VISA
It is issued at the main borders and international airports (Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville). A passport photo is not required any more. The “tourist” visa (30 US$) is valid for 1 month and can be extended for an equal period (without having to leave the country). The “business” one (35 US$) has the same validity but can be extended for a period of 3-6-9 months. The passport must be valid for at least 6 more months.
CURRENCY
In Cambodia we have a dual currency. The US dollar and the riel.
The exchange rate is kept constant around 1:4000. That is, for one dollar you will receive approximately 4,000 riel.
The Cambodian riel is also used for small transactions.
Coins (cents) are not used, therefore change less than a dollar will be given in riel (e.g. 2000 riel = ½ usd). Credit and debit cards are accepted almost everywhere.
LOCAL TIME
When summer time is in effect in Western Europe (in summer), in Cambodia we are 5 hours ahead. When solar time is in effect there (in winter), in Cambodia we are 6 hours ahead.
INTERNET AND TELEPHONE You will find internet and wi-fi everywhere. To make calls you can easily purchase a SIM card by presenting your passport.
For call Cambodia you have to dial +855 and then the number (without the zero).
VACCINATIONS AND HEALTH PRECAUTIONS
No vaccination is required. It is advisable to pay attention to the water you drink (from the bottle), to your food (raw vegetables or fruit not washed properly) so as not to incur intestinal disorders. It is advisable to have health insurance that covers any medical and travel expenses.
GEOGRAPHY
Cambodia covers an area of approximately 180,000 square kilometres. It borders Thailand to the east, Laos to the north, Vietnam to the west and overlooks the Gulf of Siam to the south (440 km of coastline). The territory is mainly flat with hills to the south-west and north. The highest mountain is Phnum Aoral (1,770 m). The main river is the Mekong which flows for about 600 km in the country and continues flowing into a delta in southern Vietnam. In the center of Cambodia, Tongle Sap Lake is the largest and most fishable freshwater reserve in South East Asia; during the monsoon, a unique peculiarity in the world, the tributary transforms into an emissary and vice versa.
CLIMATE
Tropical monsoon with rainfall from June onwards, particularly intense in September and October.
EMBASSY
There is no Italian embassy in Cambodia. As a reference we have the Italian embassy in Bangkok. However, for urgent needs, the German or French embassy in Phnom Penh will be able to provide assistance to our fellow countrymen.
POPULATION
The Khmers in Cambodia now number more than 15,000,000. We also find important communities in Thailand in the province of Surin and in Vietnam in what is called Kampuchia Kraum. A large part of the population is young. More than 2.5 million people live in Phnom Penh.
LANGUAGE
Khmer, the national language of Cambodia, is spoken by approximately 15 million people. It is not a tonal language. Expressing yourself is not complicated.
With the Italian-Khmer (English) phonetic dictionary it will be possible to make yourself understood.
I have been producing it since 2010 and update it every year. You can buy it anywhere in Cambodia or also order it in PDF
Mauro Brecevich – “Alla Scoperta Services” Siem Reap – Cambodia