Cham Yeam / Baan Hat Lek (Trat) border crossing experiences?

[ChristianPFC]

I am planning to return to Thailand from a visa run to Cambodia via the Cham Yeam / Baan Hat Lek (Trat). Actually it's not a visa run, I am currently on visa waiver and have a flight to Germany (my home country) 29 days after entering Thailand. Will take 20 kTHB as proof of funding and a hotel booking as proof of accommodation.

Does anyone have recent experience at this border crossing for 30 days visa waiver? Is it accessible by public transport from Cambodia and is there public transport on Thai side (Thai side not that important, I could go by hitchhiking and want to have a look at the smallest point of Thailand 420 m from the sea to Cambodian border)? On google maps, it doesn't look like there is a town on either side of the border. Will I be able to get something to eat and a hotel if necessary?

[BritTim]

My experiences are not really recent, but I think will prove to be accurate.

There is no problem with transport from either Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville. There are scheduled bus services.

You can stay in Koh Kong on the Cambodian side of the border, near where most of the buses finish, or at the casinos right next to the border. On the Thai side, you can find food, but as I recall no place to stay immediately adjacent to the border. You can easily get transport from the border at Hat Lek to Klong Yai (a really nice Thai town with a good day/night market and fair hotels). There are also small resorts at various places up the coast there (some easier to get to than others). There used to be occasional boats (not daily) from Klong Yai to islands not usually accessible by public transport. If looking for some adventure, you might try asking around.

Crossing the border into Thailand at Hat Lek is usually pretty painless. Traveling in the other direction is another story. The Cambodian immigration and mafia (single organization) there is often a real pain.

[ubonjoe]

If you have not done it already you can extend your 30 day visa exempt entry for 30 days at an immigration office for a fee of 1900 baht.

[JackThompson]

Mini-Vans run from Trat bus station to the border. Tuk-Tuks run from Cambodian immigration to Koh Kong. From Koh Kong you can get a bus to Sihanouk and/or Phnom Penh, but these only ran early morning when I was there a couple years ago, so you could be in Koh Kong for the night; many hotels / guesthouses available.

In my experience, crossing back to Thailand was friendly (vs Poi Pet), but I was returning after long-breaks out of Thailand (several months) with few visa-exempts in my Thai visa history.

I have never tried to cross from Thailand into Cambodia via this border,, but it is generally recommended to get an E-Visa for this one, as it is not a simple 100-Baht "extra fee" like Poipet to get your Cambodian VOA without problems (many stories online about this - that crossing is notorious).

[ChristianPFC]

Thanks BritTim, helps me a lot.

I pondered about visa extension, but decide for a visa-waiver-run, as I have friend to visit in Phnom Phen.

Googlemaps gives PP to Trat 393 km and 6 h 30 min. Is it realistic to do this by bus from Phom Penh (add time for border crossing and for sightseeing smallest part of Thailand 420 m about 5 km north of the border crossing) in one day or should I spend a night in between?

(My experience PP to Saigon Jan 2016 in about 8 hours by bus, 279 km 6 h 7 min by google maps shows it would be doable, unless there are no early buses to Cham Yeam or that route is slower.)

Does the bus run up to the border or are there even buses that cross the border (longer waiting for all passengers to process immigration), or does the bus stop in a nearby town?

[BritTim]

I normally take the bus from Ekamai bus station to Trad that used to leave at 11:30 pm (check: times might have changed). This arrives in Trad around 5:00 am. There are no buses that cross the border. As stated, there are fairly comfortable minivans from Trad to Hat Lek (stopping in Klong Yai) taking around an hour and a half. I think there are still slower songtaews (Trad to Klong Yai and Klong Yai to Hat Lek) that might be better if you want to check out some of the beaches/resorts. All transport terminating in Het Lek does so a short walk from the border. Consider spending a night in Klong Yai if wanting to explore.

Crossing the border from Hat Lek can be an aggravating experience on the Cambodian side. Unless you are a seasoned veteran of dodgy border posts, you may want to invest the extra $10 on the e-visa scam so you do not need to deal with all the scams around visa on arrival.

Transport from the border into Koh Kong is relatively expensive as the mafia extorts money from all the drivers.

Coming from Phnom Penh, just check the bus schedules for the arrival times in Koh Kong. Road conditions in the rainy season could mean a bit of a delay, though. You want to be in Koh Kong by about 4:30 pm at latest to get to the border, cross, and get to Klong Yai or a resort for the night. If later than that, stay the night in Koh Kong (not terrible). As previously stated, no problem crossing into Thailand, only in the other direction.

Edited July 17, 2016 by BritTim

[ChristianPFC]

I just checked pictures I took of timetables at bus station in PP (Phnom Penh Sorya Transport near the yellow dome central market): buses to Koh Kong leave 7 am, 9 am, 1 pm. The 7 am bus should allow me to cross to Thailand the same day.

 

But on Map, Koh Kong is about 10 km from the border crossing. Where exactly is the bus station, and how do I get to the border crossing? On the other hand, the highway goes to the border, and there is no bridge to the island, so the bus probably goes to the border town and people going to the island have to take a boat from there?

Edited August 5, 2016 by ChristianPFC

[JackThompson]

1 hour ago, ChristianPFC said:

I just checked pictures I took of timetables at bus station in PP (Phnom Penh Sorya Transport near the yellow dome central market): buses to Koh Kong leave 7 am, 9 am, 1 pm. The 7 am bus should allow me to cross to Thailand the same day.

 

But on Map, Koh Kong is about 10 km from the border crossing. Where exactly is the bus station, and how do I get to the border crossing? On the other hand, the highway goes to the border, and there is no bridge to the island, so the bus probably goes to the border town and people going to the island have to take a boat from there?

 

Thank you for the updates on bus-times - I may return via this route on my upcoming Visa Run to Phnom Penh.  There used to be a ferry involved in this journey, but there is now a bridge - no 'boat ride' has been needed for many years.

 

The last bus I took from Phnom Penh to Koh Kong, it dropped us off on a large street where there were many tuk-tuks offering their services to passengers.  For the most part, any time a bus stops in Cambodia, you can be assured that onward transportation is eagerly offered.  I paid a tuk-tuk to take me to the border.  I do not remember the exact cost, but believe it was about $5. 

[ChristianPFC]

I can highly recommend canby publications for such questions (their printed editions distributed for free as well as website and pdf for download), the best free tourism publication I have ever seen.

 

This link answers most of my questions (bus times, location of bus station).

http://www.canbypublications.com/cambodia/overland.htm

 

But I just learned from my friend in Phnom Penh that he will not be in town the night I stay there, however another friend will be in Battambang so I will go to see him. From Battambang to Thailand (will probably stay in Chanthaburi) will be via Phsar Prom (Pailin) /Ban Pakard ( Chantaburi).

 

Any recent experience with that border crossing (as in my op: visa waiver and 28 or 29 days stay in Thailand with flight back to Germany at the end)?

 

(The Cham Yeam / Baan Hat Lek (Trat) crossing will have to wait, I will do the sightseeing smallest point of Thailand 450 m from coast to Cambodian border another time.)

 

[ChristianPFC]

Summary: visa run Phnom Penh - Cham Yeam - Baan Hat Lek - Trat all fine.

 

My plan changed back to original (because friend in Battambang not available, stay one day longer in Phnom Penh to wait for friend who lives there).

 

Wed 10.08.2016

Check at Sorya: no buses to Koh Kong any more (and new table with destinations without Koh Kong, while the picture I took in January still had Koh Kong). Lady at counter recommends I take taxi, but then I can find someone else who points me to G.S.T. (about 50 m south-east of Sorya) where I get a ticket to Koh Kong for 9 USD (staff tells me to be at G.S.T. bus station 7:00, departure will be 7:30 from in front of bus station). Furthermore check Mekhong Express and Capitol Tours: no buses to Koh Kong! (I didn’t check with Giant Ibis Transport, Tep Sokha Express and Virak Bothan Bus.)

 

Thu 11.08.2016

Arrive at G.S.T. bus station 6:45 and show staff my ticket to Koh Kong, then have breakfast around the corner. Then back at 7:25, they put me on a tuk-tuk with two local passengers to drive us to Olympic transport (Olongpich transport, street 217 between street 328 and 338, 11.554733,104.9056134), where we board the bus and depart 7:42. It takes a while to get out of Phom Penh (slow traffic). Stop at Phnom Penh Bakery 8:23-30, stop for toilet and lunch 11:01-28, arrive at Koh Kong bus station (just a field and a roofed waiting area at 11.6195648,102.9857148 about 1km by road to the bridge) 13:31. Apart from aircon too cold, a quick and pleasant ride that was not delayed by medium rain.

 

At the bus station get a motorbike for 3 USD to take me to the border crossing (11 km, 13:34-51), after original asking price of 5 USD. Toll for bridge (1400 Riel) included, don’t know if there is any parking fee as he said, well then that’s included as well. After about 1 km and some small talk in good English, change to another mocy and driver who takes me the rest of the way to the border. Maybe they have only one who speaks good English and approaches foreigners?

 

Immigration departure Cambodia 13:54-56, immigration arrival Thailand 14:04-07. The fastest and most pleasant land border crossing I have experiences in South-East Asia (comparison with Nong Khai to Vientiane twice, Vientiane to Nong Khai, Sadao in both directions, Poipet to Aranyaprathet, Luang Prabang to Chiang Rai, Phnom Penh to Saigon).

 

On the Thai side, there are vans at the border, they will leave when full (which might take an hours judging by low traffic). Approach mocy taxi drivers and get to narrowest point of Thailand for 60 Baht (about 7 km ride, 14:22-33). After walking around there, hitchhike to Khlong Yai (lady who stops for me even calls songtheo in Khlong Yai and delivers me to their stop – such acts of kindness happen to me all the time when I travel in non-touristy areas in Thailand, having a good command of Thai probably helps), 60 Baht to Trat (15:09-16:40).

 

Side note about google maps: Cambodia is not available for download for offline use. But when I zoom in and move around the areas I need on my phone, it saves these areas in cache and I can navigate without internet connection. (I don’t want to buy a SIM card for 3 days in Cambodia, but I want to use google maps.)

[JackThompson]

56 minutes ago, ChristianPFC said:

... Check at Sorya: no buses to Koh Kong any more (and new table with destinations without Koh Kong, while the picture I took in January still had Koh Kong). Lady at counter recommends I take taxi, but then I can find someone else who points me to G.S.T. (about 50 m south-east of Sorya) where I get a ticket to Koh Kong for 9 USD (staff tells me to be at G.S.T. bus station 7:00, departure will be 7:30 from in front of bus station). Furthermore check Mekhong Express and Capitol Tours: no buses to Koh Kong! (I didn’t check with Giant Ibis Transport, Tep Sokha Express and Virak Bothan Bus.) ...

 

I just finished a similar run.  Good to know about GST - I didn't know about that one, but also found nothing to Koh Kong at the main Sorya or Russey-Market station.

 

"Virak Buntham" - located at Street 106 and Riverside - has mini-vans at 7:15 AM and 1:xx PM, plus a bus at 7:45 AM to Koh Kong.  The bus takes 6 hours, and the vans take 4.5 hours.  The vans fill up - even the day before (as I found out) - so buy your Van Ticket a couple days ahead. 

 

There is no "Real VIP" bus available (AFAIK), so if stuck on a bus, I buy 2 adjacent seats so I can stretch out and have access to my bag at my side, vs jammed between my legs or overhead.  Armed with snacks, drinks, and a book-on-tape, it's not bad.  Nice views out the window as you approach Koh Kong, too.

A Sim-Card is $3 (Smart), and I used only ~50-cents of 'data' over 6 days - mostly sticking to hotel wifi, but doing a bit of map-searching when out, and plenty of web-surfing.  Data is cheap in Cambodia - a fraction of Thailand's data-cost.

[bangkokairportlink]

Hello,

 

What Sim card to buy in Cambodia for Internet ? And do you know any hotel near the border on Cambodian side ? Thanks.

 

[BritTim]

5 hours ago, bangkokairportlink said:

Hello,

 

What Sim card to buy in Cambodia for Internet ? And do you know any hotel near the border on Cambodian side ? Thanks.

 

I cannot make recommendations for a Cambodian SIM card. It is a long time since I used one.

 

On hotels at the border on the Cambodian side, it depends on your budget. As I recall there are two casino hotels walking distance from Cambodian immigration. With the mafia control, I would be very surprised if there is a low cost guest house or hotel in the immediate vicinity.