Best way to travel to Ankor Wat Cambodia

[Kenny202]

Hi all. Living in North East Isaan and thinking about a trip to Ankor Wat. Anyone have any idea of best way to get there? Looks like its some distance from Phnom Penh and not keen on sitting on a Cambodian bus for hours. Have a car and Thai license but not sure if I can drive into Cambodia or if the temple complex is accessible from Thailand by road

[BKKSnowBird]

Siem Reap is a great place even after you see AW but best fly there. Trust me, the bus and crossing the border by land sucks.

[hanno]

Fly. Since Air Asia started doing the route, ticket prices have come down a lot. I am not sure why you would go via Phnom Penh?

[Jip99]

Where abouts in Isaan are you located.

Siem Reap is only just over 2 hours away from the Chong Chom border in Surin, and even less from Chong sa Ngam in Sisaket

[hanno]

Where abouts in Isaan are you located.

Siem Reap is only just over 2 hours away from the Chong Chom border in Surin, and even less from Chong sa Ngam in Sisaket

True, and the road is one of the best in Cambodia now.

[AlexRRR]

Where abouts in Isaan are you located.

Siem Reap is only just over 2 hours away from the Chong Chom border in Surin, and even less from Chong sa Ngam in Sisaket

True, and the road is one of the best in Cambodia now.

If they built a new road then i would drive, 6 ys ago its was 140ks of pot holes i know i hired a car and driver from poi pet.....only a toyota or tank could have survied that road then.

[hanno]

The finished the road a couple of years ago, Preah Vihear is actually doable as a day-trip now.

[Sandman77]

Use osmach boarder more quite and no waiting time like in Aryan japrathet

For private taxi only one was avalible I paid for 2 people 60 dollar now in Angkor land when you here you can send pm!

[Kenny202]

How long by car is it from.the thai border? Do I need to pre arrange visa (I'm Australian) or visa on entry? Thanks for all the help

[hanno]

You can get the visa on arrival. Visa fees increased recently and are now USD 30.00 for the regular visa. I figure the drive is about 2.5-3.0 hours.

[yellowboat]

Tooks busses from Phnom Penh and the Thai border. Cannot remember it was all that bad. Busy season is coming to an end next month. Was there a few summers ago. It was great fun.

[marioc]

Plane, of course.

[Kenny202]

There is an airport nearby? Forgive my ignorance

[hanno]

There is an airport nearby? Forgive my ignorance

If you mean Siem Reap then yes, the airport is about 15 minutes from downtown.

[ggt]

Use "google earth"...enjoy the pictures...save your money and get yourself a "soapy massage"...

[deucebi]

I have just traveled to Angkor War from just North of Surin City. You could risk your life in a Thai minibus to the border and cross your fingers there would be a taxi on the other side. If you drive yourself there is a bunch of paperwork and insurance to sort out. Plus the added problem of driving a left hand drive car on the right hand side.

I took the easier option of flying Nok Air from Buriram to Don Muang. 2 hours transfer at Don Muang and a Air Asia flight to Siem Reap airport.

Book the flights weeks in advance and avoid flying at weekends and you can get a great deal. Just fly with hand luggage on Air Asia for the best price.

I did most of the temples in 6 hours and I honestly don't want to see another temple for quite a while.

Stayed at an excellent hotel called Diamond D'Angkor Boutique. About 2500 baht a night if I recall correctly. Free transport to and from hotel. Free drinks in the room fridge. Free tuk-tuk with driver to take you to the temples or wherever you want to go. Free breakfast, free meal 1 time per stay, free massage 1 time per stay. They even give you a basic phone to contact them while you are out and about. They even did a late check out for free. Great customer service that the Thai's could learn from .

Just take US dollars as everything is priced in dollars. You only get Cambodian currency if it's less than a dollar in value.

[deucebi]

If you fly into Siem Reap it's worth getting an e-visa before hand. It took 3 weeks for my e-visa to come through and then only after I asked where it was by email.

Of the 150 people on my flight about 10 had e-visa so we went through the evisa check in 2 minutes. I hate to think how long the 140 people took to get their visa on arrival.

OK it costs a few dollars more to get an e-visa but the time saved is well worth it.

[hanno]

If you fly into Siem Reap it's worth getting an e-visa before hand. It took 3 weeks for my e-visa to come through and then only after I asked where it was by email.

Of the 150 people on my flight about 10 had e-visa so we went through the evisa check in 2 minutes. I hate to think how long the 140 people took to get their visa on arrival.

OK it costs a few dollars more to get an e-visa but the time saved is well worth it.

E-visa has the added advantage of not taking up space in your passport. Having said that, immigration is one of he few things that actually works in Cambodia and getting the visa is very fast.

[Altalake]

Deucebi says it all.

Max of 2 days in Siam Reap. Temples are fine, but one can be saturated with them.

Don't bother with Phnom P. A mess.

Lots if good stuff on Trip Advisor - tho' Deucebi's hotel might be hard to beat.

[KarenfromAus]

Went to angkor Wat in January with my thai Step mum for four nights, We had to leave our car at O'smach border as Thai registered vehicles are not allowed to be driven in Cambodia. We then picked up a 'taxi' outside of the casino, 5 minute walk. The trip to Siem Reap was about 2 hours.

Prior to that we had to get a visa at the border crossing to enter, plus photo. Sorry I can't remember how much the visa was.The taxi cost about US$100.00 to the hotel. We left from Surin and it took about an hour or so to get to the border.

[phuketrichard]

Thai registered cars are allowed in via Osmach, done it many times as have others. no paper work no bribes. NO insurance either thou LOL

Its around 2 1/2 hours to SR with a stop for lunch. Good roads all the way ( unless u take the route Via Banteay Chhmer)

Visa at border $30

[milys]

You take yourself down to "Talat Rong Kleua, Aranyaprathet" there you cross the border to Poi Pet. There you have countless, taxis, minibuses and buses that goes to Siam Reap. It's cheap, the road is good and it's fast. Don't forget to bargain!

When you want to have a lifetime experience, not a good one, go by the sh*thole Phnom Phen.

Don't forget the kidney belt, the buses are crap, the road is even crappier and you gonna sit a long long time on the bus.

[milys]

Use "google earth"...enjoy the pictures...save your money and get yourself a "soapy massage"...

That sounds like a good idea. Angkor Wat has really become a tourist trap the last years.

[hanno]

Use "google earth"...enjoy the pictures...save your money and get yourself a "soapy massage"...

That sounds like a good idea. Angkor Wat has really become a tourist trap the last years.

If you plan, it is still pretty awesome. Just don't follow the sheep.

[csabo]

If you fly into Siem Reap it's worth getting an e-visa before hand. It took 3 weeks for my e-visa to come through and then only after I asked where it was by email.

Of the 150 people on my flight about 10 had e-visa so we went through the evisa check in 2 minutes. I hate to think how long the 140 people took to get their visa on arrival.

OK it costs a few dollars more to get an e-visa but the time saved is well worth it.

E-visa has the added advantage of not taking up space in your passport. Having said that, immigration is one of he few things that actually works in Cambodia and getting the visa is very fast.

Could not agree more. When my plane landed I was the only one with a eVisa and walked right through the airport and into a cab in 2 minutes. Everyone else from the plane was waiting in line to get VOA's. Mine took 24 hours to process not 3 weeks.

eVisa link

https://www.evisa.gov.kh/ContactInformation.aspx

[milys]

Went to angkor Wat in January with my thai Step mum for four nights, We had to leave our car at O'smach border as Thai registered vehicles are not allowed to be driven in Cambodia. We then picked up a 'taxi' outside of the casino, 5 minute walk. The trip to Siem Reap was about 2 hours.

Prior to that we had to get a visa at the border crossing to enter, plus photo. Sorry I can't remember how much the visa was.The taxi cost about US$100.00 to the hotel. We left from Surin and it took about an hour or so to get to the border.

Sounds like you got ripped up pretty good. A taxi in Thailand from Suvanabhum to the khmer border, Poi Pet, is about US$ 50-60 and that is 300 km and it takes like 3.5 h.

In Cambodia it's much cheaper. I went to Phnom Phen from Poi Pet with a taxi, a 6 h ride for 2000 baht.

The Visa fee has lately gone up from 1000 baht to 1200, non-negotiable.

[Jip99]

If you fly into Siem Reap it's worth getting an e-visa before hand. It took 3 weeks for my e-visa to come through and then only after I asked where it was by email.

Of the 150 people on my flight about 10 had e-visa so we went through the evisa check in 2 minutes. I hate to think how long the 140 people took to get their visa on arrival.

OK it costs a few dollars more to get an e-visa but the time saved is well worth it.

E-visa has the added advantage of not taking up space in your passport. Having said that, immigration is one of he few things that actually works in Cambodia and getting the visa is very fast.

Agree 100%.

However, 4 of us are traveling in May and I have prepared all the immigration forms in advance.

It is probably worth saving $40 as group.

[hanno]

Went to angkor Wat in January with my thai Step mum for four nights, We had to leave our car at O'smach border as Thai registered vehicles are not allowed to be driven in Cambodia. We then picked up a 'taxi' outside of the casino, 5 minute walk. The trip to Siem Reap was about 2 hours.

Prior to that we had to get a visa at the border crossing to enter, plus photo. Sorry I can't remember how much the visa was.The taxi cost about US$100.00 to the hotel. We left from Surin and it took about an hour or so to get to the border.

Sounds like you got ripped up pretty good. A taxi in Thailand from Suvanabhum to the khmer border, Poi Pet, is about US$ 50-60 and that is 300 km and it takes like 3.5 h.

In Cambodia it's much cheaper. I went to Phnom Phen from Poi Pet with a taxi, a 6 h ride for 2000 baht.

The Visa fee has lately gone up from 1000 baht to 1200, non-negotiable.

I don't know when you went milys but prices have increased quite a bit as tourism goes through the roof. But USD 100 does sound a bit steep.

[Kenny202]

I really doubt you would get a cab from Suvy to the Cambodia border for 50 bucks. It's more than 300ks and he'd have to get back to. Fuel alone wud be close to that