Cambodia (/kæm?bo?di?/ (About this soundlisten); also Kampuchea /?kæmp??t?i??/; Khmer: ??????? [kam.pu.ci?]; French: Cambodge), officially the Kingdom of Cambodia (Khmer: ?????????????????????, pr??h ri?ci?naacak kampuci?, IPA: [pr??h ri?.ci?.na?.ca? kam.pu.ci?]; French: Royaume du Cambodge), is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is 181,035 square kilometres (69,898 square miles) in area, bordered by Thailand to the northwest, Laos to the northeast, Vietnam to the east and the Gulf of Thailand to the southwest.
The tourism industry is the country's second-greatest source of hard currency after the textile industry. International visitor arrivals in 2018 topped six million, a ten-fold increase since the beginning of the 21st century.
Besides Phom Penh and Angkor Wat, other tourist destinations include Sihanoukville in the southwest which has several popular beaches and Battambang in the northwest, both of which are popular stops for backpackers who make up a significant portion of visitors to Cambodia. The area around Kampot and Kep including the Bokor Hill Station are also of interest to visitors. Tourism has increased steadily each year in the relatively stable period since the 1993 UNTAC elections.
Most international arrivals in 2018 were Chinese. Tourism receipts exceeded US$4.4 billion in 2018, accounting for almost ten percent of the kingdom's gross national product. The Angkor Wat historical park in Siem Reap Province, the beaches in Sihanoukville, the capital city Phnom Penh, and Cambodia's 150 casinos (up from just 57 in 2014) are the main attractions for foreign tourists.
Cambodia's climate, like that of the rest of Southeast Asia, is dominated by monsoons, which are known as tropical wet and dry because of the distinctly marked seasonal differences.
Cambodia has a temperature range from 21 to 35 °C (70 to 95 °F) and experiences tropical monsoons. Southwest monsoons blow inland bringing moisture-laden winds from the Gulf of Thailand and Indian Ocean from May to October. The northeast monsoon ushers in the dry season, which lasts from November to April. The country experiences the heaviest precipitation from September to October with the driest period occurring from January to February.
Hotel styles
The majority of mid-range and luxury hotels in Cambodia are decorated in enchanting and beautiful Khmer style. The Khmer style was inspired by Indian architecture in ancient times but later developed to be something completely unique.
Many luxury hotels are designed with memorable styles, to enrich travelers’ experience. Especially in Siem Reap, where the economy is built around tourism, the hotels are often beautiful, with plenty of style and charm.
Phnom Penh is the capital city and many hotels there are business-focused and therefore a little plainer, but some lovely boutique hotels can be found close to the Royal Palace.
International hotels
Internationally-owned hotels, such as the 5-star Sofitel Phnom Penh Phokeethra, are much more commonly found in Phnom Penh.
These hotels are often new luxury hotels, with all the latest comforts and services, as well as beautiful and extravagant rooms. Many are suitable for business trips and conferences, but also have extras such as pools and spas to meet the needs of all types of traveler.
Boutique hotels
Boutique hotels are often smaller and fit into the midrange or luxury category. These are owned by local entrepreneurs and range from beautiful buildings full of personality to cheaper locations.
Boutique hotels are very popular in Cambodia and are often a great option, but plenty of research should be done before booking, to make sure they are up to par.
Among the great boutique hotels in Siem Reap are the Tara Angkor Hotel and Shinta Mani Shack. We recommend the beautiful Double Leaf Boutique Hotel and Okay Boutique Hotel in Phnom Penh.
Luxury resorts
Luxury resorts are not as common as other types of hotel in Cambodia, but they can be found near beaches and in some major cities. One specific resort we recommend is the Battambang Resort, with its onsite restaurant and great services.
Beach resorts are found mostly in Sihanoukville or on the outlying islands. Like most accommodation in Cambodia, there is a large range to fit all budgets.
Other options
Guesthouses and homestays are perfect for getting closer to the local culture, as they are normally small and will involve interaction with the owners. However, because they are quite inexpensive, they often lack modern comforts and services.
The civil war and neglect severely damaged Cambodia's transport system. With assistance from other countries Cambodia has been upgrading the main highways to international standards and most are vastly improved from 2006. Most main roads are now paved.
Cambodia has two rail lines, totalling about 612 kilometres (380 miles) of single, one-metre (3-foot-3-inch) gauge track. The lines run from the capital to Sihanoukville on the southern coast. Trains are again running to and from the Cambodian capital and popular destinations in the south. After 14 years, regular rail services between the two cities restarted recently – offering a safer option than road for travellers. Trains also run from Phnom Penh to Sisophon (although trains often run only as far as Battambang). As of 1987, only one passenger train per week operated between Phnom Penh and Battambang but a US$141 million project, funded mostly by the Asian Development Bank, has been started to revitalise the languishing rail system that will "(interlink) Cambodia with major industrial and logistics centers in Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh City".
Various factors contribute to the Cambodian culture including Theravada Buddhism, Hinduism, French colonialism, Angkorian culture, and modern globalization. The Cambodian Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts is responsible for promoting and developing Cambodian culture. Cambodian culture not only includes the culture of the lowland ethnic majority, but also some 20 culturally distinct hill tribes colloquially known as the Khmer Loeu, a term coined by Norodom Sihanouk to encourage unity between the highlanders and lowlanders.
