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Cambodia May Be Opening Its Borders To Singaporeans By End Of 2021

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Nia Sarah •  Jun 30, 2021

Ever been to the capital of Cambodia, Phnom Penh? If your answer's no, this is your chance to hop on the next flight to the country. Cambodia's tourism industry is making plans for the return of travellers from regional markets including Singapore by the end of this year, according to Alain Brun, the chief executive officer of Cambodia Airports.

As reported by Khmer Times, Cambodia is aiming to vaccinate 10 million of its people by January, and there is currently more than 32 per cent of its target group who has been inoculated. This makes it the most highly immunised population in the Asia-Pacific region. The country aims to "remain momentum in vaccine jabs to ease cross border travels and quarantine measures for fully vaccinated visitors." They are also closely observing the Phuket model in Thailand, which is opening the island for quarantine-free travel from 1 July. Cambodia is also anticipating for their inoculation levels to be better than Phuket.

Other destinations that Cambodia is focused on bringing travellers from are China, Korea, Japan and Thailand.

Can Singaporeans travel to Cambodia now?

The brief answer is no, not yet. According to the MOH Travel Advisory, residents of Singapore may only travel overseas for studies, business, and medical treatments for now. Residents of Singapore are advised to defer all other forms of travel overseas, and travellers will be subject to the prevailing border measures upon entry to Singapore, including payment for their stay at dedicated SHN facilities and tests.

What to do in Cambodia?

Though it’s only one of the structures within the larger Angkor Archaeological Park, Angkor Wat's sheer size and scale make it an ancient marvel. You’ll need an Angkor pass to visit - prices range from 149,000 riels (USD37) for a 1-day pass to 290,000 riels (USD72) for a 7-day pass - but it’s worth it to get to really explore the entire complex, and you’ll get access to some other temples such as Phnom Krom and Wat Athvea too.

The floating villages are another sight you can’t miss - just remember to do your research first, as each village is unique in its own way! After spending your days out under the sun, spend your evenings trawling the Old Markets to cool down with some refreshing fruit shakes, pancakes, or rolled ice cream.

It may be a while before we can start travelling to Cambodia, but here's hoping that the time comes sooner than we think! ?