Cambodia Resorts
Cambodia Information
General Information
Location
Cambodia is located in South-east Asia.
It is bordered by Laos and Thailand to the north, Vietnam to the east and the Gulf of Thailand and Thailand to the west.
Language
Khmer is the official language and is spoken by more than 95% of the population.
English is increasingly popular as a second language.
Religion
95% of the population are Buddhist, the remainder are Muslim or Christian
Culture
The population of Cambodia is currently around 10 million and 95% of the people are Khmer ethnic. Only 10% of the population actually live in the capital, Phnom Penh. The majority of the people live in fairly permanent villages near the major bodies of water in the Tonle Sap Basin – Mekong Lowlands region. Thus Cambodia is largely a country of rural dwellers.
Around 95% of Cambodians are Buddhist and whatever your personal philosophy, the inherent warmth and openness of the culture is evident in the welcome you receive.
Cambodian's are softly spoken, gentle people so avoid shouting and grand gestures.
It is courteous to wear respectable clothing. Women should wear clothes past their knees and cover their shoulders when visiting pagoda's.
It is polite to ask permission before photographing Cambodian people, especially monks. Military establishments, airports,railway stations etc. must not be photographed.
If you are a guest you should wait for your host to begin conversation. It's also polite to limit talking at the dinner table.
Given Cambodia's difficult social and political history it is advisable to exercise sensitivity towards politically related issues should they come up in conversation.
Avoid touching someone on the head.
Avoid pointing your foot towards someone.
Festivals and Holidays
The most celebrated holiday is Chaul Chhnam, the Cambodian Lunar Year. It takes place in April at around the same time that Buddhists celebrate the birthday and enlightenment of the Buddha. In late October or early November, Cambodians celebrate the Water Festival which spans three days and takes place when the Tonle Sap River reverses it's flow towards the Mekong.
Food and Drink
Cambodia offers an eclectic mix of dining experiences including air-conditioned fine dining.
However, generally it is advisable to make sure your food is thoroughly cooked.
Tap water is not safe, bottled water should be used at all times.
Getting Around
It is common practice in Phnom Penh city and Sihanoukville (Cambodia's beach resort) for locals to taxi holiday makers on the back of their scooters. However, the traffic in the city can be quite overwhelming so you may prefer to take a conventional taxi or bus.
The tourist town of Seam Reap is much smaller and thus it's easy to get around on foot.
Excursions to places of special interest are available and can be booked locally with our ground agent.
