photo caption: Evening swim at the beautiful, luxe La Residence Watbo hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia

Cambodia is often treated as a leisure destination first. Angkor Wat, island beaches, temple towns, riverside cafés, colonial hotels, floating villages and night markets dominate the travel imagination. But Cambodia is also becoming a far more interesting business destination than many outsiders realize.

For executives, consultants, investors, aid organizations, NGOs, digital nomads, development agencies, manufacturers, hospitality groups and regional operators, Cambodia offers something increasingly rare: a country that is open, affordable, fast-moving and still human-scale enough that relationships matter.

Business travel here is not difficult, but it does require a slightly different operating system. Cambodia runs on a mix of formal rules, informal relationships, cash, apps, patience, hospitality and heat. Here are ten things to know before you come.

1. Cambodia is easier to enter than many first-time visitors expect

Cambodia is comparatively straightforward for short business visits, especially through Phnom Penh, Siem Reap or Sihanoukville airports. Travellers should check visa requirements before departure, but many visitors can access tourist or business visa pathways depending on nationality, purpose and duration of stay.

The Cambodia e-Arrival system is now part of the arrival process and is worth completing before you fly. It combines immigration, health, customs and electronic visa-on-arrival information into a single digital process. Do it before landing, take screenshots, and keep your passport details handy.

For longer stays, extensions are possible, but the details matter. A tourist visa and an ordinary/business visa are not the same thing. If you are coming for more than a short trip, or if you may need to stay longer than planned, sort out the correct visa category before you arrive.

2. USD and Cambodian riel both matter

Cambodia is a dual-currency country in daily practice. The Cambodian riel is the official currency, but US dollars are widely used, especially in hotels, restaurants, business services, tourism, and larger transactions.

That said, the country has become more riel-friendly over time. Small purchases, tuk-tuk rides, cafés, local markets and convenience stores often use riel, and change may be given in riel even if you pay in dollars. The practical street conversion is usually around 4,000 riel to $1 USD, though actual exchange rates move slightly.

Bring clean, crisp US bills. Torn, marked, old or damaged notes may be refused. This is one of the most important small details for business travellers. A $100 bill with a tiny tear can become a problem. Smaller denominations are useful, but digital payments and local QR systems are also increasingly common.

3. Phnom Penh is the business capital, but Siem Reap is underrated

Phnom Penh is Cambodia’s commercial and political centre. It is where most government, finance, development, real estate, legal, diplomatic and corporate meetings happen. If your work involves ministries, banks, embassies, regional headquarters or serious deal flow, Phnom Penh is usually the anchor.

Siem Reap, however, should not be dismissed as only a tourism city. It has excellent hotels, strong hospitality infrastructure, a growing expat and entrepreneurial community, and a much calmer rhythm for retreats, strategy sessions, writing, remote work or investor visits. It is also only about 15 minutes from Angkor Wat, which makes it unusually compelling for business travel that needs to feel memorable.

For many travellers, the best Cambodia business itinerary is split: Phnom Penh for meetings, Siem Reap for relationship-building, decompression, site visits or strategic work.

4. Heat is a logistics issue, not just a weather note

Cambodia is hot. Very hot. Business travellers should treat the climate as an operational factor.

Plan meetings earlier in the day when possible. Build in time to cool down between appointments. Avoid overpacking formal Western business clothing unless your meetings require it. Lightweight, breathable, modest clothing is usually the best choice.

Rainy season also changes the rhythm of the day. It does not usually mean constant rain, but intense afternoon storms can flood streets, slow traffic and interrupt plans. During the hotter months, even short walks can be draining. Cambodia rewards travellers who pace themselves.

5. Transport is easy, but leave buffer time

Ride-hailing apps, tuk-tuks and cars make getting around relatively simple in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. For short hops, tuk-tuks are inexpensive and efficient. For business meetings, hotel cars or app-based cars may be better, especially during rain, intense heat, or when arriving somewhere polished matters.

Traffic in Phnom Penh can be unpredictable. A route that looks short on a map can take much longer depending on the time of day, roadwork, rain or event traffic. Siem Reap is easier to navigate, but airport transfers and temple-area traffic still require planning.

Do not schedule meetings too tightly. Cambodia is not a place where a four-meeting day should be packed minute-to-minute unless you enjoy arriving sweaty, late and irritated.

6. Connectivity is good and inexpensive

Cambodia is much easier for remote work than many people expect. Mobile data is inexpensive, SIM cards and eSIM options are widely available, and most hotels, cafés and restaurants in business areas have workable Wi-Fi.

That said, quality varies. A boutique hotel may have beautiful rooms but inconsistent upload speeds. A café may be excellent for email but not for a two-hour video call. If your trip depends on calls, webinars, uploads or client work, test connectivity before committing to a location for the day.

The safest setup is simple: hotel Wi-Fi, mobile data backup, power bank, and a quiet place identified in advance for calls. Cambodia is very workable for digital business travel, but redundancy helps.

7. Relationships matter more than polished decks

Cambodia is relationship-driven. Formal credentials, polished slides and impressive corporate language help, but they do not replace trust.

Meetings may begin indirectly. People may want to understand who you are, who introduced you, how serious you are, and whether you are likely to disappear after one trip. This is especially true in sectors involving government, hospitality, development, media, real estate, education, agriculture, logistics or local partnerships.

Follow-up matters. Courtesy matters. Patience matters. A direct North American business style can work, but it should be softened with respect, warmth and time. Cambodia is not slow. It is relational.

8. Hospitality is part of the business culture

Business travel in Cambodia often happens around meals, coffee, hotel lobbies and informal conversations. The country’s hospitality culture is a real asset. Visitors are often struck by how gracious, calm and attentive service can be, especially in locally owned hotels and restaurants.

Do not treat meals as filler between “real” meetings. In Cambodia, the meal may be the meeting. Coffee may be where the important context emerges. A hotel lobby conversation may do more to advance a relationship than the formal presentation did.

For business travellers, this is one of Cambodia’s great advantages. The country is still personal. People remember kindness, introductions, reliability and respect.

9. Cambodia is affordable, but quality varies widely

Cambodia can be extremely cost-effective for business travel compared with Singapore, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul or even Bangkok. Hotels, drivers, meals, local services and longer stays can be excellent value.

But affordability does not mean uniform quality. There is a major gap between the best-run hotels, restaurants, agencies and service providers and the weaker ones. Reviews help, but local recommendations are better. For longer stays, inspect the room, check the Wi-Fi, ask about laundry, confirm desk space, and make sure the air conditioning works well.

Business travellers should not simply book the cheapest option. Cambodia rewards smart value, not bare-minimum budgeting. A beautiful, locally owned hotel with strong service, good food, laundry, a pool, reliable transport and extended-stay pricing can transform the entire trip.

10. Cambodia is changing quickly

The most important thing to know about business travel in Cambodia is that the country is not static. It is young, ambitious, uneven, entrepreneurial and still defining its place in the region.

Infrastructure is improving. Tourism is rebuilding. Digital payments are expanding. Hospitality remains one of the country’s strongest sectors. Phnom Penh continues to grow vertically. Siem Reap is repositioning after the pandemic. Chinese, Korean, Japanese, European, ASEAN and North American interests are all present in different ways.

This creates opportunity, but also requires humility. Cambodia is not a blank slate for outsiders. It has its own history, politics, trauma, ambition, culture and pace. The best business travellers arrive curious rather than superior. They listen before prescribing. They build relationships before extracting value.

Cambodia is not always frictionless. Flights may shift. Roads may flood. Power may flicker. Timelines may move. But for travellers who can operate with flexibility, respect and a sense of humour, it is one of Southeast Asia’s most compelling business destinations.

Come prepared. Bring clean bills. Complete your forms. Leave buffer time. Drink more water than you think you need. Take the meeting over coffee. Say yes to the meal. And do not make the mistake of thinking Cambodia is only a place to visit after the work is done. Increasingly, Cambodia is where the work is happening.