Is Cambodia fun?

Budget for a trip to Cambodia

The cost of spending in Cambodia actually depends on you. If you are a backpacker, about 80 yuan a day is enough.

Visa

Chinese tourists can obtain Cambodian visas through the following three channels:

Go to the Cambodian Embassy;

In Phnom Penh Apply for a visa on arrival at the airport/Siem Reap Airport;

Apply for E-VISA through the official Cambodia website.

The fees for these three channels are: the cost of going to the Cambodian Embassy for a visa in person is 190 yuan, the visa on arrival is 20 US dollars, and the E-VISA is 25 US dollars.

In terms of cost, visa on arrival has the advantage, but some netizens said they have encountered unexpected situations such as asking for bribes. In order to save time and avoid accidents, E-VISA should be the preferred channel for all people going to Cambodia to apply for a visa. It is valid for 3 months and can stay for 30 days from the time of entry. However, E-VISA can only enter through five ports: Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap International Airport, Koh Kong ChamYeam (bordering Thailand), Ban Xuan Meanchey PoiPet (bordering Thailand), and Svay Rieng Bavet (bordering Vietnam).

If you do not enter through the above five ports, be sure to communicate with the embassy on how to obtain a valid visa.

To apply for Cambodia E-VISA, all you need to do is complete the online application form and pay with a credit card, and you will receive the visa by email. Before departure, please print out two copies of E-VISA (one for entry and one for exit), and hand them to the customs officer along with your passport and entry-exit card (will be distributed on the plane) when passing through customs.

Materials required:

Personal passport information (all content on the personal information page)

ID photo (digital photo, size no more than 2M, file The name must be in English, and the format can only be jpg/png/gif. If you don’t have any reserves, just find a white wall at home as a background for taking selfies. When passing the customs, it must match your identity)

One. A credit card with VISA or MASTER payment function (only UnionPay is invalid)

A functioning EMAIL (used for receiving confirmation letters and E-VISA)

Entry: Passport + immigration card + E-VISA, no tip required.

Exit: The airport service fee is US$25. After check-in, there is a counter to "handle payment" before entering customs. Customs only requires a passport + exit card + E-VISA, no tip is required.

Save money on transportation

Long-distance transportation

The transportation between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap includes small planes, buses and boats. The flight takes less than 1 hour, which is relatively convenient, but expensive; taking a boat is unsafe and has poor sanitary conditions; the bus is relatively better. Although it takes 6 hours on the road, it stops for half an hour to rest every 2 hours, and it's nice to see the scenery along the way. No fatigue was seen.

There are many bus companies operating this line. The most expensive one is the Mekong Express, usually about 12 US dollars, and the mid-priced ones are the Capital and Angkor Express. Wait, the price is about 7 US dollars, it is relatively clean, the air conditioning is strong, the management is relatively good, and it is cost-effective.

Short-distance transportation

Tutu cars are the most common means of transportation in the area and are very suitable as your exclusive vehicle for traveling around. The so-called Tutu is actually a trailer with a shed behind the motorcycle, which can seat four people facing each other. Its rental price starts by day, and the price must be negotiated with the driver at the beginning.

Be careful when negotiating the price. Whether you want to see the sunrise or sunset, whether you will go back to the city at noon, what places are included in the itinerary, etc., you must make it clear in advance, otherwise you may encounter disputes at any time. The regular price for renting such a tug-tuk for a day is about $15.

You can also rent bicycles when visiting some scenic spots. There are usually car rental services around the inn. The price is about 2 US dollars a day, and mountain bikes are 5 US dollars. The condition of the bicycles is generally good, and it is safe to lock the car. No need to worry too much.

Guide to save money on accommodation

Check in before check-in, usually write your name and passport number. Room fee is payable before check-in. Check out and call Check Out. All inns do not supply boiling water, so you have to buy mineral water yourself. Hotels run by Chinese generally have boiling water supply, while other hotels will give you a free bottle of drinking water every day.

Most inns do not have slippers. You need to bring your own toiletries. The voltage is the same as in China and can be charged. Check-out is usually around 12 o'clock. Some inns have TVs (Cable TV) in their rooms.

Some hotels should include breakfast in their room rates, but you should ask clearly before checking in or before eating. Just because breakfast was included last time does not mean that it will be included this time.

When booking a room, the front desk will usually recommend a better room first. For example, if they say there is a standard room with a TV, refrigerator, hot water, air conditioning, etc., then you can say that you don’t need so many things. Is there something simpler and cheaper? Maybe he will tell you that rooms at the back of the street or rooms without hot water are cheaper.

Guide to save money on food

Cambodian cuisine is relatively lighter and has fewer styles.

Each portion of their soup will be served with a bowl of white rice, and there will be a lot of ingredients in the soup, but not much soup, which is different from the soup we think is used to drink.

The general price is that a portion of fried rice costs about US$2, and a portion of fried pork or beef with rice costs US$2.50. A meal costs about $5 to $7 for two people.

It is recommended to go to Bar Street. Dead fish seems to have a good environment. Consider going at night to experience it. There are a lot of restaurants near the old market, so you can go there and make your choice based on the tips.

Cambodian hot pot is said to be a must-eat. LP said that the most delicious food in Southeast Asia is Thai food and Vietnamese food. We went there from Thailand, so we probably shouldn’t have high hopes.

Don’t eat from roadside stalls, don’t drink raw water or drinking water from unknown sources. It is recommended to replenish water in the supermarket. This strategy is introduced in detail. In addition, coconut is said to be good, and we can consider making a living from it. . Replenish a lot of water, so you must have more than one bottle of water in your bag, otherwise you will easily suffer from heatstroke and dehydration.

It is recommended to eat more fruits and vegetables. Gong Lue said that vegetables and rice are free at Cambodia BBQ. If you don’t eat enough vegetables on weekdays, you can consider eating there, but ask in advance if the rules have changed. After finishing the meal, call CHECK to pay. It seems that foreign invoices (RECIEPT / CASH SALE) are rarely stamped, usually just signed.

Eat in the scenic spot: diagonally opposite the Elephant Terrace of Angkor (discounts available), a portion of Cambodian fried rice costs 1-1.5USD. The rice contains vegetables/beef, etc., and tastes good. It was solved opposite Dongmeiben the next day, same as above. There are hammocks in the dining areas, so you can take a nap at noon.

I highly recommend the Indian pancakes on the streets of Siem Reap. They are sold from a cart on the street, with butter and condensed milk on top. If you like desserts, you must try them. They are super delicious and cost 1000R1 each.

Shopping guide to save money

Be sure to bargain hard when buying things in Angkor. If you want 6 knives, it will be 2 knives. If you don’t sell, you will leave. Compare with several stores. Just know the base price.

When you go to the market or store to buy something, just ask how much it costs? Cheaper? Would you give me a discount? Or use a calculator to type in the numbers, and you'll be fine in the end. If they feel that the bargaining is too harsh and they can’t make any money, they will say: no profit

The items sold around some scenic spots with not many people are actually cheaper than those in the old market. In addition, If you like it, buy it, and chances are you won’t see the same thing again. The T-shirts there are pretty good, and many people recommend it. You can bring a few T-shirts with you and buy them locally;

The prices for things purchased at large tourist attractions such as the Royal Baths and Doukoji Temple can be kept to the lowest. Near the Royal Baths is batik colorful pants for 6USD/3 pairs. The more suitable things to buy in Siem Reap are LP/scarf/ethnic bag/Buddha hand/Buddha head/original black and white picture/relief engraved with smiling Buddha head. LP - 2USD for less pictures, 4USD for more pictures; scarves are divided by silk size. The most expensive, largest and gorgeous striped silk scarf is 9USD, medium-sized one is 3-4USD, and it is not a silk cloth sarong. I bought it at Doukou Temple. The price was 3USD/5 pieces. In addition, the small Buddha's hand is 5USD, the large Buddha's hand is 8USD (I personally think it can be less, I was in a hurry to buy it), the medium-sized Buddha statue is 10USD, and the medium-sized relief with the smiling Buddha head is 4USD. I bought it near the Queen's Palace. Cambodian floral fabrics are extremely gorgeous and are very suitable for making tables and bedspreads. I bought three pieces of fabric at the Russian market in Phnom Penh at prices ranging from 3-5USD. I bought square pillowcases with various puzzle colors at a price of 7USD/4 pieces, while in the Russian market it was 3USD/2 pieces.

In comparison, things in Angkor scenic spots are the cheapest, especially in small scenic spots with few people. A copy of a pirated LP with beautifully printed illustrations costs NT$2.50, a women's hurdle vest costs NT$1-1.50, a men's large T-shirt costs NT$2, and local cotton pants cost NT$2-2.50.

The old market and center market in Siem Reap seem to be more expensive, but if you know how to bargain, you can still get a bargain.

Cambodia Travel Suggestions

Best Travel Season

The best months to visit Cambodia are from November to February. Now is the dry and cool season in Cambodia. dry season. There are lush and green pastoral scenery everywhere, and the scenic spots with water also have a different kind of beauty.

Communication

Try not to make long-distance calls in the hotel, because the method of calculating phone bills is imperfect, and tourists will always suffer. In some hotels, local calls are free, but calls to Phnom Penh and other areas outside the city will cost extra. If you want to make domestic long-distance calls, tourists can go to a small shop near the Central Market and rent a mobile phone to make calls, which is more convenient and reasonably priced. International long-distance calls from public telephones cost 3 to 5 US dollars per minute, local calls cost 500 riel per minute, and domestic long-distance calls cost per minute.

Emergency hotline: Hospital: 63-96311 Doctor: 23-216911 Fire: 63-380298 Alarm: 63-963333

The Kingdom of Cambodia

Commonly known as Cambodia, Formerly known as Khmer, it is located in the Indochina Peninsula, bordering Thailand to the west and northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east and southeast, and facing the Gulf of Siam to the south.

Cambodia’s territory is a saucer-shaped basin, surrounded by hills and mountains on three sides, and a vast and fertile plain in the middle, accounting for more than three-quarters of the country’s area. Within the territory are the Mekong River and the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, Tonle Sap Lake (also known as Phnom Penh Lake), and the capital Phnom Penh.

Cambodia is an ancient civilization with a long history. It established a unified kingdom as early as the 1st century AD.

Since the 1970s, Cambodia has experienced a long war. In 1993, with the establishment of Cambodian national authorities and the realization of national reconciliation, Cambodia entered a new era of peace and development.

Cambodia is a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Its economy is dominated by agriculture and its industrial base is weak. It is one of the least developed countries in the world.