A Business Visa ($155) is for those who wish to stay above 2 months with multiple entries. E-visa ($25) for tourists is available online through the Ministry’s website. Visitors also can get Visa on Arrival ($30) at international airports, international border crossings with Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
- What are the validity of a Cambodian Visa and the duration of my Cambodia stay?- Your visa is valid for 90 days from the date of issue. The duration is 30 days after issue.
- What materials do I need to apply for a Cambodian Visa?- An application form, one or two photos of passport size, passport photocopies used applying at some consulates/embassies, a valid passport for at least 6 months with at least one-page blank.
- How long is the processing time?- Around 3 business days. It’ll take more time if the application form was filled out incorrectly
The Weather & Climate
Certainly, no one wants the weather to be the vibe killer of his Cambodia tours. That’s why Indochina Odyssey Tours collects information about the weather and climate of the ancient nation for anyone fancying a smooth holiday.
Cambodia has a tropical monsoon climate with only two distinct seasons: wet (May to September) and dry (October to April). It’s hot and humid with an average temperature of 27°C around due to its location just 10~13 degrees north of the equator.
Of note is that the dry season is divided into two sub-seasons: cool (November to February, 29°C) and hot (March to May, temperature easily reaches up to 40°C). Look up exact live weather broadcast for packing before you start the trip
Best Time to see Cambodia with cambodia travel guide’s idea
Since regions of the country share the same climate pattern, you can travel the country all year around. But we still got the optimum time to visit, which is November or December early in the dry season, when there it rains least and the temperature is not too hot while the Tonle Sap Lake in Siem Reap and waterfalls are already full with a colorful countryside to look at. This means you can visit Cambodia attractions without worrying about the bad cooperation of the weather.
Other things you may want to know is when the major festivals take place so that you could catch up with the fun. In April the Khmer New Year lasts three days and is celebrated throughout the country. In October or early November, the Water Festival celebrates the beginning of the dry season together with exciting boat races and Buddhist ceremonies. The Independence Day takes places on 9th, November, marking the independence from France and Khmer National Day. Grand parades in the capital Phnom Penh will stun you
Getting to Cambodia
As a developing country, Cambodia doesn’t offer much choice for transportation. Flight and vehicle are used most for travelers. We lists the common means of transportation for your reference.
By Flight: At this moment, there are only two airports handling international flights: the Phnom Penh International Airport and the Siem Reap International Airport. The former one is the largest airport in Cambodia while the latter is the busiest one in terms of passenger traffic for it is located near the famous tourist site, Angkor Wat. For Cambodia travel guide, With transnational flights, it’s pretty convenient to travel between Asian countries like China, Vietnam, Laos and Thailand.
Good tips from cambodia travel guide before you come
1. Telephone
Cambodia uses the GSM mobile system and Mobitel is the largest operator, although competition is stiff. Pre-paid SIM cards are widely available (from US$1), but require a passport to buy. A guesthouse owner or tuk-tuk driver may just buy one for you.
2. Internet
Internet cafes are cheap (US$0.50-US$1/hour) and common, even small towns will have at least one offering broadband. In Kampot, Kratie and Sihanoukville rates are around US$1/hour. WiFi is increasingly popular, with signals available in some unlikely places: not just in coffee shops but also fast food restaurants, bars, and even gas stations. Domestic broadband prices range from $29.95 to $89.00. Always remember vat is added to all prices, and even the locals pay vat.
3. Post
For Cambodia travel guide. Once a disaster, a trip to the post office in Cambodia no longer means a final goodbye to your consignment. Intercontinental postcards should arrive in 2 weeks; within Asia, 1 week. Rates are cheap. Spend some pennies to say hello to your friends in your Cambodia tours!
4. Currency
The currency of Cambodia is called Riel. But for the past few years the country’s economy has largely relied on the US Dollar, which is now used as an everyday currency alongside the national currency. Dollars are everywhere accepted, for small and large purchases. Travelers’ cheques from American Express of Thomas Cook can be cashed in at banks. Generally speaking, Riels are used for small expenses (cigarettes, newspapers, moto-taxi rides, fruit or drinks bought on a market stand, for example), whereas Dollars are used for paying restaurant bills, in hotels and for transport, meaning that the cost of visiting is not as low here as you might expect.
5. Electricity
Electricity in Cambodia is 220V, 50 Hz. Power sockets are generally of the round, two-pin variety. Adapters can be bought at markets and supermarkets. Power cuts are frequent in the provinces.
6. Time
Cambodia is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Universal Time Coordinated (UTC). When it is midday in Cambodia, it is 1 am in New York, 5 am in London, 6 am in Amsterdam and 3 pm in Sydney.
7. Travel around the city
With Cambodia travel guide, If you want to get around the city, the best way is to take a tuk-tuk. It is the cheapest and most fun vehicle. You can find them along the street almost everywhere. It is often cost a couple of dollars for a short ride. There is also some air-conditioned cars available, it is around $25 per day for trips around the Angkor area. Before heading off on the tuk-tuk, it is better to make sure the final fare with the driver in case of any confusion at the end of the ride.
8. The Cost of Living
The cost of living in Cambodia is really low. There are so may nice restaurants in Siem Reap . They serve Mexican, Indian food and they’re not particularly expensive, around five dollars. If you want to cook by yourself, there’s markets for meat and vegetable, very cheap, and Lucky supermarket for imported western food like cheese and olives. Moreover, Alcohol is very cheap in Cambodia, most of the restaurants on pub street serve draft beer for 50 cents. Actually, there’s almost non-profit service but to tempt you in and sell some food you might want to order. Cigarettes are also very cheap in Cambodia . Transport is only by tuk tuk, should cost a dollar or two to go anywhere in Cambodia.
9. Good clothing to get around
People should wear the most comfortable clothes prepare for the outdoor activities. It’s better the garments made from “wicking” or cotton material. For the color, white or clear color is a good idea. Take a spare T-shirt at hand is also a good idea , in case your cloth is wet to the skin in hot Cambodia weather.
10. Safety
Cambodia is now at peace and is safe again for tourists to visit. In Phnom Penh, watch out for pickpockets, also by begging children. Do not venture out in the city after 10 pm. Keep all your valuables at the hotel safe. Up country, stay on the roads and paths. There are still many landmines buried in the countryside.
