Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Cambodia
(CCC; 023-214152;
www.ccc-cambodia.org
;
9-11 St 476) in Phnom Penh. This organisation
has a handy list of all NGOs, both Cambodian and international, and is extremely helpful.
There are a couple of professional Siem Reap-based organisations helping to place volunteers.
ConCERT
( 063-963511;
www.concertcambodia.org
; 560 Phum Stoueng Thmey; 9am-5pm Mon-
Fri) has a 'responsible volunteering' section on its website that offers some sound advice on preparing for a
stint as a volunteer.
Globalteer
( 063-761802;
www.globalteer.org
)
coordinates the Cambodia Kids Pro-
ject and offers volunteer placements with various projects, but this does involve a weekly charge.
The other avenue is professional volunteering through an organisation back home that offers one- or two-
year placements in Cambodia. One of the largest organisations is
Voluntary Service Overseas
(VSO;
www.vso.org.uk
)
in the UK, but other countries also have their own organisations, including
Australian Vo-
lunteers International
(AVI;
www.australianvolunteers.com
)
and New Zealand's
Volunteer Service
Abroad
(VSA;
www.vsa.org.nz
). The UN also operates its own volunteer program; details are available at
www.unv.org
.
Other general volunteer sites with links all over the place include
For general tips on voluntourism in Cambodia, visit
www.voluntourism101.org
.
Women Travellers
Women will generally find Cambodia a hassle-free place to travel, although some of the guys in the guest-
house industry will try their luck from time to time. Foreign women are unlikely to be targeted by local men,
but at the same time it pays to be careful. As is the case anywhere in the world, walking or riding a bike
alone late at night is risky, and if you're planning a trip off the beaten track it would be best to find a travel
companion.
Despite the prevalence of sex workers and women's employment as 'beer girls', dancing companions and
the like, foreign women will probably find Khmer men to be courteous and polite. It's best to keep things
this way by being restrained in your dress. Khmer women dress fairly conservatively, and it's best to follow
suit, particularly when visiting wats. In general, long-sleeved shirts and long trousers or skirts are preferred.
It is also worth having trousers for heading out at night on
motos
, as short skirts aren't too practical.
Tampons and sanitary napkins are widely available in the major cities and provincial capitals, but if you
are heading into very remote areas for a few days, it is worth having your own supply.
Work
Jobs are available throughout Cambodia, but apart from teaching English or helping out in guesthouses, bars
or restaurants, most are for professionals and are arranged in advance. There is a lot of teaching work avail-
able for English-language speakers; salary is directly linked to experience. Anyone with an English-lan-
guage teaching certificate can earn considerably more than those with no qualifications.
For information about work opportunities with NGOs, call into the CCC, which has a noticeboard for po-
sitions vacant. If you are thinking of applying for work with NGOs, you should bring copies of your educa-
