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Cambodia Travel Guide

Cambodia is rich in history, culture and amazing tourism resources. Cambodia also provides visitors with a variety of once undiscovered cultural and historical attractions throughout the Kingdom and the dual theme guiding Cambodia tourism is "Culture and Nature". But there are lot of things you should know before discover this beautiful country…

Passport and Visas:
Cambodia has very liberal visa regulations. It is meant to say a valid passport and visa are required for entry. Visas can be obtained at Phnom Penh International Airport or Siem Reap (Angkor) Airport. All travelers have to do is bring along two passport size photos and fill up visa application. A one-month tourist visa costs US$20 while a business visa costs US$25.00. Visa application form will be provided on inbound flights. Visas are also available at Thai/Cambodian overland border crossing.

Currency:
Riel is the Cambodia’s currency. To check for the today’s exchange rate, please refer to our GoCambodia’s front-page, located top right page. However the US dollar is widely accepted.

Transportation:

· To and From Cambodia: Most tourists are flying into the International Airports at either Phnom Penh or Siem Reap. Recently a growing numbers of visitors are also arriving overland from Cambodia and Thailand.

· On arrival, Motorcycle taxis (Motodub) and taxis can be rented just outside the arrival lobby. From Phnom Penh International airport to anywhere in Phnom Penh will cost you $7.00 while Motordub is charging $1.00 to $2.00. The distance is about 8 kilometers to town.

Hotel:
Room rate is starting from $3 to $200 per night. Whether you prefer to stay at Guest Houses with no air-con but fan, a motel style will cost you from $10 to $45 or you may stay at one of the 5 stars hotel e.g. Cambodiana, Le Royal or Inter-Continental. The cost of $10 and up will equip with air conditioner, refrigerator and a cable TV.

Tipping and Bargaining:
Tipping is not expected in Cambodia but if you meet with exceptional services or kindness, a tip is always appreciated. Salaries remain extremely low in Cambodia. Bargaining is the rule in the markets, when you are hiring vehicles or buying things. A persuasive smile and a little friendly personality is usually enough to get a good price.

The tourist behavior code is written with the intention to minimize any that may arise between tourists and residents due to differences in language and customs. It is also to reinforce and even renew a sense of pride in the local people, their culture and provide an opportunity for tourists to learn, appreciate and respect the Khmer culture. It aims to inform tourists about the local society, its customs, dress code and acceptable behavior in religious and other places.

Swakum ! Welcome !

Welcome to the Kingdom of Cambodia. It makes no difference whether you are here on business or pleasure. You are in for a treat. You will catch a glimpse of the Khmer people, their history, culture and nature through the pristine beaches, natural landscapes, quaint villages, exotic traditional dances, the world famous Angkor complex and archaeological treasures.

Proper Greetings

Cambodians traditionally greet each other by joining their hands together in front of their chest and bowing often (Chum Reap Suor) followed by the western practice of shaking hands.Although men tend to shake ands with each other, women usually use the traditional greeting with both men and other women. It is considered acceptable for foreigners to shake hands with Cambodians of both sexes. When you are invited to a gathering, it is polite to make an effort to properly greet the

people you meet on your arrival.

· You should respond to greetings from others. It is considered disrespectful not to return greetings by other people.

· When you enter pagodas (wats) sit with your feet to the side rather than in lotus position, then you join both hands together under chin and bow three times to the floor. Always be seated when the monks are seated.

Photography

There are many photographic shops in Cambodia, offering international standard services. Be sure to take plenty of photographs so you can take back good memories of the Kingdom. Photographers are free to shoot almost everything. However, a few principles should be observed.

· If photographing local people, always ask their permission first. Most of them will be happy to pose for you.

· Taking photographs of military bases and other designated security areas is prohibited.

· Ask permission before taking photos inside pagodas, royal palaces, other sacred places or special events.

Visiting Pagodas (Wats) and other religious and traditional places

The official religion of Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism, which is also practiced in neighboring countries like Laos, Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. The sight of a saffron-robed monk is common throughout the Kingdom and almost every village had a pagoda (wat).

· Visitors should dress neatly in all religious places. They should never go shirtless, in shorts, hot pants or other unsuitable attire.

· Shoes, sandals and a hat should be removed when entering a mosque or a pagoda (wat) where Buddhist images are kept. Each Buddha image, large or small, well kept or in ruins, is regarded sacred.

· Never climb onto a Buddha or photograph a Buddha inside a temple without asking permission. Always be respectful when viewing a Buddha image.

Tipping

There is no regulation on tipping in Cambodia. However, tipping is greatly appreciated as salaries are low. The value of the tip is optional, depending on individual generosity. It should commensurate with the level of service rendered.

A small present, instead of a tip, is greatly appreciated.

Shopping

Bargaining is a way of life in Cambodia and many shops will offer discounts after negotiation. Cambodia is noted for its handicrafts - handmade articles such as silk materials, wood carvings, stone copies of Khmer art, silver items and jeweler are worth buying. It is illegal to export any antique art objects.

Personal Behavior

Polite behavior is welcome everywhere. What is considered polite in other countries is probably considered polite in Cambodia too. However, there are few customs, social and religious taboos.

· Cambodians admire a calm and considered approach to all aspects of life. Open show of temper and anger should be avoided.

· It is considered a grave insult to touch another person's head, even if is meant as a friendly gesture.

· Use the right hand to accept things or shake hands.

· It is considered rude to point your foot at a person or object.

· Keep an open mind and do not demand much from your host. Loud voices and boisterous behavior are considered impolite. Smiling and nodding establishes good intent.

· Public displays of affection between men and women are frowned upon.
If you like someone to come over to you, motion with your whole hand, palm down. Do not signal with your finger.

· When picking your teeth with a toothpick after a meal, it is considered polite to hold the toothpick with one hand and to cover your open mouth with the other.

· In private homes, it is polite to remove your shoes when entering the house.

· Be appreciative of people who appreciate

· By observing the behavior code, you can thoroughly enjoy your stay in Cambodia and take home pleasant memories.

For more tips about traveling in Cambodia, please visit : http://www.activetravelcambodia.com

You will find what you need for an adventure journey to Cambodia.
And remember that : The more you go, the more you get.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/cambodia-travel-guide-529937.html

I love Cambodia .Exploring this fantastic destination is a great adventure in my life.
I want to share all my experiences to make you feel this beautiful country. Hope that you will love Cambodia as much as I love it.

Cambodia At It’s Best - The Angkor Wat Temple Complex, Mondulkiri & Ratanakiri

Cambodia tourism is a testament to the resilience, warmth and pragmatism of the people from the Kingdom of Cambodia, formerly known as Kampuchea.

A tragic civil war of Orwellian proportions, and severe disruption and damage from the Vietnam war, left Cambodia as one of the last places that anyone would to visit in South East Asia.

However, today, it is possible to visit more places in Cambodia than any other time in its history. Many of the national highways have recently been upgraded with assistance from other countries.

From Phnom Penh, the capital, full paved, and sealed, roads take you to Siem Reap, in northern Cambodia, and the modern day entry town to the Angkor Wat temple and city complex.

Similarly paved roads also take you to Sisophon, and Sihanoukville, in the south east, and home of the best beaches in Cambodia, and also to Sisophon, in the north west, and an excellent place to start your journey to of Banteay Chhmar and Banteay Top Angkorian temples.

Any visit to Cambodia as a tourist should include going to the Angor Wat temple complex. In addition to the highway from Phnom Penh, importantly, Siem Reap, airport city code of KH, is well served by airlines arriving at its international airport, airport code of REP.

These airlines include arrivals from Singapore (SIN) with Silk Air, airline code of MI, and Singapore Airlines (SQ), Bangkok (BKK) with Bangkok Airways (PG), Ho Chi Minh City (SGN) with Vietnam Airlines (VN), and other international airlines including those arriving from Phnom Penh, Taipei, Guangzhou, Hanoi, and Seoul

The Angkor Wat temple complex is made up of a number of sites, including Angkor Wat itself, and the nearby ancient Khmer capital of Angkor Thom nearby. Other major temple sites include the Little Circuit, taken from the French "Le Petit Circuit", the Big Circuit, from the French Le Grand Circuit, the Roluos group of temples.

If you do want to visit the other temple sites apart from Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom, it is important to know that the complex is situated more than four hundred square kilometers, and sometimes can be difficult to get to, especially in the rainy season. And just reference, four hundred square kilometers compares to small islands such as Barbados, and even Andorra in Europe.

Interestingly, a recent radar survey, published in 2007, now suggests that the Khmer settlements and the Angkor temple and city sites could have covered more than three thousand square kilometers, which is about the size of Metro Bangkok. The survey also found the sites of seventy four more temples and a far more complex irrigation system not known before.

If you are planning to visit a few of the Angkor sites, you will need to spend a few days at nearby Siem Reap. The town has an excellent range of accommodation, including luxury air-con hotels near the airport, and also, for me, by far and away the best places to stay, many interesting guesthouses, mainly near the Wat Bo road area of Siem Reap.

Most guesthouses will arrange for a car you to take you to some cool, inexpensive, eateries around the town. Or just grab a tuk-tuk and enjoy!

What if you want to explore some hidden gems of Cambodia.? Then head back to Phnom Penh, and go to see the natural beauty of Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri provinces. Ratanakiri borders on Laos to the north, and Vietnam in the east, and Mondulkiri province to the south.


You will need to go to a travel agent in Pnom Penh in order to organize a tour to these beautiful provinces located in the north eastern part of Cambodia. There are no national highways or airlines servicing this relatively unknown part of the country.

Just as a heads-up notice to those of you planning to go to this region, and to the owners of Cambodia tourism websites, there are no flights to Ratanakiri airport.

Once you are in Mondulkiri, your local guide will take you to some of the most remote, spectacular, scenery in South East Asia. Jungle, forests, hill tribes, and waterfalls, including the beautiful Boura, all await you here.

And then on to Ratanakiri. This may well be the highlight of your visit to Cambodia, and the area is just outstanding, ranging from, again, waterfalls, to the spectacular volcanic lake of Yak Laom, and seeing the indigenous people of the hill tribes.

Try staying at the Terres Rouges Lodge, situated on the Banlung lake. Banlung is the capital of Ratanakiri province, and is a busting small town of around seventeen thousand people, and where the hill tribe people come to sell their goods.

The original lodge was the home of a former the governor of Ratanakiri province, and has a wealth of history. Today, you will find some of the best services and food in all of Cambodia at Terres Rouge. Just check out the croissants and baguettes that have aroma that you will only find in the cafes of provincial France! Well, maybe there are still a few similar eateries in Pnom Penh!

Sadly, you will have to say au revoir to Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri at some point. I wish you bon voyage back to your home!

And finally, and as usual, a big hello to all my friends at the Thailand Web Zone, www.thailandwebzone.com, which is a new Thai social networking and Thailand community site. Share information in Thai forums and Thailand articles, meet people, share photos, music and video, find & submit information on Thailand travel. Make new friends from all over the world! For those readers who have not visited TWZ, go have a look now!

asean_al

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/exotic-locations-articles/cambodia-at-its-best-the-angkor-wat-temple-complex-mondulkiri-ratanakiri-829747.html

Allan C. Batten

The Most Magnificent Temple of Cambodia

I suppose if you were to pick two places to visit in Cambodia in hope of grasping a bit of what its about they would be the two we visited: the capital Phnom Penh and arguably the most amazing ruins on the planet, the temples of Angkor Wat.

Lose yourself in the magnificence of a lost civilization. Angkor is the heart and soul of Cambodia, a place of extravagant beauty and the perfect fusion of creative ambition and spiritual devotion.

Angkor Wat is the most famous temple ground in the entire Angkor plain. It was built by King Suryavarman II in the middle of the 12th century over a period of about 30 years. Like many other Khmer temples, Angkor Wat was built as architectural allegory of the Hindu religion. The central tower stands for Mount Meru, the center of the universe according to Hindu mythology; the top of Mount Meru is considered the home of the gods.

The temple ground is surrounded by a wall and a moat, not only for demarcation purposes, but also because in Hindu mythology Mount Meru is surrounded by other mountain ranges and oceans.

The main entryway to Angkor Wat is a street of roughly half a kilometer length, ornamented with balustrades and fringed by artificial lakes, so-called Barays. This entryway resembles the rainbow bridge in Hindu mythology, the link between heaven and earth, or the realm of the gods and the realm of the mortals.

Angkor Wat is in better structural condition than many other temples on the Angkor plain because it has been converted into a Buddhist temple probably even before the Siamese conquest in 1431, and because it has been used as such continuously after (in the 13th century Buddhism became an important religion in originally pure-Hindu Angkor)

Cambodia promises a rollercoaster of emotions and experiences to the intrepid traveller. Your heart will race at Angkor Wat, the world's greatest achievements, only to haltingly derail when faced with the impact of humankind's darkest moments. After two decades of war and isolation, only now is Cambodia truly starting to recover from the Khmer Rouge's genocidal 1975-79 rule.

So, why don’t you explore this beautiful country right now ???

For more tips about traveling in Cambodia, please visit www.activetravelcambodia.com
You will find what you need for an adventure journey to Cambodia.

And remember that : The more you go, the more you get.

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/destinations-articles/the-most-magnificent-temple-of-cambodia-503710.html

I love Cambodia .Exploring this fantastic destination is a great adventure in my life.
I want to share all my experiences to make you feel this beautiful country. Hope that you will love Cambodia as much as I love it.

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