If you are planning a trip to Cambodia, the main reason to travel to Southeast Asia’s most magnificent archaeological treasure – is the Angkor Wat complex, with hundreds of monuments and history hidden deep in the jungle and telling stories about the past.
There is also a lot of enlightenment and learning about the war, the tragedy in the capital of Phnom Penh at the Killing Fields, many beautiful palaces, and the aesthetic beauty of the Tonle Sap river. What people don’t always know, however, are the great beach opportunities in Southern Cambodia.
Take the island of Koh Rong Samloem, for example, with its beautiful bungalow-style beach resorts and plenty of water. And a very unique and stylish way to have a trip to Cambodia is to take a cruise along the waterways of the mighty Mekong Delta.
Features of Culture
Cambodian culture has a rich and varied history spanning many centuries and was influenced by India. Cambodian culture also strongly influences Thailand, Laos, and vice versa. In Cambodian history, religion has played a prominent role in cultural activities.
Over nearly 2000 years, the Cambodian people have developed a unique Khmer faith with a mixture of indigenous animist beliefs and Indian religions such as Buddhism and Hinduism.
Buddhism is a measure of social standards that Cambodians apply in everyday family life, work, and social relationships. Cambodia is one of the countries where the people strongly believe in religion.
Architecture: From the end of the 12th century to the beginning of the 13th century, the Kingdom of Cambodia built many architectural structures of particular value through many periods of rule and even under the Khmer empire. What remains today are monuments such as temples and stone walls. One famous piece of Cambodian architecture is the characters and numbers sculpted on many large and small works.
Cuisine: Cambodia is also known to international tourists for its cuisine strongly influenced by India and China. Like many countries with other wet rice civilizations, Cambodians also eat plain rice during the holidays. Traditional dishes are often made from seafood, thanks to an abundant source of seafood. Coming here, you will like dishes such as Amok fish, Khmer red curry, fried insects of all kinds,… and hundreds of other unique words.
People: Cambodians live discreetly and politely. They often greet each other in the traditional style of clapping their hands in front of their chests like praying in Buddhism, with their heads slightly bowed. If you want to respect the other person, remember to bend lower and keep your hands clasped in a higher position.
For foreign tourists, Cambodians still use the act of greeting by shaking hands. But, Cambodian women still use the traditional greeting. This country’s most taboo action is patting a child’s head. You are not allowed to pat children’s heads because they think it is an act only gods and parents are allowed. After all, children’s heads are very sacred places.
The best time to visit
The best time to visit Cambodia is before sunrise, which means you should aim to be there around 5 a.m. Many travelers have said that it is the most suitable time to discover the temples, as to enjoy the sunrise is an indescribable experience–it’s also an ideal time for picture taking.
Also, you’ll avoid the tourist rush and get the chance to enjoy the serenity of the temples fully. If you’re going during the hottest months, visit the temples before 11 a.m. during the middle of the day, temperatures can reach a staggering 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
Moving to Cambodia?
In the city: Grab has covered Cambodia so you can download the app and order Tuktuk. Much cheaper than taking Grabtaxi or Grab bike because a Tuktuk can carry 2-3 people. If carrying extra luggage, remember to choose Remorque Tuktuk.
Particularly in Sihanoukville province, without Grab, you can use another Cambodian car booking app, the Pass app. Although in Sihanoukville, the construction site is under construction, so the roads are horrible, so Passapp drivers often ask for a higher price than the amount shown on the app, and you can pay the fee.
Motorbike/bike rental: 6$ – 8$/car/day, not recommended because traffic in Cambodia is quite complicated.
Interprovincial: quality, comfortable bus in Cambodia. As for the sleeper bus, it’s a bit difficult because the whole car is a double bed, two people per compartment, quite tight.
A few small notes?
Currency: Cambodians use Riel and dollars, so remember to change money first. If you exchange dollars in Cambodia, the price will be pretty high.
Sim/internet: When I pass the Cambodia border, I buy it immediately; a Melfone sim card will cost a total of 5$ to get free internet service for seven days.
Communication/Language: Their primary languages are Cambodian and English. Most Cam people speak English quite well, from locals, serving customers small meal projects, train station staff to some tuk-tuk drivers.
Booking service: use visa banks to pay in advance to avoid problems with international transfers.
Costume: Wear respectful clothing since all of the ancient temples are active sites of Hindu worship. That includes covering your shoulders with sleeves and wearing long pants.
Be aware: Children under 12 won’t be able to enter certain areas of the complex. So if you’re traveling with kids, research ahead and plan accordingly.
Be prepared to walk – a lot: The complex is vast, and many temples and sights are relatively far apart (and may require a little bit of climbing), so don’t forget to wear your sneakers!
Shopping at the market, and riding a tuk-tuk,… all have to pay. Sellers usually challenge 2-3 times. Drivers in Sihanoukville have a lot of tricks to extort money from customers, so be careful!
Cars for intercity travel, book in advance and pay at home. Or, when the bus drops off, immediately buy a return ticket to avoid running out of tokens.
You can thoroughly discuss where the route starts and ends at the Angkor complex with the driver.
Cambodians don’t use a 2-dollar bill.
Attractive destinations in Cambodia
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