A Cambodian visa is required for most nationalities. Visas are available on arrival at the Siem Reap International Airport, the Phnom Penh International Airport and most border crossings. See the visa page for details and fees.
Siem Reap Airport
The airport sits 6km from town, close to the temples, occasionally affording spectacular views of Angkor Wat during landings and take offs. Outside the terminal is a ticket booth for registered taxis into town. Independent taxis and motorcycles wait just outside the airport. The price is the same for both: motorcycles are $1 and cars are $5 into town. Most hotels offer free transportation from the airport but you must notify them in advance of your arrival.
Siem Reap Ferry Dock
The ferry to Siem Reap arrives at Chong Khneas near Phnom Krom, 12km south of Siem Reap. There is always transportation waiting at the dock. Mototaxis charge about $1.50-$2 and cars $4-$5 for the 20-30 minute ride into town.
Phnom Penh to/from Siem Reap
Air
Bangkok Airways offer several daily flights to/from Phnom Penh. See the flight schedule page for more information.
Bus travel is now the most popular means of overland transport between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The road (National Route #6) is paved and smooth and there are several regularly scheduled daily buses in both directions, taking only 5 or 6 hours to make the trip. Several bus companies, guesthouses and travel agencies offer a/c bus transport. Generally speaking, it is easiest to buy tickets through your guesthouse or travel agency. Prices and level of service varies from comfortable, basic a/c buses to deluxe a/c buses with entertainment, snacks and on-board toilet. Most buses make at least two stops along the way - at Skun and Kampong Thom for a snack or lunch.
Phnom Penh does not have a centralized bus station. Buses from different companies depart from different stations. See the individual bus company for the departure location.
In Siem Reap the Chong Kov Sou bus station is located near Phsar Leu (the 'Upper Market') a couple of kilometers west of town center. On arrival, motodups from the station into town run $1-$2 and tuk-tuks cost about $2.50-$3. For passengers departing Siem Reap, most bus companies offer a free shuttle service from the hotel/guesthouse to the bus station.
The following bus companies offer regularly scheduled daily service between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh:
PP Station: Corner of Street 110 and Sisowath Quay
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)
Fare: 16,000R/pax
Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:30, 10:30, 12:30
Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 6:00, 6:30, 7:00, 7:30, 8:30, 10:30, 12:30
Mailinh Open Tours
PP Station: #391, Sihanouk Blvd. Tel: 023-221666
SR Office: Wat Bo area. Tel: 063-762888
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)
Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 7:00, 14:00
Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 7:00, 14:00
PP Station: Near the southwest corner of Phsar Thmey. Tel: 023-210359
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)
Fare: 16,000R/pax
Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 7:00, 7:45, 8:45, 11:30, 12:45, 13:45
Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 7:00, 7:15, 8:30, 12:30, 13:30
Capitol Guesthouse
PP Station: Corner Streets 111 / 182 Tel: 023-217627
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)
Fare: 16,000R/pax
Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, 10:15, 12:00, 13:30
Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 6:30, 7:30, 8:30, 10:15, 12:00, 13:30
Mekong Express - Deluxe a/c buses.
PP Station: #87 Sisowath Quay at the corner of Street 102. Tel: 023-427518
SR Office: #14A, Sivatha Blvd. Tel: 063-963662.
SR Station: Chong Kov Sou Bus Station (Near Phsar Leu)
Fare: US$10/pax
Departure Schedule: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap - 7:30, 8:30, 12:30, 14:00
Departure Schedule: Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - 7:00, 7:30, 8:30, 12:30
.
Local Transport: Pickup Truck
Taxi: Local shared taxi: 30,000 riel per person. Departs from southwest corner of Central Market in Phnom Penh. 5-8 hours 4-5 hours.
Motorcycling to Siem Reap
The road to Siem Reap is in good condition - sealed, smooth and fast - but driving in Cambodia is still challenging in the extreme, and should be attempted only by experienced riders. Speeding taxis, slow cows, and oblivious children are the norm. The trip calls for a dirt or road bike, no smaller than 250cc. It can be made in a day, but two days with a layover in Kampong Thom is a more relaxed alternative and allows time to visit the pre-Angkorian ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk. Leave Phnom Penh via the ‘Japanese Bridge’ and follow 6A north 75km to the Skun intersection. (Skun is known for its exotic foods - check out the fried spiders, turtle eggs and more at road side stands.) Bear left and follow Rte. 6 to Kampong Thom - about 2-3 hours. In Kampong Thom, the Arunras Hotel (062-961294), Stung Sen Royal Hotel (012-309495) and Mittapheap Hotel are all decent mid-range places. Arunras Guesthouses and Restaurant next to the hotel is the place to eat cheaply. From Kampong Thom to Siem Reap the trip takes another 2 hours.
River Ferry
For most of the year (July - March) daily ferries ply the Tonle Sap river and lake between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The end of the trip is marked by a hill, Phnom Krom, near the ferry dock at Chong Khneas 12 km south of Siem Reap. During the dry season when the water is low, the ferry stops short of the dock and passengers transfer to smaller boats to traverse the final few hundred meters.
Compagnie Fluevial Du Mekong (CFM) offers high quality, very leisurely paced 3-10 day boat trips between Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Ho Chi Minh City on a traditionally crafted wooden riverboat with deluxe facilities.
See the overland international border crossing page for details on travel from Bangkok, Thailand to Siem Reap, the Aranyaprathet/Poipet border crossing and other international border crossings.
Siem Reap to/from Battambang
Boat
Siem Reap to Battambang (National Routes #6 and #5, via Sisophon): Road travel is generally the easiest, fastest, most reliable way to travel between Siem Reap and Battambang. The road goes around the lake, first west from Siem Reap to Sisophon (National Route #6), then back southeast from Sisophon to Battambang on National Route #5. Much of the stretch between Siem Reap and Sisophon is under construction and in fair condition. The road from Sisophon to Battambang is paved and in good condition.
Bus
The bus costs $6/person and takes about 5 hours.
Rith Mony buses depart in both directions at 8:00AM and 9:00AM.
Neak Krohom buses departs in both directions at 7:30am.
Siem Reap city is almost small enough to get around on foot, but not quite. The Angkor Archaeological Park is 4 kilometers from town and the temples inside the park are as much as 3-4 kilometers apart, ordinarily requiring some sort of transportation to tour the Park. Moto-romauks (‘tuk-tuks,’) motodups (motorcycle taxis) and car taxis are the most popular forms of transportation around town and the temples. In-town it’s always easy to find tuk-tuks and motodups for short trips. Transportation to and around the temples is usually hired by the day. Make sure to negotiate the details of the driver’s services carefully - what time you expect the day to begin and end, availability during lunch hours, limitations on your itinerary, extra charges for distant temples, etc.
Motorcycle Taxis and Trailers (Moto-romauks, 'tuk-tuks')
Two-person motorcycle trailers (moto-romauks) have surpassed motorcycle taxis (motodups) as the most popular form of transport. Tuk-tuks are covered offering some protection from sun and rain. In Siem Reap most
drivers speak some English. For short trips around the town, foreigners are expected to pay 2000-4000R for motodups and about twice that for a motorcycle trailer. To the temples, transportation is usually rented by the day. Rates run $6-$9/day for a motodup, and about
Cars
Cars taxis are usually hired on a daily basis. The average car taxi is a fairly new Toyota Camry with air-conditioning. Car taxis run around $20-$25 per day to tour the main temple area and town. There are extra charges if you want to go to more distant temples such as Banteay Srey, Kbal Spean, Phnom Kulen, etc. The driver will charge about $10 extra to visit Banteay Srey.
Mr.Kriss is a fully licensed local taxi driver. He speaks English well and is very helpful. Mr.Kriss also can help you to arrange international and domestic air tickets, bus and boat tickets, visas and hotel reservations at reasonable prices.
Bicycling is quickly becoming a popular way to visit the temples. The roads between the main temples are paved and the distances are about right for a bicycle touring. Bring sun screen, a good hat, water and a Cambodian scarf to keep the sun off your neck. Many of the guesthouses, hotels have bicycles for rent. $1.5-$4/day depending on the type and quality of the bike.
Electric Bicycles
Battery-powered bicycles, offering individual, motorized, eco-friendly transportation, can be rented for $4 per day. The battery is good for about 30km or one hour, and there are bicycle substations located throughout the main temple complex to replenish the battery as you visit the temples. Many guesthouses rent the bicycles. The main rental office in just off the road from town to Angkor Wat.
Motorcycle Rental
Tourists are no longer allowed to rent motorcycles or cars, or drive a vehicle in Siem Reap.
Small Group Tours
Set itinerary, mini bus tours of the temples can be an economical alternative to hiring your own car and driver. Some travel agencies run minibuses capable of carrying between 10 and 25 people on set tours of the temples. The price includes guide and transportation. Book a tour through Neak Krorhorm. Also see the Travel Agent page.
Electric Cars
7 Makara Electric Car Unit is offering a new way to get around the Angkor Thom complex - 4/6/9 pax electric cars within Angkor Thom that you can use all day for only $3 per person. Set your own itinerary and stay as long as you want. Tickets and departure from the station just outside the South Gate of Angkor Thom.
And other ways of getting around the temples...
Elephant Rides
Helicopter Rides
Sokha Helicopters Sokha Helicopters offer scenic helicopter tours of the temples beginning at $50/pax. Specialized tours, aerial photography, charter services. Multiple aircraft. Conveniently located next to the big, yellow balloon about 1km from Angkor Wat on the road from the airport to Angkor Wat. Walk-in customer welcome.
Balloon Rides
Take a tethered helium balloon ride 200 meters straight up for an amazing aerial view of Angkor Wat, Phnom Bakheng, West Baray and the surrounding countryside. Bring a camera and binoculars if you have them. The big, yellow balloon is based about 1 kilometer west from Angkor Wat on the road from the airport to Angkor Wat.
0 comments:
Post a Comment