Commonly known as the home of temples of Angkor Wat along with that of the severe Khmer Rouge era of the 1970s and then the civil war, the history of Cambodia includes both humankinds’ most noteworthy artistic achievements along with the most terrible deeds. The history of the country is what draws most travelers here. Nonetheless, it has more to offer to people than a short hop to Siem Reap.
The shoreline of sandy white beaches entices sun worshippers. The wilderness wrapped countryside is prepared for the more valiant bike riders, and the humming capital of Phnom Penh encompasses visitors in the frantic beat of contemporary Cambodian city life. So, if you’re planning to visit, all you need is a Cambodia visa since the country has announced phase-wise reopening for vaccinated tourists. If you are not sure what this is, read this article to get to learn more. As a bonus, we will also share the best time to visit the Southeast Asian country of Cambodia.
Announcement of phase-wise reopening
On arrival, travelers are required to show evidence that they have been immunized and take a rapid test for COVID-19. They can then continue without isolation if the results are negative. The government of Cambodia declared the reopening of the country in a number of phases to completely vaccinated foreign tourists recently.
The program that started on November 30 has permitted guests who are completely vaccinated against the virus to skip quarantine only if they stay for at least five days in assigned regions, the Tourism Ministry reported.
The main regions are two coastline provinces, Koh Kong and Sihanoukville, on the Gulf of Thailand.
Siem Reap region, home to the renowned Angkor temples, will be added to the quarantine-free province list the following month. Different places will then be added if the program turns out to be successful, with the whole nation opening up when the virus is considered under control.
The latest move of the Southeast Asian country was a result of vaccinating at least 14.05 million of the population with one dose. In other words, it vaccinated 87.8 percent of its 16 million people, as indicated by the Ministry of Health (MoH). Of these, 13.2 million, or 82.5 percent, have been completely immunized with both required shots, and 2.02 million, or 12.6 percent, have received a third dose or a supporter portion, the MoH said.
Lim Heng, VP of the Cambodia Chamber of Commerce, began the quarantine-free strategy, saying that it would encourage tourists and investors, particularly from China, to consider Cambodia as a destination. Chhay Sivlin, leader of the Cambodia Association of Travel Agents, said the move would give a major lift to the travel industry, which had been hit hard by the pandemic. Travel restrictions forced to control the spread of the virus made Cambodia’s expanding travel industry come to a complete stop. Income plummeted to $1 billion the previous year, down from almost $5 billion in 2019, when the nation pulled in 6.6 million travellers.
The decision for reopening the nation superseded the previous plan of resumption, under which famous ocean side spots Sihanoukville and the island of KohRong were set to receive visitors starting November 30. Also, the reopening of Siem Reap – the doorway to the world heritage-listed Angkor Wat complex – will begin in January.
Cambodia was spared the most the worst of the pandemic in 2020, yet has recorded almost 120,000 cases since April of 2021. Last year, Cambodia invited 1.3 million foreign arrivals, with the travel industry receipts of about $1 billion, government information showed. That contrasted with 6.6 million visits and $4.9 billion in 2019.
When to Visit Cambodia?
Apart from the temples and recuperating from the outrages that descended upon the country in the late twentieth century, Cambodia is a rising destination for Southeast Asia travels. Most travelers who show up in Cambodia come to visit the temples of Angkor Wat. It is the ideal opportunity to visit Cambodia when the temples are at their best.
The best time to visit Siem Reap and Angkor Wat is from December to February when temperatures drop into the high 20s and the humidity is relatively low. In any case, these months are the best for the cool season, which is peak travel season in Cambodia. This means greater costs, larger groups, and higher airfare.
