Trip To Cambodia

[beswick]

Dear Forum, My wife and I are planning a trip to Cambodia to see Ankor Wat and the Killing Fields. We will be travelling from Bangkok and I was wondering if anyone can advise the best way to get there and how I can apply for a visa? My wife is Thai so I'm not too sure if she needs a visa or not? Any tips you can give me to avoid being 'ripped' off would be great.

[cardholder]

You can sort out the Visa On Arrival online - very straight forward. Your wife will not require one.

Depends where you are setting off from. I went with a friend and flew BKK/PP on a cheap deal with Air Asia. Phnom Penh is OK for a couple of days. Saw the Killing Field and took in a few bars etc. We went by 'boat' (more like a barge!) to Siem Reap - about 6 hours (but returned by minibus, cheaper and quicker).

3 days in Siem Reap was excellent. I loved the place (although I didn't like seeing an Irish bar for example in Pub Street) and it just about gets away with being touristy. Oneday at Angkor Wat is sufficient - your wife may want longer.

Six of us are going in June but this time by car/taxi via Chong Chom to Siem Reap.

Enjoy.

[VBF]

You can sort out the Visa On Arrival online - very straight forward. Your wife will not require one.

Depends where you are setting off from. I went with a friend and flew BKK/PP on a cheap deal with Air Asia. Phnom Penh is OK for a couple of days. Saw the Killing Field and took in a few bars etc. We went by 'boat' (more like a barge!) to Siem Reap - about 6 hours (but returned by minibus, cheaper and quicker).

3 days in Siem Reap was excellent. I loved the place (although I didn't like seeing an Irish bar for example in Pub Street) and it just about gets away with being touristy. Oneday at Angkor Wat is sufficient - your wife may want longer.

Six of us are going in June but this time by car/taxi via Chong Chom to Siem Reap.

Enjoy.

I agree with the other posters - here is a little more (hopefully) useful info as my Thai GF and I went to Cambodia in April this year. We went to PP, Siam Reap and Sihanoukville - loved it!

We flew Air Asia return BKK - PP - BKK. Limited baggage allowance, no food or drink provided unless you pre book or pay on board but only a 70 minute flight so all OK.

PP airport is easy - lots of helpful uniformed Immigration people - show your lady's Thai passport and she will be sent straight to the counter and stamped in for 13 days (!) I am British and needed a visa - 20 USD - have a passport sized picture ready. The visa good for a month - took about 20 minutes - NOTE - fill the forms in on the 'plane - they're rather complex but they are in English.

Travel into PP by "Tuk-Tuk" - $8 to $10. These are actually motorcycles with a sort of trailer attached – great fun!

Travel around PP by "Tuk-Tuk most journeys are $1 to $5 – HAGGLE!!!

In addition to what other posters have said, visit the Central Market and Russian Market – bargains abound – makes Thailand look expensive!

Be prepared – take your money in $ (US) – lots of small notes – anything bigger than $20 maybe difficult to use in markets, bars, cheap restaurants etc. There are money changers who will take Baht for USD.

You will get small change in Reals ($1 = 4000 Reals) – you can pay using a mixture of the 2 currencies – the Cambodians do it all the time. Bit confusing at first but one soon gets the hang of it.

There is so much more to say but it would take forever, PM me if you have specific questions.

As I said we both loved Cambodia and will be going back.

Oh and it will cost $25 EACH to leave Cambodia for airport tax so make sure you have enough on your last day!

Have fun!

Edited May 22, 2011 by VBF

[Djaotchou]

It takes less than 15 mn to get a visa on arrival at the airport, all you need is 20 US Dollars and 2 passport size photos, Thai people don't need visa if they stay less than 14 days. Taxis to town from the airport are 9 US dollars, any destination. From Phnom Penh to Siem Reap take the Mekhong Express Limousine bus, 1 month ago, boats could not get to Siem Reap, not enough water. From Siem Reap to Bangkok, we booked a VIP bus which was in fact a normal minibus which left us on the Cambodian side, another one is supposed to wait for you on the Thai side, but we have been waiting 3 hours for it, there are taxis to Bangkok at the border for less than THB 2,000.00. So if you don't want to waste your time, taxi is a better option.

[tonititan]

If possible, I'd try go fly into one airport (Siem Reap & Phnom Penh), and out of the other. I flew in and out of PP, and it made for a long ride driving to and from SR in a minivan. I'd prefer to use that time sightseeing instead, but flights to SR can sometimes be pricey, which is why I used only PP.

I got my visa on arrival in the Phnom Penh airport. It wasn't bad - maybe took 15 minutes.

[dunkin2012]

very easy though.

there are lots of buses from Kao San . my gf and i paid 400 each. years ago

And they will make your temporary visa i paid like 1000 each on the border... maybe there are alternatives. please find out i don't have the info.

on the way to Seam Reap, there will be some guys broad the bus. just ignore them.

you can get some info. from 'em but don't trust 'em and use their services. they will rip you off. you can stay in a decent hotel with only $5.

the city is a bit dusty......

Edited June 1, 2011 by dunkin2012