Travel to Cambodia

Airlines including Air France, Malaysia Airlines and Jet Airways all offer flights to Cambodia, flying to either to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. Flights aren't direct, with most travelling via Bangkok, and can take over 14 hours. Flights to Cambodia are most expensive from November to January, so it's cheaper to travel outside of these months.

If you're heading to Sihanoukville and its beaches, the cheapest option is to take the bus from Phnom Penh as, although there is an airport, it's currently not in operation. The bus is relatively comfortable, and the roads are not as bad as you might imagine. In fact, buses are the best and the cheapest way to travel all over the country - just be sure you know where you are going once you've left the bus as you'll be swamped with tuk tuk drivers looking to take you to their friends' hotel! Most hotels will offer free pick up from a bus station, so you'd be advised to take advantage of this.

The country offers excellent value for money and it is pretty easy to find cheap hotels in Cambodia. The best deals can usually be had by booking in advance and it's always worth asking for a discount if you're staying longer than a few days.

When it comes to food and drink, you'll be spoilt for choice during your Cambodia holiday. Traditional Cambodian fare offers the best value for money, but if you're happy to splash out a little more you don't have to look too far to find western favourites in the bigger cities like Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. Drinks are also very cheap, with a beer during happy hour sometimes costing less than 50p!

On the whole Cambodians are lovely people, with big smiles and big hearts, but like with any country there's always a few rogues. Agree prices for things like tuk tuk rides, tours, guides etc in advance and don't assume just because a price hasn't been mentioned, the person is guiding you around a particular tourist destination for free. They most likely won't be, and may attempt to charge you a fortune! Haggling is also an important skill to master - and the Cambodians love a good banter over prices!

• Phnom Penh