Getting there and away, Phnom Penh

There are many ways to get to and from Phnom Penh but I would have to say the most pleasant way for us was doing it by boat. We did a three day/two night trip from Saigon in Vietnam that took in many sights of the Mekong Delta before arriving in Phnom Penh. It was $55 for the two of us but included two night’s accommodations, one lunch, and numerous sightseeing trips via boat and bus en route. It was great value and a fantastic way to arrive in Phnom Penh too. Views of the river life were a definite plus.

4 more images

The cheapest way to get from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is by bus. There are a variety of busses to choose from and they run several times a day. The rates start at $5 US for the local bus. This option is the cheapest, and the best way if you want to travel with the locals. We opted to travel on this bus and there were very few other tourists among us, but we felt completely safe the entire ride. This bus makes two pit stops along the way and as there is no bathroom on this bus, the pit stops are very important as it is the only time you are able to relieve yourself on the ride. At the pit stops you will also be able to obtain food and drink. We even saw fried scorpion and tarantula for sale at the pit stops! The other bus options rise in price up to $10 US (keep in mind these prices are one way). The $10 bus is the most luxurious bus and the one most often booked by tourists featuring bathrooms, air conditioning, and even movies on some busses. Check with a travel agent to arrange tickets and times. Even on the $5 we had reserved seating. They estimate the trip from Phnom Penh to take 5.5 to 6 hours but in reality our trip only took 5 hours including two stops. It’s cheaper and faster than taking a boat up the river, by far, and a great way to see the Cambodian countryside.

A month-long tourist visa to Cambodia costs $20 US and you’ll need to have an extra passport photo handy. The easiest method of payment is to have US cash handy at the border crossing. When entering Cambodia via AIR the entry process is relatively easy. At the airport head directly to the visa desk and be aware that people don’t queue up so it’s first come first serve, you may have to fight your way up to the desk. At the first desk you will have to hand over your passport and the $20US to a customs agent, then wait with the crowd surrounding the adjacent desk. Here it’s a waiting game until they process your visa. When they are finished they will hold passports to the crowd and if the picture matches claim your passport and head to baggage claim!

IF YOU ARE CROSSING THE BORDER OVERLAND: I heard several horror stories from fellow travelers about the visa process at land crossings. The customs officials will demand more than the $20US fee and you will have to pay in either Thai Baht or US Dollars. I’ve heard stories of extorted fees from an extra $20US on up. If crossing into Cambodia overland I recommend procuring your visa beforehand to avoid the corruption at the border or be prepared to shell out some extra cash.

2 more images

You get from Phnom Penh to Siam Reap by bus or by ferry.
Bus USD 9 - Mekong Express / Others bus USD 5
Appx 4 hours

Ferry USD 35 - Mekong Express
Appx 5 hours

Mekong Express will come and pick you up from you hotel or guest house, it the morning, just make sure you tell them where you stay :-)

Loacated need the river site, up stream. a few building from Happy Pizza.

4 more images

Several bus companies provide transportation from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. The Mekong Express Limousine Bus is one of the better ones. It is about a 6-hour trip including a 15-30 minute stop in Kompong Thom. Departure times are now 07:30, 08:30, 12:30 and 14:25 daily (the sign in the picture is slightly out of date). The office is at the corner of 102 Street and Sisowath Quay. The waiting room has a/c and there are bathrooms. The Fancy Guesthouse got my ticket for me for $12. The actual ticket was $11. Seat numbers are assigned. The fare includes a snack and a small bottle of water. There is a bathroom on the bus. This is a nice way to see the countryside.

It’s an easy, and relatively inexpensive flight from Bangkok to Phnom Penh. We didn’t even have tickets into Cambodia when we arrived into Thailand. We researched flights prior to leaving the States and Air Asia seemed to have the most reasonable prices. We tried to book online but had difficulties so we flew to Asia and decided to try our luck at the airport. Our flight landed in Bangkok after the ticket counters had closed for the evening so we waited overnight in the airport for the counter to reopen in the morning. Other people gradually arrived too, so when the first agents arrived at the break of dawn there was already a bit of a line that had formed. But we had no problem getting onto the first flight of the day. A one-way ticket from Bangkok to Phnom Penh cost $112 US. Tickets were listed a little cheaper online so if you are able to book in advance or online you’ll save a little money. We also heard that it’s also cheaper to book through a travel agent versus at the airport, but for a last minute ticket, bought at the airport for a flight that was departing a mere two hours later that’s a pretty good deal.

The other advantage to crossing into Cambodia via air rather than over a land border is the ease of passing through customs. Talking to other travelers we heard horror stories of problems at land border crossings with customs agents. We had no problem at the airports. And the flying was considerably faster than any other mode of transportation into the country.

There is a daily boat from Siem Reap (Angkor Temples) through the Tonle Sap lake. It takes 5 hours and costs 22 USD. It is a small boat, so if you don't arrive on time, you will do the trip on the roof (which is very pleasant BTW). If U do so, be careful with the sun, is really really very strong here...
You are supposed to put your luggage at the rear part, but as I arrived late, I put it on front, and it was much more convenient when leaving the boat, as I didn't have to wait the long queue (see pic) to pick up my rucksack.

Tickets at any guesthouse or travel agency.

I took a Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Company bus from their office near the Central Market to Sihanoukville on the Cambodian coast. The buses depart from Phnom Penh at 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 10:00, 11:30, 12:45 and 13:45. The bus cost me $3.75 and took about 4 hours with a stop for lunch along the way. I then took another bus coming back to Phnom Penh where buses leave at 07:00, 08:00, 09:00, 12:15, 13:15 and 14:15.

price is about $18 round trip from pham ngu lao street (saigon) to bus terminal in Phnom Penh. It took 7 hours to travel including 30 minutes at the border and another 30 min lunch somewhere there also. They serve free 2 bottles mineral water and a bun vietnamese style. Taste g0od though. Bus is aircon. Bus conductor will collect your passports and m0ney for visa-on-arrival (if applicable).
Schedule i took is 6:30am. Although there are other 3 m0re schedules.

First time to go to this city required me to put extra hours to search for the info on the net.

and also I posted a question on the VT and other site to know how to get around.

Then someone replied to my email and offering his service to take me around for a day drive for USD25. (i think this is standard price in PP).

I accepted his offering and he picked me up in hotel and drive me around the city for a full day in his nice 2000 Toyota Camry....

This guy name is sovan mee you can contact him at sovan_mee@hotmail.com or sms at +85512428007. or for alternative I know another guy name Kim Heng at +85512809818
These guys speak english and know every corner of the city including the night life...