Korean Job Discussion Forums

[nate2008]

Hi all,

I will be heading to Thailand in about 4 days and as soon as we arrive we will be heading over to Cambodia (Siem Reap/Angkor Wat) for a couple of days before heading back into Thailand. I have a basic understanding of how to get to the border, but does anybody have any recent information regarding obtaining at visa at the border? Also if anybody has any recommendations for the best way to get to Siem Reap from the border crossing, I would really appreciate it.

One last question: Does anybody know if it will be easy to find a flight from Siem Reap either directly to Phuket, or at least back to Bangkok?

Thanks in advance!

[farrepatt]

I did the journey the other way last year and it wasn't too difficult. In reverse you should have to first go through a line that gets you an exit stamp from Thailand. Next you should have to get a visa on arrival to enter Cambodia (about $20 USD I believe). Then use that visa to actually enter into Cambodia. It took me about 40 minutes to go through last year, it'll probably take a bit longer entering Cambodia, but maybe you'll be lucky.

As for flights from Siem Reap, there are ones to Bangkok (I don't think any to Phuket). The prices are pretty outrageous for the distance. They know how big an attraction they have in Angkor Wat and they really make people pay for it in the flights in or out.

You'll also have to pay $25 USD airport fee to leave the country. This is why my wife and I took a taxi to the Thai border (cost us $45 USD) and a bus to Bangkok (about $5 each). Of course as you'll soon find out the road between Thailand and Siem Reap is not in good condition.

Hope this helps.

[Drew345]

This website has great information on that crossing:

http://www.talesofasia.com/cambodia-overland.htm

Cambodia is great, but any border region is going to be ugly. Poipet rhymes with toilet for a reason.

[nate2008]

Thanks for the responses!

To the first poster: Do you remember how much they were trying to charge you for a plane ticket back to Bangkok?

[lisac1983]

I did it in 2005. I avoided the tourist mini-bus option (which would have been cheaper in the long run) and took a government bus from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet bus station then hooked up with some monks for a tuktuk to the border crossing.

On the other side there weren't many options for getting to Siem Reap since most people either catch the tourist buses or go the other direction. I was forced to link up with the other two foreigners on my bus and hire a car and driver to take us to Siem Reap on what was the most uncomfortable road trip of my life! Not only is the road dreadful and our car not in good condition, but we got a flat tyre and had to wait on the side of the road in the midday heat for an hour and a half until a new tyre was obtained.

In the end, it would have been not too much dearer to get an Air Asia flight and even cheaper to get the tourist bus. Travel agents around Bangkok will give you info on the buses. See Air Asia website for flight specials.

[thrylos]

[Capo]

siem reap to bangkok was $10 bus 2 years ago i doubt its much more now. Howver I wouldn't goto just siem reap. cambodia was my favourite country in SE asia and siem reap doesn't feel cambodian. atleast try and get phnom pehn at the very least, Sihanoukville is a nice cheap place to chill on the coast for a few days cheap sea food and the bars on the beach all offer free accomodation, but don't expect luxury. Chivas shack had a good atmosphere but drinks and food cost more than all the other places, the chief of police actually has a cut of that place and supplies weed etc. to all the bars on the beach lol. his skunk is good though.

[man_of_words]

I wanna go somewhere