Cambodia Travel - Hotels, Attractions, Information
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Cambodia is located in the heart mainland of Southeast Asia, which
conjures images of a glorious and mysterious past and rich of the cultural
heritages, particularly the world's renowned ancient temple city whose
magical image draws ever-increasingly tourists from all over the world. The
divergent facets of the Kingdom provoke both the serious and casual
traveler, generally charmed and sometimes bewildered by its mysteries. Not
only Angkor Wat, Bayon, Taprohm, Sandstone of ancient holy places, the giant
roots of ancient trees, the graceful shapes of Apsaras and some temples
buried in the jungle, hill tribes settled in the remote areas, colorful
pagodas, strings of pristine islands and the century beach, as part of
cultural tour that Cambodia is proud of her presentation, but also the
splendor of the Khmer civilization and its people who have shown their
friendliness everywhere you move in the country.
Actual News
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New Cambodia National Airline While Cambodia?s history has been one of highs and lows, it seems that the prospects look good for this South East Asian country with signs of a surge in tourist visitors and prompting the Cambodian government to release news of its plans to ... Majestic Angkor Hotel Siem Reap ...from USD 40 Setting the standard for quality, service and hospitality, the Majesic Angkor Hotel Siem Reap is a welcome haven of elegance and comfort.
Location
Enjoying a convenient location, this elegant property provides a unique opportunity for you to visit ... Raffles Hotel Le Royal Phnom Penh ... from USD 90 A hotel with those rare attributes of history and style. 'World's Best Places to Stay', Condé Nast Traveler Gold List, 2004 & 2005 INCLUDE BREAKFAST...
Raffles Hotel Le Royal is the premier hotel in Phnom Penh, a hotel with those rare attributes of ... Agoda released a 'Top 10' pick list of eco-friendly hotels in Asia. In line with the global movement to 'go greener', Agoda.com, an independent online travel company that specializes in discount hotel bookings, has released a 'Top 10' pick list of eco-friendly hotels in Asia.
As travelers the world over realize ... Thailand and Cambodia Agree to Single Visa Plan The Thai and Cambodian governments will sign an agreement allowing foreign visitors to travel in both countries with only one visa.
The plan was initiated under the Ayeyawaddy-Mekong-Chao Phraya Economic Cooperation (Acmecs) accord, in which ...
Borei Angkor Resort & Spa Siem Reap
Nestled in the unique of historical Siem Reap town, Borei Angkor Resort & Spa is within walking distance of the city centre.
The resort is also 7 km from the magnificent Angkor Temple and only 15 minutes from the Siem Reap International Airport.
Cambodia shares borders with
Thailand, Laos and
Vietnam, but it can be
rough to travel overland between these countries. The most comfortable way
to travel to Cambodia is to fly directly to its capital,
Phnom
Penh. Phnom
Penh was the home of the Khmer Rouge Regime from 1975 to 1979.
Travelling to Cambodia should definitely include a visit here. The city is
renowned for its beauty, especially the area surrounding the Royal Palace
with the magnificent Khmer towers and the French villas overlooking the
banks of the Tonle Sap river is worth a visit.
Angkor wat (Siem
Reap)is the key tourist attraction of Cambodia. The nearly
900-year-old temple has been described as the jewel of the country,
transporting visitors in time and spirit. Since it’s rediscovery in the late
19th century it has been competing with monuments like the Taj Mahal to be
listed as the eighth world wonder.
Another popular destination is Kampong Som (Sihanoukville)
on the South Coast. Here paradise-like bays and empty white sand beaches
lined with palm trees are waiting for you to relax and sunbathe.
World Class Golf Course opens in Siem Reap
The Sofitel-managed Phokeethra Country Club in Siem
Reap has opened a new era for tourism near Cambodia’s famed Angkor-era
temples, bringing a world class golf experience to this magnificent
area.
Phokeethra Country Club Angkor Wat combines world class golf and
exceptional leisure facilities in a single complex
just 20 minutes drive
from Siem Reap International Airport.
Angkor
Palace Resort & Spa Siem Reap
Located in the heart of the historical treasures, Angkor Palace
Resort and Spa Siem Reap provides an ideal base for discovering the
legendary Angkor temples. Nestled within an 11-hector estate, the property
offers a secluded retreat that has become an ultimate tropical hide-away.
Set amidst exotic gardens, pools and outdoor jacuzzi, the resort features
villas and guest rooms that are luxurious and tastefully furnished.
Other major cities are Battambang, the second largest city. Kampong Cham,
Kandal, Prey Veng, Takeo, Kampung Thom, Svay Rieng and Kampong Speu.
Cambodia has three seasons. The rainy, monsoon season, lasts from May to
October. November to April is the dry season, this is split into cold season
from November to January and the hot season is from February to April.
Temperatures change can be very slight between each season and can range
from between 21 to 35 degrees Celsius. For continuing travelers, there are
shuttle services between Phnom Penh and
Ho Chi Minh City. The cost is cheap but the ride is extremely long and
uncomfortable until you reach the paved roads of Vietnam. There is at least
one land crossing between Laos and Cambodia though foreigners may have an
unpleasant time making a go of it.
Cambodia food is closely related to the
cuisines of neighboring Thailand and Laos and, to a lesser extent, Vietnam,
but there are some distinct local dishes. The overall consensus is that
Khmer cooking is like Thai without spicy. Curries, stir tried vegetable,
rice, noodles and soups are staples of the Khmer diet. Cambodia is well
known in the region for its Prahok, a strong, fermented fish paste used in a
variety of traditional dishes.
Phnom Penh is far and away the best place to
try inexpensive Khmer cuisine, though Siem Reap also has some good
restaurants. One of the easiest and most affordable ways to acquaint
yourself with Khmer cooking is to wander into the food stalls found in
markets all over the country and simply sample each dish before deciding
what to eat. In Phnom Penh you also have the choice of excellent Thai,
Vietnamese, Chinese, French and Mediterranean cooking.
Rice is the principal staple in Cambodia and the
Battambang region is the country's rice bowl. Most Cambodian dishes are
cooked in a wok, known locally as a chhnang khteak.
The safety aspect of Cambodia is largely overplayed. Most people are as
friendly as any others in SEA. Take sensible precautions, don't wander
around looking like a lost tourist, don't flaunt your perceived 'wealth' &
don't walk in Phnom Penh after dark. But most of all - relax & enjoy
yourself!
Cambodia Tourist Attractions -
Phnom Penh is the royal capital located on the
West of crossing point of the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers. The attractions
such as Watt Phnom, University of Fine Arts, Royal Palace, Independence
Monument, People, streets, etc are unique to the Royal Capital of Cambodia.
Siem Reap is a well known authenticity, and it is one of the tourist
spot in Asia. It is one of Cambodia's provinces located in North-West part
of Cambodia. The growing of accommodations and hospitality industry is
rising up so fast. The main attractions of Siem Reap such as Angkor Wat,
Angkor Thom, Preah Sat Srey, Phnom Ku-Len (in English: Mountain of Litchi)
with water fall, and thousands of more than 800 years' temples. more ...
Siem Reap: Angkor Wat - The Ancient Temples Tour Visit the magnificent Angkor temple complex, built between the 9th and
13th centuries by the Khmer Empire. In the morning, visit the Roluos
Temple Group, then return to Siem Reap for lunch. In the afternoon,
spend two and a half hours touring majestic Angkor Wat before climbing
up to Phnom Bakheng to enjoy a magnificent sunset over Angkor and its
surroundings. Click here for more information and Booking Details »
Area: 181,035 sq km Population: 13 million People: 94% ethnic Khmers, 4% Chinese, 1% Vietnamese Language: Khmer, English, French Religion: 95% Buddhist, Cham Muslim and Roman Catholic
Visas: A one-month visa, available on arrival at Pochentong and
Siem Reap airports, costs
20.00 for a tourist visa and
25.00 for a business visa. Health risks: cholera, hepatitis, malaria, typhoid, rabies, Japanese
B encephalitis Time Zone: GMT/UTC +7 Dialing Code: 855 Electricity: 230V ,50Hz Weights & measures: Metric
People: Cambodians comprise a variety of people who are commonly called
Khmer. They constitute about 90 per cent of the population. The population
also includes a diversity of other ethnic backgrounds: Chinese, Vietnamese,
Chams, and hill tribes, called Khmer Loeu. The Khmer are believed to have
been living in the region from about the 2nd century CE. They may constitute
a fusion of Mongul and Melanesian elements. They have been mainly influenced
over the centuries by the powerful Indian and Javanese kingdoms. The Khmer-Loeu
- or upland-Khmer - are one of the main tribal groups and live in the
forested mountain zones, mainly in the North-East. Traditionally, the Khmer-Loeu
were semi-nomadic and practiced slash and burn agriculture. In recent years,
increasing numbers have turned to settled agriculture and adopted many of
the customs of the lowland Khmer.
There are about 500.000 Cham-Malays, descended from the Chams of the
royal kingdom of Champa, based in the present day central Vietnam. They now
constitute the single largest ethnic minority in the country. They are
Muslims and their spiritual centre is Chur-Changvra near Phnom Penh. The
Chams are traditionally cattle traders, silk weavers and butchers. The
Chinese migrated in the 18th and 19th century to Cambodia, where most of
them became involved in commerce. Today there is a population of about
100.000 left in Cambodia. Estimated 200.000 Vietnamese live in the country
today. The southern part of Cambodia has always had many inhabitants of
Vietnamese decent as well as the area around Phnom Penh.
Religion-Kaitlyn: The Cambodian religions on the whole are strongly
influenced by early Indian and Chinese cultures. As early as at the
beginning of the Christian era the Indian traders brought – along with their
products – their religion to the first Khmer state in Funan. Most of them
were followers of Brahmanism (a forerunner of Hinduism), which merged with
the existing animistic beliefs into a kind of new religion – hinduistic and
local deities existing side by side.
Language: The official Cambodian language, called Khmer, is part of the
Mon-Khmer family, enriched by the Indian Pali and Sanskrit languages and
influenced by Thai and French. English and French are spoken also - French
mainly by some old people, whereas the younger generation learns English.
When to Go
The ideal months to be in Cambodia are December and January, when
humidity is bearable, temperatures are cooler and it's unlikely to rain.
From February onwards it starts getting pretty hot, and April is unbearably
so. The wet season (from May to October), though very soggy, can be a good
time to visit Angkor, as the moats will be full and the foliage lush - but
steer clear of the northeast regions during those months, as the going gets
pretty tough when the tracks are waterlogged. The country's biggest
festival, Bon Om Tuk, is held in early November, and is well worth catching.
Events
Lunar New Year is celebrated by ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese in late
January or early February. The Khmer New Year celebrations bring the country
to a standstill for three days in mid-April - a fair amount of water and
talcum powder gets thrown around at this time, so it's a lively but
noncontemplative time to visit. Chat Preah Nengkal, the Royal Ploughing
Festival, takes place near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh in early May. The
Khmer calendar's most important festival is Bon Om Tuk, celebrating the end
of the wet season in early November - it's the best time to visit Phnom Penh
or Siem Reap. Banks, ministries and embassies are closed during all public
holidays and festivals.
Borei Angkor Resort & Spa Siem Reap
Angkor
Palace Resort & Spa Siem Reap
Cambodia Tourist Attractions