Southeast Asia 14th Edition, March 2008 [PDF] / se-asia-14-cambodia

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dropping, particularly if you use the MFone network. Roaming charges are high in Cambodia; consider buying a local sim card if you are here for a full month.

The cheapest fax services are also via the internet and cost around US$1 to US$2 per page for most destinations.

TOILETS

Although the occasional squat toilet turns up now and then, particularly in the most budget of budget guesthouses, toilets are usually of the sit-down variety. In remote regions you’ll find that hygiene conditions deteriorate somewhat.

The issue of what to do with used toilet paper is a cause for concern. Generally, if there’s a wastepaper basket next to the toilet, that is where the toilet paper goes, as many sewage systems cannot handle toilet paper. Toilet paper is seldom provided, so keep a stash with you at all times.

Should nature call in rural areas, don’t let modesty drive you into the bushes: there may be landmines not far from the road or track. Stay on the roadside and do the deed, or grin and bear it until the next town.

TOURIST INFORMATION

Official tourist information in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is pretty limited. In the provinces it’s a different story, with more and more towns ambitiously opening somewhat helpful tourist offices. While the staff have little in the way of brochures or hand-outs, they’ll do their best to tell you about local places of interest and may even drag the director out of a nearby karaoke bar to answer your questions. Guesthouses and free local magazines are generally more useful than tourist offices.

Cambodia has no official tourist offices abroad and it’s unlikely that Cambodian embassies will be of much assistance in planning a trip, besides issuing a visa.

TOURS

Despite every English-speaking moto driver in the country claiming to be a tour guide, there are actually few organised tours on offer in Cambodia. The most abundant are city tours of Phnom Penh and its surrounds, promoted by numerous guesthouses. Guesthouses in Sihanoukville promote boat tours to nearby tropical islands, as do some places in Kep.

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Organised day trips to Bokor National Park are a popular option in Kampot. In the northeast, guesthouses in Mondulkiri offer elephant treks and village homestay trips, while in Ratanakiri it is possible to visit vast Virachey National Park. Even Siem Reap is at last getting in on the act, with some guesthouses offering trips to the remote temples of Preah Vihear province.

TRAVELLERS WITH DISABILITIES

Uneven pavements, potholed roads and, in Angkor, stairs as steep as ladders ensure that Cambodia isn’t an easy country in which to travel for most people with mobility impairments. Few buildings have been designed with disabled people in mind, and transport in the provinces is usually very overcrowded, although taxi hire from point to point is at least an affordable option.

On the positive side, Cambodians are usually very helpful towards all foreigners, and it’s cheap to hire someone to accompany you.

VISAS

Most nationalities receive a one-month visa on arrival at land borders (except for the Phnom Den–Tinh Bien Vietnam crossing),

DOMESTIC TELEPHONE CODES

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and Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports. The visa costs US$20 and one passport-sized photo is required. It is also possible to arrange a visa through Cambodian embassies overseas or an online visa (US$25) through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (http://evisa.mfaic.gov

.kh/). Arranging a visa ahead of time can help prevent potential overcharging at some land crossings. Anyone planning an extended stay should get a one-month business visa for US$25.

Visa extensions are granted in Phnom Penh; visit the shiny immigration office opposite Phnom Penh International Airport to arrange one. Tourist visas can be extended only once for one month, whereas business visas can be extended ad infinitum. Officially, an extension for one month costs US$30, three months US$60, six months US$100 and one year US$150. However, the police will keep your passport for about 25 days. Strangely enough there’s an express, next-day service at inflated prices: one month US$39 (for both tourist and business visas), three months US$80 (business visas only) and so on. You’ll need one passport photo for the extension. Overstayers are charged US$5 per day at the point of exit.

VOLUNTEERING

Cambodia hosts a huge number of NGOs, but most recruit skilled volunteers from home, so opportunities are few and far between. The best way to find out who is working in Cambodia is to hit the Cooperation Committee for Cambodia (CCC; %in Phnom Penh 023-426009; 35 Ph 178, Phnom Penh). This organisation has a handy list of all NGOs, both Cambodian and international.

Grass-roots organisations are particularly appreciative of volunteers. Try the following places:

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Lazy Gecko Café (Map p70; %023-012 1912935; 23B Ph 93) Based in Phnom Penh, it supports Jeannie’s Orphanage; see p76 .

Starfish Project (Map p105; %012 952011) Down in Sihanoukville this place helps to raise funds for local projects, and it encourages volunteers; see (p108).

Also check out these websites:

Volunteer Abroad (www.volunteerabroad.com) Has 53 programmes in Cambodia.

Volunteer in Cambodia (www.volunteerincambodia

.org) Organises voluntary teaching posts.

WOMEN TRAVELLERS

Women will generally find Cambodia a has- sle-free place to travel, although some guys in the guesthouse industry may try their luck occasionally. If you’re planning a trip off the beaten track it would be best to find a travel companion.

Khmer women dress fairly conservatively, and it’s best to follow suit, particularly when visiting wats. In general, long-sleeved shirts and long trousers or skirts are preferred. In a skirt and hitting the town on a moto? Do as the Khmer women do and sit side-saddle.

Tampons and sanitary napkins are available in major cities and provincial capitals.

WORKING

Job opportunities are limited in Cambodia, partly as Cambodians need the jobs more than foreigners and partly as the foreigners who work here are usually professionals recruited overseas. The easiest option is teaching English in Phnom Penh, as experience isn’t a prerequisite at the smaller schools. Pay ranges from about US$5 to US$6 per hour (for the inexperienced) to about US$15 to US$20 per hour for those with a TEFL certificate teaching at the better schools. Places to look for work include the classifieds sections of local English-language newspapers.

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