FAQ for Visitors
General Risks
These days, Phnom Penh is probably no more risky for Westerners than any big Western city: robberies do occur, especially after midnight, if you're on the street. The traffic is bad, and a traffic accident is probably the biggest tropical-medicine risk!
When you arrive, we require you to sign a waiver stating that you come and join us at your own risk and that we are not liable for any injury or illness you may sustain. If you incur medical expenses, evacuation expenses, etc. they will all be at your own expense, and it may be wise of you to obtain medical travel insurance before you come.
Vaccinations
In general, no-one needs more than what you've already got as Westerners, if you are just going to hang around with us, as it's reasonably safe in Phnom Penh, and medical facilities and medications are reasonably available.
But if you're going up country, backpacking around the mountains for weeks on end, or plan other adventures involving remote area travel, then you should think about more extensive precautions: inoculations against rabies, Japanese encephalitis, typhoid, or whatever is recommended for the areas you intend to visit. Check the CDC website for more information, or your travel doctor.
Malaria
The 2 strains of mosquitoes that transmit malaria, are sylvan (they live in the woods), so there's no malaria to speak of in Phnom Penh: none of us use prophylaxis, unless we plan on going somewhere pretty unusual. However, there is always a risk of malaria if you travel outside of Phnom Penh, and you need to decide for yourself what prophylaxis to use.
Dengue
Mosquitoes carrying this virus are present in Phnom Penh and prefer to feed on humans during the daytime. There is no vaccination so precautions such as mosquito repellant, bed nets, etc are recommended.
Insurance
Getting medevac'd to Singapore, Bangkok, or the West, is very expensive. Travel insurance is cheap and is strongly recommended. Medical care in Bangkok itself is good and really quite cheap, and a one-way airline ticket to Bangkok is about $100.
Visas
It's often a hassle dealing with Cambodian officials, and visas are now available on the internet, but visas-on -arrival are available at the airport in Phnom Penh and at most of the border crossings. You need one passport photo and $20 for a 30 day visitor's visa (very difficult to extend), or $30 for a 30 day business visa (easier to extend). It is recommended that visitors intending to stay longer than 30 days, obtain a business visa which can be extended in-country.
Finding Us
When you arrive in Phnom Penh, our phone number here at Kien Khleang (KK) is 023 43 02 02.
KK is across the Japanese Bridge to Chroy Changvar, then about 2km along the road 6A, to where the big restaurants start on the LEFT side of the road. Right opposite the first big restaurant ("Stung Meas"), is the little road leading down to the RIGHT, and KK, with the blue and white sign, telling you so! From the new market, or even the airport, get a motorbike taxi (moto) or a tuk-tuk direct to Kien Khleang (say $2 for a newcomer from the Market, and $6 from the airport), or a car taxi from the airport for $7.
Click here for a map
Accomodation
There are plenty of hotels, guesthouses, etc., around, ranging in price from about $5 to $150 a night, so chose what you like. You can eat local, Khmer food, for about $5 a day, and there is a plethora of international restaurants of all different prices.
Money
The local currency is the Riel however US Dollars are also widely used. 1 US Dollar equals around 4,000 Riel. Few places accept credit cards. However there are plenty of ATMs in Phnom Penh so you can easily withdraw money from overseas accounts.
Dress
Officials in Cambodia are usually quite smartly dressed, and we try to be similar when we are working. Backpacker dress does not go down too well with the Cambodian Government, so it is best to wear long trousers, short sleeved shirts, no tie or jacket, and sandals when on official business. (People take their shoes off inside homes and buildings, as outside there is so much mud and dirt, so slip-on sandals or shoes, with or without socks, are a blessing).