A new dress code for access to religious sites

Hello everyone,

Planning to travel to Cambodia? Or are you already on the spot and planning some visits? Here is some important information.

As from August 1, 2016, foreign nationals must be properly dressed to be allowed to visit temples and religious monuments. Access will be denied to any person not complying with the new dress code.

Both men and women are expected to wear clothing covering their shoulders. Women, for their part, have to wear trousers, skirts or dresses covering their knees.

Note that these guidelines, announced by the Apsara Authority, mainly apply to Angkor Wat temples. However, these generally apply to most religious sites around the country. Moreover, a poster was published on the Apsara Authority website as well as on the premises.

Visitors will thus be informed by temple officials about these instructions on their arrival if they are not properly dressed. They may come back later to buy their tickets once they have changed their clothes.

This decision follows several past incidents whereby foreign nationals have been arrested for posing nude at the Banteay Kdei temple, for example.

On the othe hand, it is now forbidden to climb on the ruins of temples, to offer money to begging children and to take “selfies” with local monks.

Find more information here:
apsaraauthority.gov.kh