Post office boxes are inexpensive and exponentially increase the chances that you will actually receive your mail.

Post office boxes are inexpensive and exponentially increase the chances that you will actually receive your mail. Some post offices have multiple box sizes, including boxes large enough for packages. If you get a smaller box, they will usually put a notice in your box stating that you have a package and you can pick it up from behind the counter. Sometimes they won’t bother with the notice, so if you’re expecting a package it’s worth looking at their incoming packages notebook to see if your name is listed. Also, small envelopes get lost far more often than large ones, so if you’re having a friend or family member post you something, consider asking them put it in a padded envelope.

In Phnom Penh, head to the main post office on Street 102 and Street 13, near the Riverside. The cost is 50,000 riel per year ($12.50). Some expats report being asked for a copy of their passport and visa, and others do not. Likewise, some are asked to pay a 2,000-riel “administrative fee” in order to get a post office box. Although all post office boxes must be registered at the main post office, there are actually two post offices with boxes; the other is near  Sovanna Shopping Center. You can request either post office when you register your box (although they often don’t have any available).

In Sihanoukville, the price is considerably higher, at $30 a year. Register at the main post office on Ekareach Street near Victory Hill. Again, be prepared to show your passport and visa, although most people aren’t asked to do so.

In Kampot, the cost is $20 per year. Bring a copy of your visa and passport to the post office on the riverside, about 500 meters from the bridge, and you’ll be assigned a box on the spot.

In Siem Reap the cost is between $15 and $25 per year, but all of the boxes are usually full. It’s worth trying every once in a while, though, because new ones do become available when people leave or let their registration lapse.

This is an excerpt from Move to Cambodia: A guide to living and working in the Kingdom of Wonder. To learn more about 100+ topics that pertain to Cambodia expats, please consider buying the book.