USEFUL INFORMATION
1. Health
No actual vaccinations are officially required. Malaria prophylaxis is no longer recommended but isitors are advised to check with their doctors or travel immunization clinics regarding the advisability of inocalation against typhoid, tetanus, hepatitis A & B.
Carry a medical kit with bandagesm splints and the link. It is inportant if you bring a complete, personal medical and forst aid kit along with a few other essential items. Suggestion the following (Note: You will need to pack sharp objects in checked baggage due to tightened airline security)
2. Food
Khmer food is typical spicy with a high proportion of fish, either fresh water from the Son Le Sap lake or seafood from the southern coast. As a result of the large numbers of UN personnel who have been posted in Cambodia Phnom Penh's restaurant and bar life has expanded dramatically. There are numerous restaurants offering selections in quality and budget for the following types of food: Italian, French, Indian, pizza, Thai, Chinese.
Outside of Phnom Penh the selection of food and restaurants is more limited, but likely to have Khmer, Thai and some kind of western foods available.
3. Entertainment
Theater and dance are central to the Khmer culture. Most famous is the Royal ballet which is depicted numerously on the bas relief's of Angkor Wat. Represent ting the Apsaras (celestial female dances) the dances are symbolic, slow, graceful gestures which conform to a strict and precise language of movement. Each dance is an act of worship and blessing. Most of the dancers are women.
Traditional Khmer dancing can be seen at the National Theater. In addition, the theater has produced a contemporary history called the life of the Nation of Cambodia.
In terms of "modern" entertainment many new bars and nightclubs have opened, from sophisticated French cafe/ bistros to the types of discos one might normally associate with Bangkok 's Patpong Road .
4. Language
The Khmer language is very unique and distinctive. To the Western eye the characters are very much like those of Thai, but a closer look reveals they are in fact quite different. Many older Cambodians speak French, which up until 1976 was the principal language used in the education system.
5. Religion
Cambodia reinstated Buddhism as the state religion in the late 1980s (it had been illegal since 1976),and it is now 96% Buddhist despite being targeted by the Khmer Rouge and suffering serious losses to it in the seventies. Islam (Cham Muslims) and Catholicism have lost much of their strength since the Khmer "cleansings" of the seventies. A small number of Cambodians are Caodai followers.
6. Ethnic Groups
After the Khmer the largest ethnic group in Cambodia is the Chinese who dominate the business community. In addition there are considerable numbers of Vietnamese.
In the highlands and rural areas Hmong and Thai groups also live in limited numbers.
7. Handicrafts and Souvenirs
Cambodia is widely recognized as having some of the most beautiful religious carving and bass-relief's anywhere in the world. Of course most are of a religious nature, celebrating the Khmer peoples Buddhist and Hindu religious past. Unfortunately the countries recent turmoil has allowed widespread looting of some of the countries classic pieces, most commonly large Buddha heads from the Angkorian are.
Indovillage supports the Kingdom of Cambodia and UNESCO's efforts to stop the flow of these priceless and irreplaceable objects of art out of the country. For those wishing to take home such figures, excellent quality replicas are now available in both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
In addition to stone carving, Cambodia has excellent silverware of both classical Khmer and Chines design which can be bought in the main markets of Phnom Penh . More than any other item, the krama is quintessentially Cambodian. These are large rectangular scarves made from cotton or silkand are most commonly found in red or blue check. Their uses are endless but include headdress, skirts, aprons, carrying aids.
8. Climate and Seasons
Cambodia has two monsoons. One is cool and dry and last from November to March with temperatures around 17 0 C ÷ 27 0 C (night-day). January is the coolest and most pleasant month to visit. The rainy seasons, which is both humid and hot, is from April to October with temperatures around 27 0 C ÷ 35 0 C . During this season the humidity can be as high as 90% and average annual rainfall is 1.4 m ÷ 5m.
9. Festival and Holidays
Traditional Cambodian festival are set according to the Khmer lunar calendar. The most mportant of these is the Cambodian New Year Chaul Chhnam which falls in mid-April. Also in April is the Visak Bauchea commemorating the birthday and illumination of Buddha.
In late October or early November is the Vietnamese overthrow of Pol Pot in 1979. Genocide Day on May 9 th is a memorial day for those who suffered the atrocities of the Khmer Rouge. Also of importance is King Sihanouk's birthday on 31 st October.
10. Currency and Banking
The official currency is Riel. In Phnom Penh there is useful use of all major credit cards. Travelers cheques can be cashed and cash disbursement services are available.
We offer you a place far, far away where smiles are free and thus traded daily. Banyan trees envelop ancient temples while sticky rice cooks on an open fire.
Ancient and recent history mix to show a country that has endured so much yet has so much to give...we offer you Cambodia !
