Family Cambodia Visa Run From Pattaya

[seetvrun]

My family will be doing our visa run to Cambodia from Pattaya in the next week. We would like to make it a nice short holiday with the kids (8yrs and younger).

We our borrowing a car to the border, but we hear we cannot bring it across the border without having ownership of the car, so that will have to be factored in as well.

Any fun ideas?

[seetvrun]

51 views so far and no one has commented... Doesn't anyone have some good advice on how to turn a Cambodia visa run into a nice couple day vacation?

I have a friend that mentioned there is an island off the border, probably on the Cambodia side that people like to go to... I don't know the name of the island. Maybe some people here have been there.

[CNXSTEVE]

Koh Kong is on the Cambodian side near Had Lek. I think Sihanoukville is a better bet, but 4 hours on the bus. Taxi is probably easier with a family.

[seetvrun]

Koh Kong is on the Cambodian side near Had Lek. I think Sihanoukville is a better bet, but 4 hours on the bus. Taxi is probably easier with a family.

Thank you for the response. Do you know if I have to have ownership papers to in order to drive a car across the border?

If I do have to leave the car, do you think it is safe?

[poanoi]

Yes, you need the book if you want to take it into Cambodia, but i would

Take a minivan to Trat

Take another minivan to the border

Don't accept any help at the border, do make e-visa before you go there, and stay 1 night in koh kong

Take a minivan to Sihanoukville, this is where you will stay a few days and enjoy the beaches.

Take bus to Phnom Penh and get the visa done

Take bus back to Sihanoukville when you decided it was better than Phnom Penh

Then go back home

Remember to avoid happy shakes at the beaches of Sihanoukville, and bring some dollar for your stay in Koh kong even though they accept baht at a premium

Edited September 22, 2011 by poanoi

[bangkokburning]

There are no replies because people on this board don't travel.

I would park the car somewhere safe in Aran, grab a taxi in Poipet and head to Siem Reap. Of course you are likely to encounter rain this time of year.

Angkor temples are best in Asia bar none and if you have not seen them, your life is truly at a loss. No hyperbole. Tell the kids - Indiana Jones and/or Tomb Raider (for real)!

Koh Kong is insane or anything south. That areas starts flooding out in June. BAD advice.

[WolfgangGiesen]

Here is a link with all your questions answered, I took this as a basis for my own trip to Cambodia and it was a great journey

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/479111-visatrip-to-sihanoukville-for-a-double-entry-tourist-visa/page__p__4671579#entry4671579

but be warned, there is a lot going on here on TV about availibility of tourist visas in PP needing a flight ticket into or out of Thailand, hotel confirmation and so on, nobody knows for sure the status at the moment because of conflicting information. You want to trevel with all of your family and might get stranded for a while in Cambodia sorting all the neccessary issues out. Take all your bankbooks with you in case you have to proof your financial status. Going there by car, one can park his car at the border in Haad Lek at the left when you see the Thai Imm. Office for 100 Baht a day. Good and save but when concidering that your visa might take a week to get processed it will add nearly a 1000 Baht to your travel cost. Don't get me wrong, I regard a visa run to Sihanouk Ville as the best way to renew a visa but you are doing this at the wrong time.

Please give us an update of your trip and let us know how this all went on.

Have a good jourey

[phuketrichard]

Since u live in Pattaya no reason to go to SHK. The beach is not as nice (and Pattaya is not nice) why not head up north and do Angkor Wat? travel to PP an drop ur passport off for visa, (plenty to do for a day or two) and then take a taxi ( about $50) up.

5 hours by taxi and some nice places to stop and eat along the way. Siem Rep is a small city and would be nice for walking around with kids, AS its low season u can get some good deals on hotels with swimming pool for the kids and then do the temple tour which is a not to be missed. One day is NOT enough. 1st time i took my daughter she was 9 and still enjoyed it ( didn't like getting up at 4:30 to catch the sunrise but....

U never said what visa ur own but tourist visas are taking 3-4 days min and asking for all kinds of info ( like flights out of LOS) if ur renting a home take ur rental agreement as they ask for hotel accom sometimes.

I have driven all over Cambodia in my thai registered car an dyes the papers need be in ur name.

you could also avoid Trat and head north to the thai border pint at Arany and cross over there an taxi to Siem Rep and do ur visa via a travel agent up there.

[seetvrun]

OK, thank you for all the replies.

I see that some of you see I might have a better trip this time of year if I head up north to do a tour of wats. We will consider that.

Regarding our visas, we are on a double entry tourist visa status, and the immigration office told us 3 weeks ago that we don't need to pay for anything at the border. When we pass through our Visa will be extended for an additional 60 days- no fee required at that time, as we have already technically paid for this.

We are staying, rent free, at my uncles home currently.

[lopburi3]

Thailand will not charge you anything but Cambodia will. Your visa is not being extended - you have to leave Thailand, enter another country and return for a new 60 day tourist visa entry. And Cambodia requires you have a visa to enter.

You do have the option to extend your 60 day stay for 30 days at an immigration office inside Thailand but cost would be 1,900 baht.

[seetvrun]

In the event it would be easiest to hire a Visa run/travel company, does anyone have a recommendation for a company to use, whether in Pattaya or BKK?

[lekatai]

The problem with using a visa run company is that they are generally geared to same day service,i.e. you leave Pattaya early morning,go to the border,get your visa/re-entry stamp and return immediately.So-not much of a holiday.Possibly you could arrange with them to stay a few days and return with them later.I don't see anything wrong with your original plan.1)Borrow a car and drive to Had Lek.This avoids bus changes,and the taxi mafia from Trat to Had Lek,and you can leave when you want to.2)Either obtain e-visas in advance for Cambodia,or get visas at the border.I've dealt with the Cambodian Immigration here on many occasions,and it is true that they are a bunch of robbing *******'s.If you stand your ground,and insist on the correct fee,you will eventually get the visas for more or less the correct price(You don't say how old the children are,or if they have their own passports,if they are in the parents passports,I don't think they need a separate visa)3) Leave the car in the secure parking area by Thai Immigration. 4) Once in Cambodia,get a taxi to Koh Kong town (250-300THB incl bridge toll) Either 5) stay in Koh Kong-for example in the town is the "Apex" hotel,which has a small swimming pool where rooms are about 12-15USD,or just outside town is the "Oasis resort" which has 5 nice small bungalows set around a garden and swimming pool,a bungalow is about 25USD,and sleeps 2+2 easily.You don't need dollars in Koh Kong,THB is widely accepted for everything.Or,you could stay in KK one night and get a taxi to Sihanoukville (50-55USD) and stay there a few days.There are many places to stay there,e.g. "Beach Club" has a swimming pool and poolside rooms for about 25-30 USD or the "Small Hotel"has rooms for 15-18USD,but no pool.It won't be any wetter in Koh Kong than anywhere else in Cambodia or Thailand,it's probably going to rain anyway,wherever you go! 7) Return to Thailand,and get stamped in for another 60 days. Enjoy

Edited September 23, 2011 by lekatai

[seetvrun]

Thank you lekathai. I will take your advice.

The kids all have their own passports, but are all 8yrs and younger.

I believe I will drive to the Thai immigrations office and park the car, do my e-visa here, and take a taxi to Koh Kong and stay a night. Then maybe take a taxi the next day to Sihanoukville, come back the next day and return.

Can the e-visas be done online? What is the URL?

Thanks!

[phuketrichard]

You have not mentioned if your kids are half thai or not. IF they are and hold thai passports they do not need a visa for stays less than 15 days ( saves ya the $20 each.

I used to stay at the beach club but now usually stay behind them at Aqua pool and family room.

VisaHead over to Otres ( but don't stay there) nicest beach on the island but it seems now all the bungalows are flooded out.!!

[seetvrun]

We are all American. No Thai citizenship. We are here as tourists.

So, I understand the e-visa is for Cambodia entry, not for Thailand?

Thanks!

[KimoMax]

If not the owner of the car, do not suggest driving it to the Cambodian Boarder.

Edit: Not a good idea to take someone elses car and leave it parked somewhere for a few days. Especially in places wher people leave vehicles for a while for travel to anohter place or into another country.

Car Theft is alive and well even in Thailand.

Weather will be fine. Rain Season has ended, but it has been a wetter Monsoon season than normal.

Take a Bus or Mini Van on a trip to or into Cambodia.

Sanooky is a nice place to visit. That would ba good for a short holiday and including the Visa Boarder Run.

Edit: For a short holiday and Visa Run Trip, would not suggset going to Anghor Wat. Best to fly if going that route.

OP's plan is fine except taking a friend's car.

Edited September 24, 2011 by KimoMax

[Rooo]

I just came back from Seam Reap, flooding around the river front , even in pub street.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/500552-cambodia-flash-floods-trap-nearly-200-tourists-in-historic-temple/

[lopburi3]

Weather will be fine. Rain Season has ended, but it has been a wetter Monsoon season than normal.

Flooding is current and expected to become much worse next week with extremely stormy weather.

[seetvrun]

Funny, I was all set to go to Poipet and Siem Reap for the wat tour. Not anymore with all of the flooding going on. I have to go this week so I will have to arrange for a different plan.

Ok, so I it looks like the weather all this next week is forecast for lots of rain.

We already paid for our e-visa with Cambodia, so we will be going there for sure. It just looks like we will be doing a shorter, indoors type of trip. On the e-visa it asks us which border authority we will be visiting, we put Poipet, but we could change that still if we needed to.

Anyone out there have a good idea given the circumstances?

[jombom]

There's a fairly secure car park within 200 metres of Hat Lek border crossing, but it is not cheap --- about the same as BKK airport.

Roughly a 5 hour run from Pattaya to border (including breaks). If you book hotel in Snooky, they can normally arrange collection at Koh Khong.

Allowing 1 hour to cross border, and a 4 hour run to Snooky, you are looking at a long 10 hour day.

[phuketrichard]

If not the owner of the car, do not suggest driving it to the Cambodian Boarder.

Edit: Not a good idea to take someone elses car and leave it parked somewhere for a few days. Especially in places wher people leave vehicles for a while for travel to anohter place or into another country.

Car Theft is alive and well even in Thailand.

Weather will be fine. Rain Season has ended, but it has been a wetter Monsoon season than normal.

Take a Bus or Mini Van on a trip to or into Cambodia.

Sanooky is a nice place to visit. That would ba good for a short holiday and including the Visa Boarder Run.

Edit: For a short holiday and Visa Run Trip, would not suggset going to Anghor Wat. Best to fly if going that route.

OP's plan is fine except taking a friend's car.

Just spoke with my gf and also another friend in shk, raining cats and dogs for past 3 days!!!

[kropotkin]

Thailand will not charge you anything but Cambodia will. Your visa is not being extended - you have to leave Thailand, enter another country and return for a new 60 day tourist visa entry. And Cambodia requires you have a visa to enter.

You do have the option to extend your 60 day stay for 30 days at an immigration office inside Thailand but cost would be 1,900 baht.

A Cambodia visa costs 20 dollars, count on a convenience fee of another 20 dollars.

[prakhonchai nick]

Thailand will not charge you anything but Cambodia will. Your visa is not being extended - you have to leave Thailand, enter another country and return for a new 60 day tourist visa entry. And Cambodia requires you have a visa to enter.

You do have the option to extend your 60 day stay for 30 days at an immigration office inside Thailand but cost would be 1,900 baht.

A Cambodia visa costs 20 dollars, count on a convenience fee of another 20 dollars.

At all border crossings you will be charged more than the official $20 for a Cambodian visa, so having an e-visa is the right thing to do (albeit that it is not acceptable at all crossing points)

Lopburi3 - Your info is incorrect. At the Chong Sa Ngam crossing the Thai immigration will relieve you of 50bt on the outward route for their troubles. (Farang or Thai)

[lopburi3]

On what basis would they make that charge? Or is that an unofficial crossing? There is no exit fee at any official land crossing by law that I am aware of (but do recall attempts to charge 'overtime' fees in the past on the Malaysia border). This would be abruptly abandoned on visits from higher levels.

[prakhonchai nick]

On what basis would they make that charge? Or is that an unofficial crossing? There is no exit fee at any official land crossing by law that I am aware of (but do recall attempts to charge 'overtime' fees in the past on the Malaysia border). This would be abruptly abandoned on visits from higher levels.

It is an official crossing point. Just the whim of the Immigration officials. pay or you don't enter.

I took a group of 17 people through last month (Thai and farang -including one farang with a diplomatic passport) but even the diplomatic status did not deter them from demanding a total of 850bt.

Even corrupt on the Cambodian side. We only paid $20 for visas, (no e visas here) but the visa officer later told us that we would have to pay $25 next time. Then it was 100bt each when handing over the Cambodia entry form.

[lopburi3]

Was this perhaps on a weekend (overtime) or commercial (business) fee? I can say I never had to pay at Malaysia border but those taking persons across (van drivers) often did. It was supposed to be built into the transport fee, although some drivers would try to collect from pax (but never asked me or wife).

[prakhonchai nick]

Was this perhaps on a weekend (overtime) or commercial (business) fee? I can say I never had to pay at Malaysia border but those taking persons across (van drivers) often did. It was supposed to be built into the transport fee, although some drivers would try to collect from pax (but never asked me or wife).

Neither. It was a Monday morning, with 17 tourists on the way to Siem Reap.

[thaisabai]

In the event it would be easiest to hire a Visa run/travel company, does anyone have a recommendation for a company to use, whether in Pattaya or BKK?

"the visa shop"

198/13 M.9 Soi Bua-khao

038 720 621

mob. 081 375 4927

go up soi Diana, make a right turn at soi bua-khao, second office to the right.

very nice English gentleman, very experienced (not only for visas).

super service to Cambodia, 2000 baht all incl.

You do nothing, they do everything for you.

driver makes it in 3hrs 15min to the border.

thaisabai

[cardholder]

There's a fairly secure car park within 200 metres of Hat Lek border crossing, but it is not cheap --- about the same as BKK airport.

Roughly a 5 hour run from Pattaya to border (including breaks). If you book hotel in Snooky, they can normally arrange collection at Koh Khong.

Allowing 1 hour to cross border, and a 4 hour run to Snooky, you are looking at a long 10 hour day.

Car park 200 Baht per day (plus request for tip !!)