Cambodia

FAQs

What do we need to know about Cambodia?

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    When is the best time to go to Cambodia?

    Cambodia is best enjoyed in the dry season. During the wet season (from mid-May to October), downpours can block roads and make travel difficult. If you find the heat challenging, January is the coolest month.

    If you enjoy cultural celebrations, the Water Festival is usually in November and is a lot of fun. Come prepared with your water pistols and flour.

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    What are the family must-sees?

    A trip to Cambodia is not complete without a sunrise visit to Angkor Wat. Vanra will sort you out with tickets and the tour.

    The Phnom Penh Water park is cheap and a lot of fun. Book a driver for the day for about $40 as drivers will not collect you from the Water Park without it being pre-arranged.

    For adults, a sobering all-day visit to the Genocide Museum and The Killing Fields is powerful (but not for children). Hire a driver for the day.

    If you have time, a week-long trip to Mondulkiri via Kratie is an insight into the unique river dolphins and elephant preservation.

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    Is it safe? Will we need any vaccinations?

    In terms of personal safety, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap frequently experience pick-pocketing so keep your personal items hidden and/or across your body at all times.

    You will need vaccinations for Cambodia and, if you’re travelling outside Phnom Penh, you’ll need to take anti-malarials. For a full list of recommended vaccinations, check out the Travel Vaccinations Clinic.

    You cannot drink the tap water in Cambodia - stick to bottled/filtered water at all times.

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    Will we need Visas?

    Most countries require a tourist visa to visit Cambodia. The country is soon to open-up an e-visa option.

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    How much should we budget?

    Budget for about $200usd per day for a family of 3 including food and accommodation.

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    Will I need local currency?

    Yes - you’ll need local currency for some restaurants and tuk-tuks in small towns that don’t have the Grab App. Keep about 100,000 riel in your wallet.

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    What’s the best way to travel around?

    By downloading the Grab App, you’ll have access to tuk-tuks at the touch of a button in the cities. A family of 2 adults and 1 child can squish into a tuk-tuk but a larger group will require a remorque which can fit about 3 adults and 2 children. A trip usually costs about $3.

    Smaller towns, such as Kep, don’t have the app so ensure you have riel on you to pay for the remorques waiting at the stations.

    For longer trips (ie. Phnom Penh to Siem Reap or PP to Mondulkiri), we have a knowledgeable and fun driver that we recommend; Vanra. A week of touring around will cost about $500usd.

    There is a train that goes from Phnom Penh to https://lovetravelactually.squarespace.com/kep-Kampot, Kep and Sihanoukville. We took it a couple of times and it was great.

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    What should we expect with accommodation in Cambodia?

    We lived at Central Mansions for 2 years which also is a hotel. They have a restaurant downstairs which is delicious and it’s close to Raffles and the train station. Most places make delicious breakfasts with tropical fruit so ensure that you get that included. Many places are eco-friendly so you can rest knowing that there won’t be too much plastic or pollution from your visit.

    Note that some hotels will have lavatories that won’t allow you to flush toilet paper so be prepared to place in the bin next to the loo.

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    What should I expect to eat and drink?

    Khmer food is not similar to Thai or Vietnamese. Our favoured Khmer Dishes are Fish Amok and Beef Lok Lak. Unsurprisingly, there is a lot of seafood in Cambodia and it is generally good to eat. In Kep, we went to Holy Crab everyday for their super-fresh and delicious crab meals.

    The major cities have a lot of western food options if you’re not into Khmer food. Our favourites were Wild (in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap), Penh 278 (Phnom Penh), Waterside (Phnom Penh), Itacate (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap) and Maybe Later (Siem Reap). Most restaurants can be booked through Facebook.

    Wine is expensive in Cambodia but the beer and cocktails are very affordable. Check out the Elephant Bar at Raffles in Phnom Penh.

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    What’s the best way to get to Cambodia?

    Although you can cross borders from Thailand and Vietnam, I would only recommend this if you’re doing an overland tour. Flying in/out of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is safe and efficient.

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    What can our family do there if we’re on a budget?

    So much! Apart from all of the must-sees which are inexpensive, you can also hire a boat and captain on the Mekong for $20 for a few days.

    Coconut Park has a restaurant, a playground and a splash Park that costs about $5 for use.

    Farm to Table is a central restaurant with a mud kitchen for kids.

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    What about laundry?

    Laundry at Central Mansions is affordable (if you’re staying a while, they can also arrange dry-cleaning). Finding a laundromat might be challenging.