Siem Riep
 

How much cash and which types of currency should we bring for a 3 night stay in Siem Riep? Kishore and any other travellers? Thanks. GP

Andy, if you have reserved your hotel through Ponheary, you may need CASH for that - check with her to be sure - I know we will be bring a subtantial amount for our hotel. Other than that you need cash for visas (we are applying for ours now so it won't be any issue), airport departure tax, Angkor Wat pass, your guide/driver and incidentals (food, tips, souvenirs). Let me know if there is anything else that I have missed.

US dollars work fine. Guide/driver/temple admission all quoted in US $s generally. Should be 20/day for driver, 20/day for guide, 40 I think for the temple pass. Meals are generally cheap and if you splurge on Amansara or something they take cards. So, meals I'd say another 20/day. Think visa on arrival is 25 per head but check the site to make sure.

Andy,
Take larger bills to pay Pon heary-for daily guide+driver and the hotel room charge, which you will be paying her directly. I kept this cash in $50 and $100 bills in a separate envelope.Angkor admission is $40 for three days. Take the rest in $20 bills or less. I took about $30 in one-five dollar bills. I found a lot of places did give you change in dollars.
Note also that when the driver takes you to a pon heary recommended restaurant for lunch and waits for you (no additional charge), the drivers gets free lunch as commission. The places she recommended were good.

How can we contact Pnheary or a good guide for Siem Reap?

Take lots of ones($) to buy things from the kids - postcards, scarves, water etc. And if you are able, take things along to GIVE to the kids. They begged us for pencils so they could go to school.

Yes, I also took lots of ones to buy t-shirts and postcards and flutes from the kids.

There is a handicrafts shop in town that sells crafts made by amputees. They had lots of little gift items that were nice.

Some places will give you change in dollars, other in riel. We gave away all the riel we received to beggars or as offerings at the wats.

Thanks. However, I note for the record that no one answered the actual question, which was "How much?" I'd just as soon not wander around Asia with lots of extra dollars.

Andy, I realize you attorneys are not that great at math but couldn't you just add up your major costs: hotel + visa + Angkor Wat pass + departure tax + driver/guide fees + food where credit cards won't work + $25 to $50 for tips/souvenirs? I would add it up for you but I don't know how much you are paying for your hotel...

Andy,
Acalculia can occur with Gertsmann Syndrome, seen with lesions of the parietal lobe. I can refer you to a neurologist at Harvard, just let me know. I will tell her to hold off on a biopsy

Craig, those of us who went to law school usually did so because we can't add 2+2. We figured we were safe from math in our chosen professions.

While I have a math degree, my calculations are limited to 33% plus expenses.

Kishore-How many neurologists does it take to change a lightbulb? Answer: They don't actually do that, they merely diagnose the darkness and make a referral.

Craig: How did you apply for the visa for Cambodia? I will be arriving on February 18, 2006. Am I still on time?

Andy,
good try,but I heard that joke long time ago and then it was 'internist' not 'neurologist'... its all the same to you..but it is funny

gil, you can get a visa on arrival at the airport for US$25 plus a passport photo.

Gil - our timing is similar.
Lots of good info on the Cambodian Embassy site:
http://www.embassy.org/cambodia/consular/index.html

i think i took $600, including $100 in $1's for a 4 day visit and my hotel was on a credit card....i left with quite a bit of $$....especially 1's....i took some of every denomination....if you do not understand what this means take this e mail to your bank and they will explain it to you...

i took mostly 1's, 5's, and 10's, but also took some 20's and 50's (for guides, etc)....

andy---don't forget some quarters for tips....

lol - Bob, I've missed your posts! Where have you been?

Bob-should I leave the dimes? My plan is to take $5000, all in ones.

Kishore-of course you heard the joke. It was for the benefit of those who may actually believe that medical science is actually a science.