Angkor Wat Extension (start Siem Reap)

Explore Angkor Wat, the ancient complex of temples and palaces.

'Discovered' enmeshed in jungle in 1860, Angkor, the ancient capital of the powerful Khmer empire, is one of the finest archaeological sites in the world. Built between the 9th and 13th Centuries, the wonderfully preserved sprawling complex of temples and palaces is on a par with any great monument of the world with magnificent towers, sculptures and bas-reliefs.

Visa

Cambodia

Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Cambodia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.

Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.

• Australia: www.smartraveller.gov.au/destinations/asia/cambodia
• Canada: www.travel.gc.ca/destinations/cambodia
• United Kingdom: www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/cambodia/entry-requirements
• USA: www.travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/international-travel/International-Travel-Country-Information-Pages/Cambodia.html

E-Visas

An electronic visa (e-Visa) is available for US$36 at www.evisa.gov.kh. Please note, e-Visas are not accepted at all border checkpoints when travelling overland. This applies to the following trips/borders:

• Thai Indochina Explorer (Trip Code AOX): Tinh Bien, Vietnam/Phnom Den, Takeo, Cambodia
• South East Asia Adventure (Trip Code FIJ): Xa Xia, Vietnam/Prek Chak, Cambodia (Ha Tien crossing)

You can only purchase a tourist visa on arrival at these borders; they cost US$30, although an additional express fee of US$5-US$6 may be incurred. You may also need passport photos. More information can be found at www.evisa.gov.kh.

Vaccination

Cambodia

There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you're arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm your vaccine recommendations and requirements with your doctor or travel clinic.

Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.

Eating and Drinking

Food is cheap in Cambodia and you can generally avoid the spicier food if you wish. Cambodia's food is all about the contrasts—sweet and bitter, salty and sour, fresh and cooked. It shares many dishes with its neighbors, and you'll find noodle soup similar to Vietnamese pho, Thailand's refreshing salads and sour soups, Indian-inspired curries, and noodles and stir fries handed down from years of Chinese migration. From Cambodia's days as a French Indochina colony, there's a national love of coffee, pate, and good bread. Baguettes are served with soup, made into sandwiches, and sold by men riding bicycles carrying baskets of long loaves. Western food is also available in most of the places visited.

Weather

The weather will be hot and humid throughout with temperatures during the day usually between 28ºC and 34ºC. It is only a little cooler at nights. The dry season is late October to May and the monsoon is normally between May and October; though there is an obvious transitional time between those settled periods. The dry season is as it sounds, with hot days and generally clear skies, though you can expect the odd shower.

Is this trip for you?

This extension is possible before or after our Cycling in Vietnam trip (MOV).

Please note that although itinerary listed in the trip notes usually is the exact itinerary we will stick to, there have been incidents of very last minute flight schedule changes between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Although rare, you should be aware that there is a slight possibility of this. We have however ensured that there is enough free time built into the itinerary so that you are guaranteed a full day and a half seeing the Angkor sites as well as a full day in Phnom Penh to explore this fascinating city.

If you are doing this extension before the MOV tour commences in Ho Chi Minh City, this extension starts in Siem Reap and ends in Ho Chi Minh City. The flight from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City is included in the extension.

If you are doing this extension after the MOV tours finishes in Hanoi, the extension includes a flight from Hanoi to Siem Reap where the extension starts and it will end in Phnom Penh.

Following a review of all our trips we have categorised this trip as generally not suitable for persons of reduced mobility. However if you are a regular traveller on such trips, please contact customer services to discuss the trip and your personal condition.