Introduction
A vibrant culture, charming people, jaw-dropping sights...Cambodia is kicking! You've trusted your eyes your whole life, but visit Cambodia and you just may start doubting them.How else to explain the unthinkable splendour of the 9th- to 13th-century Khmer temples, the tropical islands with barely a beach hut in sight and the untold adventures lurking in northern forests?
Cambodia promises a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences to the intrepid traveller. Your heart will race at Angkor Wat, one of the world's greatest achievements, only to haltingly derail when faced with the impact of humankind's darkest moments. After two decades of war and isolation, only now is Cambodia truly starting to recover from the Khmer Rouge's genocidal 1975-79 rule.
Geography:
Cambodia is bounded on the west by Thailand, on the north by Laos, on the east by Vietnam and to the south by the Gulf of Thailand. It's about half the size of Vietnam or Italy. Topographically, the country is dominated by the mighty Mekong River, which cuts a swathe through the country from north to south; the fish-filled Tonl é Sap (Great Lake); the Elephant and Cardamom mountains in the southwest; the Dangkrek Mountains along the Thai border; and the Eastern Highlands in the northeast. Most Cambodians live on the fertile central plains of the Mekong-Tonl é basin.The average Cambodian landscape is a patchwork of cultivated rice paddies guarded by numerous sugar palms, the national tree. Elsewhere are grasslands, lush rainforest cloaking the remote areas and, at higher elevations, unlikely clumps of pines. The biggest threat to Cambodia's natural environment is the logging frenzy which reduced the country's forest coverage from 75% in the mid-1960s to just 30% - and, with the government constantly strapped for cash, there's little reason to believe that the stripping of such assets will come to a halt soon. The number of national parks is slowly growing, but with illegal logging as rife as legal concessions, no tree in Cambodia is safe. The parks include Bokor, on the south coast; Ream, near Sihanoukville; Kirirom, outside Phnom Penh; and Virachay, bordering Laos and Vietnam. A number of endangered species which are elsewhere extinct are thought to be hidden in the more remote habitats, including elephants, tigers, leopards, rhinos, gibbons, bats and crocodiles. The most commonly found fauna are varieties of butterflies, snakes and birds such as cormorants, cranes and ducks.
Destination Facts
Capital: Phnom Penh
King: Norodom Sihamoni
Prime Minister: Hun Sen
Government: multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Time zone: GMT +7
Area: 181040
Population: 14000000
People: Ethnic Khmers (96%), Chinese (2%), Vietnamese (1%), Cham and Malay Muslims (1%)
Languages: Buddhist, Animist, Cham Muslim, Christian
Currency: Riel (CR)
Major industries: Tourism, timber, rubber, shipping, rice milling, textiles and fishing
Major Trading Partners: Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, USA, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan
Country Dialing Code: 855
Getting There
The ideal months to be in Cambodia are December and January, when humidity is bearable, temperatures are cooler and it's unlikely to rain. From early February temperatures start to rise until the killer month, April, when temperatures often exceed 40 ° C (104 ° F). Come May and June, the southwestern monsoon brings rain and high humidity, cooking up a sweat for all but the hardiest of visitors. The wet season (May-Oct), though very soggy, can be a good time to visit Angkor, as the moats will be full and the foliage lush - but steer clear of the northeast regions during those months, as the going gets pretty tough when the tracks are waterlogged. The country's biggest festival, Bon Om Tuk, is held in early November, and is well worth catching. Others you might like to plan around include the water festival in Phnom Penh, or Khmer New Year.
Getting there and away
Bangkok is the easiest place to pick up a flight to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Flights to the capital also fly out of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane and Guangzhou. There are also budget airlines connecting Cambodia with Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The major airport is 7km (4mi) west of Phnom Penh. You can catch a taxi to the centre relatively cheaply, and the even cheaper motos charge per passenger. Be prepared to pay a departure tax when you leave. The land route will be vastly improved when the road linking Phnom Penh with the Thai border at Poipet is upgraded, but there are no firm plans to improve the diabolical road to Siem Reap. A combination of boats and buses will eventually ferry you from Thailand's Trat Province to the coastal town of Krong Koh Kong. Buses and shared taxis will get you to Vietnam's entry point at Moc Bai. A new crossing between Banlung and Pleiku (Vietnam) was opened in February 2008. Some of the road is terribly rough, and you need to have your visa sorted before you cross from either side. The land border with Laos opened briefly but has since closed.
Getting around
Flying is the quickest (and of course most expensive) way of getting to places like Angkor and Ratanakiri. Road travel is safer than it's been for years, and most of the main roads are now in pretty good shape thanks to international assistance. Train travel is just about possible if you negotiate a space on a cargo service - but the journey will take much longer than by bus. With some 1900km (1180mi) of navigable waterways to utilise, boats play a major role in getting around. The most popular services operate between the capital and Siem Reap - the express service cuts the journey time down to a mere five hours. An effective local bus network makes travel to sights around Phnom Penh much easier than driving, particularly as cars can only be hired with a driver - and when you look at some of the country's highways from hell, perhaps that's all for the best. Taxis are more common in the cities these days, and cyclos and motos (small motorcycles) can be flagged down for short hops.
Visa:
A one-month visa, available on arrival at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports, costs 20.00 for a tourist visa and 25.00 for a business visa.
Weather
From December to April the climate in Cambodia is at its driest with abundant sunshine and temperatures often reaching 40 º C (104 º F) in April, the hottest month. The humid southwestern monsoon from May to October sees rain fall mostly in the afternoon, accounting for 70-80% of annual rainfall. The highest temperatures around this time average just above the 30 º C mark (around 88 º F).
Events
Chaul Chnam Chen (Lunar New Year) is celebrated by ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese in late January or early February. The Chaul Chnam (Khmer New Year) celebrations bring the country to a standstill for three days in mid-April - a fair amount of water and talcum powder gets thrown around at this time, so it's a lively but noncontemplative time to visit. Chat Preah Nengkal, the Royal Ploughing Festival, takes place near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh in early May. The Khmer calendar's most important festival is Bon Om Tuk in early November, celebrating Jayavarman VII's great naval victory over the Chams in 1181 and the end of the wet season - it's a very busy time to visit Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Banks, ministries and embassies are closed during all public holidays and festivals.
Warning
Landmines are still a real danger in Cambodia, with up to six million live mines dotted around the countryside and near the border with Thailand. Stick to the beaten track - even at Angkor.
A vibrant culture, charming people, jaw-dropping sights...Cambodia is kicking! You've trusted your eyes your whole life, but visit Cambodia and you just may start doubting them.How else to explain the unthinkable splendour of the 9th- to 13th-century Khmer temples, the tropical islands with barely a beach hut in sight and the untold adventures lurking in northern forests?
Cambodia promises a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences to the intrepid traveller. Your heart will race at Angkor Wat, one of the world's greatest achievements, only to haltingly derail when faced with the impact of humankind's darkest moments. After two decades of war and isolation, only now is Cambodia truly starting to recover from the Khmer Rouge's genocidal 1975-79 rule.
Geography:
Cambodia is bounded on the west by Thailand, on the north by Laos, on the east by Vietnam and to the south by the Gulf of Thailand. It's about half the size of Vietnam or Italy. Topographically, the country is dominated by the mighty Mekong River, which cuts a swathe through the country from north to south; the fish-filled Tonl é Sap (Great Lake); the Elephant and Cardamom mountains in the southwest; the Dangkrek Mountains along the Thai border; and the Eastern Highlands in the northeast. Most Cambodians live on the fertile central plains of the Mekong-Tonl é basin.The average Cambodian landscape is a patchwork of cultivated rice paddies guarded by numerous sugar palms, the national tree. Elsewhere are grasslands, lush rainforest cloaking the remote areas and, at higher elevations, unlikely clumps of pines. The biggest threat to Cambodia's natural environment is the logging frenzy which reduced the country's forest coverage from 75% in the mid-1960s to just 30% - and, with the government constantly strapped for cash, there's little reason to believe that the stripping of such assets will come to a halt soon. The number of national parks is slowly growing, but with illegal logging as rife as legal concessions, no tree in Cambodia is safe. The parks include Bokor, on the south coast; Ream, near Sihanoukville; Kirirom, outside Phnom Penh; and Virachay, bordering Laos and Vietnam. A number of endangered species which are elsewhere extinct are thought to be hidden in the more remote habitats, including elephants, tigers, leopards, rhinos, gibbons, bats and crocodiles. The most commonly found fauna are varieties of butterflies, snakes and birds such as cormorants, cranes and ducks.
Destination Facts
Capital: Phnom Penh
King: Norodom Sihamoni
Prime Minister: Hun Sen
Government: multiparty democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Time zone: GMT +7
Area: 181040
Population: 14000000
People: Ethnic Khmers (96%), Chinese (2%), Vietnamese (1%), Cham and Malay Muslims (1%)
Languages: Buddhist, Animist, Cham Muslim, Christian
Currency: Riel (CR)
Major industries: Tourism, timber, rubber, shipping, rice milling, textiles and fishing
Major Trading Partners: Vietnam, Thailand, Singapore, USA, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Taiwan
Country Dialing Code: 855
Getting There
The ideal months to be in Cambodia are December and January, when humidity is bearable, temperatures are cooler and it's unlikely to rain. From early February temperatures start to rise until the killer month, April, when temperatures often exceed 40 ° C (104 ° F). Come May and June, the southwestern monsoon brings rain and high humidity, cooking up a sweat for all but the hardiest of visitors. The wet season (May-Oct), though very soggy, can be a good time to visit Angkor, as the moats will be full and the foliage lush - but steer clear of the northeast regions during those months, as the going gets pretty tough when the tracks are waterlogged. The country's biggest festival, Bon Om Tuk, is held in early November, and is well worth catching. Others you might like to plan around include the water festival in Phnom Penh, or Khmer New Year.
Getting there and away
Bangkok is the easiest place to pick up a flight to Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Flights to the capital also fly out of Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Ho Chi Minh City, Vientiane and Guangzhou. There are also budget airlines connecting Cambodia with Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. The major airport is 7km (4mi) west of Phnom Penh. You can catch a taxi to the centre relatively cheaply, and the even cheaper motos charge per passenger. Be prepared to pay a departure tax when you leave. The land route will be vastly improved when the road linking Phnom Penh with the Thai border at Poipet is upgraded, but there are no firm plans to improve the diabolical road to Siem Reap. A combination of boats and buses will eventually ferry you from Thailand's Trat Province to the coastal town of Krong Koh Kong. Buses and shared taxis will get you to Vietnam's entry point at Moc Bai. A new crossing between Banlung and Pleiku (Vietnam) was opened in February 2008. Some of the road is terribly rough, and you need to have your visa sorted before you cross from either side. The land border with Laos opened briefly but has since closed.
Getting around
Flying is the quickest (and of course most expensive) way of getting to places like Angkor and Ratanakiri. Road travel is safer than it's been for years, and most of the main roads are now in pretty good shape thanks to international assistance. Train travel is just about possible if you negotiate a space on a cargo service - but the journey will take much longer than by bus. With some 1900km (1180mi) of navigable waterways to utilise, boats play a major role in getting around. The most popular services operate between the capital and Siem Reap - the express service cuts the journey time down to a mere five hours. An effective local bus network makes travel to sights around Phnom Penh much easier than driving, particularly as cars can only be hired with a driver - and when you look at some of the country's highways from hell, perhaps that's all for the best. Taxis are more common in the cities these days, and cyclos and motos (small motorcycles) can be flagged down for short hops.
Visa:
A one-month visa, available on arrival at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports, costs 20.00 for a tourist visa and 25.00 for a business visa.
Weather
From December to April the climate in Cambodia is at its driest with abundant sunshine and temperatures often reaching 40 º C (104 º F) in April, the hottest month. The humid southwestern monsoon from May to October sees rain fall mostly in the afternoon, accounting for 70-80% of annual rainfall. The highest temperatures around this time average just above the 30 º C mark (around 88 º F).
Events
Chaul Chnam Chen (Lunar New Year) is celebrated by ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese in late January or early February. The Chaul Chnam (Khmer New Year) celebrations bring the country to a standstill for three days in mid-April - a fair amount of water and talcum powder gets thrown around at this time, so it's a lively but noncontemplative time to visit. Chat Preah Nengkal, the Royal Ploughing Festival, takes place near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh in early May. The Khmer calendar's most important festival is Bon Om Tuk in early November, celebrating Jayavarman VII's great naval victory over the Chams in 1181 and the end of the wet season - it's a very busy time to visit Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Banks, ministries and embassies are closed during all public holidays and festivals.
Warning
Landmines are still a real danger in Cambodia, with up to six million live mines dotted around the countryside and near the border with Thailand. Stick to the beaten track - even at Angkor.
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