Are you planning a trip to Cambodia and on a budget? Then, this is all you need to know to explore this developing country and it’s devastating history.

Travelling through Cambodia will enrich your lives full of culture and the history of the khmer people and is the home to the UNESCO world heritage site Angkor Wat.

So what do you need to know?

Important Info - Best Time to Visit - What to Eat - Typical Budget - Travel Tips - Ultimate 2 Week Guide

Pub street Cambodia.

Important Information about Cambodia

In all honestly I had extremely low expectations of Cambodia from what I had heard from others, however this country blew my mind. A country that once was the centre of a mass genocide are using there tragic history to develop a fresh perspective towards there incredible country,

Siem Reap: Home of the ancient city Angkor Wat, a must see at sunrise.
Battambong: Take a ride on the bamboo train or see the bat cave on the edge of this town.
Kampot: A scenic riverside town in the south of Cambodia
Koh Rong: A stunning island off the coast of Cambodia glistening with crystal clear waters.
Phnom Penh: The bustling capital city, home to the history of the genocide.


Currency in Cambodia
American Dollar (2020 Conversion Rate) : $1.24 = £1 GBP
(Note: the Cambodians also use Cambodian Riel however only for change under $1… 4000 Riel = $1)

Common phrases
Hello - Sou Sdey 
How are you?  - Sok Sabah Te
Thank you  - Orkun
Goodbye  - Lia Hery
Cheers  - Choul Mouy
​

Common Khmer phases

When is the best time to visit?

Wet Season – May to October
Dry Season – November to April

Be prepared for there will be torrential rain in wet season however it will still be very humid and warm. 
​

The bat cave, Battambang, Cambodia

What to eat in Cambodia?

Cambodians have some very questionable delicacies. You will often drive around and see ‘rat barbeques’ or ‘insect barbeques’. Not something that we were willing to try, still each to their own. The traditional Khmer food is however extremely delicious so this is worth a try.

Amok: Traditionally cooked with fish but you will find most restaurants serve a mixture of meats, Amok is a creamy curry usually served in a banana leaf. 
Beef loc lac: Thin strips of fried beef served with vegetables and topped with a fried egg.
Khmer Curry:  Who doesn’t love a curry? Typically much milder than Indian & Thai curries.


​Typical Travel Budget

I’m going to talk about our budget in particular here as I have nothing else to compare it to. Everyone is different but we budget ourselves £50 a day to spend on Food, Transport, Accommodation & Excursions. One thing to note is that if a trip costs for example £70 and you think it’s out of budget but you really want to do it, then just do it! You will never get those experiences back and Cambodia is so cheap that you can make the money back another day.

Here is an insight to our spendings over 2 weeks.

Total spend for 2 weeks in Cambodia: £443
Average spend per day: £31.64

Total accommodation costs: £92
We stayed in a mixture of private rooms & dorms.

Total transport costs: £41
A year before we started our trip we booked a bus through Cambodia & Vietnam with Stray Asia which meant that all our transport from place to place was pre paid.

Total cost of everything else (food, drink, excursions etc...): £310
(Note: Angkor Wat is $36 dollar per persons to enter, it is worth it)

Obviously this is our way of doing things as it’s what works for us and we want to get the most out of our trip but everyone is different and you choose your own way of budgeting and what works for you.
​

River cruise, Kampot, Cambodia

Travel tips

Transportation around Cambodia

The main way to travel around Cambodia is by bus however be prepared, none of the roads are tarmac and they all consist of ditches, pot holes & stones. You will not at any point have a comfortable ride. The easiest way to get around locally is by tuk tuk, you will find most places you are able to get to for $2-$3. Do try and bargain with the drivers, never accept there first offer as they will always try to over charge. The drives won’t find it offensive if you bargain, just don’t try and be too pushy or aggressive.

12go.asia is a great site is you want to book your transportation in advance or look at the time tables. If you find a company on 12go or anywhere else online then you can always see if there is a store for that company around you as they give you the bus ticket there and then making it easier.

​

You can use the tool below to instantly Find a quote for yoUr trip.

Powered by 12Go Asia system

Plan your journey well

I would recommend around 2 weeks to spend in cambodia. There are some spectacular sights that you won’t want to miss however if you crammed them all in they would only take around a week. Research into the different routes you can take, we ended up going to Phnom Penh & Siem Reap twice where we really didn’t need to.


Do I need a Visa?

If your from the UK you do need a visa! Check your local government website to find out how to gain a visa and whether or not you need one. You can get an online visa for Cambodia where you will be granted entry for 30 days however you can also gain your visa on arrival. If your super organised and love to panic like me though it is best to do this beforehand.

​
​
The Ultimate 2 Week Guide

Want a day by day breakdown of where to go, what to do and where to stay whilst I’m Cambodia?

​Check our our Ultimate 2 week guide here for all you need to know

The ultimate 2 week guide to a trip around Cambodia

Back

THIS PAGE CONTAINS AFFILIATE LINKS, WHICH WE MAY MAKE MONEY FROM. THIS IS AT NO COST TO YOU AND WE WOULD ONLY RECOMMEND PRODUCTS WE’VE USED AND TRUST.