Broken pavements (sidewalks), potholed roads and stairs as steep as ladders at Angkor ensure that for most people with mobility impairments, Cambodia is not going to be an easy country to travel. Few buildings in Cambodia have been designed with the disabled in mind, although new projects, such as the international airports at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and top-end hotels, include ramps for wheelchair access. Transport in the provinces is usually very overcrowded, but taxi hire from point to point is an affordable option.
On the positive side, the Cambodian people are usually very helpful towards all foreigners, and local labor is cheap if you need someone to accompany you at all times. Most guesthouses and small hotels have ground-floor rooms that are reasonably easy to access.
The biggest headache is also the main attraction – the temples of Angkor. Causeways are uneven, obstacles common and staircases daunting, even for able-bodied people. It is likely to be some years before things improve, although some ramping was introduced at Angkor Wat and Bayon for the visit of King Sihanouk and the then-Chinese Premier Jiang Zemin in 2000.
Wheelchair travelers will need to under- take a lot of research before visiting Cambodia. There is now a growing network of information sources that can put you in touch with others who have wheeled through Cambodia before.
Try contacting the following:
Mobility International USA – Tel 54-1343 1284 – www.miusa.org
Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation – Radar – Tel 020-7250 3222 – radar.org.uk
Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality – SATH – Tel 212-447 7284 – www.sath.org