The Mekong Express Bus is Best

by Sunil Barua
(Thailand)

I prefer the Mekong bus.

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Comment by Travel-Budget-Asia.com

I agree. Many people like the idea of getting the boat from the Port town of Chau Doc, Vietnam. They don't realize that you have to overnight in Chau Doc to get the boat in the morning.

The bus leaves from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) in the morning and gets to Chau Doc in the early afternoon. By then the boat is gone.

Because they miss the boat, people overnight in Chau Doc (Which sucks) and then get the boat into Cambodia the next morning.

The boat is cool but a great deal of hassle. And harassment as the bus stops 3 times at different restaurants along the way to Chau Doc. And you have no choice but to get some food at least once, even though the food is crap and over-priced.

So, the bus is the best. And I always get the expensive bus. What a difference! The cheap bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh, Cambodia is about $7USD and the expensive bus is about $17USD.

With the cheap bus you are dropped off at the border. You then have to walk across to the other side on your own, wait in a heck of a long line, and then find another, different bus on the other side.

The Expensive bus drives you right through the border. You only get out to stretch your legs as the bus driver gets all your passports done for you. And done fast.

Then you get on the same bus and off you go. It saves nearly 3 hours in total travel time and you avoid A LOT of hassle.

Yeah, get the expensive version of the Mekong Express. Save the boat ride for when you go from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap to see the great temples at Angkor Wat.

Phil