Flights To Pp Or Siem Reap

[swissie]

Before I plow throug the many flight schedules of the many airlines, someboby might know off hand: Any Airline serving eighter Phnon Phen or Siem Reap out of a airport in the Isaan, or is it strictly an "out of Bankok only" situation.

If yes, how about airfare-price ? Thanks!

[SantiSuk]

Bangkok only. I go to Cambodia quite frequently from SiSaket province so I think know.

The economic airline option is Air Asia from Swampy to PP. Bangkok Airways to PP or SR is substantially more expensive - so much so that it is cheaper to fly to PP with AA, stay a night in a hotel eat well and get a bus from PP to SR than to fly Bangkok Airways to SR. Actually it's probably worth looking at a flight ticket engine like Opodo.com. There might just be a cheap flight on the dog end leg of a European flight that stops first in BKK that then goes on to PP.

Depending on where you are in Issaan, the really economic option is to go overland through either Choam Sa Ngam south of Si Saket, or Chong Jom, South of Surin. You should be able to get a taxi from the border to Siem Reap for no more than $50 (Chaom Sa Ngam) and a bit more than that (Chong Jom). Overland also saves you $25 departure tax charged at the Cambodia airports. I use Choam Sa Ngam and you should be able to find my previous threads on the subject. Chong Jom is better connected on the Thai side - and you can securely park your car at the border I seem to recall from an earlier poster. It's a longer journey to SR on the other side though (I think about 3-4 hours rather than 1.5 to 2).

I suspect that if you live in the Buriram or Korat area you can get a bus to Arranyapratet (buses to Chonburi?) and go through the Poipet border, but I have not tried that. Again taxis are easy to SR ($50 or less) and buses are available (I have read on other threads).

PP to SR is $6 to $10 by coach. Mekong Express is top of the range and worth the extra luxury - it's a 6 hour journey +/- half an hour. If you have shedloads of dosh you can join the rich American and French package tourists and fly between PP and SR, but the coaches are fine if you have the time - not as dangerous as Thailand.

If you decide on the overland option then do some more searching on Thai Visa and refer to www.canbypubications.com

[jazzbo]

Depending upon where you are in Isaan another option might be to check out travel on ground to Vientiane to hook-up with Lao Airlines @ http://www.laoairlines.com/ and then fly with them as they go to both cities in Cambodia.

[MeMock]

^ You can also cross the border at Ubon to Pakse and and fly with lao airlines from there.

[SantiSuk]

Issaan needs a hub airport with secure long term parking as intra Asean travel expands and agricultural-fuelled wealth expands. Unfortunately for Ubon, Khon Kaen or Buriram makes most sense.

[swissie]

Thanks for all the info's guys.