pattaya to sihanoukville easiest and fastest way with bus or minivan ?

[bapoboy]

not flight. and the cheapest way?

do they have bus or minivan pattaya to trat?

trat to border?

and border to koh kong?

and koh kong to sihanonoukville?

I appreciate all your help. Magnus

[Forkinhades]

Yep mini bus from Pattaya

It will be 2 mini buses, you will change near the border. Then once across taxi to Koh Kong, then a bus from Koh Kong to Shanoukville.

[mike2011]

You could take the early morning bus to Trat which is pretty safe as compared to the helldrivers in the vans. Check departure times near the intersection of Sukumvit and Pattaya Klang. It is 20 meters south of it, at the corner of a small soi. It is wooden shack and Trat plus times are written there. I liked this service. This should be the cheapest form of transport.

At Trat bus station you connect to a Van to border. From the border take a motorbike taxi to Koh kong and on by Van to SHV.

There are also direct van services to the border on offer but they might dump you on the regular van to the border at Trat.

Edited January 26, 2015 by mike2011

[bapoboy]

thanks guys

[bapoboy]

one more question, should i change to us dollar in thailand or should i change in cambodia to us dollar or should i take withdrawl in cambodia?

what is the best options? thanks again for help.

[Forkinhades]

Get some Dollars here for sure.

Don't get ripped in Koh Kong.

Don't get Rials

Change more in SHV

[bapoboy]

Get some Dollars here for sure.

Don't get ripped in Koh Kong.

Don't get Rials

Change more in SHV

Hello again, there are some banks in pattaya where you can take withdrawals in dollars?

so I do not have to take out thai bath and then switch over to the dollar.

[loppylugs1]

You could take the early morning bus to Trat which is pretty safe as compared to the helldrivers in the vans. Check departure times near the intersection of Sukumvit and Pattaya Klang. It is 20 meters south of it, at the corner of a small soi. It is wooden shack and Trat plus times are written there. I liked this service. This should be the cheapest form of transport.

At Trat bus station you connect to a Van to border. From the border take a motorbike taxi to Koh kong and on by Van to SHV.

There are also direct van services to the border on offer but they might dump you on the regular van to the border at Trat.

Let the train take the strain,to Trat,one a day from Patts

[mike2011]

USD/Thai Baht. You can use Thai baht in Koh Kong - they actually prefer it. You can learn more about the exchange rate riel/baht online on the Cambodian banks websites. Give and take a few riel.

Do you have a visa? Koh Kong the worst Cambodian immigration when it comes to riping off people. They now charge 1500 baht, and it has to be bath. Better get an electronic visa over the internet. Again, make sure you have the right website. Do some google searches and get it right.

If you have a lot of Thai Baht: Change it into small USD bills, like the 1 and 5 USD bills, in Thailand. They are 'cheaper' to buy but have the same value as the large 50 and 100 USD bills in Cambodia.

In Cambodia I would use riel. You usually make 2 %, e.g. you get 4080 riel per dollar while paying cash in USD is counted as 4000 riel.

Be careful with the money changers in SHV between the Samudera supermarket and the central market. At least one of them is a scam artist. Samudera exchange rates are the same as those guys and no headaches. Be aware that SHV exchange rates a slightly lower than in Phnom Penh near the Central Market.

In SHV you will need to pay in USD at the supermarkets like Samudera. If you pay in riel they calculate a bad exchange rate. However, if the guesthouse asks for, say, 10 USD just give them 40K riel. No probs.

ATM: They all charge now in Cambodia like they do in Thailand. Again check the web and do a google search. You can withdraw USD in Cambodia no problem.

No idea if there is an ATM at the Cambodian side of the boarder. But baht will get you into Koh Kong without any problems.

Edited January 26, 2015 by mike2011

[Forkinhades]

You could take the early morning bus to Trat which is pretty safe as compared to the helldrivers in the vans. Check departure times near the intersection of Sukumvit and Pattaya Klang. It is 20 meters south of it, at the corner of a small soi. It is wooden shack and Trat plus times are written there. I liked this service. This should be the cheapest form of transport.

At Trat bus station you connect to a Van to border. From the border take a motorbike taxi to Koh kong and on by Van to SHV.

There are also direct van services to the border on offer but they might dump you on the regular van to the border at Trat.

Let the train take the strain,to Trat,one a day from Patts

Really?

That's news to me.

Thought the train only went to Sattahip

[bapoboy]

USD/Thai Baht. You can use Thai baht in Koh Kong - they actually prefer it. You can learn more about the exchange rate riel/baht online on the Cambodian banks websites. Give and take a few riel.

Do you have a visa? Koh Kong the worst Cambodian immigration when it comes to riping off people. They now charge 1500 baht, and it has to be bath. Better get an electronic visa over the internet. Again, make sure you have the right website. Do some google searches and get it right.

If you have a lot of Thai Baht: Change it into small USD bills, like the 1 and 5 USD bills, in Thailand. They are 'cheaper' to buy but have the same value as the large 50 and 100 USD bills in Cambodia.

In Cambodia I would use riel. You usually make 2 %, e.g. you get 4080 riel per dollar while paying cash in USD is counted as 4000 riel.

Be careful with the money changers in SHV between the Samudera supermarket and the central market. At least one of them is a scam artist. Samudera exchange rates are the same as those guys and no headaches. Be aware that SHV exchange rates a slightly lower than in Phnom Penh near the Central Market.

In SHV you will need to pay in USD at the supermarkets like Samudera. If you pay in riel they calculate a bad exchange rate. However, if the guesthouse asks for, say, 10 USD just give them 40K riel. No probs.

ATM: They all charge now in Cambodia like they do in Thailand. Again check the web and do a google search. You can withdraw USD in Cambodia no problem

No idea if there is an ATM at the Cambodian side of the boarder. But baht will get you into Koh Kong without any problems.

I have been to the hat Lek border before once when I took a visa run, the immigration ask for 1000bath because I not have 1 photo and they also told me they charge 300bqth for stamp my passport since I go visa run, I know they speak bullshit, how can I avoid all this scam ? Just give them 25 dollar and then give them a photo off me?

[sanuk711]

Let the train take the strain,to Trat,one a day from Patts

Is that the train --go to BKK--(Ekimai--to--Siam--to--Sathorn )--go to P.Penh--go to Sihanoukville................??

Edited January 26, 2015 by sanuk711

[Forkinhades]

^ 5555, that's a journey!

[mike2011]

The official visa price went from USD 20 to 30 last fall. Thus at Koh Kong they charge more in baht. Yes you need a passport photo and I should have mentioned it.

Your only safeguard is that electronic tourist visa and do the outprints etc as stated on the website.

I do not know if your trip includes Phnom Penh. In that case you could take the yellow bus from Pattaya (check for this in the Cambodia section of this forum) to Aranyaphrathet for 250 Baht, pay 60 baht to the border on a motorbike, pay 30 USD for the visa at the border (7 USD cheaper than online) and refuse all demands for USD 35 by the officials, it will take some time but you get it, have photo (otherwise 1 USD fee) and ignore the health scam (just walk by). 1 USD for a motobike to Olympic bus, Take the 8 PM night bus (9 USD, it is a kind of sleeper where you can stretch out but nothing like a Thai VIP bus) arrive at 5 AM in PP. CHeck in a guesthouse (no early checkin fees like in Thailand). Go to a Chinese cafe for coffee, wanton soup, dimsum, take a nap, off to the central market for some money changing.

At the central market you can change from any currency into another without changing first into riel unlike in Thailand where changing always involves baht and you are hit twice with fees.

The changers take very very small fees unlike in Thailand.

PP is worth a few days. Good food, a few things to see like S21 torture prison, the national museum, the city itself and what it has otherwise to offer.

The capitol bus from PP to SHV is 5.5 USD and has a free shuttle service from the SHV bus station to SHV downtown. The trip takes 4-5 hrs depending on the time of the day.

I religiously avoid Koh Kong after a credible threat of armed violence by drivers who wanted to coerce me into hiring them.

It all depends on your preferences, time budget, finances, and doing some online research.

You have a cc so the online visa will be the easiest for you if you stick by Koh Kong.

@Sanuk

No passenger train services in Cambodia. You refer to the BKK - Aranyaprathet 3rd class train. It leaves around 6AM and 1 PM from BKK central station to Aran and costs a grand 48 Baht.

No need to go to the train station in BKK. Better take the airport bus to Swampy then the airport train to Latkrabang (1 stop only) and walk to the train station. This makes sense as the Aran train needs almost an hour to get there because of the train crossings in BKK. You could also take a bus to Chaosengsao (spelling ,sorry) and take the train there.

These are only theoretical options for tourists coming from Pattaya. For those in BKK it might be perfect as the train is only slightly slower than the bus once you calculate in the trip to Morchit. Also when the train arrives in Aran a cheap truck/bus is waiting and no need for a tuktuk or motorbike to the border.

Edited January 26, 2015 by mike2011

[inventorinthailand]

Would i gain any time or comfort by flying to PP instead of go by bus, leaving from Pattaya? It will be 2 hour taxi, 1.5 hour wait at airport, flight ?hours, The bus ?hours down to Sihanoukville

Edited April 19, 2015 by inventorinthailand

[Forkinhades]

Flight is only 1 hour and 10 mins, the bus from pp to Shanoukville will take anything from 4 - 6 hours. A private taxi will get you there quicker. So for the price of air ticket and taxi costing about $200 more to save maybe 30 mins.

[inventorinthailand]

ok, are there any reliable and sober non-maniac minibusses who goes the whole distance to Snooky? Or at least all the way to the Ban Hat Lek Border. Taxi companies here are asking 6000 baht to the border from Pattaya. Bit it cost "only" $55 with a private taxi to Snooky then.

Edited April 20, 2015 by inventorinthailand

[Forkinhades]

From Pats you can a mini bus for about 1000 baht, you can even get the big buses from Sukumvit.

I got a mini bus about 5 years ago and it was only about 500 from memory.

once at the border you get a taxi yo Koh Kong $20, then another bus from KK to Shanoukville, again around $20

[inventorinthailand]

But won't that bus stop at Trat, 90km from the boarder?

[mike2011]

correct, after Trat it is the Van.

I was in SHV last week and asked the local manager of Capitol buses why they had not buses to Koh Kong (either from PP or SHV). The one bus company running the route from PP is less than nice. The response was first that the road was not good and second he said that the company does not want to deal with all the trouble. When I asked what the trouble is, he replied the constant stealing at Koh Kong. Capitol does not want to have all the complaints. What a nice assessment of the scene in Koh Kong. I had once a digital camera stolen which was a joined job of the camry driver and the passengers. Long time ago but this statement brought back bad memories.

So watch out in Koh Kong, crime is a standard operating procedure there and the place has the worst reputation even among Cambodians.

[fey]

not worth going imo. try siem reap.

[thailandforumaddict]

Hello,

What is the closest beach to the border on Camdo side ? Is it nice ?

Or which airline flies to Sianookville directly from BKK ?

Thank you.

[siam2007]

Hello,

What is the closest beach to the border on Camdo side ? Is it nice ?

Or which airline flies to Sianookville directly from BKK ?

Thank you.

NONE / NADA / ZILCH

[inventorinthailand]

I took a taxi the whole way from Pattaya to the border (3000baht) . Passed the border with a E-visa, took 10-15min. Then i had another taxi waiting for me to Snooky ($65). All and all it took 11 hours. I flew back though (3400 baht with 25kg luggage and "VIP" seat), I entered the airport 3.5 hours early with minibus ($12) and then i had a taxi waiting at Don Muang to Pattaya (1200 baht)... It took 10 hours all in all.

[thailandforumaddict]

Lucky you ! You haven't seen any handicapped or talked to any tuktuk cheater ! You didn't enjoy Cambodia at all :-)

I took a taxi the whole way from Pattaya to the border (3000baht) . Passed the border with a E-visa, took 10-15min. Then i had another taxi waiting for me to Snooky ($65). All and all it took 11 hours. I flew back though (3400 baht with 25kg luggage and "VIP" seat), I entered the airport 3.5 hours early with minibus ($12) and then i had a taxi waiting at Don Muang to Pattaya (1200 baht)... It took 10 hours all in all.

[fred110]

You could take the early morning bus to Trat which is pretty safe as compared to the helldrivers in the vans. Check departure times near the intersection of Sukumvit and Pattaya Klang. It is 20 meters south of it, at the corner of a small soi. It is wooden shack and Trat plus times are written there. I liked this service. This should be the cheapest form of transport.

At Trat bus station you connect to a Van to border. From the border take a motorbike taxi to Koh kong and on by Van to SHV.

There are also direct van services to the border on offer but they might dump you on the regular van to the border at Trat.

Hi, how long was the bus ride from Klang to Trat? Is there a bathroom onboard? Thanks.

[Asiantravel]

You could take the early morning bus to Trat which is pretty safe as compared to the helldrivers in the vans. Check departure times near the intersection of Sukumvit and Pattaya Klang. It is 20 meters south of it, at the corner of a small soi. It is wooden shack and Trat plus times are written there. I liked this service. This should be the cheapest form of transport.

At Trat bus station you connect to a Van to border. From the border take a motorbike taxi to Koh kong and on by Van to SHV.

There are also direct van services to the border on offer but they might dump you on the regular van to the border at Trat.

Hi, how long was the bus ride from Klang to Trat? Is there a bathroom onboard? Thanks.

the bus arrives at Klang about 6:00 AM (but it's best to be waiting there about 5. 45 am because now there is only one per day whereas there used to be three or four every day)

it arrives in Trat between 10.30 to 11 AM.

There isn't a bathroom on board but it stops in Rayong bus station after about 2 hours (because it does stop and start a lot along the way) and again at Chantaburi bus station after about another 2 hours and if you tell the driver he will wait for you to go to the bathroom. after Chantaburi you arrive in Trat bus station after about another 60 to 90 minutes which is also where you can jump aboard a minivan to the Thai border.

Edited January 15, 2016 by Asiantravel

[fred110]

You could take the early morning bus to Trat which is pretty safe as compared to the helldrivers in the vans. Check departure times near the intersection of Sukumvit and Pattaya Klang. It is 20 meters south of it, at the corner of a small soi. It is wooden shack and Trat plus times are written there. I liked this service. This should be the cheapest form of transport.

At Trat bus station you connect to a Van to border. From the border take a motorbike taxi to Koh kong and on by Van to SHV.

There are also direct van services to the border on offer but they might dump you on the regular van to the border at Trat.

Hi, how long was the bus ride from Klang to Trat? Is there a bathroom onboard? Thanks.

the bus arrives at Klang about 6:00 AM (but it's best to be waiting there about 5. 45 am because now there is only one per day whereas there used to be three or four every day)

it arrives in Trat between 10.30 to 11 AM.

There isn't a bathroom on board but it stops in Rayong bus station after about 2 hours (because it does stop and start a lot along the way) and again at Chantaburi bus station after about another 2 hours and if you tell the driver he will wait for you to go to the bathroom. after Chantaburi you arrive in Trat bus station after about another 60 to 90 minutes which is also where you can jump aboard a minivan to the Thai border.

Thanks for the info.