Official Name
Kingdom of Cambodia
Surface Area
181,035 square kilometers
Population
Approximately 13 million
Race
The majority (90%) of the population is ethnic Khmer while the remaining 10% are comprised of Cham (Khmer Muslims), hill tribes (and other minorities), Chinese and Vietnamese.
Language
Khmer is the official language. English is the second language with a smattering of French here and there.
Religion
Theravada Buddhism is the official religion in Cambodia. 95% of the population is Buddhist; the remainder is either Muslim or Christian.
Its tortured past is now history; today the Kingdom of Cambodia is one of THE reasons for visiting South-East Asia and there’s no better
time to visit than now. The 9th to 13th century Angkor temples around Siem Reap are truly one of the wonders of the ancient world. There’s no doubt that they rival the Egyptian Pyramids and Italy’s Pompeii in their elegance and splendor. They will live in your memory forever.
The temples (such Bayon, Ta Prohm and, of course, Angkor Wat) are now easily accessible and so it’s definitely possible to observe them in person and far away from the comfort of your armchair while watching the Discovery Channel! In fact, it is still possible to discover some of the temples and wonder around them as if you’re the only one there (which occasionally you are). As the number of tourists to the temples continues to accelerate, this sadly may not be the case in a few years time.
Of course, Cambodia’s tourist attractions don’t just stop there. Its capital city, Phnom Penh, successfully manages to persuade visitors to stay longer than originally intended and its vibrant nightlife, worth some energetic investigation, is one of the principal reasons why. While the quiet sandy beaches and chilled-out scene of Sihanoukville makes a welcome change from its overly populated counterparts in Southern Thailand.
And there’s even more for the adventurous traveler. The forgotten French colonial beach resort of Kep, the old colonial riverside town of Kampot and the abandoned Bokor Hill Station are atmospherically frozen in time and echoes of the bygone era of old Indochina. Add hill tribes in Ratanakiri, jungle trekking and wildlife spotting in Bokor, Ream and Kirirom National Parks, Elephant riding in Mondulkiri and gem buying in Pailin to the list, and you can clearly see the possibilities open to you while visiting the country.
Plus, of course, there are the Cambodian people themselves with their bright warm smiles and cries of ‘hello’ as you walk by in the beautiful countryside or bustling towns. Make no mistake about it; these people are the most friendly you’ll ever meet.
Without question, Cambodia is still recovering from two decades of war, which included one of the worst cases of national genocide in world history by the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979 and, although now finished as a political and fighting force, its legacy still lives on through lost relatives and landmines.
But don’t let Cambodia’s troubled past put you off from visiting. Today, the country is relatively safe and peaceful, and after spending some time here, you’ll not only witness some sites and experiences that’ll blow you away -- you will also have a hell of a lot of fun along the way!
The climate can be described as tropical, hot and humid with an average temperature around 27˚C (80˚F). The best time to visit Cambodia is between November to January when the climate is at its coolest and the countryside is at its greenest following the rainy season. It is still the tourist season between the months of February to July but does get considerably hotter (at its peak from April till June). The rainy season is from August to October. If your only planning to see the Angkor temples, the rainy season is actually a good time to visit because there are fewer tourists and so you’ll probably enjoy the experience a lot more (plus, it maybe cheaper for hotels around Siem Reap town). But if your planning to head to places like the Sihanoukville beaches, it is definitely advisable to arrive outside of these months (especially as it rains there far more than elsewhere in Cambodia and it gets pretty torrential at times).
