When the long-awaited vacation comes to an end, when you swim in the sea and soak up enough on the beach, when you go around all the bars and cafes, when you look at all the sights, only then we remember the relatives who are waiting for us at home. At the last moment, we run to souvenir shops, rushing and not bargaining, we fill our bags with necessary and unnecessary goods. We offer to approach the issue of buying presents more responsibly, so we will tell you in advance what to bring to relatives and friends from Cambodia.
Kingdom of Cambodia: a bit of history and geography
Lost in the jungle in the south of the Indochina Peninsula, the kingdom recently fell in love with tourists. The country of Cambodia has come a long and hard way from the state of Funan, the Khmer Empire, the French colony, the Khmer Republic, democratic Kampuchea to the resumption of the monarchical form of government at the end of the 20th century.
Today, the kingdom was "tasted" by tourists who wanted to add exotics to the usual Asian vacation in Vietnam and Thailand. The stunning beauty of nature compensates for the poorly developed infrastructure, broken roads (we, the Russians, do not get used to). When planning a trip to the kingdom, you need to remember that the best time to visit the country is from the end of October to May, then there will be a rainy season.
It is better to start traveling around the country from Sihanoukville - a seaport located on the shore of the Gulf of Thailand. Here are the best beaches, amazing Riem National Park, temple buildings on the mountain. There is an unusual floating settlement Kampong Luong on Sap Lake . All life here takes place on platforms that sway quietly on the waters of the lake. This was not done for the sake of tourists' fun - there are schools, shops, cafes and bars, residential houses in the settlement. They really chose such a life. Even more exotic in the Ratanakiri region - there you can see real hill tribes and amazing lakes, waterfalls. Most of all about the country of Cambodia, of course, the capital of Phnom Penh will tell. The city has more cultural and archaeological sites than in any other region of the kingdom, not counting the ancient city of Angkor. The latter is known for films with Lara Croft, it was there that they starred.
The best beaches
The entire coastal strip is covered with snow-white sand. Often, a winding coast forms lagoons with turquoise water, around tropical thickets. The country has few beaches with developed infrastructure, they are almost deserted (many tourists in Serendipity), secluded and calm. These include Otres. Romantic couples come here to enjoy the sea, the sun, silence and each other.
The beach in Sihanoukville (Ochkhutil) is the most beautiful, equipped and crowded. Diving is best done on the islands (Koh Rong Salolem, Koh Kun). Fans of looking at exotic fish among coral reefs can feel safe - high-quality diving equipment, and instructors perfectly know their work.
Distinctive features of tours to Cambodia
From Moscow, travelers most often depart on charter flights to neighboring Vietnam and Thailand, from there there are regular flights to Phnom Penh. You can purchase a basic package that includes flights, accommodation and meals, excursions, add a visit to Laos or book everything yourself. The most expensive component of the trip - flight. It is more profitable, of course, to buy a ready-made tour from Moscow to Cambodia, the cost will be from 43,000 rubles.
There are currently no direct flights to Phnom Penh (1-2 flights will have to be made), flights to neighboring countries from Cambodia are carried out not only from the capital, but also from other large cities of Russia (Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Yekaterinburg, etc.).
Russians need a visa. It costs $ 30, paid upon arrival, but is often included in the price of package tours.
Shopping in the country
He is not in the usual sense for us. Shopping malls are only in the capital, large cities. There you can find branded goods of European and Asian manufacturers. The staff, as a rule, speaks English, so he will help and advise on the best products, tell you what to bring from Cambodia.
The most exotic and unique souvenirs can be found in local markets. They are called a dog and are almost everywhere. There are sales in January and February, but they are not only in stores, but also in markets.
At unauthorized outlets you can buy low-quality goods. You should be especially careful about foods and drinks that spent at least a day in the heat before your purchase.
Arriving in the country, it is not necessary to exchange currency for Cambodian riel (KHR), 1 $ = 4,000 KHR, 1 KHR = 0.01 rubles. In the kingdom, it is customary to pay with Thai baht, but more often with American dollars. There are banks and ATMs in the country where you can make a not very profitable exchange. Credit cards are not accepted everywhere, it is better to carry a sufficient amount of cash, preferably small dollar bills.
Souvenir products
What to bring from Cambodia as a symbol of the country? Most often you will be offered miniature Buddha figurines. They are very beautiful, inexpensive (about 50 cents) made of marble, clay or ceramic. As elsewhere, there are many kinds of fridge magnets with copies of local attractions, coasters, picture frames, figures of mythological animals.
Hand made
First of all, these are clay crafts. Local craftsmen make wonderful dishes, it is very bright, durable and beautiful, it happens in the form of fruits. Thinking about what to bring from Cambodia, you can opt for interesting beads, headdresses that are woven from bamboo, rice or lotus straw.
Handicrafts made of palm trees - cutlery, decorative boats, masks, etc. are inexpensively sold. Many Khmers paint well - the products of street artists as a souvenir from Cambodia can be purchased almost everywhere.
Jewelry Tips
Real jewelry made of precious stones and metals should be bought only in large stores. Such products are distinguished by their unique grace and uniqueness, cost from $ 100-200 and higher. For the same price you can see the products on the market. By bargaining, the price can be reduced to $ 10. Of course, this will turn out to be simple jewelry, no one will sell gold for that kind of money, but some who are happy with their miracle talent as a trader, remain ignorant. By the way, jewelry in a country of very high quality, it is almost no different from real stones. It looks expensive, gilding almost does not come off.
Clothes and accessories
Cambodian silk is of very good quality, however, products from it are not very popular with locals who prefer breathable cotton. Of the latter, you should buy t-shirts and shirts, scarves "Krama" - the quality is excellent, inexpensive, sold in all markets. Iridescent shawls, blouses, bedding, etc. are best bought on special farms that are engaged in breeding silkworms. It should be remembered that natural silk is preferable to dye with natural compounds. The latter are less resistant, so the products quickly lose their appearance, fading in the sun.
Leather products (most often crocodile) are more expensive. So, for a purse or belt you have to give $ 100, the handbag is estimated even higher.
Exotic Food & Beverage
- Unusual coffee with chocolate, caramel or nutty aftertaste. The drinks are called "Mondolkiri", "Robusta", cost about $ 8-10 per 1 kg.
- Palm products - most often tourists buy sugar. Inedible products from this tropical tree include cosmetic oil, and drinks include an unusual sweet palm whiskey.
- Wild honey, which is squeezed out with bare hands, preserving the maximum of vitamins and minerals.
- Capotian pepper is distinguished by its unique aroma; it happens to be green, white, red and black. Depending on the type, spice is added not only to meat and fish dishes, but also to sweets.
- Tinctures on snakes and scorpions (samrong) cost about $ 25-30 for 0.5 liters. Bottles are very popular, inside of which there is, for example, a cobra drenched with 80 percent alcohol. Sellers claim that they have an incredible healing effect.
- Rice vodka has a higher strength compared to Russian. Of other alcoholic drinks, you should buy local wine.
- Fruits are very cheap, but few people are surprised. For example, 1 kg of durians costs $ 1. Gift boxes with dried fruits, candies from pineapples or mangoes, for example, will be a delicious present.
Tips for tourists in the end
The situation with crime and fraud is not very good in the country. Carefully monitor your valuables and wallets in crowded places.
You can not always bargain and not everywhere - in the market you can safely throw off the cost by 2-3 times, but in stores and shopping centers the price of the goods is strictly fixed. Reducing the cost of a trip in a tuk-tuk or motorbike (there is no municipal transport in the country) is also quite realistic, only this should be done before the trip.
Very carefully try all exotic dishes and drinks. For example, palm vodka, popular with locals, is very poorly tolerated by our body, intestinal malfunctions are possible. It is better to give preference to rice vodka (by the way, it happens to be a fortress of 15 degrees). You should not purchase cosmetics (except palm oil) in Cambodia, it is of very poor quality. Categorically it is impossible to export stuffed animals from the country. If you decide to buy antiques, then do it in a store to show an international purchase certificate at customs.
Cambodia is a wonderful country, here is an ideal beach holiday for those who want to retire among the beautiful scenery, low prices for accommodation and meals, souvenir products. The only negative is a difficult flight. But there is an option to go to the kingdom from Thailand by bus, if you are ready to change the cost of the flight for a not very comfortable 5-hour trip on bad roads. Do not forget also that the tourist destination in Cambodia is very young, so you need to be indulgent in many things in the country.