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Cambodia Travel Information and Descriptive Video.You'll find all the info you need about Cambodia travel right here as well as links to anything useful before you go.
Most people think of Angkor Wat when they think of any Travel to Cambodia. It is a justified conclusion. But there is so much more. Angkor Wat is the most visited place by people who travel Cambodia and really the only thing that distinguishes it in the eyes of most potential tourists. People living in other countries still hesitate when it comes to doing any Cambodia travel. But they are willing to make the trip to Thailand (Where bombs are exploding in the streets!) Instead of doing any Cambodia travel, they often make the trip to Chiang Mai in the North of Thailand instead. Chiang Mai is a wonderful place but the journey takes you so far North that unless you Fly It’s a time consuming endeavor that leaves you little chance to do anything else. The alternative to a trip to Chiang Mai is some Cambodia travel. If you have decided on a trip to Cambodia then there’s lots of worthwhile Cambodia travel information here. And if it’s not here, I’ll link you to it. But the rule of travel forbids you from ever taking other people’s advice over your own inclinations. I’ll try not to give my opinions and stick to the facts. Please ignore any opinions I might have about Cambodia travel. After all, I hated that crap movie "Titanic" when most people just loved it.
Below is a list of the most common destinations when doing any Cambodia travel and even a few un-trekked gems. Bangkok, Thailand is the hub of this part of the world so I’ll assume you’re already there or planning to fly there first. There is no other place in Asia to find the cheapest airfares anywhere in the world. Check out www.12flight.com as an example. I have used them many times and recommend them. But ALL of their flights originate in Bangkok. When you’re ready to travel Cambodia, you should get over to the Aranyaprathet(Thailand)/ Poipet(Cambodia) border crossing. It’s the only place to begin your Cambodia travel and is closest to Angkor Wat. The first time I saw that border crossing it scared the crap out if me!
The level of poverty you’ll see at the border is overwhelming, even for the most hardened travelers. You might even be tempted to turn back when you see Cambodia from the Thai side of the border. Don’t do it! If you continue on and have the right information on Cambodia travel, it will be one of the most rewarding experiences you’ll ever have. I still smile when I think back to the first time I saw the border crossing at Aranyaprathet, Thailand. The only thing that kept me going towards my Cambodia travel destination was my passionate desire to see the Temples at Angkor Wat. How to Get There from Bangkok: I got the train so I’ll give you all the details on how to do that and every other option there is. I have made the trip to Aranyaprathet more than 10 times. Each time was to do a visa run to extend my stay in Thailand. I tried every mode of transportation available and by far my favorite is the train. The train departs Hualamphong train station in Bangkok daily at 5.55am. Tickets cost 48 baht (1.4USD) and can be purchased at any of the numerous ticket windows inside the station. During high season (November to Mid-March), go to the train station a few days early and buy your ticket in advance. So many times the trains are fully booked some 2 days before departure. Yes, I have arrived at the train station at the last minute before and it never works out because the train is always sold out in the high season. Hualumphong Train Station is very near Siam Square and MBK shopping center. It is no more than 15 minutes in a cab from Khoa San Road, depending on traffic. There will be very little traffic at 5:25am! The train arrives at the border town of Aranyaprathet at 11:20am. The entire journey to the Cambodian border is 300km and takes about 5.5 hours by train. There is also a second train that departs Hualamphong train station at 13.05pm daily, arriving Aranyaprathet at 18.05pm. All arrival and departure times are quoted by the Thailand Rail Authority. So don’t set your watch to it and expect delays but these times are as close to exact as you’re going to get. You should try to get the morning train because you’ll have to spend the night in Aranyaprathet if you get the afternoon train. There are no other buses and few willing to make the trip to Siem Reap at night. You should not try to make this trip at night unless you own a magic buffalo that can fly you out of danger. The Train is also the cheapest way to get to the border at 48 Baht (1.3 dollars US). But it takes a little longer than the bus and that 5:55am departure time hurts. But the pain is not too bad because it is so early in the morning that you’ll be too oblivious to feel anything. And you can sleep on the train in the rearmost car. The long wooden bench seats are hard but you can stretch out on them fully. The train ride is a great opportunity to see Thailand in a way you can't from the wide expressways you’ll be stuck on in the crowded bus. On the train all the windows are open so you can experience the beautiful Thai country-side more intimately whereas the air-conditioners in the bus demand that the grimy windows be sealed shut. You’ll also lose most of the Cambodia travel guide-book toting backpackers by taking the train. Not that they aren’t great people. I would just rather not line up behind them for everything. If you decide to take the bus then the best one is the Government bus. It departs Mor Chit Bus Station (Bangkok's Northern Bus Terminal) on the hour, every hour and everyday from 4am in the morning to 6pm at night. It takes only 4-5 hours to get to Aranyaprathet versus 5.5 hours on the train. You’ll find Mor Chit bus station at Thanon Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, near Chatuchak Weekend Market in the far North of the city.) A 1st class bus ticket to Aranyaprathet costs 164 - 196Baht and the 2nd class bus ticket costs 140 - 155Baht. Be aware that first class and second class are 2 entirely different buses. The 1st class bus is direct to Siem Reap at 4 hours total travel time but the 2nd class bus stops at every farm along the way. If you’ve got all the time in the world (1 or 2 hours extra) you can enhance your Cambodia travel adventure by taking the second class bus. You’ll meet a lot of interesting characters in the different villages along the way. I took the 2nd class bus once. The children from the villages who came to see me were so happy until they saw my shiny watch and digital camera. It was hard for them to go back to playing in the dirt after that. I felt some regret for that because they had been so nice to me. I still think about it today and wish there was something I could do like buy them better books for school or at least have a school for them to go to. That’s the thing about Cambodia. Like no other country do people redefine their holiday plans to do some charity work here. There are a multitude of agencies in Cambodia who would gladly accept any help you could give.   Try to avoid buying your Cambodia Travel package trip from a travel agent on Khoa San road if you can avoid it. Private tourist buses that travel to Cambodia are available and leave directly from Khao San road. But they are more expensive and less comfortable than the government services. And in my opinion less safe. They’ll charge anywhere from 700 to 900 Baht to get you to Siem Reap. The buses are older and not well maintained because the owners and the drivers don’t have any governing standards to live up to. There is little incentive to spend any money on maintenance or quality, de-alcoholized drivers. Some people have complained that the Private Khoa San road buses often go through the adjacent border crossing at Chong Jom / O’smach in all hope of stalling you long enough so that you arrive in Siem Reap at night. Tourists are less likely to hunt for decent accommodation in the dark and they know that. It’s easier for them to herd you into the guest-houses that they have an ‘arrangement’ with. If you don’t like your room just check out any of these links to budget places or just take a short walk. It won’t be far to the next grouping of guest-houses and you can find some cheap jewels to stay in for under $8USD a night. If you do decide to purchase the package trip from a travel agent on Khoa San road then at least double check that you’ll be on a bus for the second leg of your trip from the border to Siem Reap. Sometimes they stick you in the back of a pickup truck once you get to the Cambodian side. It’s too late for a refund then and it’s not a pleasant ride over the rough roads. So, how do we get into Cambodia to begin our Cambodia travel? Well, you need a visa. You can get it online direct from the Cambodian Government by clicking on the image below:  You CAN also purchase your Cambodia travel visa at any Border crossing or contact any Cambodian Embassy in your home Country before you come. Check with your local embassy as to their requirements for Cambodia travel visa applications. They do vary from country to country. As far as the border crossings go, take a few passport-sized photographs and 20USD for the Tourist visa. But if you plan to stay for over 2 months then you will have to request the Cambodia travel Business visa. It’ll set you back 25USD but you are able to renew a Business Visa multiple times whereas a tourist Visa is renewable but once. Remember, The Border Police will not offer the Business visa to you. You must request one! The Cambodian Government also demands that travelers carry a W.H.O. (World Heath Organization) Certificate of Vaccination before permitting you to do any Cambodia travel. They know you won’t have it so you are required to pay $1USD if you can’t produce it. I make the trip so often that I bought a forgery for 70Baht on Khoa San Road in Bangkok. The border police look shocked every time I produce it. Here is a Map Showing all the Border Crossings into Cambodia:
Cambodia Travel Visas are Available from 7am-8pm at the following Border Crossings.
O.k. So now you’ve gotten across the border. You’ll have to find transportation to Siem Reap unless you’ve already purchased a package trip from Khoa San road. In that case, you should have been given directions to your connecting bus. You’ll know soon if you got your money's worth. Just follow the crowd and you won’t get lost. If you are trekking without the tour package then you also have to find transportation on your own. There are 5 options.
There is never any shortage of Private Taxis and the drivers will approach you. This is the fastest (3-4 hours) and most trouble-free way to go. But it is also the most expensive.
You might have to wait awhile for the seats to fill and it is a little cramped and some people don’t shower as much as you’d like. You get what you pay for.
The shuttle will take you to the bus station where you can purchase a ticket to Siem Reap for $10USD. But again the bus will not leave the station until it is full or nearly full. It could be a long wait.
These are the same buses that the people who bought their package tours on Khoa San road connect with. They are rarely full and you can get on them for under $10. But this was the slowest mode of travel. The bus stops every 2 hours for ‘lunch’ as they have many contractual stops to honor with shop owners along the way.
I went this way once and sat in the back with my knapsack under my butt for a pillow. The road was dirt in most areas and the ride rough because of the deep pot-holes. Being in the back of a truck you get an intimate interaction with everything around you. But after the 2nd hour every bump in the road is like landing on a bicycle with no seat from 2 stories up. I think it damaged me for weeks afterwards. Once I got into Siem Reap, I headed to the Phuket Hostel in the alley behind Pub Street in the old market area. It’s in a very convenient area and room rates range from $3USD-15USD. It’s one of the best values around. Phone them @012-630377. Sorry, I didn’t get an Email. I slept like a horse and was up early morning for my trip to Angkor Wat. If you want a glimpse of what I saw the last time I was at Angkor Wat then check out the video on the Angkor Wat Page. Once I had finished touring the temples, I continued my Cambodia travel down to Phnom Penh. Yes, to the Capital city of Cambodia. There are a few ways of getting to Phnom Penh and each has its own benefits and drawbacks. There is the fast boat, the slow boat, the bus and the good old airplane.
It does deliver nicely on its promise. Sitting on the deck watching the villages go by while drinking a cold beer is a nice way to do any Cambodia travel. Prices vary so check out their web page.
The trip is usually between 5-6 hours and the first bus departs at 6.30am and the last one at 1pm. Just ask the people at the Guest house where you are staying. They just have to make a phone call and the bus will pick you up outside your guest-house. It’s $3.50USD for a one-way ticket. They’ll drop you at the Central Market in Phnom Penh (Close to everything). Once in Phnom Penh people usually stay a few days and then either decide to head over to Vietnam. Some continue down to Sihanoukville and then back to Thailand through Koh Kong and forget about Vietnam. But if you are heading to Vietnam here's a video of how I did it by bus. In the Video I kept saying that the price was $33USD but it was actually $23USD. Whatever you decide to do will depend on how much time you have and how much you really want to see. Some people just want to find a great place to relax and just slow down and unwind. If you want to do that at any point in your Cambodia travel then consider, Knai Bang Chatt, an 11-room property that resurrects some of the French oceanfront elegance of past. Anyway, it’s near the resort community of Kep about a 3 hour coastal drive from Phnom Penh. See their website and tell them I sent ya. You may get a free bar of soap! I put up a video here if you want to get a look at the Riverside in Phnom Penh with your own eyes. It’s Lin and I on the balcony of our hotel. Make sure to check under the video for fast answers to some questions I hear a lot about Cambodia travel.  Below is a video of Lin and I attending a theatrical recreation of the first discovery of Angkor Wat by foreigners. Q: My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Thailand in April. We thought it might be a good idea to do some Cambodia travel and check out Angkor Wat. However, we've heard that Cambodia unlike most parts of Thailand is a big malaria risk. A: I have been in Cambodia more than a year and Vietnam more than 2 years and Thailand 3 years. I have had every section of my body bitten and have never gotten Malaria. Cambodia travel is no more risk Malaria-wise than Thailand. Buy lots of Repellent and cover your body as much as you can. I tried those malaria pills during a Cambodia travel jaunt and I felt like I was losing my mind. Harsh Side-Effects. Q: I really really really want to do volunteer work in Cambodia with children for a month in Christmas. However I cannot afford it as it is £1500. Does anyone know any charities that are free? A: Contact local NGOs in your country first but the walls of the guest-houses here are just full of calls for help in both the capital city and surrounding provinces. You can give a hand just building houses or teaching kids in any of the public schools. I’ll get some contact numbers up soon. But if you come here I think the average price you pay is $5USD a day to get food and accommodation to help some of the rural kids with all kinds of pains associated with poverty. Q: Women who travel Cambodia. Is it safe? A: Yes and No. Doing any Cambodia travel during the day is safer than most other places in the world, but at night it's a different story. When you travel Cambodia you need to be more cautious. But that could be said anytime you're out of familiar surroundings. Book your hotels in advance and stick to an itinerary. Check out Hostels in Cambodia Below. Stick to main roads at night and avoid any dimly lit streets (Which is most of Phnom Penh). No, I wouldn’t want my daughter walking about at night. If I had a daughter! Enough!
Leave Cambodia Travel Page for our Vietnam Travel Page!
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