What to do when you first arrive

Once you get to Cambodia, there are a few things you’ll want to do right away.

As soon as you’ve found a place to stay, put your stuff away (but be sure to follow the precautions in our Safety and security section in order to keep your possessions safe). Then you’ll want to get a phone and a Cambodian SIM card so you can start making and receiving local calls.

Next, get your documents together and set up a Cambodian bank account. Most of the ATMs in the country that accept international cards charge $4 or $5 per transaction, so the sooner you set up a local bank account, the better.

It’s also worthwhile to get a post office box so you can receive mail. It doesn’t cost much and it’s more reliable than having the mail delivered to your home. We’ll also explain how to send and receive mail in Cambodia.

This is an excerpt from Move to Cambodia: A guide to living and working in the Kingdom of Wonder. To learn more about 100+ topics that pertain to Cambodia expats, please consider buying the book.