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ANGKOR TOURS

CAMBODIA

  • Geography
  • Currency
  • Population, Religion and Language
  • Communications
  • Climate
  • Clothing
  • Food
  • Electricity
  • International Flights
  • Immigration
  • Airport Taxes
  • Business Hours
  • Health
  • General Travel Advice
  • More about Cambodia

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GEOGRAPHY
Cambodia lies between Thailand to the east, Vietnam to the west and Laos to the north. The mighty Mekong river flows through on its way to the delta in southern Vietnam and connects to the Tonle Sap lake just outside the capital Phnom Penh. At the north west corner of the lake lie the temples of Angkor Wat built Eight hundred years ago by the ancient Khmer civilization that at the time ruled over most of the region.

The largest geographical feature is the Tonle Sap lake that feeds that is connected to the Mekong river. The Tonle Sap is said to be the worlds most furtile inland waterway and the river of the same name that connects it to the Mekong river just outside Phnom Penh is the largest river in the world to change direction. This happens twice a year as the level of the Mekong drops. During the wet season the Mekong fills the lake and in the dry season as the river level drops rapidly the Tonle Sap reverses direction to feed the Mekong.

The best time to visit is between the months of October and April, avoiding the monsoon season. The country is subtropical with two distinct seasons - hot and wet. During the months of November, December and January the days are pleasantly and the evenings comfortably cool, but rarely dropping below 25 degrees Celsius except in the upland areas. It is virtually unknown for it to rain during these months.

CURRENCY
The local currency is the called the Riel but the US dollar and Thai Baht are widely accepted and easily exchanged across the country. Goods and services are often priced in dollars and there is a little need to buy riel except when traveling into remore areas. In remote rural areas small transactions, such as purchasing refreshment are quoted in riel, whereas larger ones, such as accommodation, will be in dollars. US Dollar Traveler's cheque's can be changed at most banks in Phnom Penh and major tourist destinations. Credit card facilities are limited to some major hotels. It is best to carry US$ in cash in small denominations. Exchange rate: 1 $US = 3870 Riel (April 2000)

POPULATION, RELIGION AND LANGUAGE
Cambodia has a population of around 12 million people, about one million of whom live in the capital Phnom Penh and in total about 90% are ethnic Khmers. There are several minorities such as Chams (who are Muslim), Vietnamese and Chinese. The official religion is Theravada Buddhism, as is also practiced in Thailand, Burma, Laos and Sri Lanka. Ninety percent of Khmers are Buddhist although. There are thought to be around half a million Muslims and 60,000 practising Christians.

The official language is Khmer. Khmer has roots in the Mon-Khmer dialects, but has also been heavily influenced by Indian
Pali and Sanskrit as well as Thai and French. The second language is officially French, but in recent years, English haS gained a great popularity and there are plenty of English Language schools in Phnom Penh and the countryside. French was widely spoken by the educated classes before 1975 and is still spoken by a few older generation Cambodians.

COMMUNICATIONS
As the Cambodian currency has no coins, there are no coin operated phones in Cambodia. Cardphones however are situated throughout the city, and are easy to find situated in all major hotels and the main post office, as are places to buy the cards. There are also several mobile phone systems. The international is Country Code: +855. Internet Cafes have enjoyed a surge in popularity in recent years and can easily be found in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Cambodia is 7 Hours ahead of GMT, (with one hour variations for Daylight Saving Hours).

CLIMATE
Cambodia's climate is tropical and basically has two seasons - wet and dry. The Northeast Monsoon which brings little rain and is from November to April, with temperatures reaching over 40 degrees Celcius in April. From May to October, the south-west Monsoon brings heavy rain and humidity. During the early stages of the monsoon season, the rain is limited to one or two downpours a day, which by August can produce heavy, if temporary, street flooding.

CLOTHING
Lightweight, loose-fitting, cotton clothing is recommended for sight seeing, whilst professional motocross equipment (boots, jeans, shirt, shoulder and elbow protectors) is invaluable while out on the tour. All specialist equipment should be brought from outside the country while the local markets stock a wealth of casual clothing.

FOOD
While Khmer cuisine is not as spicy as that of it's neighbours, it is also not as exciting. Street food is very basic but there are a wealth of international restaurants catering to all tastes in both Siem Reap and Phnom Penh including Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese, Russian and even Australian. The typical Khmer dishes are rice, fish, curries and soups with beef, pork, poultry. Purified bottle water is available everywhere as the tap water should not be drunk under any circumstances. All the major international brands of soft and alcoholic drinks are widely available as well as locally brewed and imported beers.

ELECTRICITY
220 volts/50 Hz, It is available in most cities for 24 hours, but in the countryside (and not totally unknown in the cities!) power cuts are possible during the night and it is recommended to carry a flash light.

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS
Airlines currently serving Phnom Penh are Royal Air Cambodge, Thai International, Malaysia Airlines, Silk Air, Dragon Air, Vietnam Airlines, Lao Aviation, Bangkok Airways and President Airlines. For Siem Reap there is Royal Air Cambodge, Bangkok Airways and Vietnam Airlines.

IMMIGRATION
All foreign nationals entering Cambodia are required to have a visa which are issued on arrival at Pochentong International airport in Phnom Penh and at Siem Reap airport. Two passport photos are needed. The price for a tourist visa is US$ 20 & for business US$ 25. For arrival overland, the visa must be issued by one of the Cambodian embassies outside Cambodia. The tourist visa is valid for one month and can be extended for one month.

AIRPORT TAX
- International flight from Phnom Penh - US$ 20
- International flight from Siem Reap - US$ 8
- Domestic flight from Phnom Penh - US$ 10
- Domestic flight from all other airports - US$ 4

OPENING HOURS
-Government offices:
Monday to Friday: 07:30 - 11:30 & 14:00 - 17:00, Banks: Monday to Friday 08:00 - 15:30.
Closed on public holidays.
- General offices:
Private companies are usually open from 07:30 - 20:00 every day.
- National Museum, Silver Pagoda, Kings Palace, Tuol Sleng Museum & Killing Fields:
08:00 - 11:00 & 14:00 - 17:00.
The National Museum is closed on Monday and public holidays

HEALTH
Hospitals with international facilities are only available in Phnom Penh although pharmacies and GPs are available in most cities. Major tourist destinations, such as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, are said to be free of Malaria but other more remote areas of the country that the tours visit are not and the old addage applies 'prevention is better than cure.' In the evenings it is prudent to wear long sleeve shirts and trousers and to apply insect repellant to avoid mosquito bites. Always drink bottled water and although Phnom Penh pharmacies are very well stocked always bring prescription medications in sufficent quantities for the entire duration of the trip. Anyone with special medical requirements, such as diabetics should always inform their tour leader before commencing a tour.

GENERAL TRAVEL ADVICE
For visiting temples or pagodas, shorts and T-shirts are acceptable. However, for visiting the Silver Pagoda and the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, visitors are asked to dress more formally. Films, such as Kodak or Fuji, are widely available. Although there are many camera shops available specialized photo equipment should be brought-in from outside the country.
The 2001-2002 Season has been finalized and begins December 8, 2001 with the annual Extreme Rally Raid. This years's rally will travel from Phnom Penh to Bangkok, taking all the roads less travelled. To keep up with the latest developments just fill out the registration form.

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