South-Eastern Asia · UN member
Cambodia: Travel Guide & Requirements
Kingdom of Cambodia · ព្រះរាជាណាចក្រកម្ពុជា
Cambodia is a country in South-Eastern Asia with its capital in Phnom Penh. It has a population of 17.8 million (#72 in the world) and covers 181,035 km². The official language is Khmer. The currency is the Cambodian riel (KHR, ៛).
Where is Cambodia? Map of Cambodia
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos.
- Region
- South-Eastern Asia
- Coordinates
- 13° N, 105° E
- Neighbours
- 3 — see list
- Coastline
- 443 km
- Cambodia
- Neighbours
- Capital
- Largest cities
Map of Cambodia showing Phnom Penh (capital) and the largest cities: Takeo, Siem Reap, Battambang, Paoy Paet, Kampong Chhnang, Sihanoukville, Preaek Prasab and Kampong Cham.
Travel requirements
What you need to travel to Cambodia
- Passport
Cambodia's eVisa site says your passport must have more than six months' validity left at the time of entry.
- Visa or eTA
Depends on your passport: of 198 passports, 14 need no visa, 184 need an eVisa. Check yours or see Cambodia entry requirements for every passport.
- Return or onward ticket
An onward or return ticket is required to visit Cambodia, according to Canada's travel advice.
- Proof of funds
Proof of sufficient funds is required to visit Cambodia, according to Canada's travel advice.
- Travel insurance
No official requirement. The UK Foreign Office says to check before you travel that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.
- Vaccinations
WHO's country list says proof of vaccination against yellow fever is required for travellers aged 1 year or over arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, and for travellers having transited for mo…
- Arrival card
Cambodia's e-Arrival portal lists an immigration card, a health declaration and a customs declaration, and offers a Cambodia e-Arrival app.
- Customs allowance
Cambodia's Law on Foreign Exchange (Article 13) says the export or import by a traveller of means of payment equalling or exceeding USD 10,000 in foreign exchange, or the equivalent amount in domestic currency, shall be…
- Travel advice
Some caution needed — US and UK advice.
Entry rules: TravelRequirements.info — Entry Requirements Dataset (CC BY 4.0), each rule cited to an official government source. Always confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel.
Before you go
10 things to know before you travel to Cambodia
- Safety: Cambodia is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates Cambodia Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
- Best time to go: November to January — when daytime highs in Phnom Penh are around 31–34°C.
- Money: the Cambodian riel (KHR) — 1 US dollar is about 4,078.4 KHR.
- Plugs: type A, C and G, 230 V, 50 Hz — standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
- Emergency numbers: Police 117, Ambulance 119, Fire 118.
- Language: Khmer is official.
- Driving: on the right — speed limits are 60 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h outside built-up areas.
- Time zone: UTC+7 in Phnom Penh.
- Capital: Phnom Penh. About 17.8 million people live in Cambodia.
- Outdoors: 9 national parks.
Key facts
Cambodia at a glance
Languages spoken: Khmer (official) 95.8%, minority languages 2.9%, Chinese 0.6%, Vietnamese 0.5%, other 0.2% (2019 est.)
Geography & history
About Cambodia
Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In 1975, after a seven-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hards…
Read the full history
Most Cambodians consider themselves to be Khmers, descendants of the Angkor Empire that extended over much of Southeast Asia and reached its zenith between the 10th and 13th centuries. Attacks by the Thai and Cham (from present-day Vietnam) weakened the empire, ushering in a long period of decline. The king placed the country under French protection in 1863, and it became part of French Indochina in 1887. Following Japanese occupation in World War II, Cambodia gained full independence from France in 1953. In 1975, after a seven-year struggle, communist Khmer Rouge forces captured Phnom Penh and evacuated all cities and towns. At least 1.5 million Cambodians died from execution, forced hardships, or starvation during the Khmer Rouge regime under POL POT. A 1978 Vietnamese invasion drove the Khmer Rouge into the countryside, began a 10-year Vietnamese occupation, and touched off 13 years of internecine warfare in which a coalition of Khmer Rouge, Cambodian nationalists, and royalist insurgents, with assistance from China, fought the Vietnamese-backed People’s Republic of Kampuchea (PRK). The 1991 Paris Agreements ended the country’s civil war and mandated democratic elections, which took place in 1993 and ushered in a period of multi-party democracy with a constitutional monarchy. King Norodom SIHANOUK was reinstated as head of state, and the Cambodian People's Party (CPP) and the royalist FUNCINPEC party formed a coalition government. Nevertheless, the power-sharing arrangement proved fractious and fragile, and in 1997, a coup led by CPP leader and former PRK prime minister HUN SEN dissolved the coalition and sidelined FUNCINPEC. Despite further attempts at coalition governance, the CPP has since remained in power through elections criticized for lacking fairness, political and judicial corruption, media control, and influence over labor unions, all of which have been enforced with violence and intimidation. HUN SEN remained as prime minister until 2023, when he transferred power to his son, HUN MANET. HUN SEN has subsequently maintained considerable influence as the leader of the CPP and the Senate. The CPP has also placed limits on civil society, press freedom, and freedom of expression. Despite some economic growth and considerable investment from China over the past decade, Cambodia remains one of East Asia's poorest countries. The remaining elements of the Khmer Rouge surrendered in 1999. A UN-backed special tribunal established in Cambodia in 1997 tried some of the surviving Khmer Rouge leaders for crimes against humanity and genocide. The tribunal concluded in 2022 with three convictions.
Location
Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos
Climate
tropical; rainy, monsoon season (May to November); dry season (December to April); little seasonal temperature variation
Terrain
mostly low, flat plains; mountains in southwest and north
Highest point
Phnum Aoral 1,810 m
Natural resources
oil and gas, timber, gemstones, iron ore, manganese, phosphates, hydropower potential, arable land
Natural hazards
monsoonal rains (June to November); flooding; occasional droughts
National symbols
Angkor Wat temple, kouprey (wild ox)
Driving
Speed limits & road rules in Cambodia
The default speed limits in Cambodia are 60 km/h in built-up areas and 100 km/h outside built-up areas. The legal alcohol limit for drivers is 0.5‰. Posted signs always take priority over these defaults.
- 6060 km/hBuilt-up areasTowns and cities
- 100100 km/hOutside built-up areasCountry roads
- International Driving PermitRecognised: 1949 GenevaCarry the IDP together with your national licence
- Driving sideDrive on the rightOvertake on the left
- Alcohol limit0.5‰ blood alcohol (0.05% BAC)
- Seat beltsRequired by law
- Child seatsRequired by law
- Motorcycle helmetsRequired for riders
- Road deaths (2021)18.8 per 100,000 peopleHigher than most countries (median 12.4)
Speed limits: OpenStreetMap wiki — Default speed limits (CC BY-SA 2.0). Road-safety laws: WHO Global Health Observatory. Compare speed limits and alcohol limits by country. Defaults for cars; local signs, weather and vehicle type can lower them.
Safety
Is Cambodia safe to visit?
Cambodia is generally safe for travellers, but some caution is needed: the US State Department rates Cambodia Level 2 (“Exercise Increased Caution”), and the UK Foreign Office advises against all but essential travel to parts of the country.
US State Department
UK Foreign Office (FCDO)Latest update: New information about global travel impacts due to escalation in the Middle East (‘Warnings and insurance’ page).
Updated 19 Mar 2026 · Full travel advice
Sources: US Department of State travel advisories (public domain) and UK FCDO foreign travel advice (contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0). Checked daily. Advice can change quickly — always read the official page before you travel.
Weather
Best time to visit Cambodia
The best time to visit Cambodia is November to January, when daytime highs in Phnom Penh are around 31–34°C. March is the warmest month (37°C by day), January the coldest (22°C at night), and June the wettest with about 190 mm of rain.
- Jan34°C22°C
- Feb36°C23°C
- Mar37°C25°C
- Apr37°C26°C
- May34°C25°C
- Jun32°C25°C
- Jul31°C24°C
- Aug30°C24°C
- Sep30°C24°C
- Oct30°C24°C
- Nov31°C23°C
- Dec32°C22°C
Best time Good Less ideal
Before you go
Plugs, voltage & emergency numbers in Cambodia
Plugs & sockets
- Type Atwo flat parallel pins
- Type C (Europlug)two round pins
- Type Gthree rectangular pins in a triangle
230 V, 50 Hz · Standard 220–240 V: devices from the US or Japan (110–120 V) need a converter unless they are dual voltage (100–240 V).
Emergency numbers
Save the local numbers before you travel — 112 or 911 may not connect here. All countries →
Sources: Wikipedia — Mains electricity by country and List of emergency telephone numbers (CC BY-SA 4.0).
National parks
9 national parks in Cambodia
- 12,617 km² protected
- oldest from 1993
Largest: Southern Cardamom National Park · Virachey National Park · Botum Sakor National Park
Currency · 26 October 2026
Cambodian riel exchange rates today
Cambodia uses the Cambodian riel (KHR, ៛). One US dollar buys 4,078.4 KHR; over the last 30 days the KHR has lost 0.5% against the dollar.
What other currencies cost in KHR
Currency converter
Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0), 26 Oct 2026. Banks and exchange offices add a margin.
World rankings
Where Cambodia ranks
How Cambodia compares with the rest of the world — open any card for the full ranking.
Airports
Airports in Cambodia
17 airports and airfields — 5 large, 2 medium and 5 small, plus 5 heliports. 5 have scheduled passenger flights.
Borders
Neighbouring countries
Cambodia borders 3 countries along 2,530 km of land borders. Coastline: 443 km.
Military
Cambodian armed forces
Cambodia ranks #106 of 145 in the Global Firepower military strength ranking, with a defence budget of $739 million (2025).
People
Population & society
Religion
Largest cities: Phnom Penh (2.3 million)
Economy
Economy
Main industries
tourism, garments, construction, rice milling, fishing, wood and wood products, rubber, cement, gem mining, textiles
Export partners
USA 36%, Germany 6%, China 6%, Japan 6%, Thailand 5% (2023)
Top exports
garments, semiconductors, trunks and cases, footwear, gold (2023)
Travel tools
Handy before every trip to Cambodia
Next public holiday
Coronation Day of King Sihamoni — Thursday, 29 October 2026. Then National Independence Day (9 Nov).
Cambodian passport
Ranked #167: 21 countries visa-free, 29 with visa on arrival, 4 with an eTA and 49 with an eVisa.
Cambodian passport photo
Exact size, head position and background for Cambodia's passport and visa photos — make one free with AI checks.
Calling Cambodia
Dial +855 before the local number. Internet domain .kh.
Climate footprint
21.9 million tonnes of CO₂ in 2024 — 1.24 t per person.
Entry requirements
Visa rules for every passport visiting Cambodia: visa-free stays, eVisas, visas on arrival and documents to bring.
News
Latest travel news about Cambodia
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Frequently asked questions about Cambodia
What do I need to travel to Cambodia?
How long must my passport be valid for Cambodia?
Where is Cambodia?
What is Cambodia known for?
What is the capital of Cambodia?
What language is spoken in Cambodia?
What currency does Cambodia use?
What is the calling code of Cambodia?
Which countries border Cambodia?
How strong is the Cambodian passport?
What is the speed limit in Cambodia?
Is Cambodia safe to visit?
When is the best time to visit Cambodia?
What plug type does Cambodia use?
How many airports does Cambodia have?
Sources: CIA World Factbook (public domain); World Bank Open Data (CC BY 4.0); names, languages and currencies: mledoze/countries (ODbL); flag: flag-icons (MIT); coat of arms: Wikimedia Commons (file page); exchange rates: Daily reference rates from the open-source currency-api (CC0); airports: OurAirports.