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Kep, Cambodia

smoking a hand rolled cigarette, on the shores of Kampot, Cambodia

It's all fun and Games

if you know what you're doing.  Where's a doctor when you need one?  Where's the ATM machine? (there aren't any here). Why is it so crowded today, when there was nobody here yesterday?  (Holiday, perhaps?)

Money
The two official currencies of Cambodia are the Riel and US Dollar.  Most small purchases are made in Cambodian Riel, and larger amounts (over a few dollars) are made in US currency. The current exchange rate is about 4,000 Cambodian Riel to one US dollar.  You can exchange Thai Baht and Euros in some places as well.  Some banks have VISA and Master Card withdrawal services. Travelers checks can also be exchanged.

There are several banks, and even more ATM machines in Kep.  Khmer Riel and U.S. dollars will do just fine.  Only a few places take credit cards in Kep.  There are now a few ABA Bank ATMs in town.  They charge around a $5 or $6 fee, and you can withdraw $500 at a time. 

Money Part 2
Dollars, dollars, everywhere, but you can't spend them all. Be careful when accepting large bills, as there are a few counterfeits out there. Also be warned: U.S. Dollars with small rips, writing on the bill, or too old will not be accepted anywhere. Don't accept it, don't expect other people to accept it. Cambodian currency can be torn, taped, or look like it was printed at Angkor Wat 1,000 years before, and it's OK to use.

Most places don't have any prices marked on items.  It is always prudent to ask how much something is, before agreeing to purchase it.  In many places, you will be given a price that is several times the normal price.  It's then up to you to bargain the price down.  (or walk away)

Help, I need a doctor
Medical services are very basic in Kampot, less than basic in Kep (nonexistent on Bokor Mountain), and a bit better in Phnom Penh.  Malaria is common in the jungles, but not in Kampot and Kep.  Most all drugs can be purchased over the counter at a few pharmacies scattered about town. UCARE Pharmacy is right at the Kep Beach Market, and open every day.  Can deliver also.  Also, pharmacies near the Kep Market.  Also, an hour drive away is the Sonja Kill Memorial Hospital, which is the best? place on the Cambodian Coast to get medical care.

Customs and Culture
Cambodia is a Buddhist country. Monks walk around in the morning, collecting food and money to maintain the Wats (Buddhist Temples).  The Cambodian people are very polite and respectful, and expect the same in return.  Don't walk around naked, or nearly so.  Smile and be polite, regardless of how upset or angry you are.  That's the way it works here.  

Holidays
Every week or two comes a yearly holiday.  Banks and government institutions are closed, but most other places are open for business.  In Kampot and Kep, holidays are usually a bit crowded with tourists from Phnom Penh.  If you see a holiday comes on a weekend, expect the following Monday to be a holiday as well. Khmers like to party like the rest of us!

Sex
Some people have it here, some don't.  If you are having it, make sure to "wrap it up".  "Number One" in Cambodia is a condom, not a number, and it costs about 25 cents each.   Use it.  

Visas
You can get your Cambodian Visa at any border, for most countries, if you don't have one already.  A tourist visa cost $35 (plus whatever else they can get), and you must have 2 photos.  It's good for 30 days and can be renewed once for 30 days for $50, while you're in the country.  You can get Visas to Vietnam and Thailand in Kep, but they will send it to Phnom Penh or SihanoukVille (for Vietnamese Visas), so you have to wait at least 3 days to get your visa (and passport) back.

Bathrooms
Public bathrooms are hard to find here.  Buy a drink and use a restaurant bathroom, or if you're on the road, just stop in a field and do your thing.  Everyone else does.

Laundry
Almost every hotel / guesthouse here does laundry for a fee.  Usually $1 a kilo or less.  It might take a day or two to dry, especially in the rainy season.  All around town there are laundry places as well.  Some of the bigger ones  have dryers, and charge quite a bit more, but you can get you clean laundry back in a couple hours, and ironed as well.

Police
Police are everywhere in Cambodia.  But it's usually hard to find one when you need help.  Kampot and Kep are very safe towns, and most of the legal trouble foreigners have here is when they're drunk.  To be expected.

Telephone:
When calling Cambodia from overseas, the country extension is +855.  Any phone number starting with a "0", which are all the numbers here, you should not dial the first "0" when calling Cambodia from outside the country..   When calling from within Cambodia, there are no public phones, but in several hundred places around town, they have free Wi-Fi.  You can also buy a tourist SIM in some places using your passport as ID.  A SIM card for a phone cost about $2 here, and $1 gets you a 5 Gigabytes of data for one week.  You'll need your passport.

 

 



   

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