Travel advice & practical information for travelogue:

'Bicycle vacation Cambodia'

Useful addresses

Washington

Royal Embassy of Cambodia
4530 16th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20011
Tel.: 202-726 7742
Tel.: 202-726 7824
Fax: 202-726 8381
Web site: Embassy of Cambodia in Washington

London

Royal Embassy of Cambodia
64 Brondesbury Park, Willesden Green
London NW6 7AT
Tel.: 020-8451 7850
Fax: 020-8451 7594
Web site: Embassy of Cambodia in London

Paris

Cambodian Embassy
4, Rue Adolphe Yvon
75116 Paris
Tel.: 01-4503 4720
Fax: 01-4503 4740
E-mail: ambcambodgeparis@mangoosta.fr

One needs a visa to enter Cambodia; it can be purchased at the border.

Climate and best time to travel

During the dry season it's extremely dusty; a surgical mask helps. During the wet season, however, one has to have a high tolerance for mud.

Roads

Thru roads are sometimes in very bad condition, unpaved and riddled with potholes. A sturdy bike is necessary. The improvement of the infrastructure is in full swing. Local roads are mostly unpaved.

Use of cell phones

On the main roads and in towns along them, cell phones cannot be used.

Money

Always negotiate about prices, even if you think they're reasonable for your own standards. It is considered normal to negotiate until the lowest price possible is reached. This goes for goods as well as for tours.

Thailand has ATMs, but only in the big cities, at airports and in tourist resorts. Traveller checks can be cashed everywhere, but it's relatively expensive. Changing cash is cheaper.

"Paying by credit card in inadvisable in Thailand. Fraud is in some places rather rule than exception. 40 per cent of payments for fraud-related claims by the largest credit card companies is for tourism-related fraud in Thailand." (Source: Lonely Planet)

If you know in advance which places you're going to visit, you can find out online if and where there are ATM's where you can use your MasterCard and Cirrus or Visa to withdraw money.

Health

For up-to-date information about health risks go to the site of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Cambodia. Always consult your family doctor as well.

Safety and security

Traveling in some countries or regions can bring risks with it. That shouldn't always be a reason not to go there, but part of a thorough preparation is to find out about possible risks.

A good place to find information is the web site of the CIA World Factbook Cambodia. Always seek advice from your own country's foreign department as well.

Plan your trip to Cambodia online

Through online reservation systems like À la Carte Vacations you can book airline tickets, hotels, rental cars and holiday houses. You can build a fly-drive itinerary with maximum flexibility, book a flight plus a hotel hotel for a night or weekend. Without the limitations of package deals from travel organisations and most times for a much better price.