Phnom Penh

Introduction:

Phnom Penh is the Capital of Cambodia. Stretching North of South on West side of the confluence of the Tonle Sap & Mekong River. The area is 12square kilometers.Phnom Penh is a vibrant bustling city nestling majestically on the banks of confluence of the two mighty rivers of the Mekong and the Tonle Sap.These rivers then split again as the Mekong and Tole Basarc at a place known to the Khmers as Chaktomuk, meaning four faces Main spots for sightseeing in Phnom Penh are suggested for travelers to visit such as Wat Phnom, National Museum, Siliver Pagoda, Tuol Sleng and Choeng Ek Killing Fields.Phnom Penh is a veritable oasis compared to the modernity of other Asian capitals.A mixture of Asian exotica, the famous Cambodian hospitality awaits the visitors to the capital of the Kingdom of Cambodia. Situated at the confluence of three great rivers the ‘four arms' of the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac forming the "four arms" right in front of the Royal Palace Phnom Penh is the commercial, political and cultural hubs of the Kingdom and is home to over one million of the country's estimated 11.4 million people.It is also the gateway to an exotic land….the world heritage site, the largest religious complex in the world, the temples of Angkor in the west, the beaches of the southern coast and the ethnic minorities of the northeastern provinces. The city offers several cultural and historical attractions including the Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and the National Museum. There are also a wide variety of services including five star hotels and budget guest houses, fine international dining, sidewalk noodle shops, neighborhood pubs international discos and more.Phnom Penh, like other Asian-City tourist destinations, is in the midst of rapid change. Over the past few years the number of restaurants and hotels have grown considerably and in the last year there had been a huge increase in the number of visitors.

Geogrphy:

Phnom Penh has a land area of 290 square kimlometer. It is located in Kandal province.

Populaiton:

The population is Original Khmer 60%, chinese 15%, vietnamese 20%, other 5%. There are 669,904 male and 728,651 female and total: 1,398,555

Climate:

The climate can generally be described as tropical. As the country is affected by monsoon, it is hot and humid with an overage temperature around 27.C (80.F). There are two distinct seasons: the Rainy Season and the Dry Season. However, the Dry Season is divided into two sub-seasons, cool and hot. These seasons are:The Rainy season:From June till October 27-35.C (80-95.f)The Dry season (cool): From November till February 17-27.C (80-95.F)The Dry season (Hot) : From March till May 29-38.C (84-100.F)

Economy:

The main economy are based commercial such as garments, trading, small and medium enterprises. The properties business are booming since the past few years. The two new sub-cities are under developing where the investors from Korea and indonesia jointly with Cambodian. The investment project of the Camko city are cost more than 200 millions and will be finished in 2018. Because of its buget airlines are flying from regional countries directly to Phnom Penh, the leisure and business travellers are coming to look for the investment opportunity in Cambodia. So the hotel business are likely more and more active.

How to get there:

Phom Penh can be reached by either domestic flights, international flights or overland and speedboat from neighboring provinces.Phnom Penh is a fairly easy city to get around. Though traffic is getting more congested these days, you can still travel the length of the city in less than 30 minutes.Phnom Penh International Airport:On arrival, taxis and motorcycle taxis (motodups) can be hired just outside the arrival lobby. There are no meter taxis. Taxis cost $7.00 for the 20-30 minute ride into the city center. Cheaper, slower and less comfortable, motorcycle taxis can be hired for $2.00 into town. A taxi to the airport from town costs $5-$7. Allow a minimum of 30-40 minutes to get to the airport.Port of Phnom Penh:The ferry port in Phnom Penh is on Sisowath Quay (the riverfront road) at Street 104, just north of the main riverfront park/restaurant area. If you are arriving in Phnom Penh, there are always motor taxis and car taxis waiting for fares. Motorcycle taxis run about R1500-R3000 and car taxis about $3-$5 to downtown hotels.Cars and Taxis: More common are unmetered, unmarked taxis, which can be arranged through your hotel or travel agent, and can also be found outside hotels along Monivong near Kampuchea Krom. A car with driver costs $20-$30/day. Shorter jaunts, minimum $2-$3. 4WD vehicles can run $60/day and up. For short and long term rental of a wide variety of vehicles:Motorcycle Taxis (Motodup): The omnipresent motors are the most common and fastest form of public transportation but are certainly not the safest. They are more prone to accidents and robberies than cars. Motos cost from 1000R-3000R for a trip in town and $5-$8 per day. Prices go up at night.Bicycle Rental: A few guesthouses, (e.g. Capital Guesthouse) rent bicycles for around $1/day. Bicycle stores are clustered near the intersection of Streets 182 and 107. They do not rent bikes, but a used bike can be bought for about $50 and resold for around $30.Motorcycle Rental:Motorcycles (100cc - 650cc) can be rented for $5 - $9/day. Tourists often rent 250cc bikes dirt bikes, though they are a bit to much bike for the slow city traffic. For in-city driving, 100cc is recommended. A 250cc is perfect for the poor roads outside Phnom Penh. Chaotic traffic makes cycling in the city challenging in the extreme. Roads outside the city vary in condition. If you do decide to ride, drive slowly, stay right, wear a helmet and remember that medical services are limited.Buses:Ho Wah Genting offers bus service to nearby destinations using modern buses. Get off or on at any point along the line. Buses depart every 15 minutes to one hour, daily from 6am-6pm. 1200R-12000R. The station is at the corner of the Central Market. Route #1: Koki, Kien Svay, Neak Luong, And Route #2: Takhmao, Takeo, And Route #4: Kampong Speu, Sihanoukville, And Route #5: Oudong, Kampong Chhnang, Route #6: Raw Kakong, Kampong Cham.Cyclos: The humble cyclo can be a romantic and practical form of transport though not as safe as a car or fast as a motor. Cyclos are easier than motors and during a rain they offer a drier ride. Cyclos often charge twice as much as a motor and are notorious for overcharging tourists.

Where to eat:

Cambodia ranks among the world's poorest countries, so it comes as a pleasure suprise to find that Phnom Penh has a vast range of restaurants to suit all pickets and tastes, from noodle shops and market stalls to sophisticated, pricey Western places; even guesthouses often have small restaurants offering Western style fare, including American breakfasts, and Khmer and Chinese dishes.

Where to stay:

There is no shortage of accommodation in Phnom Penh, with an increasing number of guesthouses and hotesl across the city catering for all pockets and tastes, from basic rooms with fans to opulent colonial suites with every luxury. No matter when you arrive, you should have no difficulty finding a room, although it's no surprise that the very cheapest room fill up quickly. Arriving in the morning stands you a better chance of getting really inexpensive accommodation, as many people check out early to catch onward transport. If you intent to stay for more than a couple of nights, it's worth asking about getting a discount at guesthouse and mid-range places. For hotel reservation, please visit www.tourismcambodia.com/hotels

Shopping:

New Central Market: Around the main buildings are stalls offering Krama (checked scarves), stationery, household items, cloth for sarongs, flowers and second hand clothes, usually from Europe and the US. For photographers, the fresh food section affords a lot of opportunities. There are a host of good value food stalls on the structure's western side, which faces Monivong Blvd. Central Market is undoubtedly the best of Phnom Penh's markets for browsing. It is the cleanest and has the widest range of products for sale. Opening hours are from early morning until early evening.Tuol Tom Pong Market (Russian market): More commonly referred to by foreigners as the Russian Market, this is located at the corner of St. 440 and st.163, south of Mao Tse Tung Blvd. It is the best place in town for souvenir shopping, having a large range of real and fake antiquities. Items for sale include miniature Buddhas, silk, silver jewelry, gems, video, ganja and a host of other goodies. It's well worth popping in for a browse.