Health

We strongly recommend having a good health insurance and carrying a good first aid kit. There is a chronic shortage of trained medical help and hospitals. Therefore, you should avoid treatment in Cambodia. Evacuation to Singapore, Thailand or Malaysia is recommended.

VACCINATIONS

The Royal Government of Cambodia does not require you to have any vaccinations except for cholera if you are coming from an infected area. It is recommended that you get the cholera vaccination anyway and those for hepatitis, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, tetanus, and typhoid.

MALARIA

Malarial drugs are essential for tourists travelling in provincial Cambodia but Phnom Penh and the areas around Angkor Wat are not malarial. It may not be much of a problem in Phnom Penh and Angkor any longer, but you should check with your physician first since malaria in Cambodia is resistant to all drugs.

The best protection against malaria is to avoid being bitten in the first place. Check with your physician about taking a course of anti-malarials. If it is considered necessary given your itinerary, you might need to begin before your trip and continue for a time after you return.
Dengue fever, which is also transmitted by mosquitoes, is often mistaken for malaria. Its symptoms are severe pain in the joints, high fever, and extreme headache. Aside from avoiding being bitten altogether (this mosquito is active in daytime and is often a striped variety), there is no prevention available. Hospital treatment is urgently required.

FOOD & WATER

Avoid all water that has not been thoroughly boiled or sterilized. Drink only bottled water. Supposedly, a plant in Phnom Penh makes all of the city's ice using sterilized water, but to play it safe, avoid any ice. You should not eat any uncooked vegetables and do not eat any fruit that you have not peeled yourself.