The Basics of Moving to Cambodia

Cambodia, officially the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a beautiful, tropical country in Southeast Asia that shares a border with Vietnam, Thailand and Laos. The country is 181,035 square kilometers (69,898 square miles). The population of Cambodia is over 15 million, and 95% of the populous are Theravada Buddhists. There are two main seasons, dry and rainy. The dry season can be split into the cool-dry months, which are December, January and February, and the hot-dry months, which are in March, April and May. From June until November, it is the rainy/monsoon season. Khmer is the language of the Cambodian people.

Moving to any new country is a bold step. You will have a lot to do to set yourself up in your new country. Let's go through the basics.

Where do you want to live?

Most expats live in either Phnom Penh, which is the capital city and has the most opportunities for work; Siem Reap, which is a tourist town close to the legendary temple area which includes such famous temples as Angkor Wat & Bayon; Sihanoukville, which is a tourist town in the golf of Thailand, surrounded by beaches with golden sand; or Kampot, which is a quiet and relaxing river town in an area that was made famous by the French for being where the best pepper in the world is cultivated. Both Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh have a thriving night life with clubs, bars and casinos to enjoy. Siem Reap has a rapidly growing economy and it is far less polluted than Phnom Penh. The nightlife in Siem Reap is not quite as varied as that of the capital, but more and more work opportunities are arising there.

What accommodation is there available?

There is a great variation of accommodation available, from guesthouses to villas, to suit your budget. There are real-estate agents, but they tend to charge a premium for their services as they are designed to tailor for foreigners. The Cambodians, or Khmer as they refer to themselves, do not, in general, use real estate agents. Khmers, and money savvy foreigners, drive around the areas which they want to live in and look for signs which have a phone number on. When you phone this number you should get a quote for how much it is to either rent or buy this property. You can often save time and money by having a Khmer friend, who you trust, call up for you as they can converse in the local language and they are less likely to be overcharged. Recently, more and more expats find accommodation through very active Facebook groups, like Phnom Penh Housing,

What currency do they use in Cambodia?

The official currency of the Kingdom of Wonder, Cambodia, is the Khmer Riel (KHR), but the U.S. dollar (USD) is used as well in parallel to the riel. How does this work? You can pay in dollars or riel everywhere, ATMs dispense both currencies and bank accounts can be set up in both currencies as well. The riel is usually used for divisions of the dollar, a kind of substitute to the cent. The conversion rate fluctuates but it is usually about KHR 4000 to USD 1, or $0.25 cents per 1000 riel. Most currency is easily converted here, and the conversion costs are far lower than in western countries.

What transport is available?

For travel from town to town, buses or minivans are the most common method. There are now trains available from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville and Kampot. All of the major cities are many hours distance from one another, due mainly to the limited road infrastructure and chaotic drivers, so you might want to consider flying if your time is limited. There are flights available to a variety of destinations from Siem Reap, Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh.

Local transportation can be achieved by motodup (moto-taxi), tuk-tuk (rickshaw) or taxi. The motodups and tuktuks are infamous for deceiving foreigners on the price of the goods and services which they offer. Taxis are becoming more and more popular due to their added comfort and competitive price. Shockingly, it can work out cheaper to use a taxi than a motodup if you are not aware of the true price of the journey. Beware, especially in Phnom Penh, of your belongings while on a motodup. Don’t wear a bag on your shoulder or behind you. Robberies might happen and whilst you might not lose many valuables, you could get injured being dragged off the back of the motor bike.

You can also rent and drive a motorbike yourself. The roads are crazy, but life is for living. You do not need a license for a 125 cc or below. More powerful motorbikes and cars require a license.

Do I need a visa?

Yes, all foreigners, who are not from ASEAN countries, require a visa. There are a variety of visas available, but by far the most usual ones are the ones referred to commonly as the tourist visa and the business visa. Both of these visas are available on arrival to the country by air and online (https://www.evisa.gov.kh/).

If you are entering via a land border, make sure you check to see if visas will be available there. The business visa costs slightly more than the tourist visa ($35 and $30 respectively at the time of writing), but the business visa can be extended indefinitely while the tourist visa can only be extended for a maximum of one month. Also, the six and twelve month extensions to the business visa are multiple entry, whereas the tourist visas are single entry.

Some nationalities are required to get visa in advance from the Royal Embassy of the Kingdom of Cambodia in their country. These countries are Afghanistan, Algeria, Arab Saudi, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Nigeria.

For more information on Cambodian Visas check out http://www.tourismcambodia.com/tripplanner/essential-information/visa-passport.htm

Do I need a work permit?

If you are staying for a prolonged period of time in Cambodia, or if you want/have to work, then you need a work permit. The work permit in meant to be $100 a year, but once you have dance through the bureaucracy and cash shaving scams, like the medical exam which many pay for but few sit, it usually works out at about $150.

Work permits are issued per calendar year, which means that if you work for a 12 month period that does not synchronize with the calendar year, for example between December 2016 and November 2017, then you will have to buy 2 years’ worth of work permits; One work permit for 2016, and one for 2017.

What is the health care like?

Awful! If you have any serious issues, I vehemently recommend leaving the country and going to either Thailand or Vietnam as they are close and provide reasonable services. The Cambodian educational system, as with most organizations in the country, is a victim of corruption, and a corrupted educational system leaves a country with incompetent professionals. The is most evident in the medical industry. Cambodia is, unfortunately, not a good place to find high quality professional medical advice. Khmers who can afford it do not go to local doctors over any serious issues; they go to Thailand or Vietnam.

That said, for those who like to self-medicate, most pharmaceutical drugs are available over the counter for a very reasonable price. If you have a mild medical complaint, and you know what medicine you need, you can just pop down to the pharmacy and buy it with rarely any issues. This ease of access is very convenient.

Despite there being multiple hospitals in Phnom Penh, I can only recommend one British doctor called Dr. Gavin Scott. This is his website: http://www.travellersmedicalclinic.com/about_us.html

Strangely enough, the dental work in Cambodia is actually very professional and reasonably priced. There are many competent, foreign trained dentists working in Cambodia.

Is Cambodia safe?

Generally, yes. All countries have their dangers and Cambodia is no different, but violent and premeditated crimes are statistically very low. Opportunistic crime, particularly theft, is the most common issue in Cambodia. Here are some tips on avoiding any issues:

Keep valuables and keys away from doors and windows where people can reach in and grab them.

When you stay in a new house/hotel, have a quick look around and check that it is secure.

Do not store all your valuables with you. On occasions I have met women who have had their handbags stolen with ALL of their valuables in, from cameras to passports and from cash to ATM cards. They were distraught. Bag snatching is very common in Cambodia, and the perpetrators prey on foreign women particularly. I recommend using a discreet and safe pouch/bag that can be worn in a manner which does not display the strap, which is where the thief will grab it. Do not carry all of your valuables with you. If you do need to carry valuables with you, don’t put all of your eggs in one basket. Split your valuables up into groups and store them in safe places.

Is there a cultural dress code?

When visiting temples it is considered rude to display areas of your torso, shoulders, and your legs above the knee. Low-cut tops are considered unsuitable. Away from the temples the clothing can be more liberal, but overtly sexy clothing is still frowned upon. If you are employed in Cambodia, it is customary to cover your shoulders and knees at the workplace.

At the beach, bikinis are worn by some foreigners. This is no longer looked down on by local Khmers, who generally do not judge visitors/foreigners by the same standards as they judge people from their own culture.

Is it a safe environment to raise children?

As with raising children anywhere, a parent needs to be extremely vigilant to avoid any pitfalls. Cambodia is no more demanding than anywhere else. However, if you are used to good quality free education in your country of origin, then you may be shocked by the standard of “free” education in Cambodia. It is highly advisable that you consider the cost of educating your children in an international school before you move to this beautiful country.

Where should my children study?

Here is a list of the best schools in the capital city, Phnom Penh:

Northbridge International School
International School of Phnom Penh
iCAN British International School
Footprints
Canadian International School
Logos International School (Christian)
Brighton International School
CIA FIRST International School
The Giving Tree

Make sure you do some research on any educational institution not listed above before you enroll your children there. Some “schools” are not fit to hold that title, and they are run purely with profit in mind.