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 Traveller's Tales: Advise for travellers in Cambodia
Heed our handy tips on safe travel in Cambodia. You may read about travel warnings, health, what to wear, travel with kids, travel with pets, local weather, local government, medical information and traffic information in the area.Also, you might want to read our
Angkor / Siem Reap city guide,
and Phnom Penh city guide.
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| C Evans |
24 May 2005 |
Stayed at Cambodiana Hotel - Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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Booked taxi driver who took me from airport, to go to Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng Prison -- dirt road to Killing Fields VERY potholed, so would recommend car. Haunting experience, to be in such places -- but essential for any visit to Cambodia. Read a book called 'Stay Alive My Son' to get the full picture of the horror of the Pol Pot years! After that, hired a tuk-tuk from outside Hotel Cambodiana to take me around for 2 days -- ask for a driver called Bhu, who is brilliant. In tuk-tuk you get the 'feel' of Phnom Penh in a way you don't in a car -- but be careful with possessions. I was warned all the time to hang on to my bag. Must-do's are Russian Market, Wat Phnom, cocktails in Elephant Bar of Le Royal, lunch at Friends restaurant and Le Rits (both helping disadvantaged Phnom Penhois), shopping at Centre for Disabled Persons (Norodom Boulevard, near Wat Phnom), lunch / sundowners at Foreign Correspondents' Club. Khmer Surin restaurant (street 57) offers great food for dinner in lovely old Khmer house with lots of atmosphere -- also surprisingly cheap! Take plenty of dollars, as money flies through your hands in Phnom Penh! I loved it there (you can still see lots of raw Indochina, rather than the sanitised version available in Asian cities such as Bangkok) and will certainly be going back.
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| W Goh |
10 August 2004 |
Stayed at Angkor Century Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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We paid for a 3-day pass but were templed-out by the end of the second day. I would recommend visitors to go to the furthest temples on their first day(Bantaey Srei for example) and slowly build their staminas for the grand finale - Angkor Wat. In my opinion, Angkor Wat's the only monument that withstood the test of time and the forces of nature and is the most complete one out of the lot. Having said that, the rest of the temples are also magnificent and well worth a visit.
If you are going to the smaller sites, steer clear of the stalls - the children will start following you until you bow to their requests to buy either t-shirts, postcards or film! Beware of their tactics too - they will first start a friendly conversation, then press a little souvenir or flower in your hands and when you're just about to leave, they will insist that you buy something from them because you have "accepted" their "gifts"! For dining, FCC's a must. The food is inexpensive and very good! The old market is also a good hunting ground for souvenirs and such. Check out Asasax Art Gallery - he is a noted Cambodian artist and his oil on canvas paintings truly exemplify Cambodian life and culture. We've given one of his paintings a home in Singapore!
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| B Claughton |
18 April 2003 |
Stayed at Secrets of Elephants Inn - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Be wary of the taxi drivers at the aiport, although they will take you into town for a less than average fair they then ask to be your driver for your whole stay, fine until they double the price on the third day when it's too late to make other arrangements, and your 'too English' to haggle effectively!
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| W Burnett |
01 April 2003 |
Stayed at Passaggio Boutique Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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I met up with a driver called Sam Aon (samaon02@hotmail.com), he had some sort of built in radar that alerted him to the exact moment that I would leave a temple and would be there with the engine on and air-con running ready to pick me up, this perfect timing was either down to magic or an accumulated knowledge of exactly how long it takes an overweight middle aged English bloke to get around a temple before expiring in the heat.
This exceptionally pleasant chap is very polite and helpful and speaks very good English. Quick recommendations, take your own US dollars (they are expensive to buy in Cambodia and time consuming to get hold of), drink a lot of water, go out early and get back at midday to hibernate for a few hours before going out in the afternoon, allow yourself 3 full days to do see the temples, and one day for a trip to the floating village.
Beware of young men dressed as monks wishing to practice their English whilst giving you a guided tour of the temples, they will demand 10 dollars from you and will get really stroppy if you don't pay up. Give a donation of 50 dollars to the local children's hospital, it will salve your conscience when you refuse to give any more money to the hundreds of tiny children that swarm around you begging for money or trying to sell you some crap, though one small child broke my heart when I refused to buy a scarf, she said "if you buy a scarf you can wipe the sweat off your sweaty face." Beware of policemen selling you genuine "Military Police" badges.
To get to Siem Reap from Phnom Pehn, take the river boat, it is an experience in itself and you can take comfort knowing that you will be able to fly back.
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| B Rasem |
20 February 2003 |
Stayed at Holiday Villa Phnom Penh - Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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Phnom Phen is especially at night, no really a safe place. After darkness nobody should undertake footwalks throughout the city. There are some other places (northern part of Phnom Phen) which can be unsafe during daytime as well. Because of these facts I would prefer a destination/hotel next to the riverside!
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| M Altmann |
08 February 2003 |
Stayed at Angkor Century Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Cambodia - Siem Riep - felt safe at night and the people were very friendly! Everything in the tourist trade was handled in US dollars - even the restaurants and markets had prices in US dollars.
The locals have caught on to the fact that tourists have lots of money and throw it around generously. Hence they charge RIDICULOUS prices for transport. While rich people continue to overpay and tip excessively, the problems will only worsen.
Watch out at Siem Riep at the airport for people offering to get you to the hotel. ALWAYS find out how much the charge is before you let anyone take you anywhere. I got caught coming through the domestic terminal from Phnom Penh - a man was holding a sign that said the name of the hotel I was staying at and I thought it was the free hotel shuttle service so got in and let him take me there without checking if it would cost and then how much it would be. It wasn't free - he happened to have a number of signs for a number of different hotels and was not working for any of them. He was holding them up attracting guests at the hotels - and didn't offer information on how much it would cost to get there. Check!!
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| Y Cai |
03 February 2003 |
Stayed at Pacific - Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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Angkor Wat is incredible in all aspects. But there are several things you should be aware of before you open your mouth of this historic wonder:
The boat to Siem Reap can be suffering. Stay close to the head of the boat, either in the cabin or on the roof. No one warned me before, as a result, I had only half my hearing for the afternoon after I arrived.
Be aware of seemingly kind gesture, helping you this and that, everything has a price tag afterwards.
These are just some minor tips, you will enjoy the trip in general, relics, shopping, dining, talking and gesturing to the locals.
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| D Sleipness |
06 December 2002 |
Stayed at Ta Prohm - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Seim Reap is beutiful. NEVER buy anything from kids at the ruins. They are like pack animals.
Dead Fish is a very good restaurant. Good Thai food. But as usual in Cambo, not spicy enough.
Easy to get digital images transfered from camera memory cards to CDs in many areas.
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| N Swamy |
23 October 2002 |
Stayed at Tai Seng Hotel - Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
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Airport pick up was provided but return trip was not. Hotel provides transportation for sightseeing etc. for a fee but at least one of the vans is dilapidated. Check what vehicle you are getting.
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| B Bruckman |
20 October 2002 |
Stayed at Angkor Hotel - Siem Reap, Cambodia.
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Cambodia was wonderful but one must watch their money. The locals are good at ripping you off. The food was great and the temples were fist class.
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