It is Easy to Settle in Cambodia Permanently

Are you tired of the western rat race? Want to run away to another place with a lower cost of living? A place where you can feel alive again? Well the Kingdom of Cambodia may just be the perfect place for you.

Cambodia is in South East Asia, in the region known as Indochina. It sits between Thailand and Laos to the north, and Vietnam to the south and east. Cambodia is in the northern hemisphere and fairly close to the equator. Therefore it has a hot tropical climate, which really equates to a wet and a dry season. Don't expect it to be cold at any time of the year, in fact you could safely throw your jumpers and gloves into the nearest charity bin!

Cambodia is a Monarchy, with a sitting King. Politically it is pretty well settled these days, so you can walk the streets without seeing chaos or upheaval.

The official currency is the Cambodian Riel, but American dollars are accepted, (well preferred actually), all over the country. There are ATM's now in all the major cities, so accessing your cash is no problem at all.

The capital is Phnom Penh, a sprawling frenetic place that is serviced by a number of regional airlines on a daily basis. Many expats, (foreigners who live in a land other than their own), are to be found in Phnom Penh, and english is widely spoken these days as it is taught across the board in schools. If you prefer to not live in a capital city, then there are several larger regional towns you could choose from. There is of course, Siem Reap in the north of the country, which is adjacent to the famous Ankor Wat temple complex. The place I'd like to suggest to you however, is the beach town of Sihanoukville. Sihanoukville lies about three to four hours from the capital down a good sealed road. It has Cambodia's only deep water port, but more to the point it has some truly lovely beaches. There's no surf, as it sits on the edge of the Gulf of Thailand, but if you can picture white sand, turquoise water and cheap beer, you have got Sihanoukville down to a tee.

Ok, so how can you actually live here? Well it's really very simple. There are two types of visa that you can use to enter Cambodia. There is the thirty day tourist visa that most visitors gat, or there is the thirty day business visa that I would suggest you ask for. Although it also has a term of thirty days, it can be renewed in country at any time for up to a year at a time. Once you have that, you can come and go to your hearts content. Oh, and don't be put off by the title of business visa, you dont have to have a business to qualify. What do you need? A passport, one passport photo and $25 us, is ALL you need. Yep, that's it, no other paperwork!

Of course, while you're settling into your new home on the beach in Sihanoukville, you'll need a safe and friendly place to stay. There are plenty of choices from five star opulence to a hammock at a bar! So sort out your accomodation, pack your bags and an open mind, and escape!

Author Resource:  Nick is an old Asia hand who writes boutique articles for the places he really likes, like this great little guesthouse, the Ochheuteal Guesthouse, near the beach in Sihanoukville Cambodia. Click there now, and prepare to be fascinated and motivated to grab a ticket!