A typical first trip here runs about $300 to $400 per person for 7 days at a mid-range style, before flights. Get your own number from the Budget Calculator.
- Amok, fish or chicken steamed in banana leaf with lemongrass and kroeung; national dish
- Lok lak, wok-tossed beef with lime-pepper dipping sauce
- Nom Banh Chok (Khmer noodles), fresh rice noodles with green curry for breakfast
- Fresh tropical fruits: mango, dragonfruit, jackfruit are outstanding
- Fried insects (tarantulas in Skuon), a famous local snack for the brave
- Khmer New Year (April 13–15), water festival, games, and family gatherings
- Bon Om Touk (Water Festival, November), boat races on the Tonle Sap River
- Pchum Ben (Ancestors' Day), offerings made to spirits of deceased ancestors
- Angkor Wat, one of the world's most magnificent archaeological sites
- Apsara dance performances, classical Khmer dance, UNESCO heritage
Khmer is the official language. English is increasingly spoken in tourist areas and Phnom Penh.
French is understood by older generations (French colonial legacy). Be sensitive about the Khmer Rouge history, many families were directly affected.
- Dress modestly at Angkor Wat and all temple complexes
- Samphanng (hands pressed together) is the Khmer greeting, learn it
- Don't touch monks or pass things directly to them
- Tipping is not customary but greatly appreciated
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