I appreciate the information that has been shared from others that others have shared. For what its worth I'll summarize our trip.

We flew from the US to Cambodia through S. Korea. It took a lot of effort for us to arrange for myself to get a COVID-19 test in the US. Fortunately, I tested negative the day before our flight. I had a letter drawn up and signed by the lab director that basically stated the date/time I was tested, included my passport #, Date of birth, and the lab's certification for testing (a copy of the actual certificate was included on another page. Behind the letter was the actual lab report they produce. And the 4th page was the receipt.

I had no issues at any point with the COVID-19 test/results and documentation.

I purchased a health insurance policy that was basically good for a month in Cambodia simply because it specifically included COVID 19 coverage (and state as such in the policy). This is the part that along the trip there seemed to be great differences in understanding of what the requirement was. When we checked in at the airport we were unfortunate to have two totally uninterested attendants. I actually recorded one of the women as she took more than 20 minutes to check in one person on a domestic flight - all without wearing her mask. She was just pathetic. We got the other woman - equally uninterested in her job but at least a bit more competent. She had great trouble confirming that my retirement visa was an eligible visa type to make the trip. Then she wanted to see an insurance policy that covered me for COVID 19 through the end date on my visa. With about 10 minutes to spare before the baggage cutoff she finally accepted my explanation of the situation in Cambodia and that I had adequate insurance for our family.

My test results and insurance documents were checked at every airport we flew through. At our US connecting airport I just showed the test results and the page that stated I had COVID coverage and the woman was busy enough to not really care. ( I will add that she wanted to see the rest of our COVID tests and I showed her the print out from the embassy that stated Cambodia passport holders didn't require a COVID test. She thought that was really stupid but after her manager made a phone call they let us board).

When we arrived at S. Korea my documents were checked twice. Once upon de-boarding - they had a sign with a few people's name on it for document checks. Then again at the gate. They also required me to show them either a bank account with $3000 or cash - so I counted out the 3000. At the gate the woman read through the entire COVID test result and then I showed her the health insurance and turned to the page with the information about Covid 19 coverage and that was enough. We then signed a document stating we were aware we would be flying into a quarantine situation.

Arrival in Cambodia. I believe we were the last flight in for the night (we were delayed out of S Korea). The entire plane seemed to wait before being allowed to go down to arrivals when we de-boarded. So I assume they were finishing up another flight. We sat near the back of the airplane and as a result were near the back of the line. Naturally the escalator wasn't working so lugged everything down the steps and waited for an initial check of our white health document that we filled out on the plane. My wife and kids were quickly sent off to immigration and I was directed to the foreigner line for document checks.

The initial check was cursory. I had a young guy that was obviously tired. I showed him the COVID 19 test. Then I showed him the page with COVID 19 insurance. He gave me a yellow "ticket" to go to the next area. There I was directed to the payment stations. I didn't realize that they were set up by bank and the bank you pay is the one you have to go to to get your money back. Half-way through paying at the desk I was directed to I realized this - apologized - and went to Acleda as that is where we have an account. They gave me a blue receipt and stapled a few things to it. I only had to pay $2000. So that was a pleasant surprise.

Then I was directed to go to another station where my COVID-19 test and insurance were again reviewed. This review was not cursory. I got a bit unlucky and got the woman that believed she was protecting Cambodia from evil invaders carrying disease. She questioned my COVID test. Where was the government stamp? I explained that each lab in the US is independent and that they lab I went to was properly certified and their certification was included. She seemed to accept that. Then she asked for insurance. I showed her the same page I showed the previous guy and she at first said ok. Then as I went to leave demanded to see insurance again. So I gave her all the papers I had (including many non-insurance papers underneath the insurance policy - which was about 20 pages in total). She looked at the summary of benefits and asked a question that didn't really register with me - I simply said all the details were in the policy but that I believed everything was ok and again turned to the page that highlighted COVID 19 coverage. After about 2-3 minutes of her looking at a page or two of the policy it was ok to go on. There were actually a few people at this station that were directed off elsewhere as they didn't accept their insurance. But I saw at least one of those people later and they indicated they were taken elsewhere and purchased insurance.

Then through immigration - they actually reviewed the insurance again - by this time my wife and kids were nearby with the bags and the guy pretty much just smiled and gave me the insurance policy back and told me he was keeping the passport and COVID 19 test.

Then it was off to the testing area. Last night it was not well organized. You needed the yellow ticket, your boarding pass, and the white health insurance card. We got split up for whatever reason and put at separate stations for testing (seems to be about 7-8 different stations). Then at the station that I and one of our kids was at, they decided my kid needed to be at a different station - that is when I spoke up and said I'd be going with him wherever he went - after a lot of being sent back and forth and standing and waiting we got tested. For the most part things were done well - I got the one tester that decided she needed to place the swab as far into my nostril as possible - but my kids had very good tests so I'll take it.

AFter that it all fell apart. There was no information on what was happening. Just a small mob of people wondering what was going on. After asking several people my wife was asked to fill out an information sheet with contact details so she and our kids could get back their passports later. When asked about my information we were told no need. We couldn't get any type of straight answer as to where we were being sent off to. There was a bus going to the "center at the school". But it was full. Then another bus came about 30-40 minutes later. We were told going to "guest house". Ok, which one. No answer and no one is to board. A second bus shows up. Everyone is told to begin to board. We get on the first bus and they only put about 9 people on the bus - its a big bus. The two bus drivers are outside arguing about # of people on each bus. Again we ask where we are going - and again no straight answer.

The bus drives away from the terminal and parks just before leaving the airport. After sitting for about 10 minutes my wife asks what the deal is - the driver just smiled and said he had to wait. Finally, we drive into the city and after a while pull in from of a hotel. Its not a guesthouse. Driver leaves bus and goes in and comes back out and says wait - no rooms available - get back on bus. My wife laughs and told me that in three minutes there will be a room. Sure enough everyone on the bus again and hotel manager is coming out to speak with driver - they go off and imagine that..... rooms are available!

But there is a catch. Since it was obvious to both my wife and I that money was changing hands we asked about the cost. I had a copy of the official rates. Forget that. They had their own rates. It was now about 2:30am. We (along with two other Khmer women that also knew the fix was in) refused to check in. Night manager calls his buddy bus driver to come back to get us - I don't think he was coming. Finally the hotel general manager shows up. After a lot of active discussion between the manager, my wife, and these two women an agreement was reached for the night. Hopefully, everyone tests negative and we get to head home. The general manager said we'd go elsewhere if having to quarantine for 14 days. I'm not sure about that but we'll hopefully not find out.

I did read this morning briefly that there are some new rules that have been released. I suspect that whatever the rate that is being charged by the two hotels mentioned in the new decree is that room rate they were trying to charge us (per person). But I'd have to read it in detail to really know.

Aside from the concerns regarding insurance and the end of the evening the rest of it was ok. A bit chaotic but ok. If they have a new local insurance policy set up I'd say that would eliminate a lot of the "unknown" from the whole process as for us that was the big question that didn't really have an answer.

I arrived just over two weeks ago and had a similar experience to yours overall. However, my one month insurance policy did not have Covid 19 coverage, but it wasn't a problem. In addition, I was charged $20 for two meals (lunch and dinner) at the hotel that I did not know about. The desk clerk told me upon check-in that the TOTAL cost would be $35 per day (breakfast included). I wasn't told beforehand that lunch and dinner would be charged to my room (or I would have gone to the restaurant and eaten them).

Great report.

My God, thanks for sharing. Funny how corruption truly permeates society here. Helps explain the lack of organizational skills.

A big thank you to TWY and the others on the forum who have posted their personal experiences. It gives us a little window into how it is on the ground. Some useful information, and probably reassurance, for those who are preparing to come back.
Good on you guys for taking the time to share that.

Another big Thank You for taking the time.

I have some questions which might help others as well.

Can you order food from outside? The stuff I have seen on the forum about the boxed hotel food is awful. If you eat the hotel food and are bored, please post some photos.

I did not fully understand the post. Is this simply a place where you will wait for the test results? Or is it also the hotel where you will stay if someone tests positive on your flight (hopefully not you and your family).

Since this is not a hotel listed in the official document published on 4 August. Could you please tell us how much you pay person per night and perhaps also the meal charges?

You wrote that there were many people without Covid-19 tests on the flight. These were Cambodians I take it. Correct? This would mean that people have switched from Malaysian Airlines (which is banned at this time) to the Korean flights.

Again thanks and really appreciated!

Pizzalover wrote: ↑Thu Aug 06, 2020 2:14 pmCan you order food from outside?

According to some recent news reports, food isn't the only thing you can order from outside.

TWY - your info is gold. Especially the fact that Cambodians have now switched to the Seoul flights is critical info. Big red flag.

Another detail: Does the room have a fridge? Thinking of bringing over some milk etc when I will try to get into town.

Could it be that you ended up in such a situation, speak not at the official hotel, because you came in with the last flight and that was delayed? Perhaps staff had gone home and the bus drivers played boss.

I checked the flights for Korean air. The airline covers Kuwait, Dubai, Riyad. I did not check further on as those covid-19 hot spots are alone enough.

Good luck to you! Let's hope you can get out of there rather sooner than later.

I think the time of the evening and that we were the last flight had everything to do with the situation. I was under the impression that the entire flight went to the same guest house but that obviously wasn't the case. To make matters worse we were around hotel guests during the whole checking in/not checking in/checking in episode. Which kind of defeats the purpose but it is what it is.

The room does have a small fridge for minibar. The staff that has come to the room has been pleasant and my wife got the room service guy to get us a glass of milk yesterday and a bowl as I had brought cereal for the kids. So that worked out ok. Outside of the night manager, we haven't had any issues with the hotel employees and most have been quite pleasant and very cooperative.

There were several other "interesting" things that we observed, including a couple small groups being wisked away. They obviously weren't heading to any quarantine hotel. There was even a family that was met in the hallway we walked down after deplaning (the one with the full length windows on the right that shows you the tarmac and full length glass on the left that shows a departure gate with folks waiting for flights). They were taken right through - what was a bit strange was the guy taking them through appeared to simply be a driver - no security or airport personnel was present. And at the hotel we are at - a bunch of SUV's dropped off several guests that were obviously coming from the airport - they certainly aren't quarantining.

Been told three separate times our passports would soon show up but never did last night, at first we were told everyone negative - then told only 50% of the tests done so had to wait, later that passports in the morning but no news on tests. So hopefully this morning we'll be heading out of here.