For Trip/Travel planning purposes, please note the actual dates and
the extended dates for the major Cambodian national holiday of 2015 are:
Official National Holliday dates for Khmer New Year (KNY) 2015 are: April, Tuesday 14th, Wednesday 15th and Thursday 16th.
But note, however, that in reality, this national holiday will be
extended by all who can get away with it, such as government
officials/offices and the like so as to start on Saturday 11th and
extend through until start of business on Monday 20th.
And for the information of travellers over this period who have not
experienced a previous KNY, please note as follows and plan your travels
accordingly.
Please note carefully that all Royal Government of Cambodia Offices
will be closed for these dates and that many may start and end their
departmental holidays some days earlier and later than this as this
permits staff to travel to their homelands.
Banks and financial institutions also close over this period but ATMs
will operate as will some Bureau de Changes in tourist areas. Local
money changers will continue to operate most days of the holidays. But
some ATMs will undoubtedly "run dry" during the holiday period so please
be prepared for this eventuality.
Major Markets will more or less continue unchanged, except for the
official holiday dates, but some stallholders will close on some days of
the holidays to allow the owners/operators some time off during this
holiday period. The Phnom Penh Night market will operate throughout the
official holiday dates.
The Khmer New Year is not a single day holiday as it is in many
countries but more of a rolling event. As such, most organizations will
roster staff so that staff can at least get one or more days off during
this holiday period so some short staffing may be expected in the
Tourism, Hospitality and related industries and services.
And it is the custom for better employer organizations to pay their
staff a 13th month salary for Khmer New Year as an annual bonus and to
assist their staff travel to/from often distant homelands and to have
money to take home with them to share with their family.
Transport booking need to be made early as demand on all forms of
transport will be very high indeed as Cambodians travel to/from homeland
areas for family reunions. Transport fares also rise considerable
during this period due to excess demand and to capitalise on this
holiday by vehicle owners such as taxi drivers. Bus fares of the major
companies stay more or less the same - if you can get a ticket.
KNY is also a very colourful time especially at the major temples
and, observing the protocols for entering temple grounds and buildings,
you will be most welcome to come and observe and take photos etc. But
please note the requirements for hats to be removed prior to entering
the grounds of a temple and for footwear by both genders to be removed
in certain places. If entering temple ground women need to be
respectfully dressed even if not actually entering a temple building.
This temple has been dubbed by some the Mona Lisa. And there are 51 turrets around this temple and each with four faces. The temple is surrounded by long walls and two bearing an exceptional collection of scenes of legendary and historical events of the relief. And the total of all of the more than 11,000 carved figures and over 1.2 miles of wall. The walls here are still very pure and still like the time formerly Scorpion.
