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Angkor Destination, “Your Travel Partner in Cambodia” for Experience, Affordable Luxury Travel Services, a local tour operator and service provider of “Experience” Cambodia with renowned reputation on custom tailor-made tours for Couple, Family, Cultural & Classical tours, Bleisure – for small business trip and Incentives, just to mention a few.
Access to Cambodia:
There are two main International Airports, one is in Phnom Penh and another one is in Siem Reap, both have been developed and improved for their maximum capacities and provided full services for passengers on both international and domestic flights.
The international flights operated by many international airlines are now becoming easier since Cambodia has gradually upgraded its airport standard. Currently, the Royal Government of Cambodia has granted for two new mega airports developments “in Sotre Nikum District in Siem Reap and in Kandal Province in Phnom Penh”, of which constructions are under way, and expected to be completed and open for operations in 3-5 years-time.
However, after the country relaxes its travel restrictions, tourists are now could travel freely and easily enter the country without worries! “You can simply just pack your bags and take a trip without pre-departure tests and quarantine. If you think to travel, Cambodia is the destination for you!!!”
Air Entry Points:
There are three major airports currently being operated for Inbound & Outbound flights.
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- Porchentong International Airport, is one of the biggest airport moment in Phnom Penh and it has the capacity to accommodate all the heavy aircrafts from the international long haul flights into the Kingdom. The airport is considered as the main hub to welcome all the domestic and international tourists to Cambodia.
- Siem Reap International Airports, is the second bigger airport currently being used for many international flights in/out and links to other cities for the country domestic routes.
- Kang Keng Airport in Sihanouk Ville, is third bigger airport at the south coast of Cambodia. The airport is mainly operate for domestic flights, linking Siem Reap and Phnom Penh to its region in Sihanouk Ville – the destination for pristine beaches at the finest Islands in Asia.
Besides the main three airports, Cambodia has widely welcomed tourists, travelers to the country through land crossing borders to Thailand, Vietnam and Lao.
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- Poipet, Cambodia side and Ban Klong Leuk at Thai side:
Poipet international border checkpoint is located in Banteay Meanchey Province. It shares crossing border to Sakeo Province in Thailand. - Cham Yeam, Cambodia side and Hat Lek at Thai side:
Visitors can reach Cambodia through this border checkpoint from Trat Province and Koh Kong Province in Cambodia. From Koh Kong, tourists can travel to Sihanouk Ville and the trip would take about 4 hours-time by speed boat and 3.5 hours by land. - Choam-Anlong Veng, Cambodia side and Sangam at Thai side:
In Cambodia side, the Choam (Anlong Veng), International border checkpoint is located in Oddor Meanchey Province, shares cross border to Sisaket Province in Thailand. Tourists can access through the gate easily and apply for Visa at this border checkpoint. - Bavet International Border, Svay Rieng Cambodia shares border crossing to Vietnam at Moc Bai:
Located 48 kilometers from Svay Rieng provincial town, Baveth is the international border crossing to Vietnam. The checkpoint is the main international border crossing for people traveling between Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City (Former Saigon). - Tropaeng Kreal International Border – Steung Treng Province shares border crossing to Lao at Nong Nok Khiene:
Currently, there is only one Laos-Cambodia official crossing point. Tourists can travel to Steung Treng and continue to cross border through Tropaeng Kreal at Cambodia side, and crossing to Nong Nok Khiene at Laos side.
- Poipet, Cambodia side and Ban Klong Leuk at Thai side:
SEA Port:
Sihanouk Ville is the main deep-sea port of Cambodia. The Port situated in the Bay of Krong Kompong Som, is the principal and only deep-water maritime port of Cambodia. The port was built in 1959 with a total capacity of 1.2 million encompassing the old French-built wharf and adjacent new facilities. The capacity of Sihanouk Ville port, in its present condition, is estimated at about 950,000 tonnes per year, excluding POL which has separate facilities. This is about twice its present traffic. The port can accommodate ships of 10,000 – 15,000 tons deadweight.
The autonomous Port is two miles from Sihanouk Ville town and 11 miles from Kang Keng Airport. It’s an industrial port and has become a jealously guarded secret of savvy travelers. There are pristine resorts on the Islands boast beautiful beaches and crystalline waters. The port has been accommodated many cruise ships and welcomed thousands cruise tourists to region. Most ships arrive at the early morning at the port and tourists have a day for the tour to the downtown and visit the beach, pagodas, local market and get right back to the cruise ships in the evening.
Requirements for borders Entry & Visa:
All foreign nationals who wish to enter Cambodia must comply to the rules and regulations and abides by Cambodia’s immigration law. All travelers, tourists must apply for entry visas prior before entering the country or choose to apply for visa on arrival at immigration. However, there are visas exemption for those who are the member states in ASEAN community, consist of Laotian, Malaysian, Thai, Vietnamese, Philippinos, Brunei, Singaporean and other ASEAN community members.
To enter Cambodia ones must apply for a Visa which is applicable and issuable on arrival at all International Airports “Porchentong Airport” in Phnom Penh and at Siem Reap Angkor International Airport. To apply for a visa ones must have his/her passport validation of at least 6 months validity and/or one (1) passport photo may be required. The tourist visa is valid for one (1) month (30 days). The price for a tourist visa on arrival is USD 30.- payable in Cash at immigration (forms are distributed at the airport or at the border or on the airplane). For arrivals overland, tourist visas are issuable too at the two main International Border crossing at Poipet (border to Thailand) & Baveth, border to Vietnam).
To avoid of misinformation and for your travel update, please keep checking and verifying before travel as the countries continue to update and develop their policies from time to time. Here are short lists of the different types of visas for Cambodia that you need to know before entering the country and this will help you planning better on your travel.
– Visa K: Special visa issued to Cambodian nationals, holding a valid foreign passport upon presenting proof of a Cambodian citizenship.
– Visa C: Short-term visa issued to travelers who plan to stay in Cambodia for only a short period (maximum of three months).
– Visa E: Ordinary visa which is valid for 30 days.
– Visa T: Tourist visa issued only for tourism purposes
TIME Zone:
– Indochina Time (ICT)
– Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) or Universal Coordinated Time (UTC) +7 hours
– European Summertime GMT + 6 hours
Electricity:
The standard of electricity in Cambodia is used 220 volts/50 Hz is available in most cities 24 hours. In remote power cuts are possible during the night and it is recommended to bring a long a flash light.
Electric plug details:
– European plug with two circular metal pins.
– Japanese plug with two parallel flat blades.
Telephone Services:
There are no coin operated phones in Cambodia (Cambodian currency has no coins). Internet in Cambodia is probably one of the fastest and most accessible across Southeast Asia. WiFi is available in the vast majority of coffee shops, restaurants, bars and hotels, and even on some modes of transport.
Tourist SIM cards can be bought at the airports on arrival for a few dollars. Mobile data can be purchased and runs well throughout the majority of the country, although it will be patchy in rural areas and is unavailable in remote regions, such as the Cardamom Mountains, Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri at the far north-east of Cambodia and at the islands off the south coast near Sihanouk Ville.
We advise that you purchase a Cambodian SIM card upon arrival thereby avoiding all those nasty roaming charges. You will find that most Cambodians you meet will have a mobile phone so you can swap messages easily.
Social Media in Cambodia:
Unsurprisingly given its useful population and widespread usage of mobile phones and internet in Cambodia, social media has taken off in the country.
Facebook used to be king, but now this has been replaced by Snapchat and the like especially with local Cambodians. If you are looking to communicate with Cambodians via apps, we suggest you set up a Telegram account which is much more widespread in use than WhatsApp & line, Signal and Messenger. Twitter has hardly registered a tweet in Cambodia.
Vaccinations:
For information on required and recommended vaccinations, please consult with your local doctor and/or travel clinic latest 6 weeks before your departure. However, refer to the current requirements, all tourists and travelers must have fully vaccinated of the COVID19 vaccination and the monkeypox vaccination may be required before entering the country.
Health:
If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 119 and ask for an ambulance. You should contact your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment. You should also check the list of medical and dental services that available in the area.
Public health facilities in Cambodia are now improving. Private clinics and hospitals in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are often better equipped, but are of variable quality and can be expensive. Many specific treatments and procedures are not available in Cambodia. You can choose to travel to neighboring countries for medical treatment if necessary.
The standards maintained by Cambodian emergency services are still at limit in comparison to the modern developing country and evacuation may be necessary for medical emergencies and anything other than minor medical concerns. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and that you also have accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation as some hospitals will expect payment by you at the time of treatment.
There are no proper mental health care facilities in Cambodia, yet the government has not been successfully improved it. Professional treatment including medication is difficult and expensive to obtain. Emergency mental health treatment is likely to need an air ambulance transfer to a country offering appropriate facilities.
Cambodia has rapidly improved and increased on local pharmacies, they provide choices of supply of medications. You can find any tablet and many products at most pharmacy stores in the major cities in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanouk Ville. However, it’s also recommend that you bring adequate supplies at your own for the duration of your trip just in case of the needs at any urgent circumstance.
Most major tourist destinations, such as Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, are free of Malaria. However, for the evenings it is recommended to wear long sleeve shirts and long pants and to apply insect repellent to prevent from mosquito bites. The key viral disease is the Dengue Fever, which is transmitted by mosquitoes which bite during the day unlike the malaria mosquitoes.
Climate:
Cambodia’s tropical climate is affected by the monsoon. The cool, dry north-east Monsoon which brings little rain is from November to March. During the rainy season from May to October, the south-west Monsoon brings heavy rain and humidity. However, the rain is limited to one or two downpours a day, notably in the afternoon and is great refreshment.
Clothing:
Lightweight, loose-fitting cotton clothing is recommended and long-sleeved items should be included for protection from mosquitoes (when you got on a tour in the dark area or in the jungle), and the sun. During the rainy season an umbrella is more convenient than a rain coast. A jacket may be needed in hotels and restaurants using excessive air-conditioning.
Foods & Drinks:
The Khmer cuisine is closely related to other Asian countries, but not very spicy. The typical Khmer dishes are rice, fish, curries and soups with beef, pork, poultry and tasty sauces, and the most favorite food for tourists is “Amok-fish”. Western style food is provided widely in the major cities. Also other Asian dishes are available (Indian, Chinese, Korean, Thai, Japanese, and more…). Please do not drink tap water! Purified bottled water is available everywhere. Soft drinks are also widely sold as well as locally brewed and imported beers.
General Travel Advice for Tourists/Visitors:
For visiting temples or pagodas, shorts (which cover the knees) and T-shirts are acceptable. However, for visiting the Silver Pagoda and the Royal Palace, visitors are asked to dress more formally. At the temple of Angkor Wat, tourists are requested to dress properly when visiting the third tier of the temple, and have to go on a queue in some special days or the holy day.