Cambodia overland. Travel tips.

[robaus]

Did a visa run to Cambodia recently, and took along an English mate who wanted to see the sights. I would normally have flown, but he preferred overland to see the countryside.

 

Bus Pattaya to Trat 165 baht 4.5 hours. (6 am from top of Pattaya Klang/Sukhumvit… bus came early 5:50am)

Minibus to Hat Lek border from same bus stn 120 baht

I had an e Visa US$25. My mate didn’t, and had to pay 1200 baht. I told him to haggle but he couldn’t be arsed and paid up.

They’re still running the 20 baht scam to fill out a health form for you.

Motorbike 80 baht into Koh Kong plus 11 baht for toll bridge. Have your accommodation and money exchange arrangements worked out… the motodops are on a commission.

 

I can highly recommend the Dug Out Bar (aka Mr Moto’s) swimming pool, good food, very clean rooms, HW, ac, 400-500 baht, p4p friendly

Very amenable new owner Kiwi John.. extremely helpful. The previous but one owner Kiwi Douglas died in NZ . I’m surprised he lasted so long without assassination in Cambodia. He upset a lot of people. Get the full story at Fishermen’s Den in Snookyville.

 

Bus to PP $6-$9… frequent services.(5 hours, new road, bridges completed)

 

Thai tourist visa $35 takes 3 business days (4 if you include your application day too).

 

Ice cold Anchor Sundowners on rooftop Foreign Correspondents Club highly rec $1 in happy hour 5-7pm

 

Bus to Snookyville $4-$6.

 

I stayed Downturn Gday Mate Bar p4p friendly $10-$15, but for same price try the super clean, quiet and efficient “Small Hotelâ€Â… not sure if p4p friendly though.

 

Fishermen’s Den still good for a friendly chat and ice cold beer with Kiwi Brian. He’s had to move premises because of greedy landlord, who shot himself in the foot by raising rent too high, because he now wants Brian back having lost so much trade. I can highly rec the Sunday Roast. He does good fishing trips too.

 

Angkor Wat still $20 entrance. Agree on itinerary with tuk tuk from your GH. Tuk tuk drivers who grab you at bus stations may promise the earth, but not deliver.

 

Many Pub Street bars with cold Anchor for 50 cents in Happy Hour.

 

I rec taxi to Thai border 7am $25 whole taxi. $7 per seat shared. (2 hours, new road completed)

80 baht tuk tuk to Aranyaprathet bus station.

207 baht 4 hour bus to Mochit.

 

I was back in my Pattaya condo by 5:00 pm.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[WorldFun]

nice government earner - visa+angkor ~50$

good to see the 'stolen camry taxi mob' still gets ~25$ a trip although they can now do it in less than half the time & in great comfort

thanks for reporting

[robaus]

If you’re going to do a circular overland trip through Cambodia, I rec anticlockwise… enter via Koh Kong, exit via Poipet.

The clockwise way around, the taxi mafia have got you by the balls at Poipet because they know you want to get to Siem Reap. Whereas Koh Kong is only 10 kms from border with many motodop options.

 

To be fair to the $25 taxi mob from SR to Poipet., my mate and I each bought $7 shared seats (max 4 in taxi) – agency a couple of doors from Molly Malone’s, but no other passengers joined us. I was expecting hassles at Poipet to make up shortfall, but no problems.. total cost = $14. No doubt driver hoped to make up loss by ripping off passengers going other way, desperate to get to SR.

 

There is a bus leaving SR at 8 am supposed to reach border by 11:30 am $3. But too late for me anyway, and could be the infamous scam bus (Google), frequently stopping for meals and pretend break downs, so that bewildered gullible backpacker passengers get to Khao San Road after nightfall, and are delivered to bus company’s commission paying hotels.

 

 

[Guest lazyphil]

my 7 day whistle stop tour of cambodia;-bkk-aran-pickup to siam reap-3 nights at angkor-boat on the river to pp-4 nights there (got visa!)-then a non stop trip to patong that took 36 hours almost to the minute, i cant remember exactly the order of vehicles but involved buses, boats, motorbikes, feet!!.....took pictures only at angkor which i regret sp much...

[SpiceMan]

Robaus, Did you go from Sihanoukville to Angkor? How did you travel and how much did it cost?

[rookie]

The Dugout, in KKong, has always had good food & prices and the rooms are okay. Douglas sold the bar to Grant (a Brit, I recall), in 2007 (?), and earlier this year Grant sold it to John, the current owner.

 

Douglas died in Trat...remains sent to NZ:

After Douglas sold the Dugout to Grant, he tried opening a beer bar in Snooky. It wasn't successful. Douglas, who was seriously overweight, had pissed away his money on gals, booze and finally the Snooky bar. He initially was taken to a Cambo hospital, but no funds means no treatment. He was evacuated to a hospital in Trat, where he died. I too am surprised 'he lasted so long without assassination in Cambodia. He upset a lot of people!!'

 

Kiwi Brian, of the Fisherman's Den, likes nothing more than to hear himself talk. His fishing trips are recommended. Brian is concerned that the Den may not survive the current low season, as his funds are running low. The latter is due to his poor management skills and the fact that his partner has finally written him off and no longer will subsidize the Den and Brian's foolish mistakes. I've many stories about Brian!

 

Gday Mate Bar, on Ekkareach, has good breakfasts and a nice staff, but the rooms are so-so. The Small Hotel has very clean rooms ($13-18+), a well trained staff and excellent, though slightly expensive food. The owner Henrik, a Swede, is a great guy and also is active in the community, helping support the local Khmer school.

For a cheaper room, consider the the Boston Inn, located on the street by CalTex and near the (old and new) Fisherman's Den. Owned by a Khmer who was a contractor in Boston (USA), and adores the Patriots football so much their logo is part of his signage. When I completed an off-road bike ride from Battambang-Kkong, last March, the room I had at the Boston was $10 (they do have more expensive rooms), but the room had AC, HW, TV (with free pay-for-view channels). So I got to enjoy the Pacquiao fight and F-1 race live while bed-ridden with Dengue fever, which I'd contracted from the mosquitos which were in my room at the Asian hotel, in KKong. ;-)

[robaus]

Thanks Rookie for filling in those background details I wasn't aware of, and the additional accommodation and travel info.

 

Spiceman,

 

Due to time constraints we had to travel from Snooky to SR in one day.. $15 with Paramount bus co. We didn't know it involved a change of bus in PP when we booked.

 

The bus from Snooky to PP was excellent.

But in PP we didn't realise we had to get a new seat number issued. After waiting around 20 minutes before we found out, we were lucky to get the last seats on the bus to SR. This Paramount bus was not so good... air con failed... a very sticky journey.

 

It's advisable to arrange with your GH for pickup in SR.. bedlam at bus depot with tuk tuk drivers competing for your business.

 

LP,

I've done those boat journeys too on previous trips. PP to SR and Battambang to SR. Very colourful as you say, if you have the time. If anyone fancies it, take plenty of sunscreen.

 

[jon46]

with Air Asia flying to PP at a reasonable costs, does it make sense to take the overland route?

 

fyi..I did the overland route back in 2002 when there were no bridges!

[robaus]

I agree with you - with Air Asia's cheap tickets it is far more convenient to fly.

 

As I said in my OP "Did a visa run to Cambodia recently, and took along an English mate who wanted to see the sights. I would normally have flown, but he preferred overland to see the countryside."

 

One unforeseen advantage of bus over flight is flexibility. I needed to have some emergency repairs done in my condo on the day we were due to leave. With a flight I would have lost the ticket, but with the bus we just left next day instead. Delayed a journey once before too because of a nasty hangover. Nothing pre-booked, so I went when I pleased.

 

I sort of like Koh Khong the wild west border town too. If I have to do a regular hop in hop out 90 day leave the country run, I like to have a few days R&R in KK for a rest before return journey to Pattaya.

 

I've done the journey before the bridges too. With the previous 4 ferries across the rivers I think one got closer to the beautiful scenery in the Cardamon Mountains then than the faster journey now. Such is progress.