Editor: Irina
During our six-month trip to Southeast Asia, Cambodia, which I had hardly heard of before, was a real find. Is that from rare friends who dropped in there for a couple of days from Pattaya. Beach holidays in Cambodia are not very popular among Russians, although they are in no way inferior in beauty to neighboring Thailand.
My boyfriend and I toured all the main attractions and stayed in Cambodia for a total of 20 days. What I’ll tell you today.
Visa for Cambodia (30 days)
A visa for Russians to Cambodia is needed. You can make it in advance:
- at the embassy in Moscow (16 Starokonyushenny lane) - for $ 30 and 1-3 days
- upon arrival at the airport
Officially, a visa costs $ 30, but a cunning border guard will try to rip off an extra "five" from you. Don't be fooled by this divorce. If you do not have a 3x4 photo with you, you will have to pay another $ 2 on top. We received a visa at the border with Vietnam and proved to the border guard that a visa costs exactly 30 bucks and not a cent more.
The visa is issued for 30 days, but if the vacation in Cambodia is "dropped in" and you want to stay longer, you can extend it for another month for $ 45 at the Immigration office in Phnom Penh. This does not apply to e-Visa ↓
- online - for $ 37, you must fill out a form on the website: evisa.gov.kh
You print out two copies of the questionnaire, one for the border guard, and the other for leaving the country.
How much does it cost to travel to Cambodia from Thailand? Half of the tourists will choose the 2-day excursion, which will cost $ 150 (from Pattaya) or $ 200 (from Phuket) per person. |
Vacation season in Cambodia
The holiday season in Cambodia is roughly the same as that established throughout Southeast Asia.
- Dry period - lasts from November to April, and it is at this time that it is better to choose the Kingdom to visit. When there is no rain, there is a hot sun, but this only applies to the spring months. Therefore, winter ones are considered optimal for travel. The temperature of the water and air is kept around + 28 ° С in the resort area (the Gulf of Thailand and Sihanoukville) and + 34 ° С in Siem Reap (of course, there is no sea there).
- Rain season - starts in May and ends around October. The greatest amount of precipitation falls from July to September. The rains are heavy, tropical, but they do not last long.
We were in Cambodia in early April, but even then it was raining, which caused problems with the tent (we were looking for an elevated surface and under a roof). The rest of the time it was very stuffy and hot, we came to our senses only under the air conditioner.
Prices for holidays in Cambodia - 2021
The official currency of Cambodia is the riel (KHR). 1 US dollar = 4000 riels. |
For convenience, all prices are in dollars, since they are accepted for calculation everywhere, and change is given in riels. But I advise you to have a small amount in local currency on hand for small purchases.
Let's take a closer look at such an important aspect as the prices for holidays in Cambodia.
Transport
Traffic in Cambodia is chaotic and most often defies any rules. For example, the maximum speed for a car is 40 km / h, and for motorcycles - 30 km / h. In fact, five people race on the same bike, without helmets and at 70 km / h. The road conditions in Cambodia are generally dangerous, so be careful.
In the Kingdom, you can forget about public transport and trains. Tourists move either by tuk-tuk or by bike.
- Motorcycle rental for a day - $ 5-10, for a month - $ 100. If you do not have the appropriate rights and the police stop you, pay from $ 5 to $ 20, as agreed.
- A liter of gasoline in Cambodia is about $ 1. In the villages, it is sold in one liter and two liter glass bottles.
In addition to a motorcycle, you can rent and bicycle, it's cheaper. Where? At the reception of your hotel or hostel or from individuals for $ 1-5, depending on the quality of the bike.
You can take a car with a driver for a day. For example, negotiate with a taxi driver at the airport. A more or less adequate price tag for this is about $ 40.
Cuisine and food
- Street food (rice with kebabs or rice noodles) - $ 1-5 per serving
- Average bill when buying food in a supermarket - $ 5:
✓ bottle of water, 0.5 l - $ 0.4
✓ mango, kg - $ 1
✓ bread - $ 0.25
✓ Angkor beer, 0.33 l - $ 0.5
✓ yogurt - $ 0.5-1
Cambodian cuisine does not differ much from Thai, except for those dishes that the French brought here during colonization. They eat rice, seafood and baguettes.
The prices are adequate, which, however, cannot be said about the resorts. You can easily dine at a street bazaar for just a dollar if you buy a couple of kebabs or a papaya salad. The Khmer signature dish amok (fish curry) costs a little more - from $ 3.
My advice: be careful when looking for a place to eat. Go for quality, not price. There were frequent cases when, right in front of my eyes, sellers in street markets dropped food on the dirty floor, and then calmly put it back. The meat that has been in the sun all day is also doubtful, and then you can happily fry it.
In Siem Reap, I recommend eating on Pub Street - the most party street. At least there is a constant flow, and the food will not stale. The main tourist attraction is the Red Piano Café, where Jolie is said to have had lunch during the filming of Lara Croft. Not bad.
Cambodia hotels
Verified by us (but hostels):
- Siem Reap - Route 66 Hostel
- Phnom Penh - The Happy House
Cambodia, so popular among foreign tourists who want to gaze at the ancient Angkor Wat, surprised us with the fact that here you can rent the cheapest hostel room in all of Southeast Asia. Only $ 2 and we slept in a comfortable bed in an 8-bed room in the center of Siem Reap. Miracles, isn't it?
We also discovered a wonderful world when you can spend the night in Buddhist temples for free. This is both new acquaintances and an opportunity to save money. So in Kampong Cham we spent the night at Nokor Bachey Pagoda, in Siem Reap - at Wat Kesararam.
Higher class housing prices are best viewed on RoomGuru or Booking. Here you can find a place to spend the night for every taste and budget. Catch a selection:
- 4 * The Thirdfold Residence (Siem Reap) - probably only in Cambodia you can rent a good four for only $ 40. Private pool, free shuttle to and from the airport, and, moreover, it is conveniently located to the center.
- 4 * Iroha Garden Hotel & Resort (Phnom Penh) - a restaurant in a 1930s mansion, as well as a small garden with a swimming pool, are considered a specialty.
- 4 * White Boutique Hotel and Residences (Sihanoukville) - most of all good reviews from tourists, here there is a massage, a gym, and live performances of musicians.
- 3 * Phoumrumduol Bungalow (Kep) - a good-natured host who colors the evening of tourists with his stories - is priceless.
Attractions in Cambodia
What to see in Cambodia is up to you. There are both natural attractions and historical monuments.
Natural attractions Cambodia (prices for 2021):
✓ Bokor - national park 1.5 hours drive from Kampot. It is worth visiting, firstly, because of the Popokville Falls and the real jungle, and secondly, because of the abandoned buildings that made this park famous. We liked the Bokor Palace casino (now renovated), the non-functioning Catholic Church and the Black Palace better. A century ago, the French colonialists and later the Khmer Rouge rested in the park. These buildings have survived from European representatives to this day.
A bus tour from Kampot costs $ 25. You can also go on a moped yourself, then - only 50 cents for entering the park.
✓ Ream - a park 20 km from Sihanoukville. Wild animals, birds, large populations of monkeys and freshwater dolphins. You can get to the park either with a guide, by jeep or on foot, but a romantic option would be a boat trip along the Prek Tuk Sap River (about $ 25).
✓ Tonle Sap Lake - the largest freshwater lake in Cambodia. Moreover, its average depth is only 1 meter (in the wet season - all 10). People come here to see the floating villages.But to be honest, all floating villages are similar to one another, so if you have already seen a similar one in Thailand, you can skip it.
Historical landmarks:
✓ Angkor Wat - I tell below.
✓ Koh Ker - tourists rarely come here, because almost no one knows about the place. Although it surpasses Angkor Wat itself in mystery and authenticity. The complex is located 90 km from Angkor, in the Preah Vihear province, in the Kulen district. Ticket price: $ 10.
✓ Killing Fields Choeng Ek and the genocide museum Tole Slang - speaking of Cambodia, one cannot but mention its bloody history during the Khmer Rouge. In the 70s, more than a third of the population was killed and buried in the country. More details about the entire history of that period can be found here, but it will be creepy - torture instruments, blood stains, cameras. I also recommend watching the film "Killing Fields" (1984).
Just entertainment:
✓ Traditional Khmer massage - $ 10
✓ Drive to the islands and back from Kep or Sihanoukville - $ 15-25
The ancient city of Angkor
Angkor Wat in Cambodia is the largest temple in the world dedicated to the god Vishnu (10-12 centuries), consisting of more than 200 monuments. The most convenient way to get to the complex is from Siem Reap, it is 6 km away.
Tickets: for 1 day - $ 37, for 3 days - $ 62. And yes, it's worth it!
Here, of course, there are a lot of local “let's help” (that is, I will look like, take a picture, tell you what I know). In principle, you can take it, the price is around $ 20-25.
Where is the best beach holiday in Cambodia?
Many people go to Cambodia to enjoy its beaches, which are not yet so overpopulated with tourists, but very interesting. Where is the best place to go?
Resorts of Cambodia - Sihanoukville
This city is perhaps one of the most popular resorts in Cambodia. It appeared relatively recently - in 1950, thanks to the French, therefore it still continues to develop. Its main attractions are beaches and islands.
- In the northern part of the city you can find Victory Beach, which was previously called "Russian". Later, those after whom the beach was named began to rest in all parts of the city, and the name lost its relevance. Located close to the port, so the quality of the water is not a delight. But there are many cafes, as well as accommodation for every wallet.
- Further south - Hawaii Beach, especially loved by the Khmers. Also, like the previous one, it is not very clean, black scraps of fuel oil are nailed here. By the way, there are pine thickets on the shore, which allows you to hide in the shade during the baking sun.
- Following him - Independence... Its plus is that it is clean, as well as the sea itself.
- Then the beach begins Sokha... Most of it belongs to the five-star Sokha Beach Resort, so it is very clean. A small piece of the territory is open to all visitors.
- Fifth holiday lane in Sihanoukville - Sirindipiti, one of the most touristy as it is located in the city center. Accordingly, there is noise, din, incessant movement. Of course, this leaves an imprint on the place itself, it is not the most tidy.
- And the last beach farthest from the city Otres... If earlier it was one "wild" coast, today it is divided into three zones: Otres 1 - the busiest, Otres 2 - there are fewer tourists and quieter, and the village of Otres.
But keep in mind that Sihanoukville itself comes across as unsettled. There is absolutely nowhere to walk here, except for the beaches.
Islands of Cambodia: Koh Rong, Koh Ta Kiev, Kaoh Damlaung, Song Saa, Ko Thmei. You can get there by ordering one-day excursions from Sihanoukville - $ 25-30, or you can stay there for a few days. In the first case, you can not only ride the islands, but also try snorkeling or diving.
It is worth remembering that during the rainy season, the wave season also begins in the country. It falls in the summer months.
Tips - Pros and Cons of Vacation
Vacation in Cambodia can be both wonderful and terrible. Someone prefers a developed infrastructure and good service, which is already on its feet in Thailand, but still lacking in Cambodia. It is worth going here for those who are interested in seeing something new, who are ready for Spartan conditions and want a little privacy. Plus, Thailand or Vietnam is no longer interesting :)
Pros of rest:
+ Small cost for excursions, food and accommodation
+ Uncrowded beaches of Cambodia, clear sea and the opportunity to relax on the islands
+ Nice, helpful people
+ Warm climate
Cons of rest:
- Omnipresent dirt and stench in big cities
- Underdeveloped infrastructure
- Bad roads
- Prostitution, exploitation of child labor is very common
Holiday cost in Cambodia
You can go to Cambodia on a good old tour, but such a trip will come out about 150 thousand per week with a flight from Moscow. Even considering that everything is included: the flight, the hotel, and the food, the money is clearly worth it. It is much more rational to take a ticket to Thailand (or Vietnam) - look at Travelata - and act from there.
It should also be remembered that the best places in Cambodia are scattered throughout the country, you have to move a lot if you want to see everything. And then it's easier to fly on your own.
Approximate budget for 7 days based on our experience (per one):
- Flight: 36,000 rubles
- Meals: 10,000 rubles
- Hotels (hostels): 5000 rubles
- Excursions in Cambodia and entrance tickets: 8000 rubles
Total: ≈ 60,000 rubles.
About the vacation in Cambodia itself, the reviews of tourists are not so numerous (most go on 1-2-day excursions): prices are low, Asian-style dirty, dusty, chaotic. Someone sees in Cambodia appalling poverty, annoying local, arrogant children. And someone - a completely different way of life, in which everyone is happy in their own way. What will be your impression? :)
