Ankor Wat By Bus

[feolindo]

Does anyone know how i can get to ankor wat by bus? I've been to a dozen travel agents promoting "bus tours to ankor wat" but when I get inside and actually try to book such a thing the dithering starts "well, we don't actually go to ankor wat, we go to the border.. blah blah" or "we don't do buses but we can book you airfare" etc etc..

If anyone knows where I can go to actually book a bus tour to ankor wat please help.

thanks

[Florin]

Everything you need to know about land travel to Angkor Wat: http://www.talesofasia.com/cambodia-overland.htm

[feolindo]

thanks. I was in the process of reading the horror stories there when I checked back and found your reply.

Air is starting to look pretty good.

[apetley]

You may want to have a look here too.

http://www.peaceofangkor.com/advice.htm

[onzestan]

You might also consider flying to Pnohm Phen and then by boat or inland flight to Siem Reap.

Cheaper than Bangkok Airways.

cheers

onzestan

[alex_4000]

You might also consider flying to Pnohm Phen and then by boat or inland flight to Siem Reap.

Cheaper than Bangkok Airways.

cheers

onzestan

just checked - 2,500 baht return!!

has anyone done that by boat? how long will it take from the airport?

whats a good inland airline?

thanks

[Florin]

Siam Reap Airways is a good airline (basically Cambodian Bangkok Airways), though not very cheap...the other airlines, I don't know, I wouldn't take my chances with an AN-24 over Cambodian skies

I haven't tried the boat, but it doesn't seem to be worthwhile in terms of time/features/price, I think the optimum price solution is bus/shared taxi as described in the above links...it's worth checking out Phnom Penh before going for an early start to Angkor the next day, it's a great town!

[alex_4000]

Siam Reap Airways is a good airline (basically Cambodian Bangkok Airways), though not very cheap...the other airlines, I don't know, I wouldn't take my chances with an AN-24 over Cambodian skies

I haven't tried the boat, but it doesn't seem to be worthwhile in terms of time/features/price, I think the optimum price solution is bus/shared taxi as described in the above links...it's worth checking out Phnom Penh before going for an early start to Angkor the next day, it's a great town!

thanks!

looks like there is no easy way to get there apart from bangkok airways...

btw - you meant checking out siem reap and not phnom penh, right? as p.p. is not really near angkor ...

[Florin]

No, I mean checking out Phnom Penh, i.e. booking an AirAsia flight BKK-PNH-BKK and going to Siam Reap (and thus Angkor) by local transportation, afterward returning to catch a plane back to BKK. The trip each way (by bus) costs in the region of 10$ and takes 5 hours, with the road much better than the one from the Thai border to Siam Reap. So total cost 2500 Baht + 20$ for all major transportation. Not too bad, I reckon...

[guru]

The road from Siem Reap to Poipet was (still is?) a nightmare. Potholes everywhere and your guaranteed to bang your head on the roof every few minutes. The journey takes ages as you can never gather up enough speed before having to slow down for the next hole. Our bus broke down on the way back and we were very close to missing the border closing time. The passengers who didnt arrange private car transportation ended up pushing the bus around a carpark to start it. The aircon packed up aswell.

The boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap was also an experience not to be repeated. Got down to the pier early to find that our ticket which we were told was upstairs seating was actually sitting on the surface of the roof. We were the first on the roof and it didnt seem too bad at 7am.

Over the next hour it was crammed shoulder to shoulder with tourists and backpackers and you couldnt stretch your legs out. With hindsight, that was the cue for us to get off. Now it was approaching 8 am and the sun was scorching, no sun cream and I ended up being burnt to a crisp. The downstairs inside seating was full of locals.

No idea what would have happened if we capsized, as somehow I dont think they had enough lifejackets for all the foreigners on the roof.

There was an option of a slightly more expensive deluxe boat which we caught sight of as we pulled off. These did have seats upstairs and a canopy overhead for shade. Our hotel's western manager did advise us that the deluxe boat would be more comfortable but forgot to mention that we would be crammed on the roof of the normal boat.

Its air for me everytime now.

[zink]

Road between the border and Siem Reap was not that bad during the dry season as long as you took a car.

Between SR and PP there are countless of buses, I took the cheapest one for something like $3.50 and it was adequate. I don't understand why some people want to take an expensive, dangerous and overcrowded boat.