From the traveltalk.dk family – started in Denmark in 2018
Read in: Dansk (original)
Cambodia, a journey to untouched Asia
Cambodia borders Thailand to the west and north-west, Laos to the north, Vietnam to the east and south-east, and the Gulf of Thailand to the south. It covers an area of roughly 181,035 km² and has a population of around 14.8 million.
The capital is Phnom Penh. Its towns still boast some of the most beautiful old houses lining long avenues, almost untouched by history. Not entirely unmarked by the harsh wars, but the old grandeur is still carved into the architecture. Among the colonial-era buildings you will find ancient temples, pagodas and dwellings from before the arrival of the French – a delightful blend of nostalgia, history and culture. The country is a fantastic destination that is rising from the ashes and unfolding in the most beautiful way for its visitors.
Bonus fact: It was in here that Angelina Jolie elegantly navigated the ruins in the film Tomb Raider, filmed in Siem Reap, which is home to a vast area of Hindu and Buddhist temples close by. Read more about it below, including about the capital Phom Penh.
Siem Reap and the Angkor Temples in Cambodia
Traveltalk covers the following destinations in Asia
- Armenia
- Bali
- Bangladesh
- Cambodia
- Philippines
- Hong Kong
- India
- Indonesia
- Japan
- China
- Laos
- Malaysia
- Maldives
- Myanmar
- Nepal
- Pakistan
- Singapore
- Sri Lanka
- South Korea
- Taiwan
- Thailand
- Turkmenistan
- Turkey
- Vietnam
Practical travel information
🛂 Visas and entry
- Visa: Danes need a visa — either an e-visa (around USD 36 via evisa.gov.kh) or a visa on arrival (around USD 30). It is valid for 30 days and can be extended once.
- The e-visa works at the airports in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, as well as at selected land borders.
- Passport: valid for at least 6 months with at least 1 blank page; have a return or onward ticket.
💰 Currency and money
- Currency: Cambodian riel (KHR), but in practice most payments are made in US dollars — change is often given in riel.
- Bring cash in small USD notes; cards are accepted at hotels and in the cities.
- Tipping: appreciated.
🚗 Transport, time and health
- Flight time from Denmark: around 14–15 hours with a change.
- Getting around: bus and private driver between Phnom Penh, Siem Reap (Angkor) and the coast; tuk-tuk in the towns.
- Best time to travel: dry season, November–March.
- Time zone: +6 hours compared with Danish winter time.
- Language: Khmer; English is spoken in tourist areas.
- Health: no compulsory vaccinations; hepatitis A, typhoid and mosquito protection (dengue) are recommended; malaria in rural areas. Drink bottled water.
- Safety: generally safe — follow the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ travel advice.