Any backpackers hostel in Poi Pet near the border?

[Bangkok45]

Hi all,

Does anyone know of a Backpackers hostel in Poi Pet near the border crossing?

Thank you!

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[Sheryl]

No, and Poipet is a serious hellhole you would nto want to hang out in. Its only attraction is for gamblers.

If you must stay there, rooms in the Casino hotels run about 1,000 baht. There are cheap guesthouses, of course, but these are frequented by really serious lowlife. The term "den of iniquity" could have been coined with Poipet in mind.,

Wait at least until Sisophon which is less than an hour away. No great shakes there either but safer and less objectionable.

Most people if heading to Phnom Penh and wanting to overnight on the way would opt for Battambang where there is lots to choose from. If heading to Siem Reap, Aranyaprathet on the Thai side of the border opposite Poipet. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/prachinburi-and-sa-kaew-provinces/aranya-prathet/hotels

[Bangkok45]

No, and Poipet is a serious hellhole you would nto want to hang out in. Its only attraction is for gamblers.

If you must stay there, rooms in the Casino hotels run about 1,000 baht. There are cheap guesthouses, of course, but these are frequented by really serious lowlife. The term "den of iniquity" could have been coined with Poipet in mind.,

Wait at least until Sisophon which is less than an hour away. No great shakes there either but safer and less objectionable.

Most people if heading to Phnom Penh and wanting to overnight on the way would opt for Battambang where there is lots to choose from.

Noted! Thanks for the advice

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[edgarfriendly]

Long Sen Guesthouse?

Sophal Tavy Guesthouse?

Phnom Pich Guesthouse?

City Hotel Poipet? <<<<<<most highly recommended

Liv Hov Guesthouse?

Nita Guesthouse?

Orkiday Hotel?

Viroth Hotel?

Not to mention the casino hotels..

[mike2011]

if you're going to or coming from Thailand, Aran is cheaper and better in terms of inexpensive hotel rooms - not to mention the food choices.

If you are trying to economize on time:

there is a 3 PM bus from Poipet to Phnom Penh and 3 evening buses between about 7 and 9 PM (give or take an hour.....). The buses resemble Vietnamese sleeper buses but cannot compare.

The border is open till 9 PM (Thais need one hour to clean up their desks so they shut the door at 9) and this allows enough time for anyone coming in on a morning bus service from PP to cross in time with pretty much ZERO waiting in line.

You can also get a direct Toyota from Poipet to SR until at least 9 PM with the usual haggling.

In other words, Poipet can be avoided if this is desired.

Edited January 28, 2016 by mike2011

[tuonsai]

I disagree with the above. People malign Poipet without knowing anything about it. They don't even leave the dirty, seedy main road,

and form an opinion from the touts and lowlives they encounter during half hour they spend there. Poipet is actually a Cambodian city that has a lot of potential and badly needs this

malicious talk to stop. If you want to see Cambodia as it was 20 years ago, Poipet is the place to go. On the other hand there's nothiing interesting on the Thai side.

Poipet is so much more interesting. There are a few guesthouses on the main road, check Wikitravel for a list.

[TheSiemReaper]

I disagree with the above. People malign Poipet without knowing anything about it. They don't even leave the dirty, seedy main road,

and form an opinion from the touts and lowlives they encounter during half hour they spend there. Poipet is actually a Cambodian city that has a lot of potential and badly needs this

malicious talk to stop. If you want to see Cambodia as it was 20 years ago, Poipet is the place to go. On the other hand there's nothiing interesting on the Thai side.

Poipet is so much more interesting. There are a few guesthouses on the main road, check Wikitravel for a list.

Poipet is without a doubt the most awful dump in Cambodia. There's nothing redeeming about that town whatsoever. Nothing. All of Cambodia needs your money; why waste it on the worst of it? I am a huge fan of Cambodia and encourage people to visit out of the way places all the time but when it comes to Poipet I encourage them to avoid it or at least get the hell out of it as fast as possible.

[Sheryl]

I disagree with the above. People malign Poipet without knowing anything about it. They don't even leave the dirty, seedy main road,

and form an opinion from the touts and lowlives they encounter during half hour they spend there. Poipet is actually a Cambodian city that has a lot of potential and badly needs this

malicious talk to stop. If you want to see Cambodia as it was 20 years ago, Poipet is the place to go. On the other hand there's nothiing interesting on the Thai side.

Poipet is so much more interesting. There are a few guesthouses on the main road, check Wikitravel for a list.

Poipet is without a doubt the most awful dump in Cambodia. There's nothing redeeming about that town whatsoever. Nothing. All of Cambodia needs your money; why waste it on the worst of it? I am a huge fan of Cambodia and encourage people to visit out of the way places all the time but when it comes to Poipet I encourage them to avoid it or at least get the hell out of it as fast as possible.

+1

[mike2011]

Tuonsai, your views on Aran need some updating: You can see a nice Khmer sanctuary on the top of a steep hill overlooking the entire area within a local motorbike ride. It is just one village away. If you are more adventurous head north and after about 30-40 kms you have a large sanctuary right on the boarder, there are many more but these two are very well worth visiting.

Having walked down a street in Poipet at night and done so in Aran, you might miss the dust in your eyes and throat when in Aran.

In Aran you do not get hassled and your food choices also in the budget segment are very good.

If you would throw in your head for Sisophon I would be with you. This place is much better than Poipet and the gateway to Banteay Chmar.

As I stated earlier, there is hardly any reason to stay in Poipet based on considerations connected with transport.

A quick update: The Olympic night bus from Poipet to Phnom Penh had a bad accident due to reckless driving. So better skip the night buses from Poipet.

Edited February 20, 2016 by mike2011

[tuonsai]

You guys who are calling it a dump, can you state how much time you spent there? Did you actually bother to go inside the city

or did you just walk up and down the main road telling yourself "wow it really is a dump like others say".

Actually it's a big city, I spent a day and night there. The main road that 99% of people will never leave really is a dump, but otherwise

it okay, it's a regular Cambodian city that badly needs tourist dollars and the people are really nice and friendly,

so please stop with this talk, why don't you malign a city in your own country instead of poor Cambodia.

@mike2011 Thanks for the info on Aran, but I'd much rather see how Cambodia was 20 years ago, than another Thai temple somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

Poipet has a lot of potential to be a nice little city in the future due to it's strategic location between BKK and Siem Reap.

[mike2011]

Tuonsai,

you are posting uninformed nonsense. The temple south of Aran and those on and along the road to Lahansay are all Khmer temples. Read my post more carefully and if you think my statement is wrong, get information yourself. You have no idea what you talk about.

While Aran has much to offer, you have nothing to say about Poipet other than that it is not so bad and the people need money. Why should anyone stay there if that's it? You can't catch the BKK morning train when staying in Poitpet. However, you can catch the morning buses from Poipet while staying in Aran. This matters for tourists. PLUS a late border crossing after say 5 PM saves tourists a lot of wait.

I can get a clean and decent fan room for 6 USD in Aran with good food across the street. Poipet starts around 10 USD as far as I know.

As far your time travel. I can vouch only for about 14 years past in Cambodia. Poipet does not stand for what I have seen in Cambodia then or now.

In sum, you do not make sense.

[Sheryl]

I first went to Poipet circa 1991 and innumerable times since. Totally agree with Mike.

In no way is it a "big city" (population = about 90,000).

And in no way is it a "regular" city. It is notorious among Cambodians for its high crime rates and presence of unsavory characters, to see the very least. As is not unusual in border towns.

There is certainly no place nice or interesting to stay/do there. If someone wants to cross the border at a spot where there are, Pailin or Koh Kong would be much better choices.

[Saastrajaa]

On 2/20/2016 at 4:24 PM, tuonsai said:

You guys who are calling it a dump, can you state how much time you spent there? Did you actually bother to go inside the city

or did you just walk up and down the main road telling yourself "wow it really is a dump like others say".

Actually it's a big city, I spent a day and night there. The main road that 99% of people will never leave really is a dump, but otherwise

it okay, it's a regular Cambodian city that badly needs tourist dollars and the people are really nice and friendly,

so please stop with this talk, why don't you malign a city in your own country instead of poor Cambodia.

@mike2011 Thanks for the info on Aran, but I'd much rather see how Cambodia was 20 years ago, than another Thai temple somewhere in the middle of nowhere.

Poipet has a lot of potential to be a nice little city in the future due to it's strategic location between BKK and Siem Reap.

 

I've been speaking Khmer for 30 years and have traveled through Poipet innumerable times; I stayed there for a week while translating at a training workshop for medical personnel doing AIDS/HIV outreach with casino workers, and about 6 years ago I had a girlfriend for a few months whose family lived there (almost nobody is really "from" there, everyone has moved there from other parts of Cambodia for economic opportunity), so I got to see Poipet "off the main road," from the locals' perspective...is that enough Poipet "street cred" for you?

 

It IS a dump, just like others have said, and worth passing through as fast as possible.  There is absolutely no reason for anyone without family ties there to spend any more than the time it takes to change vehicles and quickly transit through to elsewhere, least of all a tourist to Cambodia.  I agree with all the responses and feedback posted about Poipet so far in this thread, except yours.  Don't worry, they will make money there, off Thais going there to gamble. That's why so many Cambodians have moved there from other parts of the country.  One does not need to spend time in that place to help the Cambodian economy.

Edited December 23, 2016 by Saastrajaa