| back Home |
|
Cambodia |
Facts about country
| Capital | Phnom Penh |
|
Population |
12 million |
|
Main Languages |
Khmer, English and French |
|
Electricity |
2 Plug System 220 50 HZ |
|
Currency |
Riel (r) |
|
Exchange Rate for US $ as of Nov 2001 |
3900 Riel per 1 US$ |
|
Safe to Drink Tap Water |
No |
|
Size |
181,035 sq km (11,224 sq mi) |
|
Transport |
train, bus, plane, taxi, minibus, tourist bus, boat, motorbike |
| Cash Machines (ATMS) | No |
| Credit Card Usage | Very Rarely |
| Religion | Buddhism, Muslim, Roman Catholic |
| Measurement System | Metric System |
Recommended Budget per Day in US $
| Total Budget per Person | Accommodation | Meals | Transportation | Other |
| 16 $ | 4 $ | 4 $ | 4 $ | 4 $ |
Main things to See (we give descriptions only on places we visited)
| Things to See | Visited | Brief Description | Recommend (10 is best 1 is don't bother) |
| Phnom Penh | Y | Phnom Penh is the capital of Cambodia and to our surprise we really enjoyed visiting. The main attractions are Wat Ounalom, Wat Phnom, Wat Lang Ka, Silver Pagoda, Royal Palace, National Museum, Toul Song Musuem ((Pol Pot's security prison) and the Independence Monument. | 9 |
| Killing Fields of Choeung Ek | Y | This is the place where 17,000 people were killed and tortured. It is a reminder of the atrocities of Pol Pot's regime of terror from 1975 till 1979. In the middle there is a Stupa which contains the bones and skulls of some of the victims. | 9 |
| Angkor | Y | The most amazing monument complex we have ever seen. We were very impressed. The main temple and palace is Angkor Wat. The other temples and structures are Phnom Bakheng, Bayon, Baphuon, Suor Proat Ta Kev, Ta Prohm, Banteay Kdei, Srah Srang, Pre Rup, East Mebon, Ta Som, Neak Pean, and Preah Khan. The admission fee is 20US$ for one day, 40 US$ for up to 3 days and 60 US$ for 4-6 days (upgrading is not possible any more). | 10 |
| Sihanoukville | N | ||
| Battambang | N | ||
| Phnom Udong | N | ||
| Kompong Luong | N | ||
Popular activities and Tours (Being not included does not mean they do not exist)
| Hiking / Trekking | x |
| Scuba Diving | |
| Historical Sites | x |
| Sightseeing tours | x |
|
Ballooning |
|
|
BungyJumping |
|
|
Safaris |
|
| Boat tours | x |
| Fishing | |
| Horseback riding | |
| Canoeing | x |
| Camping | |
| River Rafting | |
| Sky Diving | |
| Abseiling | |
| Surfing | |
| Windsurfing | |
| Kayaking | |
| Sailing | |
| Mountain biking | |
| Rollerblading | |
| Motorbike | x |
| Sand boarding | |
| Snorkeling | x |
| Water Skiing | |
| Skiing | |
| Bicycling | x |
| Others Elephant Rides | x |
Feeling and Opinions on Cambodia
Cambodia was a very pleasant surprise for us and a major relief from Vietnam. We wished we had spent more time in Cambodia, rather than in Vietnam. Phnom Penh has a lot to offer. The temples and wats are really nice and the tragic history during the Khmer Rouge rule is also well documented. It is also a pleasant city to be in where the people were much friendlier and genuine than in Vietnam. The Temples of Angkor were the most amazing monuments we have seen up to now on our trip or ever. They are a must see in South East Asia.
© Copyright 2001 BackPackWithUs All Rights Reserved
Maren & Kirk