See also: Indochina Wars

The elaborate urban culture of Angkor and other sites can attest to the fact that the Khmer Empire was once wealthy and powerful. Its zenith came under Jayavarman VII (1181-c.1218), when the Empire made significant territorial gains. The Angkorian civilization harnessed Cambodia's water for agriculture through elaborate systems of canals and dams. Crops surplus permitted a sophisticated urban civilization, based on Hindu and Buddhist beliefs.

The period following the fall of the Khmer Empire has been described as Cambodia's Dark Ages. Climatic factors precipitated this fall, but eventually the Khmer Empire never recovered from the sacking by its neighbours, based in Ayutthaya (in modern day Thailand). Cambodia spent much of the next four hundred years squeezed and threatened by the rivalries of the expanding Siamese and Vietnamese Empires to the west and east. On the eve of French colonisation it was claimed that Cambodia was likely to cease to exist as an independent kingdom entirely, with the historian John Tully claiming "...there can be little doubt that their [the French] intervention prevented the political disappearance of the kingdom".

The French came to dominate Cambodia as a protectorate from the 1860s, part of a wider ambition to control the area then termed Indochina (modern day Cambodia, Vietnam, and Laos). The French were always more concerned with their possessions in Vietnam. Education of Cambodians was neglected for all but the established elite. Paradoxically, it was from this privileged colonial elite that many "Red Khmers" would later emerge. Japan's hold on Southeast Asia during the Second World War undermined French prestige, and following the Allied victory Prince Sihanouk declared independence. This was a relatively peaceful transition, and Sihanouk is today regarded by most Cambodians to be their father of independence.

Prince Sihanouk was noted for making very strange movies which he wrote, starred in, and directed. His rule was characterized at this point by a Buddhist revival and an emphasis on education. He succeeded in helping create an educated elite who became increasingly disenchanted with the lack of available jobs. As the economic situation in Cambodia deteriorated, many young people were attracted to the Indochinese Communist Party, and later the Khmer Rouge.

As the Second Indochina War spread to Cambodia's border (an important part of the "Ho Chi Minh trail"), the USA became increasingly concerned with events in the country. The US Air Force bombed Cambodia from 1964 to 1973, with the period from March 1969 to May 1970 being particularly intense. During this campaign, which was code-named Operation Menu, 540,000 tonnes of bombs were dropped. Estimates of the civilian death toll range from 150,000 to 500,000. In total, from 1964 to 1973 the US dropped 2.7 million tonnes of bombs on Cambodia, more than the combined amount dropped by all the Allies in all theatres during World War II.

In March 1970, while overseas visiting Moscow and Beijing, Sihanouk was overthrown by Lon Nol and other generals who were looked upon favourably by the United States. Sihanouk then put his support behind the Khmer Rouge. This change influenced many to follow suit. Meanwhile the Khmer Rouge followed the Vietnamese example and began to endear themselves to the rural poor.

Following a five-year struggle, Communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh in 1975 and ordered the evacuation of all cities and towns. Over one million people (and possibly many more) died from execution or enforced hardships. Those from the cities were known as "new" people and suffered worst at first. The rural peasantry were regarded as "base" people and fared better. However, the Khmer Rouge cruelty was inflicted on both groups. It also depended much upon where one was from. For example, people in the east generally suffered worse. It is debated whether or not the Khmer Rouge committed crimes against humanity or a protracted genocide. There are claims there was a disproportionate number of ethnic Chams killed, while the ethnic Vietnamese and ethnic Chinese also suffered persecution, with many of the ethnic Chinese fleeing to Western countries such as the United States and Australia by sea as refugees. Nonetheless, the Khmer also suffered often indiscriminate mass killings.

A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge forces into the countryside and ended many years of fighting, although the fighting would continue for some time in border areas. Cold War politics meant that despite the horrendous crimes committed by the Khmer Rouge, they were the recognised government long after the liberation of the country by the Vietnamese. Indeed they continued to receive covert support and financing by the USA. Due to the devastating politics of the Khmer Rouge regime, there was virtually no infrastructure left. Institutions of higher education, money, and all forms of industry were destroyed in 1978, so the country had to be built up from scratch.

UN-sponsored elections in 1993 helped restore some semblance and sense of normalcy, as did the rapid diminution of the Khmer Rouge militia in the mid-1990s. The monarchy was restored, albeit as a constitutional monarchy, with Sihanouk becoming King of Cambodia. A coalition government, formed after national elections in 1998, brought renewed political stability and the surrender of remaining Khmer Rouge forces.

In the first two decades of the 21st century, as Cambodia's government has become more authoritarian, it has also pivoted from American and European support to forging closer ties with China. Amid increased Chinese investment, Cambodia has seen tremendous economic growth and a transition from agriculture to manufacturing, with more than 80% of Cambodians now above the poverty line.

The two pillars of Cambodia's economy are textiles and tourism. The tourism industry has grown rapidly with over 6 million visitors arriving in 2018, mainly from China and from neighboring countries. The long-term development of the economy after decades of war remains a daunting challenge, as the population lacks education and productive skills, particularly in the poverty-ridden countryside. The government is addressing these issues with assistance from bilateral and multilateral donors. Construction of new roads, irrigation, and agriculture are underway to rejuvenate rural areas.

Cambodia is tropical and its climate dominated by monsoons, so season are wet or dry, rather than the four seasons of cooler regions of the world. Nov-Mar is relatively windy and cool and is the most popular time to visit. Apr-May is hot and dry, and temperatures may peak at 40 C. Jun-Sep is the wet and green season.

Cambodia has a number of public holidays, some traditional ones which change based on the lunar calendar and other memorial holidays that are fixed.

In addition, Chinese New Year is fairly widely celebrated. Bus fares increase and lodging gets booked up around this time as both local residents and visitors from nearby countries move around. Make all your bookings at least a couple of days in advance around this time.

• Cambodia Tourism website

Citizens of the following countries may enter Cambodia without a visa for tourism provided their stay does not exceed the following number of days:

• 14 days – Brunei, Myanmar, Thailand
• 15 days – Seychelles
• 30 days – Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Maldives, Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam

Citizens of all other countries need a visa. The website of the Cambodian embassy in Washington, D.C. has the latest details.

Citizens of most countries can get a visa-on-arrival (VOA). Staff may try to charge more at some border crossings (including airports), but hold out for the official price, especially at major crossings. VOA is available at both international airports, all six international border crossings with Thailand, some international border crossings with Vietnam, and at the main border crossing with Laos.

Members of the crew and passengers of cruise boats can obtain a VOA at the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port. Paperwork arrival in the new marina. You must first report data on the boat, the crew and passport copies to the office of the Marina Oceania Harbour Master.

Visas can also be obtained online and at Cambodian embassies and consulates.

• Tourist visas – Valid for one stay of up to 30 days. Those issued in advance expire 90 days after issue. In Phnom Penh (or elsewhere via agencies), tourist visas can be extended only once, allowing an additional 30 days at a cost of US$30.
• Ordinary visa or Type-E – The best choice for stays over two months and/or multiple entries, as they can be extended indefinitely (approx US$290 for a one year extension) and have multiple entry status when extended. Most Phnom Penh travel agencies process the extensions. Foreign nationals of some countries (such as India) require prior permission from the Department of Immigration or the Ministry of the Interior to obtain an Ordinary visa. Such visitors can also enter the country on a tourist visa and subsequently apply for said permission at the Department of Immigration near the airport in Phnom Penh , which, if granted, will enable them to leave the country and re-enter on an ordinary visa

To apply for a visa, you may need (depending on where you apply) one or two passport-size (35x45 mm) photos, a passport which is valid for at least 6 months and has at least one completely blank visa page remaining (the visa is a full-page sticker), and clean US dollar notes with which to pay the fee (expect to pay a substantially higher price if paying in a local currency). Passport photocopies may also be required when applying at some embassies/consulates, but not for VOA. Also, you don't need a passport photo for VOA at Phnom Penh airport, Poipet, or Siem Reap. If it is still required elsewhere, you may be able to have them scan the one on your passport for an extra US$3.

At Phnom Penh airport head to the Visa on Arrival desk, join the queue to the left, where your application form is reviewed — you should have been given the form on the plane or before boarding. Then move to the right and wait for your name to be called. You then pay and receive your passport with the visa. Officials have difficulties pronouncing Western names so stay alert and listen out for any of your names in your passport, any of your given names or surname may be called. Once reunited with your passport, join the immigration queue.

Visas in advance (online or from an embassy/consulate) save time at the border but are more expensive. However, you do get to skip the queues of people applying for the visa's delivery, although sometimes you may simply spend the saved time waiting at the airport baggage carousel for your suitcase.

In Poipet, several scams abound. A favourite is the Cambodian immigration officers ask tourists to pay 1,200 baht (about US$35) for a visa on arrival, instead of US$30. Stand firm but stay friendly and keep smiling, they rarely insist. Most visitors are asked for a mysterious separate 100 baht fee on top of the US$30 fee. If you insist a few times that this does not exist, you will be grumpily told to have a seat and wait, after which you will receive your visa no problem after just a few minutes (at least, when there's not a long line).

If you are exiting Cambodia to enter Thailand with the aim of getting a visa on arrival there, the Cambodian airline authorities may point out that you need to have a minimum of US$600 in cash. This guideline seems to be enforced especially for Indian tourists and possibly more stringently for single travellers.

Cambodia has international airports at Phnom Penh (PNH ^IATA) and Siem Reap (SAI ^IATA).

Direct flights connect Phnom Penh International Airport (previously Pochentong International Airport) with cities all over East and Southeast Asia, and Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport has a slightly more limited range of flights.

Travellers going specifically to visit Angkor and other ruins in North-western Cambodia should try to use Siem Reap as it's the main launching point and only minutes away from the main sites. For the beaches of the southwest and most off-the-beaten-path destinations, Phnom Penh is a better launching point with more extensive domestic bus connections.

For flights between Bangkok and Siem Reap, AirAsia is mostly a lot cheaper than Bangkok Airways. When looking for those flights, make sure to check for Bangkok's second airport Don Mueang (DMK ^IATA).

Low-cost carrier Air Asia has flights from Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok to Phnom Penh and Kuala Lumpur to Siem Reap, while Jetstar Asia has begun flying from Singapore to Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. HK Express flies to Siem Reap every Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday from Hong Kong.

Other airlines operating flights to/from Cambodia include Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, China Southern Airlines, Eva Airways, Korean Air, Lao Airlines, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Siem Reap Airways (a subsidiary of Bangkok Airways), Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International, and Vietnam Airlines.

In the list of borders below, the Cambodian town comes second; eg: Aranyaprathet is the border town in Thailand, while Poipet is in Cambodia.

If travelling across the border by bus, make sure you only use reputable bus companies, as it is common for unscrupulous companies to advertise a "VIP service", only for them to leave you stranded at the border, with no onward transportation into the interior of Cambodia. The main crossings with Thailand and Vietnam are also hotbeds for scams and corruption. Giant Ibis is one of the more reliable and popular bus companies on the Bangkok-Siem Reap and Ho Chi Minh City-Phnom Penh routes, but they consequently charge a premium for this. Most bus companies charge a $5-10 border crossing fee on top of the bus fare and the price of the visa-on-arrival, and you will be asked to wait on board the bus or at the duty-free shop while staff take your passport and process you through immigration. Attempting to process yourself through immigration might mean getting stranded at the border as immigration officers attempt to extract bribes from you.

From Laos - Since the reopening of the land border, it's no longer possible to take a boat from Laos to reach Cambodia.

From Thailand - There are no ferry services between Cambodia and Thailand. The Sihanoukville–Koh Kong ferry no longer runs.

From Vietnam it's possible to travel between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh on a road and boat combination tour. Also, fast boats leave daily from Chau Doc in Vietnam's Mekong Delta and take 5 hr to reach Phnom Penh. Both options use the so called Song Tien landport border crossing on the banks of the Mekong River. Chau Doc is a 4-hr drive from Ho Chi Minh City. See Phnom Penh#By boat and Vietnam#By boat for more details.

There are no trains to Cambodia, but you can get very close. Thai trains run from Hua Lamphong terminus in Bangkok to Ban Klong Luk right next to the border crossing to Poipet in Cambodia. There is a train station in Poipet but Cambodian trains do not go all the way there (2024) and terminate at Battambang. Several companies operate regular minibuses to Battambang from opposite Poipet station. In Battambang you can continue your journey to Phnom Penh by train.

The domestic aviation scene in Cambodia has improved. Three airports operate scheduled passenger flights: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville.

The main operator is Cambodia Angkor Air, a joint venture between the government and Vietnam Airlines, which flies between Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, and airports in China, Thailand, and Vietnam.

A charter service, Aero Cambodia^{[dead link]}, operates from Phnom Penh to Cambodia's other 16 airports using twin engine 10-70 seat aircraft.

Longer journeys in Cambodia can be taken by bus, pickup truck or shared taxi. In many towns, whichever of these are available will be found at the local market square. Larger towns and cities will have bus stations. Buses may also serve their companies' offices, which may be more convenient than the bus station: this is particularly true in Siem Reap.

Giant Ibis and Mekong Express have the best reputation for comfort, safety, and reliability and consequently charge a premium. Sorya (formerly Ho Wah Genting) and GST offer a slightly cheaper no-frills service. Capitol runs between its central offices, making for city centre-to-city centre travel. Ramshackled peasant mover Paramount Angkor Transport is great for accessing more remote places but low on comfort and safety. Check their rating and reviews on Google Maps when going with any of them.

Guesthouses and travel agents will be able to arrange tickets for a US$1–2 commission. You can also use your preferred booking website, like 12Go.Asia, Baolau, BookMeBus, or Camboticket. Generally bus travel is cheap, but after COVID prices have gone up with journeys between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap or Sihanoukville now costing at least US$10.

Bus safety is a big problem in Cambodia. On Hwy 5, between Phnom Penh and Battambang, there are dozens of bus crashes annually, many of them horrendous, with multiple fatalities. There are even bus-on-bus crashes. Drivers are untrained, impatient, and (according to those working in roadside gas stations) sometimes drunk. Most of these accidents go unreported, but frequent travellers on Highway 5 can typically observe half a dozen bus crashes in a month. Night buses are particularly risky — again, Giant Ibis and Mekong Express have the best reputations.

Bring along something warm if you don't like freezing air conditioning and earplugs if you don't like Khmer karaoke. There are a few night-time services but most buses leave in the morning and the last ones leave in the afternoon. Among night buses Giant Ibis and Mekong Express are the most comfortable, with nearly flat bunks (though if you're taller than 1.65 m or so you'll have to sleep with your knees bent).

Buses do not generally have an on-board toilet, but do usually have a 15-minute rest stop at the half-way point or every 1½-2 hr.

For short distances, the once-ubiquitous motorcycle taxis have been replaced by tuk-tuks, motorized three-wheeled rickshaws. Anywhere remotely touristy will have plenty of drivers hanging around offering you a tuk-tuk ride. Agree on a fare and make sure the driver knows your destination before you get in the vehicle. Many drivers speak very little English, and some are illiterate even in Khmer, so communicating your destination can sometimes be a challenge. If you want to avoid all that, consider a ride hailing app like PassApp, which can be used to call rickshaws or regular taxis and determines the price automatically (you pay in cash). Even with PassApp, though, pay attention to where your driver is going because sometimes they get confused about the directions. Try to learn the Khmer words for "left" and "right". And if you plan to ride more than 10–15 minutes in a tuk-tuk, consider buying a paper dust mask like a fair number of locals do, to protect you from dirt, dust, and traffic exhaust.

Some believe taxis are safer for inter-city travel, but taxis also often go way too fast, and so are involved in numerous fatal accidents. The front seat in a taxi from Phnom Penh to Battambang should cost you about US$25.

The main ride-hailing apps in Cambodia are Grab and PassApp. Of the two, PassApp is available in more cities and is usually slightly cheaper, but requires you to pay the driver in cash, while Grab gives you the option of paying the driver by credit card.

Ferries operate seasonally along many of the major rivers. Major routes include Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Siem Reap to Battambang. The Sihanoukville to Koh Kong ferry no longer runs. Boats are slower than road transport, charge higher prices for foreigners, and are sometimes overcrowded and unsafe. Then again, Cambodia's highways are also dangerous, and boats are probably the safer of the two options. The high speed boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap costs US$33 and takes about 6 hours, departing at 07:30, and offers a spectacular view of rural life along the Tonle Sap River.

There are also a few luxury boats operating between Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Saigon. For something around US$150/day including accommodation, food and excursions, it's a good alternative to regular boat service.

The boat trip between Siem Reap and Battambang takes longer (especially in the dry season), and is less comfortable and more expensive than taking a seat in a share taxi, but is favoured by some travellers for its up-close view of subsistence farming (and hundreds of waving children) along the river. Taking the boat late in the dry season (Apr-May) is not advisable as low water levels mean that you must transfer to smaller vessels in mid-river.

Two daily passenger train connections exist with the following schedule and prices:

• Phnom Penh–Sihanoukville (6 hr):

• Phnom Penh (07:00) – Takeo (08:40, US$6) – Kep (10:20, US$8) – Kampot (10:40, US$9) – Sihanoukville (13:00, US$10)
• Sihanoukville (14:00) – Kampot (16:00, US$6) – Kep (16:20) – Takeo (18:00, US$8) – Phnom Penh (20:00, US$10)

• Phnom Penh–Battambang (6½–7 hr):

• Phnom Penh (06:40) – Pursat (10:40, US$7) – Maung Russey (12:00) – Battambang (13:00, US$8)
• Battambang (15:00) – Maung Russey (16:00) – Pursat (17:30, US$4) – Phnom Penh (22:00, US$8)

The train is also supposed to stop at Broteas Lang, Komareachea, Tani, Toukmeas, Kompong Trach, Veal Renh, Holy Hill, and Preak Treng Beach (Sihanoukville leg), and at Batdeung, Tbeng Khpos, Romeas, Kdol, Bom Nak, Beung Khna, and Osalao (Battambang leg) according to the timetable, but it's not clear whether it will actually stops there. A leaflet of all stops is available at the ticket office. All information on schedule, travel times, and prices are available on the official ticket website (☏ +855 78888582, +855 78888583). (The website is not encrypted, so it's better to buy train tickets in the station.)

The carriages have fans and windows that can open, but no air conditioning. Toilets are also available. The first stretch west passes through ramshackle camps built along the rail line, and sprawling suburban construction, then a non-descript countryside. The return trip to Phnom Penh gets in very late, and it's difficult to find a tuktuk or taxi. You will probably be exhausted from hours of riding on the train, and worse with a tuktuk driver going in circles at night trying to find your hotel. Probably easier to just walk if you have little luggage and a good map.

While Cambodians do not consider this a reasonable way forward, you will find many interested locals that pickup the odd foreigner at the side of the road for a ride.

While in Vietnam you will be having troubles to even find a car, many well-off people in Cambodia possess a car and seem to identify with the fortunate Westerners and thus invite them for a ride. However, it could also just be the Buddhist mentality that brings people to help out.

Thus, major roads are easy to get forward on. In super remote areas you may have issues, but there even a motorbike driver might stop.

The Cambodian government has upgraded roads throughout the country. Finding an unpaved road is actually quite a challenge and most travellers will not have any horror stories of car-swallowing ruts or wet-season quagmires. For the time being, notable unpaved roads that would be of use to travellers are: Battambang-Koh Kong (a great dirt bike adventure across the mountains or a long detour by bus via Phnom Penh), access to the Banteay Chhmar temples (a high-quality unsealed road, as good as a sealed road during the dry season) and the road between Sen Monorom and Banlung (if there's any remote jungle left in Cambodia, it'll be here). The borders, coast and major cities are all well-connected with good roads.

Roads between the capital Phnom Penh and the tourist resorts of Sihanoukville and Siem Reap are busy and in reasonable condition. Most of the smaller roads are in poor condition. Road safety is particularly affected by unpredictable driving, poor car maintenance and overloaded vehicles. Accidents are frequent. Travel by road only during the day.

A foreigner needs a local driving licence to drive a vehicle, and without it, insurance may not cover damage in the event of an accident. An international driving licence is not officially sufficient to drive a vehicle in Cambodia. The competent authority for driving licences is the Cambodian Ministry of Transport and Public Works.

Motorcycle rentals are available in many towns, with the notable exception of Siem Reap, which has outlawed the practice. Be careful if driving yourself: driving practices are vastly different from developed countries. Local road 'rules' will also differ from city to city. Moreover, to drive in Cambodia you're required to have a Cambodian driver's license; international driving permits are not accepted. If you consider traveling alone, it’s worth remembering that English is rarely spoken outside of main towns and cities, and hazards are numerous, including the possibility of land mines. For this reason, guided tours are worth considering.

The Cambodian riel, denoted by the symbol "៛" (ISO code: KHR), and the United States dollar (USD) are both official currencies. The riel is used for regular transactions and payments. For large purchases however, even locals will prefer U.S. dollars. The National Bank of Cambodia is attempting to reduce dependence on the U.S. dollar and increase the use of the riel in local transactions; U.S. dollar coins are not accepted, and U.S. dollar bills of under $10 in value are no longer legal tender. As of 2024 though, US$1 and US$5 bills are still widely accepted and handed out everywhere.

Banknotes of Cambodia are issued in denominations of 50, 100, 200, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, 50,000, 100,000 and 200,000 riel. There are also banknotes in denominations of 15,000 and 30,000 riel, but are valued more as collector's pieces than as circulating currency.

The National Bank of Cambodia maintains the riel at around 4,100 riel to the U.S. dollar. In day-to-day commerce, 4,000 riel per dollar is ubiquitous. So, a US$1.50 amount can be paid with one dollar and 2,000 riel, or with 6,000 riel. Riel don't have value outside of Cambodia apart from being souvenirs; get rid of them before leaving. But don't worry, they can be easily be changed into U.S. dollars everywhere in Cambodia.

Near the Thai border (for example Battambang, Koh Kong, and Poipet), the Thai baht is commonly accepted but locals use an unfavourable 30 baht to the U.S. dollar as a rule of thumb. Try to change any baht rather than spend them as banks and money changers will give you a much better rate.

Banks sometimes operate as Western Union money transfer agents.

Cambodia is generally more expensive than its neighbouring countries; Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. As a rule of thumb, you will pay about 50% more on a daily basis than in Vietnam — while accommodation can be similarly priced, food is definitely more expensive in Cambodia.

Anything aimed at international tourists will be expensive by local standards and sometimes even as expensive as the U.S. or Europe. Whenever being presented with a price in U.S. dollars, that's an indication of that you will be paying too much — most locals use riel not U.S. dollars.

That said, if you avoid the main tourist haunts, haggle skillfully (see below), and aren't too picky, prices can go down considerably. For a serious budget traveler, US$5 per night for lodging and US$5 for meals and drinks is possible — but better reserve at least US$15 daily for a budget trip.

You can get away with pretty much haggling for anything in Cambodia. Restaurants, outdoor food stalls, even rates for guesthouses. The Khmer are notoriously quiet up to a point of no return. They do not lose face, they lose their temper. However, there are a few guidelines:

• Many products, especially those not aimed at tourists, are fixed price, and while it is possible to get a minor discount if you ask, you cannot get things significantly cheaper than this. Many markets have the prices of goods painted on the walls (in Khmer).
• Products and services aimed at tourists are usually marked up, and you must haggle (and shop around to compare prices) if you don't want to get ripped off. In markets with no listed prices, expect to be quoted the "tourist price".
• In Cambodia where dining out isn't really common among local people, most restaurants cater almost entirely to foreigners and tend to be a little bit more expensive than neighbouring countries. However in Siem Reap, it is, sometimes if not always, possible to haggle with street food vendors over the portion of a dish, free side dish, and get 20-30% discount.
• The US dollar is widely used in Cambodia but no circulation of coins will end up giving you a lot of Cambodian riels as small change. This gives a chance for short-changing, which is particularly popular in several grocery stores in Siem Reap. For example, you give US$1 for buying a bottle of water which is US$0.60, the staff should return the amount of riel equivalent to US$0.40, but they may keep some of them. The money cheated is usually minimal. Just be quick at mental arithmetic.
• Haggle in groups. Having two other friends will make it much easier to convince Cambodians to give a discount: one person can play bad cop, the other good cop.
• Ask to speak with the manager/owner (this applies to guesthouse and restaurants). Usually if you try to haggle at a restaurant or guesthouse the employee will say that the boss needs to be there. If so, then just ask to speak with him or ask the employee to speak with him. You would be surprised at how easy it is to haggle down once you speak to the boss, many times he doesn't even want to be bothered and will give the discount to you.
• Never pay the asking price for anything near the temples of Angkor. This includes books, souvenirs, paintings, water and food. During the off-season, the food stalls near the temples will have a separate menu, ask for it. You can even bargain on top of that too. It's much harder to bargain at the food stalls at Angkor Wat and especially at the breakfast restaurants across the street from Angkor Wat.
• Try not to haggle too harshly with the motorbike drivers and tuk-tuks that work near where you stay. Most are honest, but they will look after your safety more if you are seen as a good customer. Some will decide they will get the money from you another way, and could take you to be mugged. Agree upon the fare before your ride or you may get into a very uncomfortable situation.
• If haggling isn't your strong point the easiest way to get a good price at a market is to pick up an item, ask how much it is, look disappointed and start to walk away. The price will usually drop as you walk away with vendors unlikely to go below this second price.

Siem Reap is the easiest place to bargain, since prices here are widely inflated. Phnom Penh may be a little harder, but still worth trying. Just be polite and persistent.

Iced coffee is ubiquitous in Cambodia. It's made Vietnamese-style, freshly brewed and mixed with sweetened condensed milk. Walk past a local eatery any time of the day and you are bound to see at least a table of locals drinking them. One glass costs 1,500-2,000 riel. Iced tea made with lemon and sugar is also refreshing and ubiquitous.

Fresh coconut can be found everywhere, you could say it is ubiquitous, and is healthy and sanitary if drunk straight from the fruit.

Sugarcane juice is freshly made and deliciously sweet.

In general, Khmers are not what could be described as casual drinkers: their main objective is to get hammered as quickly as possible. Know your limits if invited to join in!

The two most popular domestic Cambodian beers are Anchor — pronounced "an-CHOR" with a ch sound! — and Angkor, both of which can be found in bottles, cans, and on draft, and generally for no more than US$1 each. New beers include the cheap Klang and Cambodia^{[dead link]}, while Beerlao and Tiger are popular beers with foreigners. A plethora of other beers include ABC Stout, which is dark and not so bad, in addition to the standard Heineken and Carlsberg. Cheaper beers include Crown and Leo, whilst Kingdom Beer aims for the premium market with a pilsener and a dark lager.

Cambodia and Angkor are running a lottery where you can win an extra beer or even a car depending on what it shows on your can's lid. The determined likelihood of getting another beer is about 37%, so it pays to buy those cans with the removable lid and to recheck their backs. It is not unlikely to buy one can and end up with two more. Note that shops charge for the "free" can for storage and cooling — while some try to extort 1,000 riel from tourists, the going rate seems to be 500 riel.

Palm wine and rice wine are available in villages and can be OK at 500-1,000 riel for a 1 L bottle. However, some safety concerns have been raised with regard to sanitation, so the local wines may be best avoided.

For a truly Khmer experience, hunt down a bottle of Golden Muscle Wine. Advertised on tuk-tuks everywhere, this pitch-black concoction made from deer antlers and assorted herbs packs a 35% punch and tastes vile when drunk straight, but can be made reasonably palatable, if not exactly tasty, by the addition of tonic water or cola. At US$2 for a 350 mL flask of the original and US$3 for the "X.O." version, it's the cheapest legitimate tipple around.

Cambodia is a reasonably safe country, with the usual exception for large cities late at night, particularly Phnom Penh, and with unobserved luggage or wallets. Bag and phone snatching along the road or when riding on a bicycles and motorbike is a problem in Phnom Penh. Never stand at the side of the road/traffic reading stuff on your phone — that's an invitation for thieves. Or sometimes people or drivers might follow you unnoticed and snatch your phone or belongings when it's the right time — so, it doesn't hurt to look behind or around you from time to time to observe if someone is following you. Be discreet with your possessions, especially cash and cameras, and take extra care in all poorly lit or more remote areas. Also, never leave money in your room, even if you just go to the toilet for a brief moment — this seems to be the most common case when money gets stolen.

The rule of law in Cambodia is inconsistently applied. Crimes usually require bribes to be investigated, and if perpetrators are wealthy or connected to the government they will often be untouchable by police and courts. You should also be aware that the courts are corrupt, so contracts are hard to enforce without some political leverage. All this being said, the violent crime rate is fairly low, the police are generally friendly and non-threatening, and those with common sense have little to fear besides a scam or two and perhaps some petty theft.

Scams of all sorts are plentiful in Cambodia. Most notorious are the border officials looking for bribes, but in general tourists should expect prices to be marked up and tours to be not quite as advertised. Practice usual precautions for scams: negotiate everything clearly before you get into a taxi, check that the restaurant bill has been added up correctly before paying, etc. Any restaurant, hotel, or activity recommended by a tuk-tuk driver is likely paying him a commission.

Cambodia suffers from a legacy of millions of land mines left during the war years. However, to tourists, land mines present a minimal to non-existent threat, as most areas near tourist areas have been thoroughly de-mined. Many tourists mistake electric or sewage warning signs along national highways for land mine signs. HALO Trust, a leading mine removal organization in Cambodia, asserts that you would have to drive through the jungle for at least an hour north of Angkor Wat to come across any mines. The threat is to locals in extremely rural areas who rely on subsistence agriculture for their livelihoods.

In remote areas such as Preah Vihear (near the border) and Pailin, a former Khmer Rouge stronghold, exercise caution: ask for local advice and heed warning signs, red paint and red rope, which may indicate mined areas. Do not venture beyond well established roads and paths. Most landmine signs in the country are red with Khmer text on the top, with English text on the bottom, with a Skull and Crossbones with large eye sockets in the middle. If you see this, do not go past it under any circumstance.

The age of consent in Cambodia is 15. Prostitution is illegal but widespread, although generally not overtly aimed at tourists (there are no go-go bars). Many bars and clubs, however, do have working girls wandering the premises, especially in Phnom Penh.

	WARNING: Sexual Abuse against children is a serious crime that is punishable in Cambodia. Those who engage in child sex offenses abroad can be subject to criminal prosecution in their home country. Cambodian authorities work with foreign law enforcement agencies around the world to combat child sex offences.

Drugs, including cannabis, are illegal in Cambodia, and penalties can be very severe. Both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap are full of Happy Herb pizzerias; the effects of this illegal snack comes on only slowly and you may end up biting off more than you can chew, so if you choose to indulge, exercise caution. Many such restaurants advertising "happy pizza" do not actually serve drug-laced pizza. Heroin is very high grade in SE Asia and foreigners requesting cocaine are sometimes provided with it instead, regularly leading to deaths. Over-the-counter pharmaceuticals said to be similar to heroin are readily and legally available, and have also led to tourist deaths.

As in neighbouring Thailand and Laos, Cambodia is predominantly Theravada Buddhist. This means that monks are revered and are expected to take their duties seriously. As in Thailand, monks go around in the morning collecting alms from people. Monks must avoid physical contact with females, so women who wish to offer food to a monk should place it on a piece of cloth in front of him so he can pick it up. Monks are not allowed to accept or touch money, and offering money to a monk is considered to be disrespectful in the local culture. Should you wish to donate to a monk, donate food only; monetary donations should be placed in the donations boxes in temples. As monks are not allowed to eat solid food after noon, they will stop collecting alms before then. "Monks" who hang out at tourist spots and solicit donations from tourists are imposters.

Cambodia uses the GSM mobile system and cellcard is the largest operator, then Smart then Metfone. Pre-paid SIM cards are widely available (from US$1). As of 2016, you are officially required to show your passport at a carrier store to get a SIM.

Mobile phone providers are the main exception to the "use riel instead of US dollars" rule stated in the "Buy" section above, as after a short-lived push to start pricing services in riel in 2022-2023, they have all returned to pricing services in US dollars.

The way mobile calls are charged for has created an unusual side effect. Because most phone plan allowances only cover calls within the same network, many companies, hostels, etc. publish two or 3 mobile numbers for different networks and have 2 or 3 mobile phones with different network operator SIMs. Tuk-tuk drivers in Phnom Penh carry around 3 mobiles held as a "stack". Locals know which prefixes are for which network so if you want to call a hotel you'll chose their published number with the prefix indicating the same network as your own SIM.

Landline numbers in Cambodia are listed as +855 nk 123-4567 where "855" is the country code for Cambodia, the first digit of the area code, "n", will be a 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7; the second digit of the area code, "k" will be a digit in the range 2-6. (The leading zero seen domestically is stripped off in the international format.) The remaining 6 or 7 digits (conjoined with a hyphen) are the "local" part of the subscriber's number.

Mobile phone numbers begin with a 1, 8 or 9 which is then followed by seven or eight digits. The full number of a mobile phone must always be dialed, for example +855 1 1234 5678.

In addition, Metfone SIMs have cheap data roaming if you would rather stick to using one SIM for your travels around the region; roaming in any country in the ASEAN area except Brunei costs only $1.25 per day for up to 1 GB of data, and if you go over you won't be charged extra. If that happens you have the option of buying another 2 GB of high-speed data for the day for $1.25 or continuing to use roaming at a slow speed of 64kbps (only fast enough for messaging apps, e-mail, and receiving push notifications). Alternatively, in the neighboring countries of Vietnam, Thailand, and Laos as well as Malaysia, data roaming is only $1 per day for unlimited data.

Internet cafes are cheap (US$0.50-1/hour) and common, even small towns will have at least one broadband offering. In Kampot, Kratie and Sihanoukville rates are around US$1/hour. Wi-Fi is increasingly popular, with signals available in some unlikely places, not just in coffee shops, but also fast food restaurants, bars, and even gas stations. Domestic broadband prices range from US$29.95-89.00.

Fast wireless 3G/4G internet is now available in Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and Sihanoukville/Kampot/Kep with slower Edge coverage in almost all other areas. Tourists can use the above "exchange" trick to get very cheap local data; for example, on Metfone the smallest exchange of $1 gets you 5 GB and $8 would get you up to 133 GB if you use all the resulting credit on data.

Written Khmer does not yet have a big presence in the electronic world, as do Thai or Vietnamese. Phones and computers (and hence Cambodian text messages, email, and online content) tend to be in English, although this is changing.

Once a disaster, a trip to the post office in Cambodia no longer means a final good bye to your consignment. Intercontinental postcards should arrive in 2 weeks; within Asia, 1 week. Rates are cheap.