Cambodia forum

They are not very strict with dress code but out of respect for Cambodian people and culture you should wear decent clothing and not tank tops and shorts.

It's their national treasure, symbol of national pride and identity in deep ways we can not understand. You might as well slap them in their face by wearing shorts and tank tops. Doesn't mean that there aren't any tourists wearing that and are allowed in....

This applies especially to Angkor Wat itself and the other main temples (Bayon, Ta Prohm). The smaller ones you can treat as what they are: just old ruins. At those you shouldn't worry so much about dress code.

I was just there a couple of days ago and no-one seems to care or respect a dress code

I concur with all the above; you see some embarrassingly inappropriate outfits at the temples.

An additional reason to cover up is that a full day in the hot, strong sun on exposed skin can lead to some very pink bits - not so attractive when you come to wear that tank top out on Pub Street in the evening .........

And they are probably the same idiots who don't think twice about clambering all over the temples to get that perfect photo opp. Never mind what the accumulative damage will do over the years nor how disrespectful it is to the locals. Would people do this in their churches, heritage buildings, etc back home?

Liz, not to worry, they would. People don't become morons when they get off the plane in SEA. Rest assurred they were morons prior to boarding.

indeed

And it's always the foreigners who don't wear proper clothes. If you look at the Cambodian visitors, and there are a lot as well, they all wear their best clothes when visiting Angkor Wat.
6 months ago I took my staff to see Angkor and I can't even describe how much it means to them to see it.
Even the bargirls dress properly when they visit with their boyfriend of the day.

uh....Can you elaborate?

Eastwest
Everyone who has been to both places tells me that the Cambodians are worse drivers than the Thais, and the Thais habitually turn off their brains when they start their engines... so perhaps the Cambodians have used all of their "moroness" in driving, and hence are less moronic in other aspects of their behavior, such as temple and palace visiting. Westerners don't use as much "moroness" driving, but seem to utilize it here for fashion.

I'll say this, coming from Vietnam to Cambodia, the Cambodians are lean on their horns WAY less. For that alone I say they're the better drivers out of those two countries. The Vietnamese practically drive by sonar they beep those things so much.

Liz
Must have been in the North, because Savanakhet is a filthy dump. Dusty, dirty and a lot of beggars. Savanakhet has this atrophying feel to it - like everything is falling apart slowly.

We were there on 14th May. 5 women in the group were denied entry to the sacred parts even though they were wearing full length sarongs specially purchased on advice of tour guide. They were told the skirts had to be sewn as well. Be warned as it is a scam to make you give Money to hire their skirts. We had earlier tried the zippered rain jacket around the waist (which well covered the knees) but this was not acceptable either as it was not a skirt. Sewn pants is the best way to go. Sarongs are okay for the Phnom pehn palace though.