Cambodia Information

The e-arrival system seems to go smoothly, and with an e-visa, you go straight to the control, and the luggage arrives very quickly. To be confirmed, but it looks well-organized. Note that there will be a new international airport in a few months, but it's farther from Phnom Penh. At first, it might feel a bit empty since it's not yet a major tourist wave. Another piece of info to confirm: for Cambodian SIM cards, a Khmer ID is required in the shops; otherwise, the main shop in Phnom Penh if you have a passport. In my case, Metfone. Check if others had the same response. A little tip for those getting a Cambodian SIM card: make sure that with the plan you buy, internet is accessible. Do it right away in the shop. If you have a pro seller, they’ll do the necessary steps to get a data reserve, but if it’s a "brother" of the seller, not sure it’ll be operational.

Thanks Michel for this useful feedback... have a great rest of your day.

I’ll jot down the address for the pepper—I’ve been there several times, but I don’t remember this one. We need to restock.

Let's continue with the info. Regarding pepper, I’ll repost dancoine’s tip. Ny Ann Kampot Pepper Farm is a really good spot. You have to drive several kilometers down the dirt track until the road becomes paved. If he’s not too busy, he’ll give you tons of info. He speaks English with a "certain" accent, but it’s fine. When you arrive, there’s a small room for sales and grabbing a coffee. There’s also a restaurant. Fruit trees too—it’s the family that runs the different activities. For the price, black pepper starts at 30 euros per kg. He can put different quantities in the bags: 100g, 200g, 500g. There’s also red, white, and salted green pepper.

About Kampot, the road to Kep is back in great shape. Kampot is gradually getting a facelift—there’s a very long sandy area along the river, and all the boat restaurants and tours are grouped together before the new bridge, on the right. Small restaurants behind the old market and the main market are still as nice as ever. Plenty of chic villas and resorts going up the river on the right side. Doesn’t seem like backpacker territory—pretty upscale.

For the train, officially it’s 4 hours between Phnom Penh and Kampot. We took 5 hours... For Sihanoukville, add 2 more hours, but there are new old Japanese carriages. A woman comes by to announce the stops. She had an English text explaining the delays, but by the end, nothing. Arrival in Phnom Penh is still just as impressive—right next to the houses, sometimes feeling like you’re crossing through someone’s living room since it’s not fenced off. Otherwise, minibuses do the trip in 3 hours.

Let's add a few more details. For buses, the company VET is pretty good—they made a rest stop in PP that was great: welcome lounge, luggage storage, info desk... The buses and minibuses are fairly recent. For those who enjoy an evening stroll, there’s a boat ride in PP. It lasts an hour, costs $5 for tourists, and you get a beer. You can also bring your own meal on board. A little tip for those looking to rent scooters: if you’re renting for a while, I’d recommend bringing your own helmet if you can. The "tiny floating bowls on your head" they provide are just there to avoid fines but don’t do much for safety.

Thanks Michel for these great tips. I’ve been in Stung Treng for 4 days now and it’s *super* hot here 🥵. Thankfully, the motorbike rides give me a bit of a breeze...

4 days in Stung Treng seems long to me! Did you find any interesting activities to do there? I was actually thinking of going back this month (it's a 4-hour drive) and stopping in Kratie, which I know much better. Maybe return by following the west side of the Mekong and taking the ferry near Kratie. It's been hot lately, but we also had the first raindrops of the year on Tuesday [:)]. This morning, the weather is really nice—overcast sky.

Hi there, yes, it’s been getting a bit hot these past few days, whereas nights used to be cool. January was really pleasant. On another note, life’s got me visiting Calmette Hospital in Phnom Penh these days. If anyone has any extra info on reliable hospitals or clinics, that’d be super helpful.

Hi Erwan, There aren’t any truly interesting activities except for walks along the Mekong or relaxing in hammocks by the Mekong.

Oh yeah, a chill trip [:)]

We're moving into the hot season, the second half of the dry season—it's true we've gained 4-5 degrees at night these past few days. It's nice in the countryside for the morning shower since the water doesn't get too cold overnight (in "winter," it stings!), but it's going to get tough during the day, especially since the northeast breeze that gives us a little relief will fade away in the coming days. We're already hitting 35°C every day, and we're still two full months away from the temperature peak!

Sorry, Michel, I don’t know much about hospitals in PP—hang in there!

I'm currently in Kratie

I'm doing okay health-wise, but I'm visiting family in Kalmette. I thought it might be useful to have some health tips for people who aren't familiar with the area.