Cambodia’s history begins in the first century A.D with the establishment of the state of Funan. Many modern day Khmer customs and language can be traced back to this period. For example Sanskrit, which is part of the Mon Khmer family dialect, was the written and spoken language of that time. The State of Funan lasted for a period of 600 years and was in effect the precursor to the great Khmer Empire. Early in the 9th century king Jayavarman II claimed independence from the Javanese who had been overseeing the affairs of the Funan kingdom for several hundred years and founded the Khmer kingdom at Angkor. This great dynasty reigned for 650 years and their empire covered much of Southeast Asia. Over the next 150 years the kingdom grew in stature, culminating with King Suryavarman I who extended the kingdom’s territories into southern Thailand and Laos.
PASSPORT & VISA
A passport and visa are required for entering Cambodia. Passport & Visa can be obtained at Royal Embassies and Consulates of Cambodia. A visa on arrival, valid for 30 days, is possibly issued for major checkpoints including those at Phnom Penh International Airport, Siem Reap International Airport, Poi Pet, O'Smach and Cham Yeam at the Cambodia-Thailand international border checkpoint, Bavet, Kaam Samnor at the Cambodia-Vietnam international border checkpoint, and some other international checkpoints.