Cambodia is best described as having a streak of bad luck, except its luck has been working for nearly half a millennium. The country is still poor, with many of its citizens living on less than $1 a day, and even simple comforts can seem patchy in most areas. But Cambodia has been working hard to increase its popularity with the tourism industry and it’s really starting to show. Siem Reap is one of the fastest growing cities and now it even has luxury hotels, an airport, great nightlife and other attractive things.
Cambodia’s economy has recently stabilized and is heavily dependent on two sources. Those sources are textiles and tourism. Although the country’s language is known as Khmer, most of the young speakers prefer to learn English, making communication easier in large urban areas. When shopping in Cambodia, it’s important to understand that Cambodians aren’t hagglers like their Vietnamese neighbors. Be respectful as most are not going to jack up the price for you to haggle unless you are in a major tourist center. Also, your US dollars will be universally accepted, so there is absolutely no need to change your currency unless you want to.
One of the popular things to do in Cambodia is to travel to Tonle Sap. This is the large lake that is often seen in the middle of the map and is one of the main transportation routes across the country. It can be a long boat ride depending on where you go, but the views of the coast and you will be able to see the local life around the coast. Other popular destinations include the city of Kompon Luong, a popular city that is fully afloat on the Tonle Sap.
There are many ancient ruins and beaches that tourists from all over the world have had the opportunity to enjoy. Scattered across the geography of Cambodia are large national parks such as the Bokor National Park and the Angkor Archaeological Park. Another popular temple is the Preah Vihear, which actually predates Angkor. If you like birds, consider a visit to the Prek Toal Biosphere Reserve, which is considered the premier bird sanctuary in Southeast Asia. Cambodia has a lot to offer the thrifty traveler who wants to see Southeast Asia but doesn’t want to spend a fortune doing it. The ruins and the beaches are second to none and the main cities continue to receive tourists. I have visited Angkor four times and I will return. I hope this gives you an idea of how interesting the place is.