For most travellers Cambodia means Angkor – the largest temple complex in the world, near Siem Reap. Important for planning in 2026: the land border with Thailand is closed. Here are the facts and my travel story.

Cambodia at a glance

Populationapprox. 18 million

CapitalPhnom Penh

CurrencyRiel (KHR) and US dollar – both used side by side, mostly in cash. Old or damaged dollar notes are often refused

LanguageKhmer; English widely used in tourism in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh

Time difference+6 h (CET) / +5 h (CEST)

Cost of livingVery cheap: daily budget in Siem Reap approx. €30 (basic) to €85 (mid-range), beer approx. €0.70, cappuccino approx. €1.50

SafetyPartial travel warning for the Thai border area (20 km); all border crossings closed. Tourist areas are considered mine-free. Bag snatching from motorbikes, fake job-offer scams

VaccinationsRequired: none when arriving from Germany. Recommended: hepatitis A; dengue (sharp rise in 2026); depending on the trip Japanese encephalitis, rabies, typhoid. Siem Reap: low malaria risk

EntryPassport valid for at least 6 months (German ID card not accepted); online registration “Cambodia e-Arrival” at the earliest 7 days before; at least one overnight stay in the country for Angkor visitors

VisaRequired for German citizens: visa on arrival (US$30) or e-visa in advance

Length of stay30 days, extendable once by 30 days

Travel costsReturn flight from Munich to Siem Reap approx. €790–1,010, no direct flight, from approx. 17 h (e.g. via Singapore, Dubai, Ho Chi Minh City)

Best time to travelNovember–February (dry and relatively cool); rainy season May–October

Angkor Wat and the temples of Angkor

Angkor is not a single temple but a landscape of hundreds of monuments. Besides Angkor Wat itself, the must-sees are Bayon with its face towers in Angkor Thom, and Ta Prohm, where tree roots grow through the walls.

Angkor Pass: prices

1 day: US$37
3 days: US$62 (use within a week, days need not be consecutive)
7 days: US$72 (use within 30 days)
Children under 12 free (bring their passport)

Buying tickets and opening hours

Tickets are sold online (ticket.angkorenterprise.gov.kh, e-ticket by email) or at the Angkor Ticket Office on Road 60, about 4 km from Siem Reap. Angkor Wat opens as early as 5 am for sunrise. A ticket bought after about 4:45 pm is valid from the next day – but also covers that evening’s sunset without using up a day. Cover shoulders and knees.

Siem Reap

The town is the base for Angkor: Pub Street, night markets, Khmer food and accommodation for every budget. The new airport (SAI) is about an hour out of town; shuttle bus approx. US$8, taxi approx. US$35.

My travel story

The alarm goes off in the middle of the night, the tuk-tuk waits outside, and in the dark hundreds of people stand in front of the reflecting pool at Angkor Wat. Then the sky behind the towers turns violet, then orange – and everyone falls silent.

That moment is famous, but the other temples impressed me more: the faces of Bayon looking at you from every side, and Ta Prohm, where the jungle is slowly taking the stones back.

Siem Reap itself is more relaxed than you might think: a Khmer curry in the evening, a walk through the night market and the feeling of having been at one of the great places in human history.

Getting there from Munich

There is no direct flight from Munich to Siem Reap. Common connections run via Singapore, Dubai or Ho Chi Minh City; expect at least 17 hours. Note: the once-popular overland route from Bangkok is currently impossible because all border crossings with Thailand are closed. We take you to Munich Airport at a fixed price and meet you with a name sign in the terminal after the long journey home.

Calculate your Munich Airport transfer →

As of November 2026. All information without guarantee; entry and vaccination rules can change at short notice. Entry details apply to German citizens. Please check the German Foreign Office travel advice and consult a travel-medicine specialist about vaccinations.