Related Khett Siem Reab Favorites Tips

Favorite thing: Hello again Lauren,
If you do decide to visit without a tour or a personal guide, I do recommend a good guidebook for the Angkorian temples and two that stand out are:
Dawn Rooney's, Angkor. She's got several books on Angkor but the ones on the temples themselves with a short guide for Siem Reap at the end is very good. Her other book, Angkor Odyssey is OK but the one specifically on the temples is better. She revises her book from time to time so there are many editions (probably into it's 6th or 7th edition by now).
Another good book as a guide to the Angkorian temples is Michael Freeman's, Ancient Angkor.
Both authors' books are wonderful guides and have great pictures and architectural temple plans, too.

Favorite thing: The link below is for bits of info and links etc that didn't seem to fit in on any of my other pages, so just scroll down and you might see something that might help you with your holiday. I will always be adding to this page, so keep coming back.

Some of the included info is links for:

The Travel Doctor
Going Overseas! Register with the Department of Foreign Affairs
Australian Government's travel advisory and consular assistance service.
FX Currency Converter
Local Times Around The World
International Dialling Codes
World Newspapers Online
ATM Locator
International Driving Permits (Australian)
Australian Embassies, high commissions, consulates
Australian Passports

Click here for info on the above,

Favorite thing: Make sure you take a few passport size photos with you, (one for your visa and one for your Angkor Wat pass, plus a spare, just in case!!

This info is for those arriving by plane. You will be given forms for your visa on the plane.

Its all very easy and only takes a few minutes, proceed to the counter with the very immaculately dressed, stony faced officials and away you go.

The visa on arrival is for a 30 day stay and will cost US$20.

You can also apply for a visa before you leave your home country through your travel agent, Royal Embassies and Consulates of Cambodia (but it will cost more) or apply online for an eVisa.

Cambodia Visa, Apply For Visa Online - Official Site,

Visa's on arrival are issued at Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap International Airport. Poi Pet, O'Smach and Cham Yeam at the Cambodia-Thailand international border checkpoint and Bavet, Kaam Samnor at the Cambodia-Vietnam international border checkpoint.

Visa fee: Business visa: US$25, Tourist visa: US$20.

Airport Tax

Don’t forget there is an airport tax of US$25 for International departures.

This tax is usually not included in the price of your ticket, so make sure that you have US$25 spare in cash when you are leaving, which is payable at the airport.

Domestic departures tax is US$10 from Phnom Penh and US$6 from Siem Reap.

International Gate Ways

Phnom Penh International Airport
Siem Reap International Airport
Sihanoukville Port (Visa on Arrival)

Airport Tax:

International Airport:
USD25
Domestic:
6USD

Telephone Country code: 855, Phnom Penh code: 23.

Markets are open from early morning to late evening, including Sundays and pubic holidays.

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Favorite thing: Cambodia is bordered to the North by Thailand and Laos, to the East and the South by Vietnam, and to the South and the West by the Gulf of Thailand.

Approx. population is 13,000,000 Million (90-95% Khmers) the balance being ethnic Chinese, Cham, ethnic Vietnamese and hill-tribe people.

Language Khmer, secondary languages: English and French

Religion 95% Buddhist with the balance being Muslim, Christian and animist

Climate
1 Nov-Feb, cool/dry
2 Mar-May, hot/dry
3 Jun-Aug, hot/wet
4 Sep-Oct, cool/wet

Currency RIEL, but US dollars are widely accepted.

Visas
Visas be obtained at Royal Embassies and Consulates of Cambodia
A visa on arrival, valid for 30 days, is issued at Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap International Airport. Poi Pet, O'Smach and Cham Yeam at the Cambodia-Thailand international border checkpoint and Bavet, Kaam Samnor at the Cambodia-Vietnam international border checkpoint.
Visa fee: Business visa: USD25, Tourist visa: USD20.
E-Visa is also now available

Airport Taxi.
For visitors entering Cambodia through Phnom Penh Airport, a taxi into the city will cost USD7 and will take 15 minutes.
A (non-metered) taxi from Siem Reap Airport into town, 8km away, costs about USD5 and takes 10-15 minutes.

Local Transport Cars and mini-buses are available for touring the temples at Angkor or for day trips in and around Phnom Penh. The cost of a car and driver is US$20+per day.

Telephone Country code: 855, Phnom Penh code: 23.

Markets are open from early morning to late evening, including Sundays and pubic holidays.

Emergency.
There are emergency services in Phnom Penh.
Call 119 ambumlance, Call 118 fire truck, Call 117 police.

International Gate Ways
Phnom Penh International Airport
Siem Reap International Airport
Sihanoukville Port (Visa on Arrival)

Airport Tax:
International Airport:
Foreigner: USD25
Cambodian: USD18
Domestic:
Foreigner: 6USD
Cambodian: 5USD (Effective from 5th January 2004)

Favorite thing: There are ATMs in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, we used them a lot, if your card has Cirrus or Maestro on the back you will be ok.

Cash of course is also great, we took a mixture of everything, US dollars, atm cards and travellers cheques).

US dollars are accepted everywhere in Cambodia. Make sure you have lots of small denominations, eg mainly ones and fives.

Sometimes you will get some riel as change when you spend dollars, get rid of them before you leave as they will be worth nothing to you, use for small items like bottles of water, tips etc.

There are lots of places that you can change travellers cheques and you can get a cash advance from Visa cards at the Cambodian Commercial Bank and Anz Royal Bank in Phnom Penh and a few banks in other main towns.

There is a list of ATM machines in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap in my
Travelogue Page

Favorite thing: Photographer in Siem Reap. Wonderful pieces in an airconditioned space in town. Website is www.mcdermottgallery.com. To email the photographer is john@asiaphtos.net.

Tel: +855 (0) 12 615 695

Wish I had a few photos to post but of course, you are not allowed to photograph the photographers photos. Outside semi store front is posted.

fcc comples
pokambar avenue

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Fondest memory: One of my fondest memories from Siem Reap are the contacts with kids. Although often poor and dirty, they were always kind and smiling. Some of course begged for money (which we didn't give, as we thought it's better to give away some stationery and sweets).
I will always remember one girl in Ta Som temple, who could count to ten in several languages or a baby boy in an orphanage, who was dressed in colourful clothes but had such sad eyes.
On the last day of our stay in Siem Reap we were walking in the town visiting various wats and peeping into temple-run schools. We were welcomed everywhere both by teachers and students. During the break-time they surrounded us and willingly posed for a photo. It was great to exchange some simple sentences with them in English - everybody wanted to say their names and age. One of the boys (in the photo 2 he's wearing a jacket) was clearly more advanced in English than others. In my thoughts I call him now 'top of the class'. I do hope he will carry on with his education and will be successful in life. And then a girl followed us when we were leaving schoolgrounds. We started to talk and she proudly showed me her English notebook with high marks. Hopefully, they will take advantage of the chance they've got. This is what I wish them with all my heart.

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Favorite thing: We spent a lot of time in Siem Reap walking in the town, talking to people, especially children. What struck us was how good-natured these people are in spite of their hard lives.
Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Asia. It is unbelievable, but about 35 % of people here live below the poverty line, which means that they have to survive on less than one dollar a day. Of course it's the children who suffer most. And the number of children is big - almost half of the population is below the age of 15. Many of them, instead of going to school, have to help their families and are sent out to beg in the streets, or work f.e. as can collectors. Children prostitution is also a serious, although shamefully hidden, problem.
Although many programmes sponsored by international organizations have improved the educational situation, the needs in this respect are still immense. Literacy rate among adults is 75 %. About 85 % of children attend school but they usually complete only a few grades.
When you are in tourist places such as Angkor you are surprised to see hordes of kids in the time which they should spend at school. We were told that although education is free, many parents can't afford the uniforms, books and transport.