Illegal land occupation

[royboy]

I'm considering having a few days in Seam Reap & then flying back to Bangers. I was planning do the outward trip by road via Poipet. Some operators advertise a 07.00 hotel pickup to get you ther by 16.00-19.00, but I've heard there are lot of scammers out there, particularly once you're into Cambodia. Can anyone recommend a good tour operator/travel agent for the one way jouney?

Edited October 16, 2010 by royboy

[swissie]

This is indeed a "Scammers-Paradise". The trip to the border (Aranyaphrathet) is no problem. But then it starts:

Before the border, the mini van will stop and you will be directed to the "Visa-Office". There you will be informed that the next regular bus to SM (included in the pre-paid price) will leave in about 3 hours !!! As an alternative, you will be offered a "fast ride" with a Taxi to SM for 400 Baht extra. (Most people go with this offer = who wants to wait 3 hours for a bus!)

The additional 400 Baht Taxi-Fare will also guarantee "a fast passage through customs". Bullshit: You stand in line like anyone else = no fast passage!

Once on Cambodian soil, you will board a bus that brings you to a "Tourist Welcoming Centre" just outside of Poipet. Because that's where the Taxis are to bring you to SM. At this place your "Visa-Taxi-Organizer" will explain to you, that this is (next to Phnon Phen) the only place you can exchange your $ against the Cambodian Currency. Otherwise you will get a very bad exchange-rate in SM. = Quite the opposite is true: Private money exchanges in SM will give you a better exchange rate than any official border exchange station!!!

After that you will be cramped into a Taxi with another 4 persons. Before you enter SR you will have to leave the Taxi and board a Tuk-Tuk that will bring you to a Guesthouse. Needles to say, the guesthose will be "strongly recomended" by the Tuk-Tuk driver. No choice ! In my case it was the Hotel Hilton. The Hotel Hilton was a guesthouse called "Hotel Hilton"! Funny, isen't it!

Once you have checked into a guesthouse, you will be making every step of the way with your "shadow". The "shadow" is a guesthouse employee, that is always at your side as soon you leave your room. It is his job to direct you to all kidns of places, that you are not even interested in. But there is no doubt, every place he brings you to, he gets a little "commission".

My advice: Book a return flight from BKK to SM. Not only to avoid the professional "Border-Scammers" but for the main reason: Cambodia has for the most part an interesting and changing landscape worth seeing. But the stretch between Poipet and SR is probably the the most boring type of landscape Cambodia has to offer. Nothing for the eye, absolutely nothing! So again: Book a return flight to SM and the take the 9 hour fast-boat-ride to Phnon Phen. Stay there fo a few days and return to SR with the fast boat to board your return flight to BKK. For somebody with limited time to spend, this is probably the best way to get an "Inside-Look" at Cambodia instead of hanging around Ankor-Wat for 2 weeks, always having your shadow right beside you. As described above, for a few Dollars more you can avoid the border-visa-mafia and can have a very enjoiable time in SR and Cambodia. Hope it helps, cheers.

[royboy]

This is indeed a "Scammers-Paradise". The trip to the border (Aranyaphrathet) is no problem. But then it starts:

Before the border, the mini van will stop and you will be directed to the "Visa-Office". There you will be informed that the next regular bus to SM (included in the pre-paid price) will leave in about 3 hours !!! As an alternative, you will be offered a "fast ride" with a Taxi to SM for 400 Baht extra. (Most people go with this offer = who wants to wait 3 hours for a bus!)

The additional 400 Baht Taxi-Fare will also guarantee "a fast passage through customs". Bullshit: You stand in line like anyone else = no fast passage!

Once on Cambodian soil, you will board a bus that brings you to a "Tourist Welcoming Centre" just outside of Poipet. Because that's where the Taxis are to bring you to SM. At this place your "Visa-Taxi-Organizer" will explain to you, that this is (next to Phnon Phen) the only place you can exchange your $ against the Cambodian Currency. Otherwise you will get a very bad exchange-rate in SM. = Quite the opposite is true: Private money exchanges in SM will give you a better exchange rate than any official border exchange station!!!

After that you will be cramped into a Taxi with another 4 persons. Before you enter SR you will have to leave the Taxi and board a Tuk-Tuk that will bring you to a Guesthouse. Needles to say, the guesthose will be "strongly recomended" by the Tuk-Tuk driver. No choice ! In my case it was the Hotel Hilton. The Hotel Hilton was a guesthouse called "Hotel Hilton"! Funny, isen't it!

Once you have checked into a guesthouse, you will be making every step of the way with your "shadow". The "shadow" is a guesthouse employee, that is always at your side as soon you leave your room. It is his job to direct you to all kidns of places, that you are not even interested in. But there is no doubt, every place he brings you to, he gets a little "commission".

My advice: Book a return flight from BKK to SM. Not only to avoid the professional "Border-Scammers" but for the main reason: Cambodia has for the most part an interesting and changing landscape worth seeing. But the stretch between Poipet and SR is probably the the most boring type of landscape Cambodia has to offer. Nothing for the eye, absolutely nothing! So again: Book a return flight to SM and the take the 9 hour fast-boat-ride to Phnon Phen. Stay there fo a few days and return to SR with the fast boat to board your return flight to BKK. For somebody with limited time to spend, this is probably the best way to get an "Inside-Look" at Cambodia instead of hanging around Ankor-Wat for 2 weeks, always having your shadow right beside you. As described above, for a few Dollars more you can avoid the border-visa-mafia and can have a very enjoiable time in SR and Cambodia. Hope it helps, cheers.

[royboy]

This is indeed a "Scammers-Paradise". The trip to the border (Aranyaphrathet) is no problem. But then it starts:

Before the border, the mini van will stop and you will be directed to the "Visa-Office". There you will be informed that the next regular bus to SM (included in the pre-paid price) will leave in about 3 hours !!! As an alternative, you will be offered a "fast ride" with a Taxi to SM for 400 Baht extra. (Most people go with this offer = who wants to wait 3 hours for a bus!)

The additional 400 Baht Taxi-Fare will also guarantee "a fast passage through customs". Bullshit: You stand in line like anyone else = no fast passage!

Once on Cambodian soil, you will board a bus that brings you to a "Tourist Welcoming Centre" just outside of Poipet. Because that's where the Taxis are to bring you to SM. At this place your "Visa-Taxi-Organizer" will explain to you, that this is (next to Phnon Phen) the only place you can exchange your $ against the Cambodian Currency. Otherwise you will get a very bad exchange-rate in SM. = Quite the opposite is true: Private money exchanges in SM will give you a better exchange rate than any official border exchange station!!!

After that you will be cramped into a Taxi with another 4 persons. Before you enter SR you will have to leave the Taxi and board a Tuk-Tuk that will bring you to a Guesthouse. Needles to say, the guesthose will be "strongly recomended" by the Tuk-Tuk driver. No choice ! In my case it was the Hotel Hilton. The Hotel Hilton was a guesthouse called "Hotel Hilton"! Funny, isen't it!

Once you have checked into a guesthouse, you will be making every step of the way with your "shadow". The "shadow" is a guesthouse employee, that is always at your side as soon you leave your room. It is his job to direct you to all kidns of places, that you are not even interested in. But there is no doubt, every place he brings you to, he gets a little "commission".

My advice: Book a return flight from BKK to SM. Not only to avoid the professional "Border-Scammers" but for the main reason: Cambodia has for the most part an interesting and changing landscape worth seeing. But the stretch between Poipet and SR is probably the the most boring type of landscape Cambodia has to offer. Nothing for the eye, absolutely nothing! So again: Book a return flight to SM and the take the 9 hour fast-boat-ride to Phnon Phen. Stay there fo a few days and return to SR with the fast boat to board your return flight to BKK. For somebody with limited time to spend, this is probably the best way to get an "Inside-Look" at Cambodia instead of hanging around Ankor-Wat for 2 weeks, always having your shadow right beside you. As described above, for a few Dollars more you can avoid the border-visa-mafia and can have a very enjoiable time in SR and Cambodia. Hope it helps, cheers.

[royboy]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply swissie.

I was originally looking to fly both ways with Bangkok Airways & judging from your comments this is the best option. I also planned to pre-book a hotel in SR to avoid the touting there that you describe. I did consider the boat trip to PP, though others have said the fare is a ripoff & you can't be guaranteed a seat. However, I did spend a very pleasant few days in PP a couple of years ago & a return visit wouldn't go amiss. Unfotunately I'm, I'm a little tight for time as I have a flight back to the UK on 28th October.

Another factor I have to consider is the weather forecast for Cambodia. I read that residents of certain areas of PP have been told oprepare for evacuation when the monsoons hit.

Cheers.

[Spaniel]

We just returned from 4 days in Siem Reap. We actually started the trip in Saigon. We took a bus from Saigon to Phnom Phen and spent 1 night there then caught a bus from PP to SR for $5 (each) and it took 6 hours. All of the "scamming" that "swissie" mentioned happens on the Cambodian side of the border after you get thru immigration at Poipet. We took a taxi from SR to Poipet for $25 and it took 2 1/2 hours. From the border we went to the Aran bus station and caught a bus back to Bangkok. I'm told that to catch a taxi from Poipet to SR they charge around $40. As far as scammers in SR we didn't have any problems. If time is short and money isn't a problem I would fly both ways.

[royboy]

We just returned from 4 days in Siem Reap. We actually started the trip in Saigon. We took a bus from Saigon to Phnom Phen and spent 1 night there then caught a bus from PP to SR for $5 (each) and it took 6 hours. All of the "scamming" that "swissie" mentioned happens on the Cambodian side of the border after you get thru immigration at Poipet. We took a taxi from SR to Poipet for $25 and it took 2 1/2 hours. From the border we went to the Aran bus station and caught a bus back to Bangkok. I'm told that to catch a taxi from Poipet to SR they charge around $40. As far as scammers in SR we didn't have any problems. If time is short and money isn't a problem I would fly both ways.

Thanks for your comments Spaniel. I've now deffo decided against land travel from Patts & will probably do the flying option & possibly with a stop in PP on the return to Bangers.

[Spaniel]

If you're looking for a place to stay in Siem Reap check out the place we stayed, Golden Temple Villa. Decent double room for $20 p/n, good location in town and they will pick you up from the airport or bus station for free.

www.goldentemplevilla.com

[PolPat]

Check out talesofasia.com