Cambodia, lost in the jungle, is bright and amazing: hundreds of palaces and temples of ancient Angkor, the original capital of the kingdom of Phnom Penh, mountain ranges, national parks and pristine lakes, and also a seaside resort. Tours and excursions, reviews, photos and maps – all about Cambodia.
It is difficult to say why our compatriots know Cambodia better – because of the big-mouthed beauty Angelina Jolie, who fought with multi-armed stone demons in the role of Lara Croft within the walls of Angkor, or because of the USSR, when we were actively friends with Kampuchea, sending her our specialists and typical Soviet consumer goods in the 80s. Be that as it may, all of us, together with the Hollywood star, played an important role in the development of Cambodia as a popular tourist destination. Judge for yourself: “Lara” has promoted the fantastic temple complex of Angkor to the whole world so that now only people far from TV do not know it. But the Soviet Union left a lot of Russian restaurants, markets and even a whole “Russian city” Sihanoukville as a legacy to the ancient kingdom.
Today, everyone who is not too lazy and who is not afraid to spice up the traditionally luxurious Asian vacation at sea comes to Cambodia. The beaches here are certainly no worse than in Thailand or Vietnam, but the quality of the roads, and the infrastructure as a whole, are a little lame. But the prices in this country are so expensive: for 1 US dollar you can get an amazing 20-minute “fish” pedicure or one delicious frog fried with ginger.
Cities and regions
The capital is Phnom Penh. Popular sightseeing cities are Sihanoukville, Siam Reap, Angkor.
Look for a complete list of cities in the country on the page cities and resorts of Cambodia.
Climate of Cambodia
Tropical monsoon, hot and humid. Two seasons are clearly distinguished: hot and humid summer (from May to October-November) and dry winter (from November-December to March-April). The average temperature in summer is +26…+32 °C, in winter +22…+26 °C. In summer, with very high humidity, the air temperature can reach +35…+42 °C. See citypopulationreview.com for weather information.
The rainy season starts in May-June and lasts until September. The rainiest months are July, August and September. However, Cambodian rains are not a long drizzle, but always short showers.
Actual information: weather forecast for the main resorts of Cambodia for the coming days.
- What’s the weather like in Cambodia in August
Cambodia Hotels
The hotel base of Cambodia is smaller than in neighboring Vietnam, but even here there are decent hotels of different categories. Service at a good level, “star” corresponds to the declared. In 3 * hotels, especially in urban ones, there is often no pool. But the rooms are equipped with everything you need – air conditioning, TV, mini-bar, bathrobe and slippers, free Wi-Fi.
- Where are the best beaches in Cambodia?
Money
The monetary unit of the country is the Riel (KHR), in 1 riel 100 sous. Current exchange rate: 100 KHR = 1.41 RUB (1 USD = 4091.09 KHR, 1 EUR = 4303.83 KHR).
Banks are open Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 15:30. Some of them are open on Saturdays until 12:00. Exchange offices are open from Monday to Saturday from 7:30 to 11:00 and from 14:30 to 17:00. There are no ATMs, all transactions are made in bank offices.
Almost everywhere in the country you can freely pay in US dollars. At the same time, prices are recalculated at the current official rate, which all Cambodians are well aware of.
Credit cards are accepted for payment only in banks and in large hotels in the capital and other large cities. Cashing them in the provinces – just like travelers checks – is almost impossible. Preference is given to credit cards and checks in US dollars.
In most hotels and restaurants in the country, there are no official service charges. Therefore, if a guest wants to thank for a good attitude and clear service, he can simply round the amount up. In addition, it is customary to tip the guides serving the group.
Shopping and stores
Markets open early around 6:00 am and close by 5:00 pm. The best time to visit them is in the morning, because closer to noon, most of the shops are already closed for a kind of siesta, reopening only around 15:00-16:00.
From Cambodia, you can bring silk and products from it, jewelry, wooden and wicker crafts of local craftsmen.
- What souvenirs to bring from Cambodia
Cuisine and restaurants of Cambodia
The basis of the local cuisine is rice, fish and meat, herbs and vegetables, and in the south of the country – seafood. A huge number of various dishes are prepared from these components, among which there are especially many soups.
Local soups are very similar to Thai ones, but not as spicy. The second is often served with rice pasta in coconut sauce and beef with green chili. Especially popular is baked river fish in lettuce or spinach leaves, dipped in a spicy sauce.
Khmer “branded” non-alcoholic drinks are “samrong” (an infusion of the seeds of the tree of the same name), sugar cane juice, “tektnot” palm tree juice or coconut milk. Although the local beer is unusual for our taste, it is inexpensive and of quite high quality.
Local gourmets also love to snack on spiders, frogs, snakes, turtles and succulent sparrows.
