Cambodia

Staying connected in Cambodia

Cambodia is easy to reach overland from southern Vietnam, and many travellers take the bus to Phnom Penh before heading to Siem Reap for the temples of Angkor. Kampot, Kep and the island of Koh Rong suit those after beaches and a slower pace, and plenty of visitors come for business.

The dry season from November to April is the easiest time to travel, though March and April are very hot. At Angkor you will spend hours moving between temples by tuk-tuk, so data helps with maps, booking a ride back to your hotel and reading up on each site.

Coverage and networks

There are 2 eSIM options for Cambodia. Each network belongs to the option it is listed with, so compare them before choosing.

According to the plan information, the option (Cambodia – TikTok) roams from a Singapore home network: your phone connects to the networks above, but some apps and websites may see your location as Singapore.

“TikTok” is part of an option’s name. If you rely on a particular app, check the conditions of that exact plan; the label alone does not guarantee access to any app.

Signal and speed depend on where you are, your device and network conditions, and can differ between plans.

Choosing a data allowance

eSIM plans for Cambodia currently last 1 to 30 days and come in these types:

• Daily data (500MB, 1GB, 2GB and 3GB per day): suits a steady routine. Check when the daily allowance resets and what happens once it is used.
• Total data (1GB to 50GB): one allowance for the whole trip, handy when some days are heavier than others.
• Unlimited: always read the fair-use policy; after a set amount, speed may be reduced.

Suggestions for this trip

• A 3–4 day Phnom Penh and Siem Reap trip: 1GB of daily data covers rides, maps and messaging; for full temple days with lots of photo posts, choose 2GB a day.
• Long bus journeys with video to pass the time: 3GB a day or an unlimited plan (fair-use policy applies).
• Extended business or work in Phnom Penh: 20GB, 30GB or 50GB of total data on a 25- or 30-day plan.

Count your arrival and departure days. Before paying, check the exact plan for when validity starts, how days are counted, and whether hotspot, calls or SMS are included; these differ between plans.

Before you go

• Ride-hailing: Grab and PassApp are the usual apps for tuk-tuks and cars in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, with upfront fares that save haggling.
• Money: US dollars circulate alongside the riel, with small change usually given in riel; bring small, clean, untorn dollar notes.
• QR payments: KHQR codes are common in shops; some foreign banking apps can scan them, so check yours.
• Messaging: Telegram is very popular in Cambodia, alongside Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp.
• Wi-Fi: Hotels and cafés in town usually have free Wi-Fi; at outlying Angkor temples and in the countryside there is almost none.
• Local SIM: Sold at airports, border crossings and shops; registration requires your passport.
• eSIM setup: Before buying, make sure your phone supports eSIM and is not carrier-locked. Install the eSIM before you fly, on a stable Wi-Fi connection, following the instructions sent with your plan.
• On arrival: Set the travel eSIM as your mobile data line and follow its roaming instructions. Turn off data roaming on your home SIM to avoid unexpected charges.