Pattaya to Sihanoukville

[Sukhumvit]

Right then, I'm planning on overlanding into Cambodia in next few days. A local visa run type travel agent quoted me 3800 to SHK plus 500 baht for boat plus Visa fee! Gulp.

 

I'm not bothered about sitting in a 6 seat air con minibus with long stayers going on visa runs, including complimentary breakfast etc. All I wanna do is just get the normal bus to the border, Trat or thereabouts and make my own way, preferably overland by bus to SHK. Don't fancy a boat trip for 5 hours.

 

So gentlemen, what to do?

Head up to Super C on the Sukhumwit Highway and flag down a bus heading east and hope for the best? Or is there anything crucial to know? I know the Cambo visa's 1100 or 1200 baht depending on whether you have your own photos. I also know it's possible to get a business visa at the border without having too much hassle. Plus a bus journey from border to SHK is about 500-600 baht, allegedly.

 

Where's the best place in PTTY to stick my thumb out? :question:

[exit2dos]

It's simple. Go to Sukhumvit. Take the bus to Rayong. Transfer to another bus from there to Chantaburi. Transfer to another bus, at Chantaburi to Trat.

 

The first two buses don't have toilets, so don't drink too much before leaving. You can piss in Rayong, though, between connections. The aforementioned buses run frequently, so you'll never get stuck.

 

From Chantaburi there are 3 bus operations, a funky old local, a 2nd class one and a 1st class one.

 

I usually stay overnight, in Trat, which is a pleasent town, with a nice night food market. The Trat Hotel is across the street from the Air Con bus station. 170 Bt for fan room, 550 for air con. Nice clean airy hotel. The food market is across the street, as well.

 

If you leave early enough you won't have to stay over in Trat. Up to you.

 

Next there is a van to Hat Lek. 1 hour. 100 Bt.

 

Cross the border to Koh Kong, which is a place I like a lot. From there the options are a boat or van to Shianoukville. I think the boat is $20. 4 or 5 hours. The boat leaves at 8 ayem. Vans thru the day.

 

For me an arranged tour group van ride is not an option. I find that kind of thing uncomfortable and extremely boring. I hate being squeezed into a stinky van, especially with a bunch of jerks yakking about where they are from, what they do, how they screw, etc. I prefer the comfort of big coaches and the freedom of moving about solo. I'm not looking to save money, but the public bus is probably cheaper.

[Hugh_Hoy]

For years, the visa fee has been 20 USD OR 1000 baht (if u have a photo). Unfortunately, the fucking corrupt Cambo Immigration bandits will insist that you pay 1000 baht. And the bandits that staff the crossing where u plan to enter Cambo are also known to try to insist that u purhcase some kind of "health card" or some such. Since 1000 baht is over 30 USD, you can figure out how much these assholes are putting in their pockets. E-Visas for Cambo are now available on line. Unfortunately, there are not a lot of crossing points into/out of Cambo where u can use them--including where u will cross. (I'd take the trouble of getting my visa in BKK at the Cambo embassy rather than let the Immigration bungholes shake me down.)

 

HH

[Sukhumvit]

Exit & Hugh,

 

cheers guys. That's the sort of useful stuff I'm in need of. :thumbup:

 

From making further queries, was told that there is a direct BKK to Trat bus that stops on the Suk Highway, near Pattayaklang twice a day. It avoids having to make two bus changes. It's apparently there at 6am and 11am. No way I'd make the six. Quite like the sound of Trat and could be worth a stopover tomorrow night.

[robaus]

Done the trip several timesâ?¦ last time a few weeks ago.

Be at the bus stand on far side of Sukhumvit Rd a few metres just south of the junction Sukhumvit and Central Rd (Pattaya Klang) by 6 am. The people there are very helpful and will alert you to the direct Trat bus that normally arrives about 6:10 am. You may have to stand for first 15 minutes until students alight further down the road. Bus fare 165 baht to Trat. Journey time about 4-5 hours. New Trat bus station is 3 km outside of town. If I were you Iâ??d transfer to a minibus there and then at the same station - you could be having a nice cold beer in Koh Kong, Cambodia by lunchtime, rather than trying to rush to get to Koh Kong and make connections next day.

Minibus 110 baht to Hat Lek border (approx 1 hr).

Visa â?¦ yes scam fee of 1100 baht if you have photo. You can try a US$20 bill, and slip another $1 across the desk â??for stickerâ? when no-one else is in office if you like. Iâ??m a soft touch - never had any luck.

 

Watch your luggage while you are busy filling out forms. The touts/helpers/drivers are very friendly and full of conversation, but sometimes cameras, money belts removed in the sweaty heat for passport control etc left casually on top of or just inside your bag may go missing at this point.

 

OK, so youâ??re through immigration successfully. By now you have a motorbike/car taxi driver shadowing you offering to take you into town. No worries. The fare is 50-60 baht plus 11 baht for the bridge toll. Agree to that. Donâ??t fall for the â??Up to youâ? routine which may result in an argument when your â??Up to youâ? doesnâ??t equate to his idea of â??Up to youâ? once you reach your destination. Fix the price!

And donâ??t fall for the â??freeâ? ride into town scam. Remember â??There is no such thing as a free lunchâ? . He will try to recoup his small loss in some other way via commissions (GH, money exchange, tickets, pimping, drug dealing, tours). If he suspects that you are as streetwise as he is, he will dump you, handing you over to another driver.

Tell him exactly where you want to go. Make sure you have done your guest house research beforehand.

 

Please note: just about all transactions in Koh Kong are in Thai baht. No need to change money into US$ (the most widely used currency in Cambodia) till you hit Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh. So bring enough Thai baht with you for the first 2 to 3 days in Cambodia. Any surplus is easily changeable or take it back to Thailand if youâ??re returning.

 

Which brings me to

Scam #1. On your way into town, the moto driver will offer to take you to one of the numerous money exchange stalls around the market place. DONâ?ÂT go with him. You will receive a rip off rate while he receives his commission later. If you need to change, go back later by yourself and shop around for the best rate. Ask your GH owner the current rate also.

 

Scam #2. Your moto driver tells you that your destination guest house is closed/full/far away from the town centre/run by bad people/not clean/overpricedâ?¦ [but wait thereâ??s more] infested with snakes/ haunted/burnt down/ has been bombed even!! Surprise surprise, you donâ??t believe him â?? but some suckers actually do at this point, and go with the driver to his commission plus GH! Insist that he takes you to your chosen GH to find out for yourself.

A variation on the scam if you have insisted on a cheap guest house (and that doesnâ??t pay kickbacks), is that the driver will tell you he knows somewhere the same price but better. Lo and behold he seems to be true to his word and does actually take you to a better GH for the same price. You are convinced of his honesty, and so agree to his other offers of help as guide, money changer, drug dealer or pimp. What you donâ??t know is that he has subsidised the 2nd GH out of his own pocket in the hope of gaining far more in scams later. If after checking in you donâ??t agree to use his services any more, the GH price may suddenly change.

 

Scam #3 If you are taking the boat to Sihanoukville, shop around at some of the GHs. They all sell genuine tickets cheaper than the boat ticket office. Beware buying from the moto driver. There have been instances of fake tickets, wrong date tickets, and tickets valid for locals only.

 

Scam #4. Do not buy drugs from moto drivers. There have been cases of drivers informing on you to the police for a reward. A moto driver is here today, gone tomorrow. He has nothing to lose.

 

Scam #5 Watch out for the fake "Official Tourist Guide" ID card... it ain't worth the plastic it's been laminated with!

 

If youâ??re having trouble shaking off the leeches, say you want to be dropped off at a restaurant or bar such as the centrally located Moto Bar where you have arranged to meet friends. Have a drink. Later stroll to your chosen GH alone unaccompanied by parasites, or stay at Moto Bar

You can use the same ploy in Sihanoukville and Phnom Penh.

 

The guys at Moto Bar (reasonable rooms, good food, and a small pool) and Ottoâ??s (close to ferry) will put you right re the KK scene. KK is a seedy dusty border town, but I like seedy, and always stay a few days.

 

If the sea is calm the boat (dep 8am 4hrs) by far the easiest way to get to Sâ??ville. The road route still has 4 rivers that you have to be ferried across â?? quite scenic though. By next year the road and bridges will be completed and it will be the fastest and cheapest way of getting to Sâ??ville.

 

I can highly recommend Fishermanâ??s Den in Downtown area of Sâ??ville run by a very friendly and helpful Kiwi, Brian. Email nzbrian@camintel.com

Just came across Brianâ??s website I think? http://www.asiatradingonline.com/cambodiafishing2.htm

 

 

[exit2dos]

The Raksmey Makara is my favorite. Close to the girls and run by Cambodian military guys. Very secure and nobody dares rip off their guests.

[Sukhumvit]

Cheers Rob & Exit.

 

Rob tons of info there. Will try to recall the scams info.

Nice one.

 

Currently in Trat. Yeah, the new bus station is outta town a little. Got the local lads asking 700 baht for taxi to Hat Lek. They don't half try it on. Cost 20 baht in a shared baht type bus to hotel.

Wish I'd read your post first. Had a few fun and games. In fact when I go back to my gaffe later will try to compose something to post. Let's just say I didn't wait for the 11am bus. I got to the stop on Swit just after 10 and soon a bus turned up heading to Chantaburi. Soon I was besieged by Thais telling me to take this bus as "Trat no hab today" "this bus, yes, yes, yes" etc. I figured, what the hell just go. And anyways, here I am.

The Trat Hotel is 220 baht for fan, 500 ac. The chick said no tv with fan. So I'm not bothered about ac if there's a decent fan and i can live without tv. What she didn't say was that the fan room also didn't have a fridge and sit down kharzi.

Still, should be in Cambo tomorrow.

 

This little internet caff by the way is located in Sawaddee Guest House which is at 90 Lakmuang Road, Trat. Head away from the central night market on the same main road, towards the river and opposite to the way that you've come into town from the new bus station. It's at the traffic lights, turn left about 50 metres down. Rooms are 100 baht single. Doulbe 200. Looks alright. Don't expect there's much in the way of adult nightlife around here so wouldn't think it would even be an issue whether it's guest friendly although I would suspect not. (this Thai gay guy at the next computer has just started picking his nose. Real brain searching stuff. Feel sick).

[Sukhumvit]

Made it to Koh Kong.

Not a lot going on around here.

Truly un ville d'un cheval.

 

Wonder what's for supper?

Already been offered Vietnamese poontang for 300 baht by a group of friendly Khmers down by the water. Declined. Sightseeing first. In fact I'm pretty shagged out after Pattaya and may stay off sanuk for a week or so.

 

[Hugh_Hoy]

I think you'll find that Pattaya and BKK spoils ya. Not nearly the selection and looks. Yeah, a few gems that can be mined, but not worth the effort.

 

HH

[Sukhumvit]

Was a little bit wary of going to a Chicken Farm at first as don't want to condone indentured prostitution or anything illegal. :thumbdown: However I decided to take up the moto guy's offer to take me to one of Koh Kong's to see for myself. If I found anything dodgy I'd have fucked off. However, I was surprised. Pleasantly. Fairly easy to get to. Down the straight road that Rasmey Makara Hotel is on then there's a right fork a little out of town and along the red earth road to a couple of pink neon lights outside wooden shacks in the distance. :alert:

 

Yes, the set up was a little seedy. However some of the women were good looking. They were all Khmer at the spot I was taken to and thankfully all were of legal age. Plus none of them appeared to be there under any duress. I was sure I'd seen at least one or two of them scooting around town during the day on mopeds. So they certainly weren't chained up, confined to barracks. Although I'm sure that places like that still exist. Some were quite flirty and fooled around a little. There was another westerner there who'd completed his transaction. A car load of foreign guys turned up to check it out and moved on to another joint.

 

Couple of the women had really soft feminine figures with hips and real whammers which was a change from the bee-stings that are often found in LOS. Plus some of them had almost western/indian features although none appeared to be mixed race. Two of them chose me for short time and we motoed to Rasmey Makara to hire a room for a couple of hours. The main protagonist of the two was more fun and the other one was more interested in watching tv. Never got the chance to get acquainted with her as we broke the slats in the bed during some rather athletic diversions.

 

As we said our farewells the two birds knobbed off into town for something to eat. I could have gone but was rather tired and drunk so declined. :smirk:

 

And now Sihanoukville. Well, that's another story. Infested with backpacker types trying to give it an Ibiza feel. Apparently there's dancing on the beach tonight. Can't wait. :smirk: This town is pretty rundown and rough round the edges but cool all the same. The beaches are lovely. Clean warm water with soft, clean white sands. Not overdeveloped yet although getting there. Needs a few more mongers to make it a little livelier and to fight off the hordes of crusties. So come on guys, come on over to my place! Who knows, you may even get to dance on the beach.