Social ConventionsSensitivity to politically-related subjects in conversation is advisable. Avoid pointing your foot at a person or touching someone on the head. Women should keep their shoulders covered and not wear shorts when visiting pagodas.
Photography: Permitted, with certain restrictions, such as the photographing of military installations, airports and railway stations. It is polite to ask permission before photographing Cambodian people, especially monks.
International Travel:Getting There by AirBangkok Airways (website:
www.bangkokair.com) and
Thai Airways International
(website:
www.thaiair.com) fly between Cambodia and Thailand.
Malaysia Airlines (website:
www.malaysiaairlines.com)
flies from Kuala Lumpur,
Vietnam Airlines (website:
www.vietnamairlines.com)
from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, and
Lao Airlines (website:
www.laos-airlines.com)
from Vientiane.
Departure TaxUS$25 levied on international departures at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap; US$13 for children under 12. Children less than two years of age are exempt.
Main AirportsPhnom Penh International Airport (PNH) (website:
www.cambodia-airports.com/phnompenh) is 10km (6 miles) from Phnom Penh.
To/from the airport: Taxis and motorbike taxis to the city are available (journey time - 10 minutes). For pre-arranged tours a pick-up service is available.
Facilities: Left luggage, bureaux de change, shops, duty-free, post office and light refreshments.
Siem Reap International Airport (REP) (website:
www.cambodia-airports.com/siemreap) is 8km (5 miles) from Siem Reap.
To/from the airport: Taxis and motorbike taxis to Siem Reap are available (journey time - 7 to 10 minutes). For pre-arranged tours a pick-up service is available.
Facilities: Left luggage, bureau de change, shops and light refreshments.
Getting There by WaterMain ports: Phnom Penh and
Sihanoukville.
Phnom Penh can be reached via the Mekong Delta through Vietnam. This route is served by regular passenger
ferry services from Chau Doc in Vietnam and can be booked through travel agencies or at the dock. Sihanoukville
is reached from Thailand through the border crossing at Hat Lek and the boat from Koh Kong. Tickets can be purchased at the dock in Sihanoukville.
Getting There by RoadThe Thai and Vietnamese borders are open for overland access. The main highway links the capital with the Vietnam border. Border checkpoints include Poipet, Cham Yeam, O'Smach, Anlong Veng and Psar Prom (Thailand), Bavet, Kaam Samnor and Phnom Den (Vietnam). The border with Laos at Stung Treng is currently closed so travelers should check the situation as it changes regularly. Cross-border bus services are from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam operated by
Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Company (tel: (23) 210 359; website:
www.ppsoryatransport.com).
Note: It is possible to drive from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City in a day but there are formalities involved regarding the use of the same vehicle all the way. Right-hand drive vehicles (quite common in Cambodia) are not allowed entry to Vietnam. Vietnamese visas must be obtained in advance but Cambodian visas can be obtained at the border.
OverviewThe following goods may be imported into Cambodia without incurring customs duty:
• 200 cigarettes or equivalent in tobacco.
• Reasonable amount of perfume for personal use.
• One opened bottle of liquor.
Note: Currency must be declared.
Internal Travel:Getting Around By AirInternal flights operate between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap for Angkor (journey time - 45 minutes). The main domestic carriers are
Siem Reap Airways International (website:
www.siemreapairways.com) and
PMT Air (website:
www.pmtair.com). PMT Air has suspended internal flights in 2008 while they upgrade their fleet, but continue to fly internationally. Battambang, Sihanoukville, Banlung, Sen Monorom and Stung Treng all have airports, but at the time of writing there are only flights to Banlung from Phnom Penh.
Domestic airports: The upgraded
Siem Reap Airport, the main gateway for visitors going to see the ancient temples at Angkor, is a 7- to 10-minute taxi ride from the city.
Getting Around by WaterGovernment-run ferries depart from the
Psar Cha Ministry of Transport Ferry Landing between 102 and 104 Streets and go to Siem Reap, a route popular with travelers. Tickets can be bought in person at the dock or through a travel agent. Travel can be difficult in the dry season when the water level is very low and often boat services are suspended.
Getting Around by RailCambodia has only one functioning train service, running once a week from Phnom Penh Railway Station to Battambang on Saturdays and vice-versa on Sundays. Although the carriage is basic and the trip takes longer than going by bus, it's an excellent way of viewing rural Cambodia.
Getting Around by RoadTraffic drives on the right. Roads vary from excellent to very poor and there are numbered routes from Phnom Penh with Route 1 leading to the Vietnamese border. Care should be taken while driving as accidents are relatively frequent. Other vehicles cannot always be relied on to use headlights at night. Given the predominant use of motorcycles for urban public transportation, travelers should ensure that any insurance policies provide coverage for riding as a driver or passenger. Cattle often stray onto the roads. In Siem Reap, the local police have banned rental outlets from hiring motorcycles to tourists because of the high number of accidents.
Coach/bus: Long-distance buses operated by
Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Company (tel: (23) 210 359; website: www.ppsoryatransport.com) travel to destinations such as Kampot, Sihanoukville, Battambang and Siem Reap.
Taxi: Taxis can be hired in main cities, although they are not metered so the price has to be fixed in advance. Tips are appreciated.
Car hire: It is really only possible to hire a car with a driver. Car hire can be arranged by private negotiation with a taxi waiting outside the hotels or through tour operators.
Regulations: The wearing of seat belts is not compulsory.
Documentation: An International Driving Permit is not recognized in Cambodia, and as car hire does not exist, visitors are advised to hire a car with a driver.
Getting Around Towns and CitiesThere are no public buses in Phnom Penh or Siem Reap.
Taxis wait outside hotels and restaurants but, as they are unmetered, the fare should be fixed before leaving.
Cyclos (tricycles) or
motodops (motorcycle taxis) are an efficient and inexpensive way to get around and some of the drivers, especially those found outside main hotels, speak a little French or English. Siem Reap also has motorized
tuk tuks.Note: In terms of the greatest risks (particularly in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville), the greatest danger faced by visitors is from road traffic accidents, armed robbery after dark, bag snatching and landmines.
Journey TimesThe following chart gives approximate journey times from
Phnom Penh (in hours and minutes) to other major cities/towns in Cambodia.
| Air | Road | Water |
| Siem Reap | 0.45 | 6.00 | 5.00 |
| Sihanoukville | - | 3.00 | - |
| Kompong Cham | - | 2.30 | - |
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