Hey Guys! Phoebe here, from Little Grey Box
Are you planning a trip to Cambodia?
If you are planning your first ever trip to Cambodia
There are a few things that I think you really need to know before you go
Don't buy from local children or give them money or food
It may sound harsh, but hear me out
With their beautiful smiling faces looking up at you
It can be really hard to resist buying trinkets
or souvenirs from local kids who will run up to you outside
of temples and the like
When they get food or money from tourists
It devalues an education, and the kids, their parents, or the people they work for
might see it as more viable for them to keep
working over tourists than to go to school
The Cambodian Government openly agrees
and they would encourage travellers who want to do good
to donate to charity organisations and local schools instead
You'll need a mix of currencies
It's time to get real
No, I'm not just being cool and hip like one of the kids
Riel is the Cambodian currency
that said, you are really going to need US Dollars more than Riel
For anything that costs more than a dollar you'll be paying in US Dollars
For anything that you get in change below that
you'll get it back in Riel
When you are getting money back
Check it thoroughly, as counterfeiting is alive and well in Cambodia
They're funny about bills though
No, if you're names not Bill you're not going to get in trouble
Dad joke
But if you do get a note with a rip or tear it you may find that they don't accept it
We had some real trouble getting local vendors to take a note that had the slightest tear
or the slightest infraction in it That just wouldn't take it off us
So when you are getting money back
Be confident, give it back
and say that you want a clean crisp bill
A little Khmer goes a long way
Khmer is the name of the Cambodian language
and if you pick up a few local words
it's going to go a long way to being a good human and a good traveller
here are a few to get you started
Hello
sous-dey
sounds like...
sewer snake
Thank you
orkun
sounds like...
all good
Sorry
somm toh
sounds like...
Soz dude
Don't ride the elephants
The reality is, the way that an elephant is broken in
to be able to be ridden by tourists
is really harsh
It's a process called crushing
It really is worth researching it
so that you can understand the problem yourself
a quick Google search for elephant crushing
or having a look on YouTube will show you a few videos
and a few articles
that i think will encourage you not to do it
I didn't know, now I do and I'm really glad I do
You can't drink the tap water
While we are all trying to cut down on single-use plastics
unfortunately, in Cambodia
you can't take your water bottle and refill it from your hotel tap
What you can do though
is stock up on a few really big bottles
that way you're not using single small bottles
and you're still drinking safe clean water
Tuk Tuk is the way to get around
When you're in places like Phomn Penh and Siem Reap
honestly the best way to get around is by hailing yourself a tuk tuk
and if you're staying in a hotel
you'll find tuk tuk's lined up outside ready to take you where you want to go
a 5 minute tuk tuk ride should cost you around USD$1
and you need to negotiate before you get in the tuk tuk
or when you get out you're gonna have a problem
Pro Tip: Always have the business card of the hotel you are staying at with you
so you can show it to the driver
so that he knows exactly where you are going and the address
Beware the food scam
If you are in places like Phomn Penh and Siem Reap
you may be approached by a beautiful girl
on the streets of Cambodia telling you that she is really really hungry
and she doesn't want your money
all she wants is a meal
and could you just take her to a local restaurant
and give her something to eat
Seems reasonable right?
No! it is not reasonable, it's a trap!
Wake up to yourselves internet!
What will really happen is you will sit down and you will order food for yourself and her
and then at the end of the meal you will be hit with a huge bill
Being a tourist and in a tough situation
you are going to have no choice but to pay it
To avoid falling victim to this scam
be aware of it
and when a young girl approaches you simply say no, and walk away.
Beware the baby milk scam
There is another scam
and it has a similar tone
a young woman with a baby in her arms
will ask you if you can please help her out
by buying some formula for her tiny little baby
it's so hard to say no but you have to
If you don't, you will be taken to a suspiciously close mini-mart
Where you will spend USD$20-$30
on a tin of baby formula
After you leave
the young woman will return the formula to the store
and she and the store owner will split the profits
of your US dollars
It's important to say no
not just so that you aren't the victim
but so it puts an end to scams like this
and young women and children being exploited for the profit of organised crime
To enter Cambodia you are going to need a visa
You can do that before you go
to make things a little bit easier
or if you are on the fly
just sort it out when you arrive
If you do plan to get your visa on arrival
make sure you have a spare passport photo
or a least a few with you
and you should check the visa requirements
because some ASEAN countries don't require one at all
Prepare for some questionable toilets
Oh the things I have seen
and the toilets I have hovered over
Cambodia is no exception
Always have pocket tissues with you
some wet wipes and some hand sanitiser
just in case
English is widely spoken
Hey, if you don't speak Khmer
If your Cambodian language skills aren't quite up to scratch
No need to panic
You will have no trouble
Ordering at restaurants, hailing a tuk tuk
and sorting out your accommodation at hotels
You need to be mindful around monks
In Cambodian culture, monks are not only revered,
they are very well respected
and it's important to be a good traveller
and a good human and observe these cultural respects yourself
Woman in particular need to be mindful
You shouldn't ever touch them or sit too close to them
And it's always important to ask if you can take a photo
before you do
You may find that they say no
But you may find they say yes!
Bag snatching in Phomn Penh is a real thing
Ohh, yes
I took a tuk tuk ride and my tuk tuk driver was terrified for my safety
He made me strap my backpack to my body
and sealed me inside the tuk tuk with all the flaps down so nobody could see me
So when you are out and about
Whether it's on foot or in a tuk tuk
please make sure
your bag is secured to your body
with those fidgety little nerdy straps
that the backpack companies give you
If you don't have a bag that can be secured to your body
and sealed shut
You need to get a new one before you go
You may need sunglasses and a face mask
Why you ask?
I'm gonna tell you why Internet
When you are wizzing around on tuk tuks and on the back of scooters
and all that kind of open air transport that they have in Cambodia
There's a lot of dust on the roads and that can fly up and get right into your eyes
And the pollution is quite real
Especially in Siem Reap and Phomn Penh
It's cheap and easy to get your hands on a SIM card
Because I'm always on social media for my work
I had to get a SIM card when I arrived
and I was a little concerned about how much it would cost in Cambodia
Turns out it's dirt cheap
I did have to hand in my passport to get it
So if you are a little bit worried about identity theft
Be sure to keep a close eye on the person working there
and maybe just give them your husband's instead of yours
or your friends, whatever
You're going to need a few temple outfits
When you are visiting places like Angkor Wat, the Grand Palace
and other sites where temple kind of vibes are involved
You're going to need specific temple outfits
This means your shoulders need to be covered
Your knees need to be covered
No midriffs, no deep plunging neck lines
and you guys, a scarf isn't going to cut it
So your best bet is to pack two temple outfits
Some t-shirts or shirts that cover your shoulders and your waist
Skirts that go below the knees will cut it
If you visit Siem Reap you are going to need a temple pass
If you are thinking I might just risk it
and I don't really need one
you would be wrong because at each temple they have people standing there who check
your pass to make sure that you not only have it
but to make sure its valid
The Internet ain't great
Oh this was a hard one for me because I Iive for the Internet
and I run my business on the internet
Everywhere I went, regardless of the quality of the hotel
or the cafe, the internet just wasn't that great unfortunately
so if you are a freelancer, or you do plan on working online
keep this in mind because you will be slowed down a little bit
You should pack an umbrella
It rains! Spontaneously
when you least expect it
and you may just end up buying an umbrella from a very cute kid on the side of the road
no, no , no
Avoid that by packing a little day umbrella with you in your daypack every day you go out
It is incredibly hot and humid in Cambodia
and I come from a really hot place on Earth
Brisbane
There were times when I would leave a place
and I would be soaked through my t-shirts
so you might want to put one or two extras t-shirts in your bag
if that kind of thing is going to bother you
You might want to also get up and do most of your exploring either early in the morning
or late in the afternoon so you avoid those hottest parts of the day
drink plenty of water
stay hydrated, and
wear sweat wicking if it so suits you
The mosquitos are very hungry
The mosquitos in Cambodia are no joke
and if you are worried about any mosquito borne illnesses
be sure to see a doctor before you go but also
pack some mosquito repellant in your bag
and be sure to put it on every day
They really do eat bugs and spiders
There's a good chance you've seen
fried tarantulas and bugs and spiders of all shapes and sizes
for sale at markets
and you're probably thinking hey, that's just for tourists
Yes, it is for tourists but, they do actually really eat them
I was shocked to learn that
So, if you do see a local munging down on tarantula
don't be terrified, join in!
Prepare to fall in love with the people of Cambodia
It's just an incredibly special place
and, one that is close to my heart
my little sister is Cambodian
and... I love Cambodian people
they are so warm and genuine
they have the most incredible smiles
and kind eyes
They have a great sense of humour
and they are fantastic to talk to
Thank you so much for watching
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and say hello in the comments below
Have a great time in Cambodia and I will see you next time
love ya!