Cambodian Angkor Tour

For decades off limits to all but the most intrepid tourists, today Southeast Asia’s Cambodia is a popular destination for all kinds of travellers: from independent backpackers who roam far off the beaten track to explore the stunning sugar-palm dotted hinterland to luxury tourists who stay in style and see Cambodia’s main draw card of Angkor Wat between massages and exquisite French meals.

The ancient temple complex of Angkor Wat is Cambodia’s national treasure. The nearby city of Siem Reap has developed dramatically since the days Angelina Jolie filmed Tomb Raider here and fell in love with the nation. While some lament the discovery of Angkor by the masses, the site is still breathtaking and Siem Reap offers all the comforts one could wish for on any budget.

Kingdom of Cambodia is situated in Southeast Asia, bordered to the North by Thailand and Laos, the East and the South by Vietnam and the West by the Gulf of Thailand. The country is completely based on agriculture in which they collect the harvest during the whole year:

- Long Term Rice in rainy season
- Short Term Rice in dry season where the fields are nearby is the irrigation

canal system. Cambodia has also the farm-land along the both sides of Mekong and Tonle Sap river where they plant corn, potatoes, cabbages, cucumber and many other different kind of vegetables. We plant as well the tree-fruit like banana, mango, jackfruit, sugar-cane, milk-apple, durian, etc…

Besides all above, Tonle Sap Lake is the largest fishy-region in Asia. Kingdom of Cambodia has rubber, teakwood, timber and all kind of best quality wood for furniture.

We have only two distinguished season: the rainy season from May to October, the dry season from November to April with 25 to 35 degrees C. Sometimes reaches 39 degrees under the shade. The best time for a visit to Cambodia is from November to January with only 20 to 30 degrees C.
In the Northeast, the mountainous region with beautiful evergreen landscape where many different ethnic minority living in.

CAMBODIA FACT FILE

Country Name : Kingdom of Cambodia

Motto : Nation-Religion-King

Capital : Phnom Penh

Population : Over 14 million

Land Area : 181,035 km2

Time : GMT+7hours

Religion : 90% Theravada Buddhism

Currency : Riel (US$1=4000R)

Voltage : 220v/50Hz

International Airports : Phnom Penh and Siem Reap

Languages : Khmer, English and French

WORKING HOURS

Hours of operation in Cambodia are somewhat different than in other countries. Cambodians typically take long lunches, and the opening hours for government offices and some business offices are usually from 7.30am to 11.30am, and then from 1.30pm to 5.30pm. If you show up at an office at 1pm for example, you may find no one there.

SIEM REAP: ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE

Visas

A Cambodian visa is required for most nationalities. Visas are available on arrival at the Siem Reap International Airport, the Phnom Penh International Airport and most border crossings.

BORDER CROSSING :

Thai - Cambodian border

1. Poi Pet checkpoint

2. O Smach checkpoint

3. Along Veng checkpoint

4. Preah Vihear checkpoint

5. Pailin checkpoint

6. Lem checkpoint

7. Koh Kong checkpoint

Vietnamese - Cambodian border

1. Bavet checkpoint

2. Phnom Den checkpoint

3. Kompong Trach ( Kep province )

4. Koh Trol by boat

Loa - Cambodian border

1. Voeung Kam checkpoint

Airport Departure Tax

Domestic: US$6. International: US$25

Siem Reap Airport

The airport take time around 20 minutes from town. Outside the terminal is a ticket booth for registered taxis into town. Independent taxis and motorcycles wait just outside the airport. Most hotels offer free transportation from the airport but you must notify them in advance of your arrival.

Siem Reap Ferry Dock

The ferry to Siem Reap arrives at Chong Khneas near Phnom Krom, 12km south of Siem Reap. There is always transportation waiting at the dock.

Visas & Entry Requirements

Visa is available upon arrival at all international border checkpoints and visa fee $25 for business and $20 for tourist.

A visa is required for most nationalities. Vaccinations are not required. One Month Tourist Visa is available on arrival at the airport in Phnom Penh & Siem Reap. Tourist visa: US$ 20/ person with 01 (4×6) photo needed. Visa application form will be provided on inbound flights. Visa available at Thai-Cambodian or Vietnamese-Cambodian overland border-crossings. A passport valid for at least six months beyond the end of your visit.

MONEY AND BANKING

Currency

As with the rest of Cambodia, the Cambodian Riel is the national currency and the US Dollar is the widely used currency in Cambodia. Pay for large expenses using dollars and retain riel for small, one-off purchases like drinks or cigarettes. Currency rates fluctuate but as a guide there are 4000 riel to $1.

Currency Exchanges

Most of the local banks will change currency for you. However, it can pay to use local exchanges as the banks tend to adhere to the rates set by world currency markets. There are currency exchanges all over Siem Reap and many located in the Old Market area. Compare the rates of exchange at individual exchanges to get the best rate.

Sending and Receiving Money

Many of Siem Reap’s Banks have ATMs. It is also possible to withdraw money using a credit card and passport. Different banks have different charges for this service. A common charge is a flat-rate of $5 for withdraws up to $100, and 2% for withdraws over $100.
Western Union has counters in many of the banks. Look for the yellow and black signs outside. Some banks also offer a Money gram service. Again, this is generally advertised outside.

Religion in Cambodia

The religion governed the concept and execution of all Khmer art and architecture is enhanced by an understanding of the religious beliefs of the Khmers. According to belief, when a person died his soul was reincarnated and his spirit became free. The former religious practices, which were adopted in Cambodia at a later date recognized a common belief in rebirth , the idea that one is born again and again in different forms. At the present time, 90% of the Cambodian people are of the Buddhist religion. Hinduism for the most part has gone away.

The climate of Cambodia governed by two monsoon the monsoon of dry season and the monsoon of rainy season . The monsoon of dry season has started from November to April . This season ( the dry one ) has its monsoon blows from the sibery (russia) bringing the hot weather and carrying a little rain crossing Cambodia from the north eastern side .

During this period (dry season ) the level of rainfall are only about 100mm . People in Cambodia called the rainfall in the dry season as the little rainy season within the dry season . Which normally happening at the end of February to the beginning of march . The local people also called the rain that falling in the February and march as mango rain . Due to the season of mango begins to give flower and fruits as they believed that in the mango season if it got some rain the mango is much fruitful . Otherwise they could not collect much mango .

The rainy season has its monsoon blows from the Indian ocean and bringing heavy rain crossing Cambodia from the southwestern side in may and October. We notice that within this season ( the rain one ) also comprise a little dry season in the rainy season . Which normally happening from the middle of July to the beginning of august.

In the rainy season Cambodia has received the rainwater level in average for about 1000mm Although . Plateau . Mountain and the coastal area received the level of rainwater for about 3000mm more then the areas of the middle valley . The reason for the middle valley receiving the regime of rain water less than the other areas .

Because this region (valley areas) located behind the mountain Oral ( cardamom range )

Mountain oral is 1888m high is stuck the monsoon of rains into the middle valley from the southwest . That is why that valley area produce the food for the country economy got less regime of rain . There are high percentage of the humidity during the rainy season .

Which about 90% we also notice that in Cambodia the rain normally comes in the afternoon time between 1pm to 4pm .It is seldom that the rain comes in the early morning .

The cool season of Cambodia known as the transitional period between the dry and wet season in November and January . The temperature in this period is between 14C to 25C . The local people also called this season as the harvest season . Sine the rice in the fields that they had transplanted in the wet season are turning to yellow to be ready to collect fruitful . The cool season bring the cool winds from the north pol crossing Cambodia from the northern side.

In the period of the coll season also known as the high season of tourist . Because the weather is fine not hot and not rain that causing European . American or the other have their holiday for being avoid from the snow in very cold weather n their countries . On the other hands . April in the hottest month in Cambodia which its temperature arises to 38C to 45C some time .

And January is coolest month . Which temperature is about 14C to 27C . Summerized . The weather of Cambodia could be in average between 27C to 32C in all year round . But now a day the world is getting problem with global warming by too much polluted of the green house . Then made the world weather in changing to cocern us .