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30 days was what our Cambodia trip. And we were very surprised… this country is much more than Angkor: it has history, beautiful landscapes, tasty food, dream beaches and islands and best of all: its people, a smiling, friendly and fun people.
In our Cambodian month we visited the capital Phnom Penh, went to Siem Reap and went down to the south: to Sihanoukville, to the island of Koh Rong and to Kampot and Kep.
Here we bring our Cambodia backpacker travel guide. A complete guide to our journey through Cambodia. Visa, currency, when to go, route, how much it costs, what is the best and the worst, reference prices, transport and more!
Content that you will find
Visa for Cambodia
To enter Cambodia both by land border and through an airport it is necessary that you process the visa on arrival. The price is $ 30 and you will need a photo. The stay time is 30 days.
Be careful because in the land borders It is possible that they will try to scam you a few extra dollars, it is your decision to refuse or pay them. They also tend to try to deceive you when you hire transport packages from other countries such as Laos or Cambodia, which tell you that it is not possible to process the visa yourself at the border. A lie, it is possible, but in this way they charge you a supplement.
Currency in Cambodia
Cambodia’s official currency is the rail (KHR), although the US dollar (USD). In fact, to pay for long transport, travel agencies and hotels, it is usually done with USD, while restaurants and small purchases are made on rails. You can calculate the updated exchange rate in the following table.
When to go to Cambodia
In Cambodia there are two different seasons: rains (from June to early November) and the dry (of November to May). It cannot be said that it is best to visit it in this last period.
Vaccinations to travel to Cambodia
In Cambodia there is a risk of dengue and malaria, but in the latter case there is no need to worry too much as it is mainly concentrated in rural areas. The most touristy and urban areas are free of Malaria. In any case, take all possible precautions: always wear a good mosquito repellent, sleep every night with a mosquito net, avoid the hours with the highest concentration of mosquitoes (sunrise and sunset) and the areas with the highest concentration (rivers, lakes and wet areas) and wear appropriate clothing.
The recommended vaccinations They are: Hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever, Japanese encephalitis and tetanus and rabies (which you probably already have).
Cambodia travel budget
Cambodia is a cheap country: transport is not expensive, a hotel room costs between $ 5-8, and if you eat in the street you save a lot of pasta (in restaurant the dishes cost between $ 2-4 Regardless of whether you eat fried rice or a hamburger … here there is not as much difference in prices for western / Asian food as in the other countries we have visited).
The funny thing is that the local currency is used here so much: rails, Like the American dollars. Sometimes it is a bit confusing, but luckily Rober is used to doing calculations because come on it was my turn and I lost all the money in two days.
In total we spend an average of € 11.50 per day each, this being the breakdown:
- The highest expense is that of the food of some € 5 approx
- The accommodation 3 € approx
- The transport € 1.50 approx
- Y various + activities about € 2 approx per day.
Some reference prices
- Double room in cheap hostel: $ 6-8
- Double room in hotel: 20-30 $
- Sandwich: 1-3 $
- Plate of rice-noodles: 2-3 $ (restaurants)
- Western food: $ 2-4
- Large beer: 1.5-2 $
- Pitcher beer: 0.5-0.75 $
- Water: 0.3-0.75 $
- Drinks: 0.5-1.5 $
- Gasoline: $ 1
- Bike rental: $ 1-2
- Motorcycle rental: $ 5-8 / day
- T-shirt in local market: $ 2-5
- Withdrawal of money: Canadia Bank does not apply commission, so get some money here or get a Bnext card.
Plug in Cambodia
The plugs that can be found in Cambodia are of three types: the TO with two flat pins; the type C, the European with two round pins, and the less frequent G with three square pins, like the ones in the picture. You can buy a universal adapter or get a specific one as soon as you arrive at your destination.
Cambodia travel itinerary
Our free trip to Cambodia lasted 30 days. We entered through the land border from the 4,000 islands in Laos and visited the following destinations, ending up leaving through the land border to the island of Phu Quoc in Vietnam.
- Phnom penh
- Siem Reap and Angkor
- Sihanoukville
- Koh rong
- Kampot
- Kep
How to get around Cambodia
Transportation in Cambodia is far better than in neighboring Laos. The main roads linking major destinations such as Siem Reap in the north or Sihanoukville in the south are in good condition. In addition there are quite a few companies tour buses and local buses, which are quite comfortable. You also have the option to move in minivan for a slightly more expensive price. We never take night buses, although from what we see online, they are somewhat dangerous. The prices are usually low (Phnom Penh to Siem Reap about 6-8 USD). It can be booked directly at the stations or at the offices of the companies in the cities or through local agencies for a little more money. There are also agencies that offer online booking. We mostly use the company SoryaAlthough it is not the best, it is the one that offered cheaper prices.
What to eat in Cambodia
Two are the star dishes of Cambodia: the amok (a chicken or fish curry cooked in banana leaves and using coconut milk and lemongrass very tasty) and the lok lak (usually beef cooked in the wok and with sweet soy sauce, which is accompanied by rice and a fried egg to lick your fingers). Draft beer is extremely cheap: pitchers start at $ 0.50!
The best and the worst
This is one of our favorite sections, here we tell you anecdotes of the trip, personal sensations of the place, things that we have loved but also that we have not liked at all … in short summary of our passage through Cambodia.
The best
- We have already said it, Cambodians: very smiling, kind, nice … very nice people
- Koh Rong: this island is paradise on land: white sand, crystal clear waters, few tourists and 100% authenticity… we don’t know yet for how long but…
- Angkor, what else to say about the eighth wonder of the world? Impressive … each person should have the opportunity to visit it at least once in their life
- Amok, the national dish of Cambodia: chicken or fish cooked in coconut milk, curry and lemongrass… delicious!
- The improvised pajama’s party: we would say that half of the women go down the street in pajamas! Super funny! Even on the beach and bathing in the sea … take off everything but not my pajamas!
- Kep’s pepper crabs, yum yum!
- The chaos of Phnom Penh: in some alley we seemed to be in Myanmar, a country that as you will have understood we have loved
- Beer mugs for $ 0.5 on the beach loungers two meters from the sea
Worst
- Cambodia’s visitor ticket: the border where there are many corrupt policemen who take $ from tourists … if you don’t pay, you don’t pass. Outrageous the truth …
- Kampot. We could not take advantage of this city: the thing that has most impacted us has been a monument of a giant durian … mmm no! It has not entered the top ten of our favorite cities!
- There is a lot of garbage everywhere.
- The exaggerated price hike during New Years Eve in Shianoukville: they asked us $ 30 for a room that normally costs $ 7!
- The prostitution of Phnom Penh and Shianoukville … a constant in Asia, but the truth is that one does not get used to it.
Our articles on Cambodia
These are the posts we have written:
And remember that at the end of each post there is useful information about each place!
We hope that our Cambodia travel guide for backpackers is useful to you. For any doubt, question or curiosity, do not hesitate to write to us and we will be happy to help you.
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| The best books and travel guides here |
| All our articles about Cambodia |
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