The Best of Cambodia & Laos

Fast Facts
1 FAST FACTS: CAMBODIA
AREA CODES The international dialing
code for Cambodia is 855. Area codes
are listed in the “Fast Facts” sections of
specific cities.
BUSINESS HOURS Business hours are
generally between 7am and 7pm from
Monday to Friday. Markets close earlier,
generally by 5pm. Most banks are open
from around 8am to 3 or 4pm from Monday
to Friday. Some are also open on Saturday
mornings until 11:30am.
DRINKING & DRUG LAWS In Cambodia,
there are no regulations on drinking
alcohol. Drugs are illegal (though
marijuana is widely available), and if
caught the police will likely attempt to
extract large amounts of money from you.
ELECTRICITY The electrical system in
Cambodia is 220 volts AC. Two-pin flat
plugs are the norm. The electricity can
often be cut without warning. It’s a good
idea to carry a flashlight, especially in
more remote places.
EMBASSIES & CONSULATES The
embassy of the United States is at the
corner of St. 96/51 (& 023/728-000).
The embassy of Canada is represented by
embassy of Australia, located at Australia
Villa 11, St. 254 (& 023/213-470). The
embassy of Ireland is represented by
embassy of the United Kingdom, at No.
27–29 St. 75 (& 023/427-124). There is
no New Zealand Embassy in Cambodia.
HOSPITALS In the event of a medical
emergency, you should head to Thailand.
16
Healthcare in Cambodia is not good.
Although the main hospital in Phnom
Penh is the Calmette, it is not recommended.
The International SOS Medical
and Dental Clinic, at No. 161 St. 51
(& 023/216-911), is the best place to
handle minor emergencies. Naga Clinic,
at No. 11 St. 254 (& 011/811-175), is
also recommended. For any major emergency
or injury, however, you’ll want to
arrange medical evacuation.
In Siem Reap, the Royal Angkor International
Hospital (No. 6 Airport Rd.;
& 063/761-888; www.royalangkor
hospital.com) provides 24-hour emergency
care, ambulance, translation, and
evacuation. Check on their website before
departure to make sure your insurance
covers you under their terms and conditions.
INSURANCE For information on traveler’s
insurance, trip-cancellation insurance,
and medical insurance while
traveling, visit www.frommers.com
LANGUAGE Khmer is the official language
of Cambodia. English is increasingly
widely spoken. Some older people
speak French. See chapter 17 for a glossary
of Khmer terms.
MAIL Mail services from Cambodia are
unreliable and things go missing. DHL
has an office in Phnom on No. 28
Monivong Rd. (& 023/427-726), and
FedEx is at No. 701D Monivong (& 023/
216-712). It costs 2000 riel to send a