Fast Facts

Business Hours -- Vendors and restaurants tend to be all-day operations, opening at about 8am and closing at 9 or 10pm. Government offices, as well as banks, travel agencies, and museums, are usually open from 8am to 4pm or 5pm with an hour break for lunch.

Crime -- Once a place where violence and banditry was an everyday occurrence, Cambodia has become much safer in recent years. The civilian population is more or less disarmed and civil authorities have firm control, but stay on your toes. Try not to be on the roads late at night and be careful to lock your valuables in hotel safes. In the event of trouble -- as in a holdup -- comply and report any incidents to local officials.

Drug Laws -- Availability might look like permission, but that's not the case. It's a time-tested rule that you can bribe your way out of (or into) anything in corrupt Cambodia, but it's best not to test it. Police are crooked and may be the ones selling the drugs (out of uniform) in order to collect the bribe. Like anywhere, dabbling in this arena makes you friends in all the wrong places, and Cambodia is not a good place to have the wrong friends.

Electricity -- Cambodia uses 220-volt European standard electricity, with rounded, two-prong plugs requiring an adaptor. Bring a surge protector for delicate instruments.

Emergencies -- In Phnom Penh dial tel. 117 for police, or tel. 119 for an ambulance.

Hospitals -- You'll want to take care of any medical or dental issues before arriving in Cambodia. The SOS Clinic in Phnom Penh (No. 161 Street 51; tel. 023/216-911) is your best bet in a pinch.

Internet -- Reliable service can be found in the major centers; prepaid wireless connections have recently become available. Prices for connections range from 50¢ (£0.30) per hour at budget Internet cafes to $3 (£1.65) per hour for wireless DSL connections. Note that local Internet cafes can be a bit frustrating; without the proper protective software, bothersome pop-ups and very slow connections are common. Pay more and get more is the rule.

Language -- The Cambodian language is Khmer, an amalgam of ancient Sanskrit and Pali. English, French, and Mandarin are also widely spoken.

Police -- Khmer police exist to harass and collect, not to protect and serve. Contact them only in the event of a major emergency at tel. 117 or to the expat hot line: tel. 023/724-793.

Post Offices -- Hotels usually sell stamps and send post cards.

Publications -- The Cambodia Daily and the twice-monthly Phnom Penh Post are both good local rags with nitty-gritty news from Cambodia as well as stories from wire services like the Associated Press. You can also find Thailand's Bangkok Post and the Nation as well as the International Herald Tribune and the standard array of international news mags (Time, Newsweek, and the Economist). Free local magazines are chock-full of good insights. Look for the useful Asia Life Phnom Penh, a free listings and entertainment monthly geared to English-speaking expats, and Canby Publications (aka Pocket Cambodia Guide), a free guide published in each of the tourist areas of Cambodia and updated regularly.

Telephone & Fax -- Phones in the major centers are reliable and international direct dial is common. For more information, look under "Some Helpful Tips".

Time Zone -- Cambodia is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, in the same zone as Bangkok. It's 12 hours ahead of New York City and 3 hours behind Sydney.

Tipping -- Tipping is not obligatory but appreciated. A blanket 10% to 20% is exorbitant. Best to just round up any check or leave a buck or two.

Toilets -- Public toilets are a little rough -- mostly of the Asian "squatty-potty" variety -- and rather grungy with an attendant at the door charging a small fee for entrance and a few squares of gritty paper. Not a bad idea to bring your own roll and some germ-fighting hand sanitizer. Facilities in Western accommodations are more familiar.

Water -- No tap water is potable. Buy bottled water, available everywhere.