CAMBODIA

Country Updates

Cambodian visas take a day to be issued in Bangkok and cost about USD30 and two photos.
The Canadian embassy is now collocated with the Australian embassy in PP.
Cambodia is an excellent place for Lao visas: they're issued the next day for USD35 and two photos.
It seems to be cheaper to buy Vietnamese visas in Cambodia through agents. Apparently agents are offered a concessionary price not available to travellers who simply turn up at the embassy.
Anon - (Feb 99)

If travellers want to extend their 1 month visa in Cambodia it can take up to 30 days to process if you do not get an express visa.
Nick O'Connell (Feb 99)

I travelled to Cambodia last June, crossing from Thailand by land. I took the early train from Bangkok which leaves around 6am. The train is supposed to arrive at the Thai border town of Aranyaprathet around noon, but usually arrives around 1pm. From here, you just have to follow the crowd (not of tourists, but of locals), and take a small bemo or tuk tuk to get to the Cambodian border town of Poipet where you can easily find the small immigration check point. The Cambodian officials checked our passports and visas very carefully, and asked us to pay US$1 - for some kind of paperwork, they said. After the immigration check point, you have to walk a few meters, and you will meet locals who are very eager to take you in their pick-up trucks to Siem Reap. It is a long trip, but the villages on the way are interesting; we arrived there around 8-9 pm.

It is not useful to go to a travel agent to obtain a Cambodian visa, as they keep your passport for a few days and charge you more. Just go directly to the Cambodian Embassy. Mine was issued in 30 minutes, and the staff were very nice. When the Cambodian Consul saw that I planned to cross the border by land, he invited me in to his office and explained to me that it was safer now, but that I should nevertheless be careful.
Marie Lesaicherre, Singapore (Dec 98)

On November 30th, it was still possible to obtain a visa at Phnom Penh airport.
Steve Newcomer, USA (Dec 98)

Earlier this year, the Poipet border crossing opened to foreigners. On the 23rd May, I went by road from Siem Reap to Poipet, and then on to Thailand. The condition of the road was so bad that cars had to leave the road for some stretches and drive on the field next to it as it was so bumpy. There were no buses, so I travelled on the back of a pick-up truck. I did not feel unsafe, and have spoken to many tourists who took this same route and didn't feel unsafe either. Of course, I realise that there is a difference between my impression of the safety and the actual level of safety.
Johannes van der Heide, The Netherlands (Nov 98)

Latest information available to the Embassy is that the Cambodian Government will eventually discontinue the practice of issuing visas on arrival at Pochentong International Airport. It is now advisable for visitors to apply for a visa at a Cambodian Embassy or Consulate before departure for Cambodia. You are required to complete an application form and provide two photographs. A visa fee of US$20 is payable for a one-month tourist or business visa. For the time being, short-term tourist visas will still be issued at Pochentong Airport, but this may change in the future. A fine of US$3 per day is charged for overstays.

Procedures for visa extensions: to apply for a visa extension, go to the Department of Foreigners (Bureau Des Etrangers), House 32, Street 200 (just off Norodom Blvd). The office is open between 8am and 12pm weekdays. Visa form fees are 2000 riels (the form is affixed with stamps). Two passport size photographs are required. The processing time is 10 working days.
Robyn Preston - Consular Assistant,
Australian Embassy, Phnom Penh (Jul 98)

On 14 May, 1998, the South China Morning Post (Internet Edition), reported the following:
"The Cambodian government has announced changes to its visa requirements to travellers visiting Cambodia. Cambodia's Consul-General announced last week that visas will no longer be issued on arrival at Phnom Penh's Pochentong Airport. The changes in the visa requirement were originally directed only at diplomats and aid workers but the Consul-General has insisted tourists must have a visa prior to arrival in Cambodia. The cost of the visa remains the same at US$20. As travellers arriving overland from Ho Chi Minh City already are required to have their visas prior to arrival in Cambodia, they are not affected by changes to the new visa requirement."

Lonely Planet has been receiving mixed reports from travellers about this situation, so we recommend calling your local Cambodian embassy before travelling. We phoned the Cambodian Embassy in Canberra, Australia, on 10 June 1998, and were told that tourists can actually still obtain visas at Phnom Penh's airport; the change to visa requirements apparently only applies to business travellers and diplomats.

Last I heard, the Trat crossing was supposed to be legal on 17 April 1998 - if so, makes for a perfect overland loop through Cambodia via Thailand!
Andy Wright (Apr 98)

I was one of the first travellers to cross the Thai-Cambodia border (at Poipet) overland as they opened it officially during the time I was visiting Angkor. I had no problems at all, although I wouldn't say I felt safe all the time during the journey. You see dozens of people carrying heavy guns and the police and army (supposedly there to ensure the safe flow of goods and people from both countries), complete the scary scenery. Anyway, you save at least $100 by travelling from Siem Reap to Bangkok overland though you have to know that you are really taking a risk as due to political instability, Cambodia isn't a safe country yet.
Eduardo Cardellini Martino (Apr 98)

Visas: very easy to get everywhere, but where you get them makes a huge difference to your budget. By far the cheapest and fastest is Bangkok where the travel agents can apply for all visas at the same time (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam), thus you only need to wait for as long as the longest processing time for one single visa. If you're going on to China, you should really get the visa in Bangkok as it only adds one to two days waiting time. Elsewhere the visas are more expensive and you'll have to wait for five days.
Cambodia visa: I got mine on the spot in Vientiane for US$20. They told me to come back in three days, but I asked if they couldn't do it a bit faster. I met people who got theirs in 20 minutes at the embassy in Hanoi, also for US$20, while in Saigon they will tell you to go to a travel agent.
Hanne Finholt - Norway (Mar 98)

I'd advise that if travellers intend to go from Bangkok to Cambodia and on to Vietnam, they should get their visa for Vietnam in Phnom Penh. In Bangkok we stressed that we wanted to enter Vietnam at Moc Bai and leave via Lao Bao. When we collected our visas they were stamped Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. We were then told that the embassy in Bangkok only issues visas for these entry/exit points. We don't know if this is true or just a cock-up by the travel agent.
Alan Middlebrook (Mar 98)

Here is a report about crossing the Thai-Cambodian border at Poi Pet. It's possible and completely legal since Wednesday 25 Feb 98. I left on Friday morning. In Poi Pet there is only one tar road leading up to the border and almost exactly east-west. I found two hotels and one guesthouse. The border was open before 8am. I got my exit stamp and had to pay US$5. Leaving tax as at the airport, so they said. I asked for a receipt but there weren't any around yet. I can't remember if I had to pay for leaving at Moc Bai, so I advise to ask for a receipt all the time. They told me it's possible to enter Cambodia if you already have obtained a visa. I got my free 30 days visa for Thailand. The border closes at 6pm I was told. There are taxis and motos to Aranya Prathet about 4km down the road. I hitched on a pick-up. At the end of the road is the bus station. Just before the end at the right side is the train station. There are aircon buses (about 130 baht) and non-aircon buses (about 74 baht). The trip takes around five hours. There are at least two trains daily to Bangkok. One at 6.40am and one after 1pm. If you cross the border in the morning it's better to take the bus.
Kevin Garvey (Mar 98)

A Laos visa now costs US$35 at the embassy in Phnom Penh, but then you will get a visit visa which allows you to stay for one month. A good deal since it's becoming quite hard to get visa extensions in Laos, apart from Vientiane. It takes one day before you get your visa.
Joris Postema & Kim den Boer - Netherlands (Jan 98)

Planning. We think there is a need for a sleeping bad in parts of Cambodia in December and January, and if you're riding a moto early in the morning a jumper would be nice.
Credit cards. The situation is pretty bad, don't rely on credit cards for anything if possible. Many banks will do advances for Visa and a couple for Mastercard but they'll charge you. Cambodia's national airline doesn't even take credit cards.
Email. Email has well and truly arrived. The phone lines are still too dodgy and expensive for good internet access but at least you can email.
Malaria. Its amazing how easy it is to get a fever in the tropics, but there are only a few reliable places to get a malaria test done. Many local physicians are notorious for not actually testing but diagnosing everyone as having malaria. One way to have peace of mind is to carry a Falciprum Malaria test kit. And bring some good insect repellent, it can be hard to find in some places.
Jady Smith & Kate Davey (Jan 99)

In Cambodia, there is no longer any problem visiting the ruins at Banteay Srei or the Roluos group except for the awful roads. Nor is there a problem with the boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Riep (leaves 7 am daily, costs $16 and takes five hours).
Dick Warren, USA (Jan 99)

During the water festival and the King's birthday (end of October to early November), all banks and government offices close.

Credit cards are really difficult to use. Most of the ATMs in Phnom Penh run out of money within minutes of the bank's closing, especially in Siem Reap where there are only three banks.
J Alan, UK (Nov 98)

Inside the Diamond Hotel (Monivong Blvd), there is a cheque cashing / money change place called Chequepoint that is open seven days a week and will cash travellers cheques and do cash advance on credit cards. Banks are closed on Saturdays and Sundays.
Eric Chu - USA (Mar 98)

Angkor Wat - Royal Air Cambodge: to confirm air flights, Royal Air Cambodge is now located west on Route 6 at Villa 362 on the south side opposite the Tala gas station.
John Deacon, Canada (Jan 99)

I wouldn't advise trying to get to Cambodia by sea in either direction. The Thailand side has had recent prating raids from Cambodia. The Vietnamese side is around the disputed Island of Phu Quoc.
No matter how you travel in Cambodia you should be aware that many Cambodians think its danderous to travel at night. Try and plan to have a few hours daylight spare so you don't have to travel at night.
Jady Smith & Kate Davey (Jan 99)

The coach station near the new market in Phnom Penh has good modern coaches to Sihanoukville, Kampong Speu, Kampong Chanang Takeo, etc. I travelled all over the place without any problems. The price of the tickets is clearly stamped on them so there's no fear of being overcharged. The shared taxis are also a good deal: they get you there in half the time but tend to cram people in as tightly as possible. The fares for the taxis are the same as the coaches so if you think you're being overcharged, just check with the coach drivers. The taxis always leave from the coach stations.
Mr S Adlington, UK (Aug 98)

We took the train to Aranyapretet. It no longer goes to the border so you will need to get a tuk-tuk to the border post. Also, the train was two hours late so we had no chance of getting to Siem Reap in one day. Take the bus or stay in Aran the night before!
Bryan & Helen - UK (Jul 98)

Phnom Penh: a new metered taxi company has started operation. It's called Taxi Vantha. There is a 3500r flag fall which gets you the first two kilometres after which is it 500r per km. After dark, they supply an armed security guard sitting beside the driver. They operate around the clock. Phone: (018) 810 267 or (023) 982 452.
David Boyall - Australia (May 98)

Bangkok Air now has direct flights to Siem Reap. We were able to book Bangkok Air through United by using United's 'partner' relationship with Lufthansa. We had to tell the United person that Lufthansa provides this service for Bangkok Air.
Nancy Shilepsky (Mar 98)

Angkor-Phnom Penh (slow boat): in my opinion, highly unadvisable as this journey should take approximately one day. In my case, the boat was loaded with over 100 pigs, raided by various bandits every few hours, shot at numerous times, had luggage stolen from the boat by 'the bandits', and took a long, hard three days to eventually arrive at Phnom Penh.
Alun Thomas - Wales (Feb 98)

It's very easy and very cheap to get to the border on your own (from Vietnam). City Bus runs from Ben Thanh station (Ho Chi Minh City) to Ben Xe Tay Ninh station for 3000 dong. They'll actually give you a printed ticket and believe it or not, you won't be overcharged. From Tay Ninh station you can catch a Tay Ninh bus which passes the turnoff for the Cambodian border. From here you'll have to take a motorcycle. They ask for $1 but it's better to pay in dong as they'll then ask for only 10,000 dong. Sinh cafΘ has a bus going to the border if there's enough people (US$5). Cross-border bus: Vietnamese bus leaves from the garage behind the Rex Hotel in Saigon at 4am on Mondays, Tuesdays and Wednesdays. On Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays, there's a Cambodian bus leaving from the bus stop nearby for $5 (4am). They'll tell you there are no buses on these days, but that's because they want business for the Vietnamese bus.

Direct flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap are up and running, operated by Bangkok Airways. We got a round trip ticket Bangkok-Phnom Penh (Bangkok Air)-Siem Reap (Royal Air Cambodge)-Bangkok (Bangkok Air) for $205.
Phnom Penh domestic departure air tax is now a stonking $10 per person. Departure tax from Siem Reap is $8 per person.
Nat & Rob (Jan 98)

There are no longer any slow boats from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The 'Sarawak Express Boats' are probably your best bet at arriving in Siem Reap safely. There is also a minibus going from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, but the drivers are crazy (so we heard) and the day we wanted to take one, it had vanished the day before. So, it's not entirely safe.
It is now allowed to use one motorcycle for two people around Angkor. This will cost you US$7 a day.
Bangkok Airways recently started flying from Bangkok to Phnom Penh for US$75. By far the best deal.
Joris Postema & Kim den Boer - Netherlands (Jan 98)

I flew Bangkok to Phnom Penh last week. A new Thai-Cambodian airline is operating since last November. It's Kampuchea Airlines but in Thailand tickets are sold as Thai Orient. An open return ticket is now about US$100. They fly every day and they look reliable.
Orazio Strazzeri - Italy (Jan 98)

I flew with Cambodian Airlines, KL - Phnom Penh - Singapore for about US$220. Few people know that Cambodian Airlines exists, and they assume that you want Royal Air Cambodge. A company called Orient Thai Airlines seems to run it, and to make it even more confusing, I was on a plane that had both names on it. A few times a week a plane flies BKK - PHN - KUL - SIN - PHN - BKK. The L-1011 carries over 200 passengers, but only 20 or so were on my flight.
Kent Foster (Nov 97)

Having just returned from two weeks in Cambodia, I wanted to pass on a warning about two scams that are operating there. While they donÆt actually involve getting any more money from tourists (for a change!), they do cheat UNESCO out of thousands of dollars.

The first involves Angkor Wat. The guesthouse operators/moto drivers in Siem Reap will all offer to pick up your $40 pass to Angkor in advance for you. There is no charge and they will indeed pick up your tickets with no trouble. However, the pass you receive will be ærecycledÆ. Passes are taken from visitors at the end of their trip, the dates stamped on them are removed with nail polish remover, and new ones are stamped on. The $40 you hand over to the moto driver will be split between him and the gate staff - who are more than willing to cooperate - and UNESCO gets nothing. Having heard about this before I arrived, I insisted on buying the ticket at the gate myself, and felt quite pleased with myself for doing the right thing. That was until I noticed, two days later, that exactly the same thing had been done to my pass; the gate staff obviously have a stash of their own! The only answer is to encourage people not to hand over their tickets to anyone in Siem Reap. My moto driver gave me all sorts of stories about why he should have my pass but it really isnÆt necessary. I found, æNo sorry, I want to keep it as a souvenirÆ worked quite well as a response.

There is something similar happening at the Tuol Sleng Museum in Phnom Penh. I do not know who runs it, but the official opening hours are 7.30 to 11 am and 2 to 5 pm. We were in the area at about 1 pm and decided to sit outside and eat lunch while we waited for it to open. However, as I suppose I should have expected, the place was open and full of people. You can go in between 11 am and 2 pm, itÆs just that your details arenÆt recorded in the official log and the gate staff pocket your $2.

One more piece of advice for those who get off the Siem Reap express boat to Phnom Penh trail. In most small towns, most of the cheaper guesthouses are in fact brothels. In Kampong Thom, we stayed at a particular place in the middle of a long line of similar places near the minibus stop. Ours, and at least three of the others, were brothels. I have no particular moral objection to this, but finding used condoms all over the bathroom in the morning is not particularly pleasant and single females might find it intimidating. As might some single males!
Wendy Silva, UK (Mar 99)

Be careful: from Kratie to Stung Treng the trip is very dangerous because of bandits along the river. They have heavy weapons and stop boats, go aboard and ask for money from the passengers and also steal their belongings. I tried to go to Stung Treng and our boat was stopped by these bandits (they called themselves Khmer Rouge, but aren't actually). Fortunately, the captain knew this might happen and so he'd hidden our cameras and luggage. Anyway, they asked me for US$50 as payment for passing their controlled area, while other passengers (all Cambodian) had to pay US$10-20.
Piergiorgio Pescali, Italy (Feb 99)

Australian citizens in Cambodia should take care in moving around Phnom Penh, particularly at night. Travellers should at all times avoid areas with a heavy military or police presence. Violence has occurred at political rallies in Phnom Penh and residents and visitors should avoid such events.

There continues to be banditry in the countryside and ill-disciplined members of the security forces constitute an on-going security hazard. Australian nationals should be aware of the risk of kidnapping. In no circumstances should Australians travel in the countryside after dark. It is strongly recommended that travellers do not enter Cambodia by any land route from Thailand or Laos. Entry to Cambodia from Thailand through the port of Koh Kong is possible but also not recommended due to the uncertainty of safe onwards travel.

Australians who tavel to Cambodia should note the following advice:
1. Travel to Siem Reap to visit the Angkor temple complex by air is considered safe. Travel to Siem Reap by boat is possible but only fast, modern vessels should be used. Travellers should also be aware that many of these vessels do not have safety equipment (life jackets, etc) for passengers and therefore travel is inadvisable in stormy weather. Travel by road should not be undertaken under any circumstances. Travel to the temple of Banteay Srei outside the Angkor Wat complex should be undertaken only in an organised group.

2. Travel to Kampong Som (Sihanoukville) by road should only be undertaken in full daylight hours, either by scheduled bus service or preferably with cars travelling in convoy. Travel by rail to Sihanoukville should not be undertaken.

3.Travel by air to other destinations is possible but Australian visitors and residents are urged to consult the embassy for specific security advice. Visitors should be aware that internal air services can be unpredictable and flights are often cancelled or rescheduled at short notice.

The Department strongly urges Australians visiting or resident in Cambodia to register with the Embassy and to inform the Embassy of any plans to travel outside Phnom Penh. A warden system operates for Australians resident in Phnom Penh. The Australian Embassy's address and telephone numbers are:
Australian Embassy
Villa 9-11, Street 254,
Chartamouk District, Phnom Penh
tel: (855 23) 426 000-2; fax: (855 23) 426 003
Robyn Preston, Consular Officer, Australian Embassy Phnom Penh (Jan 99)

The road between Poipet and Battambang is in very bad condition and pretty dangerous to travel by taxi.
Nick O'Connell (Feb 99)

Phnom Penh: while taking walks around the city early in the morning, do not enter ANY buildings to ask questions if you are lost as one of them just may in fact be a government building or prison with no guard out the front (believe me). I was detained and searched and almost lost all my belongings because I was foolish enough to enter the grounds of a prison (no guard, open gate, nice French colonial architecture, ie, no sign that it was a prison). Be very careful, as what you think may be harmless sightseeing may get you into trouble. The police do not take intrusion lightly and they enjoy going through your things. If you find yourself in this position, avoid direct eye contact and look sorry.
John Hryniuk, Canada (Jan 99)

Note from LP author, Nick Ray, to clarify below two posts:
It's nothing radioactive or nuclear, just a large amount of nasty mercury with a way higher level of toxicity than is acceptable. It's about 20km from the beaches, however, so doesn't really affect the town itself. What is more worrying is the possibility that companies have also been dumping out at sea and this case is just the tip of the iceberg - they were dumb enough to get caught.
Nick Ray (Feb 99)

Amendment to below post:
Rumours around Phnom Penh were that the dump in Sihanoukville was radioactive. After doing some research on returning home I found that this dump was contaminated with mercury and was not radioactive. The Taiwanese company that disposed of the material had not declared what was in it. After three deaths locals found out that there was Mercury in the material. The plastics company that was responsible has agreed to take the material away in 60 days. Hopefully the area will be safe for all then.
Anon (Feb 99)

The beach at Sihanoukville is apparently contaminated with radioactive material and is probably unsafe. During my time in Cambodia, I heard reports that a Taiwanese boat had dumped a load of nuclear waste in the bay. Children picked up bags on the beach marked with radioactive symbols and the skin on their arms and legs had been dropping off. People were very upset wondering how the government could let this happen. I gather permission had been given for this dump but am unclear about details.
Anon (Jan 99)

I've just returned from ten days in Cambodia and wanted to warn all fellow travellers about the dangers of Phnom Penh after dark. On our first night my boyfriend and I met a tourist at the local expatriate pub who had just been robbed at gunpoint whilst on a motorcycle taxi on the main street at about 10pm: two men pulled up on another motorbike and forced his driver over, then stuck a gun in his face and took all his money. The story left me a little shaky so we set out on the task of finding a car taxi to our guesthouse - they are few and far between in Cambodia. The next night my boyfriend and I decided to go out for dinner, but only after asking the owners of the guesthouse what time we should return for safety reasons: they said 11pm if taking a motor-taxi. Well, whilst on a motor-taxi after a delightful dinner, the same thing happened to us a mere 50 meters away from our guesthouse! Two men on a motorbike pulled our driver over with a shiny gun in their hands and then beat up my boyfriend, even though he was cooperating with them completely. These guys were very aggressive and looked like they would have been quick to shoot had anything gone wrong. I also heard of several other robberies that had happened earlier that week, as well as a shooting down the street from our guesthouse. The locals told me that robbery is worse than usual this year because there has been so much drought and famine, with little aid from the government. The people are becoming desperate, and foreigners are moving targets! They often hang around outside places like pubs, hotels and guesthouses, just waiting for the opportunity to rob you when nobody else is around. The place seemed fine during the day, but if you do decide to stay out after dark, you really should try to have the bar or club you patronise call a car taxi as it involves less risk. Take care when visiting this city and best of luck in your travels.
Nadima, Thorn Tree (Nov 98)

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Australia) has reviewed its Consular Travel Advice for Cambodia issued on 24 July 1998. The Department advises that in the aftermath of the July elections political demonstrations are occurring in Phnom Penh and these have the potential to become violent. Residents and visitors should avoid such events and generally exercise a high degree of security awareness at all times.

Australian citizens in Cambodia should take care in moving around Phnom Penh, particularly at night. They should take care to avoid areas with a heavy military or police presence. There continues to be widespread banditry in the countryside and ill-disciplined members of the security forces constitute an ongoing security hazard. Australian nationals should be aware of the risk of kidnapping. In no circumstances should travel in the countryside be undertaken after dark. It is strongly recommended that travellers do not enter Cambodia by land routes from Thailand or Laos. Entry into Cambodia from Thailand through the port of Koh Kong is possible but also not recommended due to the uncertainty of safe onwards travel.

Australians who travel to Cambodia should note that:
* Travel to Siem Reap to visit the Angkor Temple complex by air is considered safe. Travel by boat or road should not be undertaken under any circumstances. Travel to the temple of Banteay Srei outside the Angkor Wat complex should be undertaken only in an organised group.

* Travel to Kampong Som (Sihanoukville) by air is considered safe. Travel by road should be undertaken only in full daylight hours, either by scheduled bus service or with no less than two cars travelling in convoy. Travel by rail to Sihanoukville should not be undertaken.

* Tourists should strictly observe local security advice if visiting the recently reopened temple of Preah Vihear which is only accessible from the Thai side of the border.

Travel by air to some other destinations may be possible but Australians are urged to consult the Embassy for specific security advice. Medical and travel insurance are considered essential. The Department strongly urges Australians visiting or resident in Cambodia to register with the Embassy and to inform the Embassy of any plans to travel outside Phnom Penh. A warden system operates for Australian residents in Phnom Penh. The Australian Embassy's address and telephone numbers are:
Australian Embassy
Villa 11, Street 254, Chartamouk District, Phnom Penh
Tel: (855 23) 426 000-2, Fax: (855 23) 426 003
or the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade in Canberra. Tel: (02) 6261 3305
Australian Embassy, Phnom Penh (Sep 98)

Beware of a scam taking place around the Angkor temples. The entry fee to Angkor is one of the highest fees in south-east Asia: US$20 for a day visit; $40 for a three day pass and $60 for a week. However, after seeing this amazing site and the great reconstruction work being done there, I believe one should willingly give this contribution for saving and restoring the place. We bought our tickets from our guest-house owner, as many people do, and were told that the tickets will be with the driver the next morning. On entering the site we asked the driver to show us the tickets and soon discovered that they were used, some of them with erased names on them, some with a date stamp from a few days ago. As we had already paid for the tickets and entered, the only thing we could do was take them with us after our three days so they could not be reused. I recommend tourists who come here buy their tickets in an authorised office and make sure they get new unstamped, unpierced tickets on the spot and then write their names on them and take them with them afterwards - they also make a very nice souvenir. I hope that from now on more money will make its way to the right hands so they can use it for the preservation of the city of Angkor which is probably the greatest and most astonishing of all south-east Asian cities.
Gilad Ulman, Israel (Oct 98)

Dengue Fever is raging in Thailand and Cambodia. I had the unpleasant experience first hand in Chiang Mai this July and the unusually hip doctor explained that as of July, reported cases in Thailand were as much as 100% above the annual average. My friend and I were the only farangs suffering from it in this particular hospital, but there were floors full of afflicted Thais. The most important thing to remember is that it is not just in the rural areas! I knew someone who hadn't left Chiang Mai in months and had gotten it.
Everyone should stay close to good medical treatment after any unusual fevers - Dengue can ravage you for a day, then go away making you think it was food poisoning or the flu. But in two to four days, it may strike by causing your white blood cells to plummet or your platelets to practically disappear overnight.
Kelley Gary, USA (Sep 98)

Be careful of the area around the new market in Phnom Penh after dark: a lot of people were getting robbed. Also, the park near the Victory Monument is a bad place to be late at night. It's also wise to ask the door man or the security guards outside discos/night clubs, etc, if they know the moto driver if you decide to take one late at night. There's been a lot of incidents of crooks posing as moto drivers taking their passengers to dark quite areas and robbing them.
Mr S Adlington, UK (Aug 98)

Be careful about getting a lift with anyone who offers to take you somewhere. Being in a group does not necessarily give you total protection either. We met a couple of people who had been part of a group of 20 or so on the Phnom Penh - Siem Reap boat. When they arrived, they all jumped on the back of a truck whose driver offered to take them all in to town. The four guys in the truck proceeded to drive them for 20 minutes down a dirt road into the middle of nowhere before stopping and demanding money from everyone. As it turned out, they were very unambitious kidnappers - they only demanded $1 from each person - but if they had demanded everything, how much choice would they have had?
Nick Linnane (Jul 98)

At night on the ill-lit streets of Phnom Penh, watch out for broken or completely uncovered manholes, particularly on pavements near the kerb. Also, be wary of ropes hooking hammocks, mosquito nets and especially awnings to lamp posts. Depending on their height and your speed, they could either trip you up or take your head off.
SΘamus Martin - Saudi Arabia (Oct 97)

The boat trip from Siem Reap to Battambang was a highlight, with its mangrove forests and many interesting and colourful birds. You can also see how the people live on the water.
Sako Klinker, The Netherlands (Dec 98)

As breathtaking as the temples of Angkor are in northern Cambodia, there is a fresh water, crystal clear lake 30km north-east of Siem Reap that all the motorcycle riders know about. It's a great way to take a break from routine. Similarly in Phnom Penh, 500 metres from the Capital Guest House is the Olympic stadium with tennis courts and pool (olympic size and diving). $2 gets you in all day. They have a baggage room and great soup stands. Excellent value for money.
Barry Fagan - Ireland (no date)