Visa Run To Koh Kong

[Guderian]

I don't know if this will be of any use to anyone, but I recently made my 90 day visa trip (I'm on a 1 year non-O visa) from Pattaya to the Hat Lek/Cham Yeam border crossing, often referred to simply as Koh Kong.

A year or two ago, there were regular visa run buses from Pattaya to this border crossing, but they seem to have been discontinued now. It's a bloody long way, 4 ½ hours and 330 km in each direction, so to me it has always seemed silly to just do a visa run. I have always stayed at least a few days and sometimes a week or more in the small, sleepy town of Koh Kong itself in Cambodia. Over the years I have made some pleasant acquaintances there, and I genuinely like the town for itself and its people, both the locals and the expats living there. There are some worthwhile things to see in the surrounding countryside, albeit mainly waterfalls, rapids, beaches and jungle.

The border crossing is quiet and remarkably efficient. The one drawback is that it is scam city. They ask for a 1200 Baht visa sticker fee, but if you argue you can get it for 1000 Baht. That's still $30 for something that I believe should cost $20. The taxi mafia to Koh Kong town and the motorbike taxi mafia in the town are another story, and not relevant here.

I find this the most relaxing place to cross into Cambodia, and I've done most of them now. You can look at the sea view while waiting the 5, or at most 10, minutes to be processed.

The same thing going back into Thailand. I didn't see any notices demanding an air ticket out, or 20K Baht in your pocket, or anything else. The unhurried Thai immigration guy worried me a bit when he started pointing to my new entry permit, which runs until 1/1/2008, and my visa expiry, which is on 8/1/2008. But then I realised he was just telling me that I could still do one more visa run and get another 90 days after 1/1/2008. Helpful, or what?

There are cigarettes for sale at Cham Yeam (the Cambodian side of the border), but no booze that I saw. However, spirits are remarkably cheap in Cambodia compared with Thailand. I love Bombay Sapphire, and in Koh Kong I could buy 1 litre for 480 Baht, compared with the cheapest price in Pattaya of 1100 Baht for the same size bottle.

It's a long way from anywhere, but if you want a genuinely relaxing visa run and a chance to see a really great small Cambodian town, then I can recommend this trip. Not cheap maybe, but it has a number of other upsides which are again not relevant here.

I hope that may be of interest to someone, anyway.

[PoorSucker]

I can recommend to go for a trip to Sianoukville from here 3,5-4 hours with boat.

[abdulrahman]

I don't know if this will be of any use to anyone, but I recently made my 90 day visa trip (I'm on a 1 year non-O visa) from Pattaya to the Hat Lek/Cham Yeam border crossing, often referred to simply as Koh Kong.

Thanks for the info,I go every year to Trat province,Koh Chang,other islands,Kao Lan,but never went over the border to Cambogia;will do next time.

Do you know if it's possible to cross with the car?We are always in a big group,it would be convenient.

[Crouton]

When you crossed back into Thailand through immigration how did you get back to Pattaya? I'm guessing you drove your own car to near the Koh Kong border?

If I cross back into Thailand there ( already in Cambodia ) what transportation is available back to Pattaya ( or BKK for that matter)? Any regular bus routes or just a taxi that will charge some crazy rate.

Thanks!

Crouton

[Guderian]

PoorSucker, Abdulrahman, Crouton,

I will try to answer your questions as well as provide some more detailed information on getting to/from Koh Kong.

Up until about a year ago, the transport from Pattaya was easy. Koh Chang travel had a minibus twice a week that charged 800 Baht each way direct from Pattaya to Hat Lek. Unfortunately, it seems that the number of visitors was insufficient to keep this service running, so now they have a minibus from Pattaya to the Koh Chang ferry terminal at Laem Ngop (i.e. Trat) for 800-900 Baht. This bus will drop you off at Trat bus station on its way to Laem Ngop, and you then connect at the bus station with a local minibus service (about every 20-30 minutes) for the last 90 km to Hat Lek, which takes around 1½ hours if the driver doesn't stop at every noodle shop. At Hat Lek you walk across the border and then take a taxi or motorbike taxi the final 15 km into Koh Kong town.

Getting back to Pattaya is as easy in principle but not in practice . The main bus services are signposted in English as well as Thai. You take the minibus service back from the border at Hat Lek to Trat, and there connect with the direct coach to Pattaya (3 times daily at 9:00-12:00-15:00). But the last time I used this service the minibus left Hat Lek spot on time at 10:10, but then stopped about 15 km later at Khlong Yai as he only had two passengers. We were chucked off with our luggage and had to hang around until enough people showed up to fill a bus. This took over an hour, including two more minibuses from Hat Lek which deposited their passengers in the same way. By the time we got to Trat it was well after midday and I would have to wait for the 15:00 bus to Pattaya – in around 2 ½ hours time. I had left Koh Kong before 9:00 AM and was beginning to feel a bit fed up , so when a taxi driver asked me if I wanted him to take me to Pattaya I negotiated a 2000 Baht fare and off we went. I've since been told you can get the trip for 1800 Baht. I have also been told that you don't have to use the direct Pattaya coach, there are regular services that go to Trat-Chantaburi, Chantaburi-Klaeng, Klaeng-Rayong, etc., that connect through to Pattaya. I have not tried that way though. I also discovered that there is still a "direct" minibus service from Koh Kong to Pattaya, but the Pattaya travel agents don't seem to know about it. It departs from the Motobar in the main street of Koh Kong between 12:00 and 13:00 (I'm sure it will also pick you up at your hotel). The Motobar owner, Douglas, can book it for you. I don't have any contact details, I am afraid. Two guys staying at the Motobar used this service, so I saw it with my own eyes, but the driver didn't have a business card.

The boat to Sihanoukville (aka Snooky) leaves Koh Kong every day at 8:00. Tickets are $15 on the boat, or probably $20 if bought in your hotel. Be aware though that the boat is fairly small and often cannot run during the rainy season due to rough sea conditions. It didn't run at all during the four days I stayed in Koh Kong this time. But on the bright side, the new road across the jungle to Srey Ambel is almost complete (but not the four bridges yet). This used to be an epic adventure in the wet season, and what should be a 4 hour drive across the mountains could take 12 hours or more. The road is sealed all the way now I have been told, so the only significant delays are caused by the ferry crossings. There is a daily minibus service from the Riverside Hotel (it will pick you up at your hotel) for 800 Baht to Snooky, and it also connects on the main Snooky-Phnom Penh highway with the regular coach service to Phnom Penh if you don't fancy a few days by the beach. Snooky is well worth a visit, but it is developing at an astounding pace.

I have been told by several people (e.g. Kiwi Brian, the owner of Fisherman's Den in Snooky, and a guy in Bob's bar in Koh Kong) that they regularly drive from Cambodia to Thailand (or Thailand to Cambodia in the case of the guy in Bob's bar) and back again. Cambodian roads are often very poor though, and they drive on the right (when they drive in any lane at all). Insurance might be a problem, plus you may have to bribe the border officials to allow a car with the steering wheel on the "wrong side" through. I haven't done it, so I can't advise on the details, but I have been told that it definitely IS possible.

I don't drive in Thailand. Public transport in Pattaya is excellent and I don't see the need for a car here. But I was very lazy this trip and treated myself to a proper taxi both ways for 3000 Baht each way – I had several reasons for wanting to do this, and although it's pricey it is a great way to travel! Compared with the UK, taxis are still one of the best bargains to be had in Thailand. A guy in Cambodia also offered me a taxi from Hat Lek to Pattaya for 3500 Baht for comparison.

If you like something different, the round trip Koh Kong-Snooky-Koh Kong can be recommended. Take the boat one way and the minibus the other. Snooky has plenty of hotels including some very fancy ones (e.g. the Sokha Beach Resort has rooms up to $800/night I was told!). The road from Snooky to Phnom Penh is good, and of course you could also fly (BKK-PNH or PNH-BKK) one way and enter or exit the country by road at Cham Yeam/Hat Lek the other.

That's my plug for the Cambodian tourist industry anyway – this was my sixth visit in 3 years, and I really quite enjoy the country. The usual warnings apply of course – scams everywhere, just like Thailand, be careful of all your possessions. However, the original point of this post was that the Hat Lek/Cham Yeam border crossing is probably as easy as it gets, and although it is out in the sticks you can perhaps justify it by adding on a holiday either in Cambodia or else on the Thai islands like Koh Chang.

Abdulrahman, Crouton, I hope that helps you. For more info on taking a car across, perhaps you can try your insurer, or the Thai AA/RAC (is there such a thing?), or the Thai and Cambodian government websites may help?

Regards.

Edited October 16, 2007 by Guderian

[abdulrahman]

PoorSucker, Abdulrahman, Crouton,

I will try to answer your questions as well as provide some more detailed information on getting to/from Koh Kong.

Thanks Guderian for the report,will try the next,dry,season.

Some time that I want to visit 'Snooky'.My wife is not much interested!

[CyberViking]

I hope that may be of interest to someone, anyway.

Yes, very helpful indeed! Am in Sihanoukville right now on a combination border run/relocation scouting trip, and was wondering about re-entry back through Hat Lek. I did notice that the only sign posted at the Arrivals window was about the 90-days-in-6-months rule. I did understand that it was a very easy crossing, so the info in your post is encouraging. That border crossing sees a lot of back-and-forth traffic from expats staying in Cambodia, so maybe that's why they're less stringent on onward travel and such. On the way out of Thailand, the immigration officer scrutinized my last couple of tourist visas and extensions, making copious notes on the back of my departure card. Hope to get back in on a 30-day stamp, start making arrangements to clear my current quarters in Thailand, and then come back down here next month and get a biz viz, which I will then extend for six months or a year. Am tired of the uncertainly and hassle of jumping through the visa hoops in Thailand. I can stay down here long-term a LOT more easily, and still visit Thailand as often as I'd like. But that's beside the point. (Oh, let me rant!)

Stayed in Koh Kong for one night on the way down, drinking Angkors at the Moto Bar and getting briefed on the paradise that is Cambodia by Douglas and friends. Caught the ferry down to Snooky the next morning. Have been here since the 25th. Might spend another day or two in Koh Kong on the way back. The only drawback with Koh Kong is that there are no ATMs, on which I am dependent.

One other thing: Don't let moto drivers tell you that you have to change your Thai baht into riel in Koh Kong. That's absolute nonsense 'cause baht is universally accepted, if not preferred. I believed the little sonuvagun who rode me in and took a significant hit on the transaction, getting only about 80 percent of what I should have. That was my own dumb fault, tho', 'cause I didn't do my homework. Any first-timers reading this are now smarter than I was when I first crossed the border.

Also, you may be told--as I was--that only those holding Cambodian ID cards can buy SIM cards for their mobiles. That's nonsense too. It's best to ask around about anything and everything. Don't believe the first answer you get on any particular question.