Cambodia Brief Information
The Kingdom of Cambodia is a pearl immersed in bright tropical greenery. This is a state in Southeast Asia, in the south of the Indochina peninsula. It borders Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east and southeast, and Thailand to the west and northwest. The resorts of Cambodia – in the south-west of the country are washed by the waters of the Gulf of Thailand. Phnom Penh – the capital of Cambodia, a city of central subordination, is located on the river. Tonle Sap (at its confluence with the Mekong River). Population – 2 009 264 people (2006). The area of the country is 181 thousand km².
The climate here is monsoonal, tropical and the temperature rarely drops below 25 C. According to Bridgat, the ideal time to travel to Cambodia is December and January, when the humidity can still be tolerated, temperatures are cooler and there is little chance of rain. From February it gets very hot, and April is simply unbearable. The wet season (May to October), despite the rains, can be a good time to visit Angkor as the moats will be filled with water and the vegetation will look luxuriant – but try to stay away from the northern areas during these months because movement is significant. difficult due to washed out roads. From March to May (at this time the air warms up to 29-38 degrees Celsius) is considered the period when the water from the Gulf of Thailand is the most transparent and ideal for diving.
Time in Cambodia is ahead of Moscow by 4 hours.
Currency. The Cambodian currency is the riel. Banknotes in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, 2000, 5000, 10000, 20000 and 100000 are in circulation. The most popular foreign currency is the US dollar, it is accepted everywhere. 1 dollar equals approximately 4,000 riels. Euro is practically not accepted in local circulation and is often equated to the dollar, so it is better to change such banknotes at the exchange office for riels. Credit cards are accepted in hotels and some shops in tourist areas.
Language. The official language of Cambodia is Khmer. English, French, Russian are widely spoken in tourist areas.
Kitchen. Cambodian cuisine is a mixture of Chinese, Vietnamese, Lao, Thai and Indian cuisines. As a result of this mixing, dishes have different shades and are very diverse.
The main dish is steamed rice, the method of preparation of which has remained unchanged for centuries. In cooking, the Khmers widely use river fish, peanuts, mint, coconut milk and, of course, rice.
Traditional Cambodian dishes are fish stewed in coconut milk with mint and lemon, various types of salads using pumpkin, banana flowers, bamboo, peanuts or cashews and a little meat. All this is usually seasoned with tukchi fish sauce or prahok fish paste. It should be noted that meat and poultry are practically not used by the population. Chickens and ducks are bred solely for eggs. Therefore, meat is prepared mainly in restaurants for tourists. As a dessert, you can try different variations of sweets made from rice flour and tropical fruits and freshly squeezed juices. Cambodia is rich in a variety of delicious fruits, such as rambutan, longan, tamarin, mango, banana, pineapple, durian.
Fans of exotic food will be able to try fried spiders, grasshoppers and other large insects that are found in abundance in rice fields. One of the “signature” Cambodian dishes is boiled duck eggs with a germ.
Of the drinks, the most common are sugar cane juice and an infusion of samrong, the seeds of sterculia, both of which are sweet and refreshing.
Attractions. First of all, Cambodia is the temples of Angkor, the city of ancient civilization, built in the 5th-13th centuries. Some of the temples of this complex are still hidden in the jungle and are waiting for their discoverers, and those that have been cleared and presented to the review capture the imagination.
The wonderful waterfalls of Pnom Kulen and Pnom Bakor with hundreds of colorful butterflies, the huge lake Tonle Sap, on which the floating village is located.
A variety of beaches and untouched nature will offer you the seaside resort of Sihanoukville and nearby secluded islands.
The capital of the country – the city of Phnom Penh, a kind of bridge from the past to the future, combines the traditions of antiquity and modernity, is a royal residence.
Rules for entry into the country:
Duty-free import of 400 cigarettes, alcoholic beverages – no more than 1.5 liters,
household electrical appliances and other household items is allowed, subject to their guaranteed export.
During the transfer from the airport to the hotel, the guide will answer all your questions, as well as inform the time and place of the information meeting, at which you will receive full information regarding the procedure for staying in the country.
Departure from the hotel:
Check-out time in hotels is 12:00. If your transfer will be carried out after 12 noon, you can leave your luggage in the hotel’s storage room.
We ask you to pay in advance for additional services at the hotel. You can find out the amount for additional services at the hotel reception and ask for a printout.
Stores. Shops are open from 08.00 to 11.30 and from 13.00 to 17.00
Banks and government agencies are open from 08.30 to 15.00, ATMs are open around the clock. Official holidays are Saturday and Sunday.
Connection. To call Russia, dial 007 (Russia code) + area code + phone number.
It is better to call from a telephone using a card that can be purchased from the receptionist, or you can buy a SIM card from a local operator. The main Russian operators provide roaming in Cambodia.
In order to call Cambodia, you need to dial the code: 8 – 10 – 855 – “area code” – “subscriber number”. Codes of some cities and provinces:
Phnom Penh – 23; Siem Reap – 63; Sihanoukville – 34
From any hotel you can easily call to Russia. You can also call directly on the street from a local contact point.
Insurance case. In the event of an insured event, use the rules for using the insurance policy:
In order to receive timely medical assistance, you must immediately contact the Service Center by calling the phone number indicated in your insurance policy and provide the operator with the following information:
Surname and name of the Insured who needs assistance
Policy number and validity period
The nature of the assistance required
Location of the Insured and coordinates for feedback
Next, follow the instructions of the operator!
If for some reason you did not apply to the insurance company, the hotel will provide you with the contact details of a doctor with a European medical education.
You can use the services of an interpreter to translate the diagnosis, doctor’s prescription, name of drugs.
Rules of behavior:
You should always have a business card of the hotel with the inscription in Khmer or a card with your data filled out in Khmer. If you get lost, show the card to a local resident or taxi driver!
Drinking tap water is not recommended! Use only bottled water.
at the airport:
– watch your luggage, do not leave it unattended even for a short time;
– do not use the services of private porters;
– do not change large sums of money at the airport, because you will not need them on the way.