Cambodia Travel Guide: Safety Tips in Cambodia. Travel Safety Tips.

As a general rule, it is best that you take out a traveler’s medical insurance before you make your trip to Cambodia. This is to make sure that you can pay for and be reimbursed for any medical expenses you may incur while touring Cambodia. You should check what the inclusions are in the medical insurance. This is a one-off insurance for your trip as the health insurance from your country in most likelihood will not be honored in another country.

All travelers, including those going to Cambodia should make duplicate copies of their travel documents – tickets, passport, credit cards and other identification cards, traveler’s checks, etc., so that you will have an easier time replacing them in case they get lost. Keep a copy in your carryon luggage that you can transfer to your belt bag or any body bag that you will use while taking in the sights. Have another set of copies stored with your luggage and the original copy of your passport and other travel documents stored in the hotel safety deposit box.

Cambodia is a country whose future is waiting to take off. Cambodia is basically a safe and friendly country, except for occasional incidents of bag or wallet snatching. Large cities like Phnom Penh call for bigger discretion on the part of tourists. Bag snatching, even from those on bicycles and motorcycles, has always been a problem in Phnom Penh. Hence travelers are advised to be discreet with their possessions, especially with cash and cameras. And as always, travelers are advised to exercise extra care in poorly lit or more remote areas. It also calls for exercising restraint from asking total strangers for directions. It is better to take a trusted travel guide recommended by your hotel to take you around.

In Cambodia, many crimes against foreigners are often the handiwork of young thugs even from well off families, acting on their own to make a quick buck. Despite this, violent crimes are few and far between in Cambodia and you can survive without any unpleasant incidents on a Cambodia trip if you use your common sense.

Prostitution is illegal in Cambodia but is widely prevalent. It is common to find taxi-girls wandering around club and bar premises. Be sure to avoid instances where you will be victimized by going only to safe places particularly at night.

Take a medical kit with you containing necessary medications and first aid for minor cuts etc. It should usually contain paracetamol, antihistamines, antibiotics, kaolin, ORS (oral rehydration solution), insect repellants, calamine lotion and some bandage material or band aids can come in handy while traveling.

If you are regularly taking any kind of medication, it is advisable to carry enough to get you through your entire trip. Carry it clearly labeled and preferably in its original packing. A signed letter from your doctor listing out your medical conditions, medicines (generic names included) and dosages is a must. And if there are any needles and syringes to be carried, their necessity also is to be clearly explained in the letter. All the medicines are to be carried in the hand luggage with duplicate quantity packed in the checked in luggage. It is wise to take an extra pair of glasses or contact lenses if you wear any. A medical alert bracelet can be worn in case of chronic allergies or medical issues.

Before going to Cambodia, visit your doctor and confirm whether the necessary vaccinations that you have taken are sufficient. It is also advisable to have a course of malaria tablets if you plan to stay less than a month and use a mosquito net for added protection. Mosquitoes can cause the dreaded dengue fever also, so better be wary of them.

Worms are another health hazard. They are food-borne parasites that can cause diseases like salmonella. Diarrhea is a common complaint of travelers so drink bottled water and be careful when eating raw vegetables and fruits. Never drink water from the tap when traveling in Cambodia. Make sure the water has been chemically treated, filtered or boiled before you drink it. Even though the water in Phnom Penh is treated, you cannot rule out its being contaminated again by the time it reaches you.

If you become a victim of animal bite or scratch, clean the wound immediately with a lot of soap and water and immediately take tetanus shot and other post-exposure treatments.

Avoid eating cooked foods that are not piping hot. Cooked foods that are left at room temperature spoil easily. Practice good hygiene and eat at reputable restaurants and avoid food and beverages sold by street vendors. Beware of undercooked and raw meat or fish. Find information about the quality of the food, particularly fish and order them at reputable restaurants only.

The mosquitoes come out in force in Siem Reap at dusk, so keep the windows closed if there is no screen. If you need to sleep outdoors or in a place where mosquitos enter freely, use a bed net impregnated with insect repellent and with its edges carefully tucked in the mattress.

Wear long pants and long sleeves when traveling to forested and rural areas. To prevent tick bites, tuck your pants into thick socks when sleeping. Apply insect repellents for exposed skin (except the mouth, eyes, or open wounds). Remove ticks with a pair tweezers to prevent tick-borne illnesses.

In the hottest months, March and April, the temperature can rise to 35 °C (95 °F), so put on some sunscreen with a high SPF before you go out and always wear a hat to avoid sunstroke.

Do not swim, wade, or raft in fresh water ponds, lakes, rivers or streams. Use hot water for showering or bathing. Chlorinated swimming pools are considered safe.

Lock in luggage is necessary to avoid theft. Leave your valuables in the hotel safe. Do not invite muggers to come and get you. Do not wear too much jewelry when you are exploring the tourist spots and just use inexpensive accessories instead.

Take a road map of the city and also try and learn how to read them. These maps can assist you greatly, if you haven’t been to that place before. It is advised not to rely too much on the taxi driver. Public transportation system is poor.

Traveling to Cambodia is easy. Most nationalities need a visa that is issued on arrival in all Cambodian international airports, overseas Cambodian embassies, most international borders crossing checkpoints in Cambodia, and the online E-Visa procedure.

The official currency is the Cambodian Riel. The US dollar is universally accepted in Cambodia. Instead of US coins, Cambodian riels are used with a fixed rate of 4,000 riels/dollar. Avoid moneychangers on the street. You can get good rates from the banks. It is acceptable to check each note and ask to have them changed if you are not happy with the quality, even in banks. If you are planning on heading out to the countryside, carry enough US dollars.

There are ATMs in almost any city in Cambodia that dispense mostly US dollars instead of riels. They charge for each withdrawal a fee of $3-$5. It is also wise to have your own supply of US$1, $5, $10 and $20 notes to avoid problems. It is to be noted that ATMs will dispense dollars in different denominations. Note that only 4-digit PINs are accepted in most ATMs, so it is best to bring enough travelers checks or cash from home to avoid problems.

Major credit cards are honored but for the rest of the country it is best to stick to cash or traveler’s checks in US dollars. Traveler’s checks and credit cards are accepted in major business establishments, like large hotels, travel agencies and some restaurants and souvenir shops. Food and other things are very cheap, but it is still generally expected that tourist prices will be charged.

The country is also mixed when it comes to behavior amid tourists. The more heavily traveled places like Siem Reap and Phnom Penh have adjusted well to tourist behavior, but people in places such as Banlung and Stung Treng are not so used to tourists. For example, before taking somebody’s picture you have to ask permission first. While those living in remote areas dislike being photographed, some people from the urban areas even as payment for being photographed.

Try to dress suitably. In other words, do not wear something that singles you out from the rest of the crowd as a tourist. Basically, the less attention you get the better. Female attire is considered conservative in Cambodia. It is usually a sign of respect to wear knee-length attire or trousers, though wearing shorts in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh has become acceptable.

While the fear of stepping on landmines maybe at the back of your mind, the likelihood of it happening is almost zero if you go to well-traveled areas. It may be a different scenario if you are going to the countryside and wandering off the road. So do not go there until and unless you have a good guide.

There are some of the basic travel safety tips that will help ensure that your stay in Cambodia will be relatively safe and hassle-free. While this is very handy, your common sense and willingness to follow the advice of a professional guide and hotel staff will be of great help while you explore Cambodia.