Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Time
Cambodia (like Laos, Vietnam and Thailand) is seven hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time or Universal
Time Coordinated (GMT/UTC). When it is midday in Cambodia, it is 10pm the previous evening in San
Francisco, 1am in New York, 5am in London, 6am in Paris and 3pm in Sydney.
Toilets
Cambodian toilets are mostly of the sit-down variety. The occasional squat toilet turns up here and there,
particularly in the most budget of budget guesthouses in the provinces.
The issue of toilets and what to do with used toilet paper is a cause for concern. Generally, if there's a
wastepaper basket next to the toilet, that is where the toilet paper goes, as many sewerage systems cannot
handle toilet paper. Toilet paper is seldom provided in the toilets at bus and train stations or in other public
buildings, so keep a stash with you at all times.
Many Western toilets also have a hose spray in the bathroom, aptly named the 'bum gun' by some. Think
of this as a flexible bidet, used for cleaning and ablutions as well as hosing down the loo.
Public toilets are rare, the only ones in the country being along Phnom Penh's riverfront and some beauti-
ful wooden structures dotted about the temples of Angkor. The charge is usually 500r for a public toilet, al-
though they are free at Angkor. Most local restaurants have some sort of toilet.
Should you find nature calling in rural areas, don't let modesty drive you into the bushes:
there may be
landmines not far from the road or track
. Stay on the roadside and do the deed, or grin and bear it until the
next town.
Tourist Information
Cambodia has only a handful of tourist offices, and those encountered by the independent traveller in Ph-
nom Penh and Siem Reap are generally of limited help. However, in the provinces it is a different story, as
the staff are often excited to see visitors. These offices generally have little in the way of brochures or
handouts though. Generally, fellow travellers, guesthouses, hotels and free local magazines are more useful
than tourist offices.
Cambodia has no official tourist offices abroad and it is unlikely that Cambodian embassies will be of
much assistance in planning a trip, besides issuing visas, which are available on arrival anyhow.
Travellers with Disabilities
Broken pavements, potholed roads and stairs as steep as ladders at Angkor ensure that for most people with
mobility impairments, Cambodia is not going to be an easy country in which to travel. Few buildings have
been designed with the disabled in mind, although new projects, such as the international airports at Phnom
