TIME ZONE:
The time in Cambodia is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) and lies in the same time zone as its neighbors Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
1. BUSINESS HOURS:
The opening time of offices varies depending on business sectors. They are usually open from Monday to Friday from 07:30 or 08:00 until 17:00 or 18:00 and often close for lunch between 11:30 and 13:00. In some business sectors, also open Saturday morning. The banks are generally open from Monday to Friday from 8h00 to 15h30. The shops open early and close any time between 18:00 and 22:00 during 7 days a week.
2. HOLIDAYS IN CAMBODIA:
New Year's Eve : 31 December,New Year's Day :1 January,Water Festival: October or November ( depending on lunar calendar), Pchum Ben Festival: in September, King Sihanouk's Birthday Celebration: 31 October, Angkor Festival: November or December ( depending on lunar calendar),Royal Ploughing Day: May,Independence Day: 9 November , Chinese New Year: January or February ( depending on lunar calendar), National Day: 7 January , International Women's Day: 8 March, International Worker's Day: 1 May, Genocide Day: 9 May, Vesak Bucha Day: anniversary of the birth, enlightenment, and death of Buddha in Late May.
3. CAMBODIA PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:
The traditional new year holiday marks the turn of the year based on the ancient Khmer calendar and also marks the end of the harvest done during the year. The Cambodians decorate their homes to please the Heaven God and many people can be seen on the streets armed with small bags of water and water pistols to bless people passing by. This festival is one of the happiest times of the year with joyous smiling faces everywhere you turn. The Cambodians also do recognize International New Year on 1 January but there are no celebrations then.
CAMBODIA CLIMATE:
Cambodia can be visited throughout the year. The climate is tropical and distinguish three major seasons. The most pleasant season is the dry season from November to March during which temperatures are cooler (average 20-28o c ). The host season last from March to June (average temperatures 28-35 c) and the rainy season from May to early October. Note also that Siam Reap is in general cooler than Phnom Penh.
CAMBODIA FOODS:
The Cambodia food is closely related to the cuisines of neighboring Thailand and Laos and, to a lesser extent, Vietnam, but there are some distinct local dishes. The overall consensus is that Khmer cooking is like Thai without spicy. The curries, stir tried vegetable, rice, noodles and soups are staples of the Khmer diet. Cambodia is well known in the region for its Prahok, a b, fermented fish paste used in a variety of traditional dishes. The fresh serve bottled drinking water and tap water should never be drunk. Similarly, salad and fruit served at these establishments are safe.
Phnom Penh is far and away the best place to try inexpensive Khmer cuisine, though Siem Reap also has some good restaurants. One of the easiest and most affordable ways to acquaint yourself with Khmer cooking is to wander into the food stalls found in markets all over the country and simply sample each dish before deciding what to eat. In Phnom Penh you also have the choice of excellent Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, French and Mediterranean cooking. The rice is the principal staple in Cambodia and the Battambang region is the country's rice bowl.
