Cambodia |
Cambodia Tours & Cambodia Tour Packages |
This section covers many valuable resources on Cambodia such as the travel guides or tips to travelers. Some of the topics contain links to the other related sites of similar subjects. In certain topic, we include lists of useful contacting address for your information.
Cambodia Fact File:
Country Name: The Kingdom of Cambodia
Country Name in Khmer language: Kampuchea
Motto: Nation - Religion – King
Capital City: Phnom Penh
Language: Khmer (Cambodian). Some English, French.
Government: Multy-party democracy under a constitutional monarchy
Important/Major Cities: Siem Reap (Gateway to the temples of Angkor). Sihanoukville (port and beach town). Battambang, Kampong Cham.
Major Rivers/Lakes: Tonle Sap River, Mekong River, Bassac River, Tonle Sap Lake
Ethnic Groups: Khmer (90-95%), ethnic-Chinese, Cham, ethnic-Vietnamese, several ethnic-minorities in the northeast.
Boring Countries: Thailand, Laos, Vietnam
International Airports: Phnom Penh (PHN), Siem Reap (SEP)
Religion: Theravada Buddhism (95%), Islam, Christianity, Animism.
Population of Cambodia: 14.2 million (est.)
Land area of Cambodia: 181.035 km2
Land area of Siem Reap: 10.299 km2
Currency: Riel (US$1=4200R). US dollars are as commonly used as riel
Voltage: 220v/50Hz
Time: GMT +7 hours
Country Calling Code: 855
Internet LTD: kh
Business Hours: 7:30-11:30 / 2:00-5:00 Closed Saturday afternoon and Sunday.
Aranyapathet and Poipet Border
It is no longer a mystery any more about the land crossing into Cambodia from Thailand at Aranyapathet-Poipet Border. From Bangkok, "Aranyapathet" is over 200 km from Bangkok to the West. It takes around 4-5 hours drive from Bangkok.
Travelers can easily take the public air-conditioned bus at the Northern Bus Terminal in Bangkok to Aranyapathet. Bus fee is at USD12 for air-con and half price for non-A/C. Taking the train from Central Railway Station of Bangkok called "Hualumpong" is not a bad idea with two departures at 05:50 a.m. and 01:00 p.m. and arrive at 12:00 and 06:00 p.m., respectively. Only 3rd class and non-A/C trains running this route at the fare of USD2. Some travel agents on Khaosan Road that are specialized on backpackers do offer this transport service by van at the cost of around USD7.
From the Bus and Train Station in Aranyapathet, the Poipet border is roughly 6 kilometers away. You can take the rickshaw to the border (or in Thai called Tuk-Tuk) at around USD2 depending upon your bargaining power. No fix rates!
The scenario of the Poipet border is a bustling market where the Thais and the Cambodians of the two sides trade with one another. From Poipet, you can either get to Siem Seap or to Phnom Penh.
Cambodia visa processing here is rather easy. The foreign visitors just fill in the visa application form with 1 Passport-size photo. Show your Passport and pay USD 20 for visa fee to the Cambodian Immigration officials. That's all the process needed to be done.
The Poipet border is open from 07:30 a.m. to 17:00 p.m., and foreign tourists can obtain the visa here. A slight warning is that you might be asked for some sorts of International Vaccination Certificate by the local immigration officials. It is only their attempt to make some extra money as there is no such requirement. Some travelers had reported that the fine imposed ranges from USD5-50. This is not legitimate, of course. If you insisted not to pay, generally the officials do not make any hassle further. In case you are quite afraid, pass the immigration with the other tourists so that you won't be alone, or if you want to compromise, some small dollar notes should be more than adequate, though not recommended.
After passing through the Immigration station, you can easily spot two casinos that host the Thai gamblers who travel to Poipet for legal gambling in Cambodia (illegal in Thailand). The good hotels actually the guesthouses in Poipet are mostly full in advance as they are pre-booked for these gambling group tours from Thailand. It is not a good idea to cross the border in the late afternoon to find yourself stuck there. Overnight at a decent hotel in Aranyapathet at the Thai side is much better off and cross the border next morning or around noon.
In Poipet, the vehicles are rare to be seen. Taxi is run by private two-wheeled motorcyclist. There is a bus station near the crossing point, but it is vacant. Many wagons, full of goods and products, are pulled or pushed by several dusty Cambodians. Food and drink stalls can be seen on the two sides of the street.
Travel to Siem Reap from Poipet is more or less a rough and adventurous trails, not suitable for those who seek comfort. On the Cambodian side, there is share taxi or pickup trucks that will ride you to Siem Reap where the impressive Angkor Wat and other Khmer temples are housed. The road condition is good, paved.
The road condition between Poipet and Phnom Penh is good.
General Tips and Advice:
Aranyapathet-Poipet Border is not the place where you can renew your Thai Visa for another 30 days. There is no Thai Consulate here, but rather a small Immigration post. If you wish to enter Cambodia through Poipet to travel around Cambodia and then leave at the same crossing point, be sure that your Thai visa has not been expired... otherwise you will have to make a double painful trip, either back to Siemreap for taking a direct flight out or even further to Phnom Penh to get a new re-entry Thai visa. Its counterpart at Koh Kong border gives 30-days Thai Visa.
