Cambodia Trip

[AllanB]

Met a guy yesterday, a Jock specifically, who lives half the year here in Portugal and half in Cambodia, a bit like us and he says it is a great place to go, "unspoilt unlike Thailand" were his words.

 

I know the when, it's this December-ish, so just wondering where and how and where best to cross, coming from Khon Kaen.

 

Should have a CRF250 by then, so looking for some mountains, mainly on-road as will have MrsB with me, anything interesting, picturesque, challenging, but not suicidal to do/see.

 

Anyone know the current rules, restrictions, dos and don'ts, that would be helpful.

 

 

[DILLIGAD]

Chon Chom border crossing is easy for bikes. It's near to Surin. Take the registration book with you and as long as your the owner, its painless (& free for the bike).
Cambodia has a road law that says vehicles cannot have daytime lights ON, so a bit of tape can cover your headlight, if that is the case.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[chrissables]

Interesting, i have a new Honda Rally and am thinking of riding around Cambodia later in the year.

 

I read somewhere you are limited to the province where you enter. But also it's not actually enforced. Maybe you need to exit from the same place you entered?

[craigt3365]

Make sure you have good insurance, including evacuation.  Medical care there is pretty bad.

[alant]

As per Dilligad plus get a certificate of registration. useful info on https://www.thegtrider.com/touring-information-overview/s-e-asian-border-crossings 

[Deli]

Your friend is right, great place to go and definitely unspoiled in comparison to Thailand.

Road travel is easy. Go for it but bring essential spare parts with you.

[Juan B Tong]

Balls, Spares and tools, Evac insurance, Good med kit, full face bucket. Good lock.

If you crash be prepared.  You‘ll have to find and pay someone to get you to medical. Advise not going totally solo.  Go with or find a travel buddy to scrape you up if you go down and can't get up.

Great fun,  be safe!

[HarrySeaman]

4 hours ago, DILLIGAD said:

Chon Chom border crossing is easy for bikes. It's near to Surin. Take the registration book with you and as long as your the owner, its painless (& free for the bike).
Cambodia has a road law that says vehicles cannot have daytime lights ON, so a bit of tape can cover your headlight, if that is the case.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don't rely on tape.  When you buy the bike get the shop to put a switch on your lights so you can turn the lights off during the daytime.  Easy enough to do and not expensive.

 

You ride on the right side of the road in Cambodia, not the left like in Thailand.  Getting used to this may take some time so be very careful the first few days.

 

Cambodian drivers have their own set of behavior "rules" that are not quite the same as in Thailand.  Be alert and learn them quickly.

 

Turning left across the entire road without signaling is frequently seen, not unlike the way some Thais turn right across the entire highway without signaling.  Entering the road from the side without bothering to look to the left (right in Thailand) is normal.

 

Forget about driving at night except in the cities or towns, and don't do that if you can avoid it.  Headlights and tail lights seem to be optional if the car, truck, or motorcycle is even equipped with them.  Night driving road hazards also include things like ox carts loaded with massive logs that extend out the back of the carts, carts which don't have any sign of a light or reflector.

 

The advice about having good medical insurance with evacuation is excellent advice.

[Kerryd]

Remember the bit about headlights ! Maybe get a large plate or something (that won't be affected by the head of the headlight) and rig it with bunjii cords so you can easily cover/uncover the light as needed.

 

Insurance - for your own protection - don't leave home without it.

 

Roads - Cambodia drives on the right side of the road, not like Thailand.

 

Cambodians LOVE their horns ! 

 

Links to the TM 2 and TM 3 forms noted in the GT Rider post: http://www.imm.police.go.th/nov2004/en/base.php?page=download

 

Those are in addition to:

In a nutshell you need:

• Passport valid for 6 months
• Medical certificate
• Drivers licence recognized in Thailand. If not then you need to apply for a local driving licence.
• Vehicle Inspection Certificate
• Thai motor Vehicle insurance covering 1,000,000 baht in damages
• Approved itinerary with details of accommodation & route.
• Entry & departure ports must be designated

 

Note - can't find the Customs Form (Thai Customs Temporary Export Document) and the link in the GT Rider post doesn't work. I suspect because it appears to be a multi-part, carboned form so you can't download it or fill it out online.

Or I just couldn't find the right link !)

 

Seriously ? A medical certificate too ? And Vehicle Inspection certificate (I'm assuming the same one you get when you renew your registration and Road Tax every year, after the first 5 years) ?

 

I've been considering taking a trip to Angkor (again) but going on the bike next time. After going through Poi Pet/Aranyaprathet on foot a few months ago I think I will use Ban Laem in the future. I swear I could probably get back and forth through Poi Pet without going through Immigration at all (on either side). I was amazed at how disorganized that place was considering the massive amount of traffic they get. back in 2006 I used to do the monthly "runs" (from Pattaya) and they took us to Ban Laem and it was quicker and easier than Poi Pet. A lot of the Bangkok visa run companies were also using Ban Laem for the same reason.

 

Not much further out of the way than Poi Pet, possibly easier (and quicker) than Poi Pet as well (if you arrive after the visa runners have left - I went a few times "on my own" and the place was deserted after 10am, but that was a few years ago now).

 

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by Kerryd

[Mangkhut]

The border crossing Chong Chom-O'Smach from Surin province is normally a good bordercrossing to go through. Very little vehicle traffic, just thais who go over to the casinoes.

Third party insurance would be great but unlike Laos I dont think you can buy any at the border and probably not anywhere else. 

You will of course need all bike papers as the bike needs to be temporarly exported out of Thailand.

When I crossed into Cambodia at Chong Chom in 2015 they didnt take any notice of my bike. No paperwork at all, no entry in computer systems - absolutely nothing.

It could be that it have changed by now but I doubt it. 

What Kerryd mentiones about insurance approved itinerary and accomodation and medical sertificate must be a mistake. I had absolutely nothing of that when I entered Cambodia and nobody asked for anything of that. I think he have mistaken for what is needed when entering Thailand with a foreign vehicle.

 

From Chong Chom-O'Smach its just 2-3 hours down to Siem Reap with relatively nice roads (as of February 2015)

I rode from Siem Reap to Stung Treng (nice road as of 2015) Stung Treng to Kratie (partly gravel roads and some road construction) Kratie to Phnom Penh (ok roads) Phnom Penh to Kampot (good roads) Kampot to Koh Kong (good roads) and then exited to Thailand at Hat Lek. 

Spend 14 days in Cambodia as I had my gf with me and she could only get visa for 14 days (thai citizen)

 

Some say unspoiled - well it depends what they mean with unspoiled? Theres hardly any trees left in the northern part of the country. All is chopped down. I asked locals about the road condition between Siem Reap and Stung Treng and they said "through the jungle"? But I hardly saw a tree at all on that stretch...so not much jungle left.

 

Traffic seems a bit more aggressiv than in Thailand, bigger vehicles have all the rights, dont push your luck. Just take it easy and smell the flowers and you will be fine. 

No need to bring a whole lot of spare parts. Change oil and put on new tyres and brake pads if they are worn before you go. Maybe bring cables and a gear lever. 

I had lights on all day as the bike is wired like that and was a bit concerned about that - but I was never stopped.

 

[chrissables]

3 minutes ago, Mangkhut said:

The border crossing Chong Chom-O'Smach from Surin province is normally a good bordercrossing to go through. Very little vehicle traffic, just thais who go over to the casinoes.

Third party insurance would be great but unlike Laos I dont think you can buy any at the border and probably not anywhere else. 

You will of course need all bike papers as the bike needs to be temporarly exported out of Thailand.

When I crossed into Cambodia at Chong Chom in 2015 they didnt take any notice of my bike. No paperwork at all, no entry in computer systems - absolutely nothing.

It could be that it have changed by now but I doubt it. 

What Kerryd mentiones about insurance approved itinerary and accomodation and medical sertificate must be a mistake. I had absolutely nothing of that when I entered Cambodia and nobody asked for anything of that. I think he have mistaken for what is needed when entering Thailand with a foreign vehicle.

 

From Chong Chom-O'Smach its just 2-3 hours down to Siem Reap with relatively nice roads (as of February 2015)

I rode from Siem Reap to Stung Treng (nice road as of 2015) Stung Treng to Kratie (partly gravel roads and some road construction) Kratie to Phnom Penh (ok roads) Phnom Penh to Kampot (good roads) Kampot to Koh Kong (good roads) and then exited to Thailand at Hat Lek. 

Spend 14 days in Cambodia as I had my gf with me and she could only get visa for 14 days (thai citizen)

 

Some say unspoiled - well it depends what they mean with unspoiled? Theres hardly any trees left in the northern part of the country. All is chopped down. I asked locals about the road condition between Siem Reap and Stung Treng and they said "through the jungle"? But I hardly saw a tree at all on that stretch...so not much jungle left.

 

Traffic seems a bit more aggressiv than in Thailand, bigger vehicles have all the rights, dont push your luck. Just take it easy and smell the flowers and you will be fine. 

No need to bring a whole lot of spare parts. Change oil and put on new tyres and brake pads if they are worn before you go. Maybe bring cables and a gear lever. 

I had lights on all day as the bike is wired like that and was a bit concerned about that - but I was never stopped.

 

Interested your girlfriend only got 14 days, was it due to crossing with Thai I.D rather than a passport? 

 

I have never had that problem in the past.

[Mangkhut]

10 minutes ago, chrissables said:

Interested your girlfriend only got 14 days, was it due to crossing with Thai I.D rather than a passport? 

 

I have never had that problem in the past.

She had a passport.

 

And as you can see here https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Cambodia

thats the rules for that citizens in Cambodia. 

Note that it was a visa excempt, not a visa as I wrote initally.

 

 

Edited July 10, 2017 by Mangkhut

[DILLIGAD]

That's around the time I last rode over there too.
I had to have bike inspected / documented on the Thai side (Chon Chom), then did MY visa bits, rode out after dealing with Cambodian Immigration, then Customs down the hill a short way before the leisurely ride to SR.
As said previously, the Cambodian drivers are a different kind of crazy, honking horns all the time and suicidal at overtaking, but it's still a great ride!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mansell]

Riding to SR with trucks passing each other heading straight at you and you have around a meter of shoulder with a twenty foot drop off.....not much room with horrible drivers. Then riding through a town and this driver just turned right in front of me forcing me to jam on the brakes. Dumb as a plank. Didn't ride again for a month there.....couldn't see the point as it wasn't fun at all. I got blank looks at the border when I asked about insurance for the bike...so rode without it. Fun part was crossing from the left side of the road to ride on the right side....just followed all the trucks doing the same. Having lived in the UK and USA not a problem. Good luck.

[Agusts]

I rented a scooter when in Sinhoukvile (sp?) , left the light on from the night before, the next day police stopped me and wanted to fine me for lights on,  I think it was sorted out with just 2 dollars tip,  a lot cheaper to negotiate with police there than in LOS....

 

One thing I remember was traffic lights, basically nobody worried much about them there,  everybody just looked right and left and if clear go through.

 

I found Cambodia really dirty and not much concept of hygiene,  a put off for me for otherwise a nice place and cheap. Also watch your belongings, I saw kids stole stuff from a guy who went swimming right in front of me, they disappeared very quickly... 

 

 

[AllanB]

That's great, a bit like VN, except for lights rule and it's dirty, but can you get food on the road at lunchtime, in VN we couldn't, had to buy and extra baggette at breakfast?

 

What about accommodation, outside big cities?

 

In VN, also an ex-French colony, they do the "priority to the right" thing, which means people ride/drive straight out into the main road, does that happen a lot too?

 

"In a nutshell you need:

• Passport valid for 6 months
• Medical certificate 
• Drivers licence recognised in Thailand. If not then you need to apply for a local driving licence.
• Vehicle Inspection Certificate
• Thai motor Vehicle insurance covering 1,000,000 baht in damages
• Approved itinerary with details of accommodation & route.
• Entry & departure ports must be designated"

What sort of medical certificate?

Approved itinerary? Whats that?

Thai vehicle insurance, is that anything special?

 

In summary:-

1. Driving on the left, we live in Portugal, oh and the Portuguese are bad drivers too....but by European standards.

2. Insurance, my rule, never buy insurance unless I have to, don't trust the buggas, Take cards and pay cash to get me/her home PDQ.

3. Surin is good for me, may take the bike down on the truck and park it in a secure hotel car park.

4. Security, same as all SE Asia, everywhere in fact and all our stuff is cheap shit, except my shirts and the bike.

5. Documents, yeh thanks.

6. Lights, knew that, but forgot. 

7. Honking horns, same as VN, I like that, especially with big trucks, in Thailand they just sweep past, often close.

 

Cheers

PS Chrissables:- What's the Honda Rally like and how many Bahts, haven't bought my CRF yet, the Rally looks good but expensive in the UK. Also have you got any panniers for it yet, or do you ride solo?

[chrissables]

1 hour ago, AllanB said:

That's great, a bit like VN, except for lights rule and it's dirty, but can you get food on the road at lunchtime, in VN we couldn't, had to buy and extra baggette at breakfast?

 

What about accommodation, outside big cities?

 

In VN, also an ex-French colony, they do the "priority to the right" thing, which means people ride/drive straight out into the main road, does that happen a lot too?

 

"In a nutshell you need:

• Passport valid for 6 months
• Medical certificate 
• Drivers licence recognised in Thailand. If not then you need to apply for a local driving licence.
• Vehicle Inspection Certificate
• Thai motor Vehicle insurance covering 1,000,000 baht in damages
• Approved itinerary with details of accommodation & route.
• Entry & departure ports must be designated"

What sort of medical certificate?

Approved itinerary? Whats that?

Thai vehicle insurance, is that anything special?

 

In summary:-

1. Driving on the left, we live in Portugal, oh and the Portuguese are bad drivers too....but by European standards.

2. Insurance, my rule, never buy insurance unless I have to, don't trust the buggas, Take cards and pay cash to get me/her home PDQ.

3. Surin is good for me, may take the bike down on the truck and park it in a secure hotel car park.

4. Security, same as all SE Asia, everywhere in fact and all our stuff is cheap shit, except my shirts and the bike.

5. Documents, yeh thanks.

6. Lights, knew that, but forgot. 

7. Honking horns, same as VN, I like that, especially with big trucks, in Thailand they just sweep past, often close.

 

Cheers

PS Chrissables:- What's the Honda Rally like and how many Bahts, haven't bought my CRF yet, the Rally looks good but expensive in the UK. Also have you got any panniers for it yet, or do you ride solo?

Hi AllanB,

 

I just bought the Rally new a week ago here in Pattaya 159,000 baht, but with no rear rack which according to Honda it should come with. Brand new, everything else there. Book price 180-185k. On top of that registration etc.

 

I have not been far enough to give you advice about it's strengths and faults. I went off road around mabprachan lake north Pattaya, just to get a feel for it off road. Felt very comfortable, but need to get some practice on it. If someone knows where there are some good riding tracks, nothing crazy! Just to build some confidence, i would be grateful.

 

I bought panniers from Chiang Rai saddlebags for my PCX, these fit over the seat on the Rally. But i will need to protect the paint work. On the PCX i used the rubber matting put on car dashboards as a non stick surface for phones etc. I will do the same. I have a Give base plate which will take the same box i use on the PCX and Versys. And looking at a tank bag,  Giant Loop Fandango Tank Bag Pro, which has a harness that you fit to the bike, and the bag just zips onto it. Just hope i can get it sent here.

 

I do ride solo, but usually i am away for a long time and take all my crap with me, hence all the luggage.

[AllanB]

4 hours ago, chrissables said:

Hi AllanB,

 

I just bought the Rally new a week ago here in Pattaya 159,000 baht, but with no rear rack which according to Honda it should come with. Brand new, everything else there. Book price 180-185k. On top of that registration etc.

 

I have not been far enough to give you advice about it's strengths and faults. I went off road around mabprachan lake north Pattaya, just to get a feel for it off road. Felt very comfortable, but need to get some practice on it. If someone knows where there are some good riding tracks, nothing crazy! Just to build some confidence, i would be grateful.

 

I bought panniers from Chiang Rai saddlebags for my PCX, these fit over the seat on the Rally. But i will need to protect the paint work. On the PCX i used the rubber matting put on car dashboards as a non stick surface for phones etc. I will do the same. I have a Give base plate which will take the same box i use on the PCX and Versys. And looking at a tank bag,  Giant Loop Fandango Tank Bag Pro, which has a harness that you fit to the bike, and the bag just zips onto it. Just hope i can get it sent here.

 

I do ride solo, but usually i am away for a long time and take all my crap with me, hence all the luggage.

I "think" the standard CRF250 is still 128k baht??, so 159k for the Rally is about the same % difference.

 

I am hoping to get a slightly secondhand CRF, so I get the green book quickly, when I bought the Lifan dirt bike, I waited 6 months for the bloody thing and missed a planned trip to Laos. Plus maybe the new models may devalue the older one, but it must be mint-ish.

 

Or, if Sterling recovers, may think about the Rally, bought a rather expensive Vespa GTS in the UK recently which I rode down here and I don't regret it. So my tight arse is beginning to loosen up in my old age..if you'll pardon the expression.

 

I made my own bags and pannier rack for the Lifan, including a couple of tank bags. I like the idea of rubber mats though, we travel light for two, so maybe not much heavier than you with your kitchen sink on board.

 

Do a bit of a write up on the Rally, if you would, when I was in the UK, the local Honda shop begged me to try one, said I was busy. Wish I'd had a go.

[Agusts]

"...if sterling recovers...."

 

Sorry to say,  you have to wait a long time, I've already given up, 5 , 10 years, who knows, maybe more.  (sorry off topic) 

[thaiguzzi]

14 hours ago, AllanB said:

I "think" the standard CRF250 is still 128k baht??, so 159k for the Rally is about the same % difference.

 

I am hoping to get a slightly secondhand CRF, so I get the green book quickly, when I bought the Lifan dirt bike, I waited 6 months for the bloody thing and missed a planned trip to Laos. Plus maybe the new models may devalue the older one, but it must be mint-ish.

 

Or, if Sterling recovers, may think about the Rally, bought a rather expensive Vespa GTS in the UK recently which I rode down here and I don't regret it. So my tight arse is beginning to loosen up in my old age..if you'll pardon the expression.

 

I made my own bags and pannier rack for the Lifan, including a couple of tank bags. I like the idea of rubber mats though, we travel light for two, so maybe not much heavier than you with your kitchen sink on board.

 

Do a bit of a write up on the Rally, if you would, when I was in the UK, the local Honda shop begged me to try one, said I was busy. Wish I'd had a go.

2017 model CRF250L RRP still 146k.

[thaiguzzi]

2017 model has a tach (important for me), bigger throttle body, different ECU, 2 more bhp, more torque low and mid range, bigger diameter header, lighter silencer, lower seat height, and better looking rear light/indicators.

[AllanB]

8 hours ago, thaiguzzi said:

2017 model CRF250L RRP still 146k.

Bugga!

 

Makes the Rally look good.