Bike trip to Cambodia

[JaiLai]

Gents, thinking about driving from Central Thailand to Seim Reap, looking for some experience from anyone who has done this.

1. I believe all i need to get the bike across the border is Green ownership book, is that correct ( and valid license )? or is there more to it than that?

2. It would be at the border crossing at Poi Pet, are there agents there to assist with paperwork / speed things up etc?

3. What are the road conditions like from Poi Pet to SR? ( we would be on ER 6N's + perhaps 1 Forza )

4. What is a good time of year to do this / or not?

Any info good or bad with tips / advice would be very much appreciated.

Thank you.

[DILLIGAD]

I can advise re Chon Chom crossing if that's any help?

Don't forget not to have bike headlights illuminated during day-light! It's illegal over there.

[JaiLai]

I can advise re Chon Chom crossing if that's any help?

Don't forget not to have bike headlights illuminated during day-light! It's illegal over there.

Yeah, i'd appreciate any advise about any border crossing.

Thanks.

[Tomtomtom69]

I can advise re Chon Chom crossing if that's any help?

Don't forget not to have bike headlights illuminated during day-light! It's illegal over there.

Yeah, i'd appreciate any advise about any border crossing.

Thanks.

That's the right advice. Due to the lack of an agreement between Thailand and Cambodia on the crossing of private motor vehicles, each border crossing has it's own rules. While you can EXIT at Poipet for Aranyaprathet to re-enter Thailand, to enter Cambodia Chong Chom/O'Smach with a motorcycle or car is the best crossing. Otherwise, try Hat Lek (Khlong Yai)/Koh Kong (Cham Yeam), which is on the coast in the extreme south-easternmost corner of Thailand.

[DILLIGAD]

I can advise re Chon Chom crossing if that's any help?

Don't forget not to have bike headlights illuminated during day-light! It's illegal over there.

Yeah, i'd appreciate any advise about any border crossing.

Thanks.

I did that crossing with 2 mates & 3 bikes about a year ago. It was very painless and although I took copies/paper/photo's of nearly everything imaginable, only the registration book in my name was needed.

You do the usual crap about YOUR visa then Thai customs inspect engine/ frame numbers, log it and give you an export document(free).

Go through usual border stuff and then further down the hill on Cambodia side, go to Cambodian customs who take paperwork Check/log it. They send you a cross the road to copy a form (so you have copy with you when riding) then that's it, off you go along about 2 roads to SR/Pub Street!!!

Enjoy & ride safe.

[Tomtomtom69]

One more piece of advice. If Cambodian customs asks where you are going, say "within the province" or "Samrong" somewhere like that, because it's not officially allowed to leave the province due to a lack of agreement on cross border transit. There's nothing stopping you after leaving customs, but tell them what they want to hear otherwise you could be prevented from riding to Siem Reap.

[DILLIGAD]

And don't forget the tip in post no.2 re headlights.

In true 'Blue-Peter' fashion it can be got around with sticky tape and card-board.

[Lucky33]

I've made the trip several times from Pattaya to Sihanoukville via the Hat Lek border crossing at Koh Kong. All you need is your green book and your passport, you don't even need a license. As Dilligan said, you need a way to switch your headlights off or you will get stopped for that for sure. It's easy and only takes about ten to fifteen extra minutes for the bike. Don't forget to turn in your customs form when you leave Cambodia, there is a 10,000 baht fine for not checking back in with Cambodia customs when you exit.

[JaiLai]

Thanks for all the info chaps, i'm still gathering info and looking at routes, i'll post back trip report.

[saorsa]

If I cross into Cambodia from Thailand, can I then ride up and into Laos directly from Cambodia, or would I need to go back into Thailand to cross into Laos?

[AJS 7R]

Yes you can do it but it can be very expensive in my experience,they want money for every stamp they put in your passport.

[saorsa]

Yes you can do it but it can be very expensive in my experience,they want money for every stamp they put in your passport.

I'm not too worried if it is just a $100 or so to save the hassle of detouring back to Thailand. How much did it cost you?

[AJS 7R]

Yes you can do it but it can be very expensive in my experience,they want money for every stamp they put in your passport.

I'm not too worried if it is just a $100 or so to save the hassle of detouring back to Thailand. How much did it cost you?

It cost me more than what I had at the moment in $, there is no money changer at the border and they didn't want to take Baht.

And when I left the last place I staid I changed money to last me through the border at normal cost, but the cost before I arrived to the

boarder was a little bit higher than I counted on, that's the reason I was a little bit short of their demand. The cost was what I can recall.

The bridge over the the last river wasn't open so ferry it was 10$ and bad planning from me 15$ for petrol. At the Cambodian border,

5$ otherwise they didn't stamp me out. Then the Laos side 35$ visa fee and 5$ for the stamp, import of M C to Laos 50$and 5$ for the

stamp.And on top of it,immigration wanted 5$ for the arrival stamp. Sounds strange but I don't think they like people on bikes there.

[jethro69]

Sounds a bit strange to me, although I only crossed from Thailand into Lao. I know they charge some nonsense fee to be escorted over the brige (at least in C. Khong) this I always do the crossing in Nan. No bridge, so no fee. I'm on visa exempt for Lao (15 days) anyway so the fees I have to pay, is the "overtime" fee 10000 kip (or whatever they see fit) while on weekends and after 16:00 (or whenever they see fit). At customs it's a 50000 kip for the bike, but you receive a 25000 kip receipt only. If I remember well, years ago you paid something while exiting the country as well, nowadays they collect the fees right away when entering.

[saorsa]

Thanks for the info guys.

[koolaukid]

My GF and I did a similar trip last month crossing over into Cambodia at Chong Chom. We did the crossing about dusk and it was easy, US passports and green book. I don't recall whether we had passport photos but I'd take two just in case. Got some kind of export document for the bike when leaving Thailand but Cambodian customs only entered our name and bike model into a book but no inspection. We told them we were going to Preah Vihear and Siem Reap, the guy said no problem, gave us no documents and said we wouldn't have a problem. There was no charge to bring the bike into Cambodia. We drove with headlights on all the time and other than a few vehicles flashing us no problem there either. The roads between Siem Reap and Poipet are all newish sealed asphalt but boring. Leaving Cambodia no problem although it is confusing as to which office to visit and in what order. Thai customs took the document Thailand issued me when leaving and also performed my immigration checks. Through the border in about half an hour. One piece of advice which we learned the hard way. Don't drive in Cambodia after dark. Cars/bikes/bicycles/tillers with no lights coming from all directions some are fast and some are slow. Back in Thailand we felt like we were back in civilization.

[DILLIGAD]

My GF and I did a similar trip last month crossing over into Cambodia at Chong Chom. We did the crossing about dusk and it was easy, US passports and green book. I don't recall whether we had passport photos but I'd take two just in case. Got some kind of export document for the bike when leaving Thailand but Cambodian customs only entered our name and bike model into a book but no inspection. We told them we were going to Preah Vihear and Siem Reap, the guy said no problem, gave us no documents and said we wouldn't have a problem. There was no charge to bring the bike into Cambodia. We drove with headlights on all the time and other than a few vehicles flashing us no problem there either. The roads between Siem Reap and Poipet are all newish sealed asphalt but boring. Leaving Cambodia no problem although it is confusing as to which office to visit and in what order. Thai customs took the document Thailand issued me when leaving and also performed my immigration checks. Through the border in about half an hour. One piece of advice which we learned the hard way. Don't drive in Cambodia after dark. Cars/bikes/bicycles/tillers with no lights coming from all directions some are fast and some are slow. Back in Thailand we felt like we were back in civilization.

I do agree, there is a different kind of crazy driving in Cambodia. They drive faster/ overtake more dangerously and use their horns a lot more.

Although you got away with it, it doesn't make the daytime lights legal (which it is not)

[jethro69]

My GF and I did a similar trip last month crossing over into Cambodia at Chong Chom. We did the crossing about dusk and it was easy, US passports and green book. I don't recall whether we had passport photos but I'd take two just in case. Got some kind of export document for the bike when leaving Thailand but Cambodian customs only entered our name and bike model into a book but no inspection. We told them we were going to Preah Vihear and Siem Reap, the guy said no problem, gave us no documents and said we wouldn't have a problem. There was no charge to bring the bike into Cambodia. We drove with headlights on all the time and other than a few vehicles flashing us no problem there either. The roads between Siem Reap and Poipet are all newish sealed asphalt but boring. Leaving Cambodia no problem although it is confusing as to which office to visit and in what order. Thai customs took the document Thailand issued me when leaving and also performed my immigration checks. Through the border in about half an hour. One piece of advice which we learned the hard way. Don't drive in Cambodia after dark. Cars/bikes/bicycles/tillers with no lights coming from all directions some are fast and some are slow. Back in Thailand we felt like we were back in civilization.

I do agree, there is a different kind of crazy driving in Cambodia. They drive faster/ overtake more dangerously and use their horns a lot more.

Although you got away with it, it doesn't make the daytime lights legal (which it is not)

I think I read somewhere that it has become legal recently, along with the law that you don't need a driving license for bikes >125cc

Well, even if it is, the cops won't give up their pocket money just like that, so for me just close the one side, and if driving in the dark, just switch to the high beam.

[koolaukid]

We were talking to the owner of a guesthouse we stayed at and she said you don't need a drivers license at all. The government tried to implement laws requiring people to qualify for and get drivers licenses two years ago but ran into so much opposition they dropped it. From seeing the way people drive I believe it. In town we had to run post off pedestrians to scrape off cars so we change lanes.

Edited April 15, 2016 by koolaukid

[wheelin]

If I cross into Cambodia from Thailand, can I then ride up and into Laos directly from Cambodia, or would I need to go back into Thailand to cross into Laos?

I don't really know, but I did cross from Laos into cambodia. The road from Cambodia border was terrible, and it was deserted all the way to Stung Treng. . I used mountain bike, and it took a whole afternon and late evening to arrive at Stung Treng. From then on the road was good. If you use small motor bike, you can even load the motorbike on the speed boat that run the Mekong and also Tonle Sap.

Best time to visit Cambodia and Laos would be from late October to May, with March to May being extremely hot and dry.

[floridaguy]

I also did the crossing at Poipet. Just the green book is needed. The document they give you on the Thai side is an export document - saying you are exporting your Thai bike out of Thailand. Don't lose that! Coming back, the Thai customs takes it back as you are importing your bike back into Thailand. It is a wash.

As for driving, headlights weren't an issue, we drove 3 days with headlights on at all times, no issues. As I always do at police stops here in Thailand, we did ride through a police stop in Cambodia between Poipet and Siam Reap and we just ignored the cops and drove through. As here in Thailand, if you act important, they treat you that way. No one looked at us twice driving through the stop.

Watch the roads, they are bad. And you will be amazed at how relieved you will feel driving back into Thailand. The driving here is much easier and you will appreciate the unspoken driving rules followed here. It is a bit of madness in Cambodia. Worse still in Vietnam. Just drive defensively. No one gives you the right of way, you just have to maneuver through everything as if they are all out to get you.

Good luck. It was a great little trip and I will definitely do it again.

[paulyd2k]

5 of us did Cambodia on the bikes last year, went in at koh kong no probs getting bikes in, recommend you do your visa online much easier . we did 1 night in koh kong , not sure why,lol. but anyway next day sihanoukville 2 nights, loved it different vibe from Thailand. then rode to phnom phen but hit it rush hour, wow that was crazy, but once in I loved the place, going back as soon as I have time,stayed 2 nights on the 136, great area , in all fantastic place, we then rode to battambong and stayed there 1 night ,pretty crap there but then out through poi pet no probs, great trip , yes roads vary a lot and there driving is crazy just come at you with horns blasting. I even had a wheel bearing collapse in the middle of nowhere, rode a lkittle pulled in to this shack left the bike went and ate come back all done $10, awesome,lol

[CLW]

Hello, some update about taking Thai registered Motorcycle to Cambodia? Any border crossing is fine?

As someone mentioned, I'm planning to enter Laos after Cambodia.

Anyone done this before?

Are there additional documents needed (except DL, green book and that export documents from the Thai border)?

Thanks!

[DILLIGAD]

CLW, bikes cannot enter Laos at Muk/Savanakhet, only exit but I am told other more Northerly borders are OK to enter.

[AJS 7R]

Hello, some update about taking Thai registered Motorcycle to Cambodia? Any border crossing is fine?

As someone mentioned, I'm planning to enter Laos after Cambodia.

Anyone done this before?

Are there additional documents needed (except DL, green book and that export documents from the Thai border)?

Thanks!

You can't enter Cambodia via Ban Laem or Nam Ron, I was denied two weeks ago.

Entering Laos directly from Cambodia is fine, but don't do it on weekends or holidays, it

can be expensive.

[CLW]

Hello, some update about taking Thai registered Motorcycle to Cambodia? Any border crossing is fine?

As someone mentioned, I'm planning to enter Laos after Cambodia.

Anyone done this before?

Are there additional documents needed (except DL, green book and that export documents from the Thai border)?

Thanks!

You can't enter Cambodia via Ban Laem or Nam Ron, I was denied two weeks ago.

Entering Laos directly from Cambodia is fine, but don't do it on weekends or holidays, it

can be expensive.

Thanks!