Cambodia is a country whose international attractiveness for tourists has steadily increased over the years.
Nestled between Thailand and Vietnam, the two most popular tourist countries in Southeast Asia, Cambodia was once a place backpackers used as a bridge between more well-worn ports of call.
Today, however, Cambodia is much more than a stepping stone, it is an absolute travel destination, which is reflected in the constant annual spikes of foreigners applying for and receiving Cambodia tourist visas.
To facilitate this process, Cambodian tourism officials have introduced an eVisa for citizens of several countries, with the list being expanded to include more nations. Recently officials introduced an option for passport holders from India in the hopes of getting into one of the largest population in the world with the Cambodia eVisa for Indians.
Does Cambodia currently issue tourist visas?
Since the restrictions have fluctuated during the pandemic, what matters most is Tip for applying for a Cambodia visa ensure that the country accepts foreign visitors.
The current answer is: Yes, you can get a Cambodia tourist visa. However, potential travelers need to familiarize themselves with the latest updates from the Cambodian government before traveling Changes to current guidelines and rules can be made at any time.
When applying for your Cambodia tourist visa, keep the following tips in mind:
- Start your application early.
- Make sure your passport is valid (including 6 months after your travel date).
- Follow all requirements and have all required documents read through to you.
- Make all travel bookings required for the visa in advance (but check the cancellation policy for your flights and accommodations as you never know when travel restrictions may change again).
How important is tourism to Cambodia?
The coronavirus pandemic and its consequences had a huge impact on Cambodia. As with any nation that derives such a large percentage of its GDP from its tourism sector, the closure of its borders on Jan.
Against this background, the motivation has remained high to work on containing the COVID-19 virus in order to be able to welcome or promote tourists in the country again at the level before the pandemic.
Related read: Traveling in a Pandemic: Essential Tips for Safe Travel
What to do and see in Cambodia
After you have applied for and obtained a valid Cambodian eVisa and also verified that travelers can enter the country, there are tons of reasons to go or even to travel Volunteers in Cambodia.
The most consistent of these reasons is certainly the temple and palace structures that can be found across the country. The famous Angkor Wat temple Not only does it attract hordes of visitors every day, it even adorns the country’s flag, showing its importance for the country and its people.
Angkor Wat is hardly the only draw for foreigners who want to experience Cambodian culture. There is often a misconception that Angkor Wat is a stand-alone temple somewhere in the jungle, when it is not at all.
Siem Re, the city that acts as a starting point for a trip to Angkor Wat, has an entire temple complex that houses Khmer (Cambodian) structures, buildings and temples made of stone, such as the Bayon Temple, Angkor Thom, and the terrace the elephant.
There can be a lot of misinformation from businesses and individuals out to take advantage of unsuspecting tourists, so it’s always best to keep reading Tips for visiting Cambodia and especially Siem Re before leaving.
Follow local Cambodia travel guidelines
Understanding and respecting local customs and ways of life is the bare minimum that visitors should do before entering any country. Every country and every people has its own specific approaches and unique cuisine and Cambodia is no different.
The importance of understanding a country continues to grow while the coronavirus remains a threat. Just because a country issues tourist visas doesn’t mean the country is fully open to business.
States, counties, cities, and even individual neighborhoods or locations can have their guidelines or restrictions. So anyone wishing to visit Cambodia should not only find out about the government-issued regulations, but local ones as well, depending on where they are planning to visit.
What types of restrictions does Cambodia have?
Travelers from many countries may need to be quarantined upon arrival in Cambodia, depending on the current infection rates in their country of origin. Visitors are also required to undergo two COVID tests, one on arrival and another on the 13th day of quarantine, to ensure they are not carrying the virus.
Another important factor to consider when creating an itinerary is that there are three classifications for the regions of Cambodia in terms of the infection rates of each area.
- „Red zones“Have the strictest regulations and areas that fall under this category are essentially locked.
- „Dark yellow zones“Have a little more freedom of movement for their residents and visitors, but it is still not recommended that tourists visit these areas as there are strict rules.
- „Yellow zones“Are the least restrictive areas and in these sections many shops and restaurants are allowed to remain open and people can move around freely.
Even if it feels more difficult to travel now than it did before, we still recommend visiting Cambodia! Get your Cambodia tourist visa, find out about the latest regulations and restrictions, and come by!
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