The Best of Cambodia & Laos

spend the night in Poipet, but this is not
recommended because it is utterly charmless.
It takes between 2 and 3 hours to get
to Siem Reap, 4 hours to Battambang, and
9 hours to Phnom Penh.
From Vietnam
Buses connect with neighboring Vietnam
at the Moc Bai border area at the town of
Svay Rieng on the Cambodian side. From
Saigon in Vietnam, contact Saigontourist
(& 08/829-8914) or Sinh Café (& 08/
369-420) for direct connection to Cambodia—Sinh
Café and Capitol Tour (also
called Capitol Guesthouse) are in cahoots
and one carrier takes up your transport at
the border. Going in either direction (to or
from Cambodia), you’ll cross the border
around noon and the $6 bus drops you at
your destination sometime after 3pm. The
overland border procedure into Cambodia
is quick and easy. You just have to fill out
some forms and pay the 2,000 VND tax
(payable in any currency). The Capitol/
Sinh office is just across the border. Going
from Cambodia to Vietnam, ask at any
travel agent, hotel, or the Capitol Guesthouse
(see above) and be sure that you
have a prearranged visa for Vietnam. Visa
is available on arrival at any land crossings
in Cambodia.
BY TRAIN
There are no international train routes
into Cambodia.
BY BOAT
There is a border crossing to Laos on the
Mekong, 90 minutes north of Stung Treng
at Veun Kham/Dom Kralor. The rules
there change often at very short notice and
the border officials there a have a reputation
for being fairly unscrupulous when it
comes to soliciting unofficial contributions.
Although a Cambodian visa is officially
available on arrival, it is advisable to
obtain one beforehand to ensure you won’t
encounter difficulties, given the frequent
changes in the rules.
There are no ferry services from Thailand
to Cambodia. Daily boat connections
run between Chau Doc in Vietnam and
the town of Neak Loeung, some 2 hours
east of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. You
can arrange the trip through any budget
travel agent in Vietnam, and many include
the boat connection to Phnom Penh as
part of a multiday Mekong Delta trip.
Note: Budget tour operators Sinh Café
(& 08/369-420 in Ho Chi Minh City)
and Capitol Tour (No. 14 Rd. 182, Phnom
Penh; & 023/217-627) are now working
together, so when you cross borders, the
other company adopts you. It’s an all-day
journey in a diesel-belching tour boat, but
views of life on the wide, lazy Mekong are
worth it. Note: A visa is available on arrival
when entering Cambodia, but you have to
have a prearranged visa for entry to Vietnam.
If you want to cross from Chau Doc
to Phnom Penh in luxury, contact the Victoria
Chau Doc Hotel (& 076/865-010)
for a pricey private transfer on a speedy
runabout boat.
GETTING AROUND
By Plane
The Thai carrier, Bangkok Airways (www.
bangkokair.com), and its subsidiary, Siem
Reap Airways (www.siemreapairways.
com), are the only domestic operators.
The company has a monopoly on all
flights to Siem Reap from Bangkok and
internally and charges accordingly. The
only domestic route now running is
between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
By Car or Motorcycle
It is possible to hire a car with a driver. The
best way to do this is through your hotel
or a travel agent. It will cost between $20
and $30 a day.
Another way to get around is by motorcycle,
although you should be an experienced
motorcyclist if you choose to do this
and it’s important to drive slowly. Bikes
generally range from step-throughs to
250cc dirt bikes. The most established
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PLANNING YOUR TRIP TO CAMBODIA 3
GETTING THERE & GETTING AROUND