Cambodia Travel Guide

Greetings

Cambodians traditionally greet each other with the sompiah, which involves pressing the hands together in prayer and bowing, similar to the wai in Thailand. The higher the hands and the lower the bow the more respect is conveyed- important to remember when meeting officials or the elderly. In recent times this custom has been partially replaced by handshake but; although men tend to shake hands with each other, women usually use the traditional greeting with both men and women. It is considered acceptable (or perhaps excusable for foreigners to shake hands with Cambodians of both sexes.

Getting to grips with face is the key to success in Asia, and Cambodia is no exception. Having “big face” is synonymous with prestige, and prestige is particularly important in Cambodia. All families, even poor ones, are expected to have big wedding parties and throw their money around like it is water in order to gain face. This is often ruinously expensive, but far less detrimental than “losing’ face”.

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