Reaching the Cambodian capital by air is without a doubt the best way to get here. Phnom Penh International Airport is a convenient 11kms from the heart of the city and the busiest air hub in the country with flights to major cities across the region.

A number of Cambodia-based airlines operate from here to both domestic and international destinations. Siem Reap Airways and Angkor Airways both head north to Siem Reap’s Angkor International Airport. Siem Reap Airways also flies to Taipei, while Angkor connects to Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and to Hong Kong. Royal Khmer Airlines links Phnom Penh to Seoul in South Korea along with Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam.

With roughly 1.1 million passengers a year, Phnom Penh International Airport has seen remarkable growth in the past decade during which time it has doubled tourist traffic, suggesting capacity may have to be increased beyond the current two million to keep up with demand. The airport is split into two terminals, one international and the other a much smaller domestic terminal which mostly services Siem Reap and Sihanoukville, a popular beach resort in the south.

Facilities in the international terminal are as you would expect of any major air hub. Banking services including exchange kiosks and ATM machines are readily available. There is also a VIP lounge, numerous shops including duty-free and restaurants and cafés which serve Khmer and international cuisine. Passengers should make sure that they are ready to pay the standard Cambodian departure tax when taking a flight from the airport; payment is permitted in US dollars only.

The international terminal offers visa-on-arrival to nationals of most countries including the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand passport holders. Make sure to have a passport photo handy along with the application fee in US dollars.

Options for getting between the airport and the city are limited to official taxis or motos. A taxi requires paying a flat fee in advance at a booth outside arrivals with motos much cheaper. Either way, both forms of transport should get you into the heart of Phnom Penh in around 15 minutes.

Compared to other Southeast Asian capitals, the roads here are not yet congested simply because the lower economic reality makes motorcycles, and cars in particular, out of reach for your average Cambodian family.

Traffic jams are therefore rare and walking around the city makes for a pleasant experience despite the heat. Phnom Penh is not a very large city and many of the main attractions can be reached by foot from Sisowath Quay in a maximum of 45 minutes.

Nevertheless, to get to sights like S-21 and the Killing Fields requires transport and the options are few. Make sure to only show even the faintest sign of interest in taking transport if you actually want it at that very moment, or you will be in for a frustrating 10 minutes or so.

Always negotiate the price beforehand and try to accept a ride with the first person that offers to avoid generating a brawl between rival operators. Always try to keep spare US$1 bills handy to pay for taxis around the city.