Sending and receiving packages in Cambodia

Hi. I only had a few experiences. I had items shipped from my mail service in the US via UPS to my hotel. The package arrived in very good shape and I had to sign for it. It took about 7 days.

I had package also sent via regular post to same hotel and from the US to Phnom Penh it took 12 days with USPS international priority. The package was beat up looking but it was the same when I had items shipped to Vietnam in the past. The package had been opened and inspected and then resealed and delivered.

It costs more but I recommend for items that may carry value to have them shipped via UPS. I was impressed with the whole process.

Finally not perhaps what you asked but I had a camera repaired by the Fuji reseller that hand carried to Singapore and received it back. He put the item on one of the bus services for shipping. It took 6 hours or so and I was notified by a call my package had arrived. Unfortunately there is more than one bus service with the same name in Siem Reap so my tuk tuk driver took me to first and they said go to other. He called ahead before we went and gave my mobile number and they verified they had the package. So we went and got it. Verified by my cell phone. I would have preferred them send via UPS but it all worked out.

I have lived in Siem Reap, Cambodia a fair amount of time. I have needed to do some essential 'mailing' and I will tell you this: Cambodia is not a part of the real world when it comes to postal service.

I have maintained a Post Office Box here. Friends in Hawaii and California and Chicago have sent me things over the years and nothing, absolutely nothing ever got to my box. Tried tracking from their end and got no results. Period. I have learned that there is a "clearing house" in the Philippines that turns out to be one of the black holes that suck up mail. Honestly though, no one knows. And you can't find out.

DHL is expensive but it works. You need to pick up incoming mail at the DHL office downtown. They will call you when it arrives, but that works for me cause they know be by now (and I tip). Visitors, take note: there are virtually no street addresses posted anywhere and no street names outside of town, at least no signage. DHL is the only reliable service to receive posts. Sending is another story.

I have sent post cards from the desk at the Siem Reap post office. That seems to work. It took almost three weeks to be received in Hawaii! For most visitors, they will arrive home before their post cards.

EMS Express Mail Service available at the Post Office is incredibly expensive, $36 for an envelope to the US! But it works well and relatively fast.

Postal workers at the Siem Reap Post Office are kind friendly and smile alot, however they seem to be very specalized and usually point a finger to fellow workers. Don't expect them to show any rigor.

Advice: stick to email and don't expect too much. Enjoy Life here for what it is.

As @Captnw4 has stated, Cambodia is really not equipped to handle 'mail' or regular post items like the rest of the world.  There are post offices but they mainly handle outbound shipping (which is incredibly expensive and slow) and 'regular' inbound customers (companies who have a 'paid' arrangement with the post office and is a place for individuals or companies that have PO Boxes.  To my knowledge, there are no mailmen (mail persons) other than those working in the Post Offices and those who do the delivery of EMS letters/parcels to your home or office.

I am based in Phnom Penh and my experience with the PO has been okay.  I have had stuff mailed to my company's PO box (from Amazon and Alibaba and friends) and it arrived at the PO Box.  It is extremely important that the address label has your phone number and correct spelling of your name as the PO always asked me for my passport or photo id and would ring my phone to verify it was me.  I tried to get someone else to collect for me and they were refused.

Parcel was opened and inspected and I paid a small handling fee but I think if it was something of substantial value that they would have charged a duty although I have never been asked to pay anything except the handling fee.

I agree with the others about using couriers as the best way to send/receive anything. UPS and DHL are good here and of course there's FedEx too but a bit more expensive. Personally I have found EMS too expensive and not as reliable as the mainstream courier companies. Having phone numbers on the shipping documents is critical otherwise you will need to always be contacting the courier company to see if your  package/parcel has arrived.

Sending stuff in Cambodia is pretty easy.  There are some very reliable Cambodian courier companies and I have had pretty good experience also sending stuff on the bus or in a 'taxi' (local drivers that regularly drive to/from Phnom Penh to cities across Cambodia). Again, phone numbers of the sender and receiver are critical and must be clearly written on the parcel.  Helps as well if address and names are in Khmer and best prices will always be if you ask a Cambodian friend to assist with getting the parcel onto the bus/taxi.  Sometimes you pay 50% for the trip out and the receiver pays the balance or if you think they are trustworthy then you pay the full amount up front. 

For local and cross-Cambodia courier service I highly recommend Joonaak (www.joonaak.com or facebook.com/joonaak2u).  A young entrepreneur by the name of Leakhena Long started this service and it is very good. 

Bus & Taxi are also good for getting goods into Cambodia from Thailand & Vietnam.

I also understand that, because there are a lot more Chinese moving to Cambodia that there are a number of companies that have arrangements for shipping from China into Cambodia (such as stuff from Alibaba, Taobao, etc). But, because they cater to the expatriate Chinese, their staff and websites are all Chinese.

I've had success with parcels sent from the UK to PP and Siem Reap. They've been sent by different carriers in the UK, which ever one happens to be  cheapest at the time, but all delivered to me here by DHL.
     A Cambodian phone number is essential. I happen to have a clearly defined address on a well known Street in SR but a few weeks ago the delivery driver still called me and asked where I lived and asked for directions then and three times more on his way to my flat
     The service has been great, the parcels arrived in around five days, unopened and in perfect condition but the cost is eye-wateringly expensive.

Over the last few years the quality of service in receiving mail has improved in Phnom Penh. A post box is cheap and, as mentioned before, always have your phone number on the address. I receive a call when parcels arrive and they give me the parcel number. I bring in a fair few good quality moto parts so at times have to pay tax and a $2 handling fee. The tax man at the post office shows me how he arrived at the tax amount and gives me the relevant paperwork. Happy with the service.