Official Name: Kingdom of Cambodia

Capital: Phnom Penh

Religion: Buddhism (97 %), Christianity, Islam, Caodaism and Animism.

Ethnic Groups: Khmer (96 %), Chinese, Vietnamese, Cham and Hill Tribes

Population: 13.1 million (2001 est.)

Voltage: 220 Volt, 50 Hz

Time: GMT + 7 h

Currency: Cambodian Riel (1 $ = 4000 Riel)

Climate: December to February is cool-dry, March to May is hot-dry, June to August is hot-wet and September to November is cool-wet. The Temperature rarely gets over 36° and rarely under 19°.The best Time to visit Cambodia is between November and March.

Business Hours: 7.30 - 11.30 and 2.00 - 5.00, many places are closed Saturday afternoon and the whole Sunday.

Visas for Cambodia cost 25 $ Tourist and 30 $ Business.

Getting a Visa at the Boarder in Koh Kong and Poipet cost you (thanks to over charging Tourists) around 1100 Baht for the Tourist one and 1500 Baht for the Business one.

Visas are not available on arrival for Vietnam at Moc Bai-Bavet and Chau Doc. For Laos at Voeung Kam. Get them before arriving !!!

If you plan a longer stay get a Business Visa which is easily extendable for up to one year at a time. Tourist Visas are only once extendable for a period of one month.

Travel:                                                                                       

1. Bangkok to Sihanoukville ( the most comfortable overland journey to Cambodia)

take the Bus leaving for Trat from the Eastern Bus station in Bkk or the Minibus from the K.S. Road. If you do not want to stay in Koh Kong overnight take one of the 11.30 p.m. buses from the Eastern Bus station to Trat. You arrive at 4.30 a.m. in Trat were you hop on the waiting minibus to the Boarder Hat Lek (1 h drive) and wait till the Gates open at 7.00 a.m.. After they overcharged you for your Visa you may take a moto or a car to Koh Kong. There is some bus from Koh Kong to Sihanoukville the morning. Otherwise about 14H00 there is a bus to Pnhom Penh with a correspondance in the middle of the way for Sihanoukville. You need to go to the Koh Kong bus station for it and show a big determination because they want you rent a private car for go to Sihanoukville (between 40 and 60 $).

The rate for the bus is varioble.

2. Sihanoukville to Bangkok

There is several Bus going from Sihanoukville direct to the Boarder in Koh Kong. That is better to buy your ticket straight to the company than anywhere else in Sihanoukville.

4. Phnom Penh to HCM City ( Vietnam )

Take the direct Bus from the Bus Station near the Central Market in Phnom Penh bound for HCM City. Alternative there is some bus going from the Capitol Guesthouse in Phnom Penh, which is a bit cheaper and the really cheap and really cramped option of taking a shared Taxi from the Chhbar Ampeou Market in Phnom Penh. Note that you have to change to another Transportation in Vietnam when doing the Taxi or Minibus version.