From Thailand to Cambodia. How to travel from Thailand to Cambodia on your own? Passage of the Thai-Cambodian border
There are several options to get from Koh Chang to Cambodia:
- you can go to (via Aranyaprathet city)
- you can go to (via Koh Kong).
In any case, you will first have to get to the pier, then take a ferry to the mainland, and then take a bus to the Cambodian border. And then it all depends on whether you travel through a local agency or buy all the tickets separately yourself.
- Through an agency or online. You buy a single ticket, drive to the border, cross the border yourself, and on the other side the necessary bus is already waiting for you, which will take you to your destination (Siem Reap or Sihanoukville). Everything is the same if you buy a single ticket via the Internet (you can see prices and buy on this website).
- On one's own. Each time you buy a ticket for only one part of the journey - you drive independently from your hotel on Koh Chang to the pier, buy a ferry ticket, go there to the city of Trat, buy a ticket to the border, cross the border, on the Cambodian side you buy a ticket to the desired city.
In general, it is obvious that buying a single ticket is much easier, and you don’t need to constantly worry that you won’t be on time somewhere - they will always be waiting for you.
2. Features of obtaining a Cambodian visa
In general, I’ve read various horror stories about the Cambodian border, how everyone is trying to deceive you, get more money, they don’t take you on the right bus, so you have to take a taxi, etc. In general, of course, I was a little afraid to go, but with fears I need to fight, and I still really wanted to go to Cambodia for a long time, so I decided to try everything from my own experience.
The first unpleasant moment, which all independent travelers from Thailand to Cambodia write about, is that at the border, instead of the required $20 for Cambodian visa first in some left office they demand 40$ (where they are brought specially by bus under the guise that only here you can get a visa), and then (if you did not buy into the persuasion and went straight to the border), the border guards will still demand some additional money from you (usually 100 baht above). All this information bothered me, I decided to minimize the risk of any conflicts at the border, so I applied for an electronic Cambodian visa in advance.
You can apply for a visa at an official Cambodian Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.
Visa cost 25$ plus $3 for registration via the Internet (or for payment by card, I don’t remember, we applied for it back in Moscow so that I could immediately take a printout with me). By the way, there is such a feature in Southeast Asian countries: often if you pay for something on the Internet with a visa/mastercard from foreign banks, a commission is charged. For example, when purchasing tickets for airasia.com I was charged an additional commission.
As a result, the cost of the visa turned out to be more expensive than the standard price 20$+100baht, but I was calm and saved my nerves, and as a bonus I saved space in my passport, because... The electronic visa is not pasted in there, but the regular one takes up the entire page :)
The peculiarity of the e-visa is that it is not accepted at all Cambodian borders, as for the borders with Thailand, accepted only here:
- Cham Yeam (Koh Kong);
- Poi Pet (Banteay Meanchey)
Therefore, there was no particular choice, I went through Poipet. The route plan was to first go to Siem Reap, look at, and then to Sihanoukville by the sea, and from there return to.
3. Where to buy a ticket to Cambodia on Koh Chang
It is convenient that on Koh Chang you can immediately buy a ticket to Siem Reap, which includes travel through Koh Chang to the ferry, ferry, travel to the border, change of bus and then travel to Siem Reap on another bus. You can, of course, get there on your own by transfer, buying tickets at local bus stations, but in my opinion it’s not worth it, and, oddly enough, it will be more expensive. Therefore, the easiest way is to buy the entire ticket.
There are a lot of tourist offices on the island, I chose at random the one that was on the way to the beach. Interestingly, the girl from this office happened to have a book of reviews with Russian reviews :) I paid for the ticket 300 baht, very good price for such a long distance. I bought my ticket three days before the trip; the day before, you must come up and confirm that you are definitely going.
You can also buy such a ticket online, for example, on this website. You don’t need to go to an agency; you can even buy it at the travel planning stage.
Departure was promised at 7 am, and arrival in Siem Reap at 19.00, which I didn’t really believe, because... Reviews on the internet told a completely different story.
4. The road to the border of Thailand and Cambodia
On the appointed day, I checked out of the hotel and 6.55 I saw a minibus near the hotel (like our regular minibus), where I went to find out if they had come for me. There were several minibuses, I just approached the drivers, showed my ticket and asked if it was my bus. After some time, the right one was found, and I booted into 7.05 we went. Also on the minibus was a family of strange foreigners (maybe Swedes?) and a German. We drove to other hotels, collected more passengers and went to the pier.
IN 8.00 arrived at the pier. The minibus remained on the first floor, all passengers rode on the second, where you could also buy some food (all sorts of snacks, instant noodles, etc. I didn’t feel like eating at all, it seemed like I had been poisoned the day before, I don’t know.
At 9.20 We arrived by ferry to the mainland, again loaded into the minibus, and drove on. Interestingly, we stopped at the station where I had already been, and picked up several passengers there.
At 10.10 stop in Chanthaburi for a snack and toilet. It’s like I’m having deja vu :) Probably, the last time I was there, someone was also traveling to Cambodia...
At 10.30 We drove on, there were no more stops for food, we drove straight to the border. First, however, we stopped at a cafe, where everyone was given forms to fill out for a visa. But I said that I already had a visa, they gave me an immigration card, stuck a sticker on me instead of a ticket and put me in a songthaew.
Stop at Aranyaprathet to fill out visa documents
5. Passage of the Thai-Cambodian border
Approximately at 13.30 stopped in front of the border from Thailand. In general, everything is intuitive, where to go, there are signs and inscriptions everywhere, so it’s difficult to get lost. The only thing that bothered me all the time was that I didn’t know how to go further, because all the passengers with whom I was traveling stayed somewhere there, in a cafe... But it’s amazing that every time I came to the right place, and they showed me where to go, which bus to take to get to Siem Reap.
Checkpoint on the border from Thailand
The clock says 14.05. In half an hour I crossed the border of Thailand, they pulled the immigration card out of my passport, put a stamp, and I went out into the city. Again, everything is clear, there is a sign to the right, the official issuance of visas (for those who don’t have one yet), straight ahead - the road to the border.
After this arch, the territory between the two states begins, this is not Cambodia yet, we have not yet passed the Cambodian border:
At 14.16 I stood in line at the border; there were a decent number of people.
The surroundings immediately changed, there are no longer so many bikes, but there are full of carts that the Cambodians pulled directly on themselves.
Wow, that's a load!
No one asked me for money, although I saw how a young lady with a child accosted some foreigner. He just passed by, no one chased him or demanded anything :)
At 15.16 I finally crossed the Cambodian border and reached a stop where there were a lot of people with backpacks. Again I asked where I should go if I wanted to go to Siem Reap, they told me to wait. In general, along the entire route there are people who show that they are engaged in transferring tourists across the border. And there is always someone who identifies your sticker and tells you to follow him :) So there’s nothing to worry about, you can be calm, you won’t get lost, the main thing is to ask and be visible.
6. Road from the Thai border to Siem Reap
At 15.36 gathered people into a bus, which took us to the stop. There we already boarded the bus to Siem Reap and at 16.06 go.
Here the bus was completely ordinary, not a minibus, but a large one, with air conditioning and a TV (movies were shown in English all the way).
Unlike the reports that I read before the trip, the wait everywhere was very short (someone wrote that they waited an hour and a half for a bus, that they were told that there would be no more buses, etc.). Maybe I was lucky, I don’t know, but everything went pretty smoothly. There was no need to pay anything extra anywhere. Although before boarding the last bus, the guy who gathered everyone on this bus asked for 100 baht, I asked why, he didn’t ask for anything else :) Apparently, just in case, they’ll suddenly give it :)
At 17.53 We arrived at the restaurant, the menu is:
I still didn’t want to eat, and I had food with me (bananas, bread, juice) that I never ate. We sat there for a little less than an hour, it was already dark.
I read that a tuktuker should take you from the station to the hotel for $1, and for this amount he can take you to several hotels if nothing has been booked in advance. But it so happened that I was almost the last one to get off the bus, and most of the tuktukers had already been dismantled. One didn’t take me (I don’t know why), and the other told me for a long time how far my hotel was, that it would take me only for $3. We made a deal for $2 if he would then take me around Angkor. The next day I just wanted to relax and not get up at 5 am, so we agreed on a day later, and we weren’t talking about any specific route, but just for the whole day around Angkor. The reports wrote that $15 is the normal price for a tuktuker to ride all day around any temples you like. Therefore, without hesitation, I agreed. Read about what came of it
Departing from St. Petersburg
Departing from Moscow
Group tours: arrival 03/13/2019, 11/06/2019
Bangkok - 3 nights
Kanchanaburi -1 night
Pattaya -7 night
1 day
Arrival at Bangkok. Hotel accommodation. Rest.
In the evening - dinner at the Baiyoke Sky Hotel. You will visit the observation deck of the tallest hotel in Asia. An impressive bird's eye view of the modern metropolis. From 17:30 to 22:00, in the restaurant on the 76th floor, guests can expect a wonderful dinner - a buffet with an abundance of seafood, European, Vietnamese, Thai cuisine and a sushi bar.
Day 2 Bangkok.
Breakfast.
Excursion: Shrines of Bangkok- visit to the Royal Palace and the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, Temple of the Golden Buddha - we will see a unique statue of the Golden Buddha, cast from pure gold, weighing 5.5 tons, more than 3 meters high.
We will get acquainted with the historical part of the city of Angels, with the business district, we will see the Parliament building and the new Royal residence, and we will also take a walk along the canals with a visit to the Temple of the Dawn. We will see the old districts of Bangkok, the famous Thai houses on stilts, and also admire the panorama of the Royal Palace from the river.
NOTE!!! When entering a temple building, it is customary to take off your shoes, and also not to step on the threshold of the front door, but to step over it; women are not allowed to touch monks; Visitors' clothing must cover their knees and shoulders.
In the evening: For an additional fee, you can visit the Siam Niramit show or the Calypso cabaret show or an evening cruise with dinner ($60).
Day 3 Bangkok-Pattaya
Breakfast. Moving to Pattaya. Hotel accommodation. Rest.
Day 4 Kanchanaburi.
Early check out from the hotel.
Travel along the canals of an ancient floating market, where you will see a unique atmosphere of ethnic flavor. Plantations with coconut palms, Thai homes right on the water, brisk trade in absolutely all goods directly from the boats.
We will visit the majestic complex of two temples Wat Tam Sua in Thai and Chinese styles. The Buddhist temple is decorated with a 10-meter tall Buddha statue decorated with gold mosaics. From the temple, to which we will take the funicular, an amazingly beautiful panoramic view will open.
Delicious buffet lunch in Thai style.
We will visit hermit monk's cave, which became a refuge for prisoners of war in the second
We arrive at an authentic elephant village.
Homemade is waiting for us baby elephant show, riding these amazing animals through the jungle along the banks of the River Kwai and along the river itself. This is complete delight!!!
After a wonderful and eventful day we arrive at a tropical hotel surrounded by jungle, located on the most beautiful part of the River Kwai.
The hotel has two swimming pools and water slides, with healing spa springs, famous throughout the country.
We change into swimsuits and go to landscape river rafting.
This is mega cool!!! Rafting on the River Kwai in boats and wearing life jackets.
Next - water procedures again! What awaits us royal spa- pleasure: swimming in 8 spa springs: mineral with temperature
36-38-40 C, cool mineral pool, spring with healing herbal extract, spring with Chinese natural tea extract and herbs, 2 pools with fish doctors who will give you micro-pilling.
Invigorated by the spa, we go to a delicious buffet dinner. After dinner you can visit a small bar with a Thai mini disco.
Day 5 Kanchanaburi.
Breakfast in the hotel. Buffet.
We're going to Sayok waterfall- which means "smile" in Thai. We take pictures at the landscape waterfall and visit the pharmacy of a local Thai doctor.
And now we are heading towards a wonderful journey to Erawan National Park.
We will take a walk through the real jungle to the amazingly landscaped 7-level Erawan waterfall. This is Emerald Paradise!
The purest - 7 levels of waterfall, shrouded in tropical vines.
The waterfall is considered a place of power - resting near the waterfall and swimming in it will give you strength and health, so says the local belief.
Delicious lunch buffet.
Departure towards Pattaya with stops along the way.
20:00 (21:00) - Arrival at Pattaya
Day 6 Pattaya
Breakfast at the hotel. Rest.
Day 7
Breakfast in the hotel.
Excursion: Kaleidoscope of Pattaya"
The program of the introductory tour includes a visit to:
- an observation deck above the city, from which a beautiful view of Pattaya Bay and nearby islands opens;
- Big Buddha Hill, on which there is a Buddhist temple and a Buddha statue more than 10 meters high;
- Thai latex factories, which produce various types of mattresses and pillows, where guests can learn about the production process and the benefits of latex products;
- a cobra farm, where you can watch how a person controls a snake, listen to a story about a Siamese cobra, try dried snake bile, snake meat powder, interior fat and whiskey infused with cobra bile. Those who wish will be able to purchase medicinal preparations from snake organs, which are of great benefit in improving the health of the body and are sold only at the cobra farm.
- an excursion to the cave of gems, made using modern light and sound effects.
After the excursion free time, relax on the beach
Day 8-9 Pattaya.
Breakfast in the hotel. Free days. Relaxation on the beach. Excursions are available for an additional fee.
1).trip to Cambodia for 1 night/2 days – tour cost $230 (price includes: accommodation in a 2/3* hotel, excursion and transport services, meals (2 breakfasts, 2 lunches and dinner), Russian-speaking guide.
2). Ayutthaya – the ancient capital of Siam – $80 (including lunch).
Day 10
Breakfast.
Today you will visit Crocodile Farm and Million Year Stone Garden. This is an amazingly beautiful park that embodies original species of tropical plants with giant intricately shaped stones in a single park ensemble. These stones are several million years old, and nature itself created their unique shape. There is a zoo on the territory where you can see ostriches, tigers, elephants, deer and many other animals. Here you can take photographs with small tiger cubs in your arms, various birds and snakes.
But the “masters” of this reserve are crocodiles, of various breeds and species. This farm is considered the largest in Thailand. A show performance by the trainer of these dangerous reptiles awaits you, after which everyone will have a unique opportunity to be photographed riding a crocodile. Of course, only daredevils can dare to do this!
And if you want to add something more exotic, we invite you to a restaurant where you can taste dishes made from crocodile meat. In the souvenir shop you can purchase products made from genuine crocodile leather.
Return to the hotel. Free time.
Visiting the show(for an additional fee of $40) Tiffany is perhaps one of the most famous shows in Thailand. This is a unique theater with transvestite actors. The theater's repertoire includes folk dances and theatrical performances. Viewers can expect good direction, original lighting and sound design, and fantastic costumes. After the performance, the actors come out to the audience. For a fee, you can take a photo with each of them.
Day 11
Breakfast. Moving to Bangkok. Hotel accommodation. Time for shopping.
12 day
Breakfast in the hotel.
Transfer to the airport.
Cost table
Accommodation:
Bangkok: AMARIWATERGATE 5* /PRINCEPALACEHOTEL 4* (SuperiorRoom)
Pattaya: PRIMAVILLAHOTEL 3* (Pacific Room) (or similar)
Cost per person in $.
Additional Information
To visit Cambodia you must have:
- International passport (passport expiration date must be more than 6 months)
- 2 photos 3x4 or 100 baht
- Return air ticket from Thailand
- Thailand Migration Card
2 days tour to Cambodia:
1 day.
Early check out from the hotel. Stop for 20 minutes (you take breakfast from the hotel or you can buy it at the stop).
Arrival at the border and crossing the border via the VIP pass.
Arrival at Siem Reap, one of the few tourist cities in Asia and has preserved its colonial history and architecture, with all the necessary infrastructure, closest to the Angkor museum city.
Lunch at the restaurant.
Departure to excursion to the Angkor temple complex: Ta Keo, Bayon, terrace of the leper king and terrace of the elephants, Ta Prohm (Temple of the 12th-13th century, the walls of which are entwined with the roots of giant Banyan trees).
This temple is famous for the scenes with Angelina Jolie in the film Lara Croft Tomb Raider.
Bayon is a famous temple with 54 towers, each of which is crowned with the faces of Buddha, looking at the four cardinal directions.
Angkor Wat is the main visiting card of Cambodia, the largest religious building ever created and one of the most important archaeological monuments in the world, included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. – Dinner (buffet), Apsara show (in the program with a 3* hotel) . This hotel is located in the center of Siem Reap. 3* hotels have free Wi-Fi.
Day 2.
Early rise. Breakfast in the hotel. Eviction.
08:30 – Visit to the sacred mountain on the Phnom Kulen plateau. Here in 802 AD The history of the Khmer Empire began. At the top of the mountain there is a statue of a reclining Buddha, made in a mysterious way. From here the walking path goes along the river “1000 Lingams”. This place with amazing energy is the best aphrodisiac. The apotheosis of this day will be the most powerful waterfall into the waters of which Lara Croft jumped. Lunch at the restaurant.
22:30 – Arrival at the hotel Pattaya.
VKontakte group (air tours | exotics | sea cruises).
To say that I don’t like resort holidays would not be entirely accurate. I have absolutely nothing against the beautiful coast with white sand, the underwater world with its inhabitants, beach parties, music and cold beer. Quite the contrary - I’m all for it! But spending precious time while traveling on such pleasures - if you please, a couple of days, maximum fives. Even more so when we are talking about the countries of Southeast Asia, where color matches color and color drives. These are the thoughts that swirl in my head when planning my next route.
That evening was no exception. Over a cup of tea, I peered at the already memorized Google Maps map on the laptop screen. I want to see everything. I want to go everywhere. I want a real adventure. I want planes, trains, buses, tuk-tuks, scooters, bicycles, calluses on my feet. I want everything to be real.
The finger turns the mouse wheel.
Winston McCall is blaring through his headphones.
The eye, as if on a whim, slides along the coast of the Gulf of Thailand.
The route appears on its own.
That evening I sketched out a rough itinerary, which included a whole conglomerate of countries - Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, in which I had to spend almost 5 weeks, and all this on my own without travel agencies. All that remains is to sort out the details, buy tickets, pack your things and wait for the X-hour.
At that time, the most profitable option for communicating with Bangkok was an Emirates flight with a departure from Moscow and a transfer to the UAE, for which I purchased tickets. Ahead of me lay about 27 hours of flight time with transfers, plus 4 hours on the Sapsan to Moscow. Go!
To be honest, I can’t stand Domodedovo Airport - it’s noisy, hectic, large-scale and incomprehensible. But that time was an exception, thanks to an incident that happened at the reception.
Actually, I do this quite often. If the queue for checking in economy class passengers stretches to gigantic proportions, and the business class operator is bored waiting for clients, I go to him without hesitation.
I smile wider and hold out my passport:
- Hello!Hello! — the girl operator examines the passport and taps the pianist’s fingers on the keyboard. - Do you check in your luggage?
I only have hand luggage. — I nod over my shoulder, waiting for the verdict.
You have an economy class ticket... but... you know... first class is less than half full. Would you like to change seats?
Ummm... How much will it cost?
The girl smiles:
- It's absolutely free. The more evenly the passengers are seated, the better for the flight crew.
Without hesitation, I accept such a generous gift, receive my boarding tickets and leave, feeling the boring gaze of the crowd at the economy class counter in the back of my head. Some young man in beat-up Vans sneakers is flying first class. Nonsense.
Later I learned from experienced travelers that my case was not exceptional. Many of them do not wait for an offer from the operator, but are themselves interested in the availability of available seats in privileged classes during check-in for the flight.
Audacity second happiness.
The first half of the journey passed with maximum comfort. A comfortable chair that practically transforms into a bed, an armrest with a table, three windows at your own disposal, huge legroom, films in all languages of the world, free Wi-Fi, a game console and other elite tinsel. Then - a long layover at the pompous Dubai airport and check-in for a flight to Bangkok, this time in economy class.
My neck was terribly stiff. My mouth is dry.
Around 1:30 a.m. Thai time.
I swallow mineral water. Looking out the window. Night lights of Bangkok.
I hate sleeping in transport.
We are about to land.
Despite the late hour, the capital of Thailand greeted me with hellish heat and incredible humidity. I fill out a migration card that allows citizens of the Russian Federation to stay in the kingdom for 30 days for free, wait in line to receive a stamp in my passport, buy a local SIM card and leave the airport building.
A huge plus of Bangkok international airports (of which there are already 2) is a centralized taxi system. The procedure is similar to going to a clinic with an electronic queue or a Sberbank branch in St. Petersburg. You simply print out the receipt at the terminal and wait for a taxi with the number indicated on the receipt.
My neck still hurts. Around 3 am. Hot.
Pink taxi with Bosozoku-style exhaust. Not my number. It's a pity.
I wait another 10 minutes.
I jump into the arriving car.
We are using the taximeter. Great.
While still at home, I booked a hotel at my first destination - the central part of Bangkok, on Khao San Road, where I directed the taxi driver. My choice was not accidental.
Khao San Road is one of the noisiest party spots on earth. Leonardo DiCaprio stayed here in the movie “The Beach”, Pete Doherty walked here with his brawlers in the Gunga Din video, Jo Nesbø, who I adored, wrote about this street in the book “Cockroaches”, this place is loved and hated with all my heart, people experience the whole range of emotions here, here they cry, laugh, are surprised, snort arrogantly, look sideways with disgust, sincerely greet and address slyly. One thing is certain - you definitely won’t find anyone indifferent to Khao San Road. That's why I came here. Will he accept or reject?
4 am. Khao San Road.
I pay the driver with Thai baht and go out into the thick of things.
Drunk as hell young people from some English-speaking country are trying to sit on the curb. Someone is drinking Chang beer from a bottle, someone is kissing, someone is hitting on a couple of Thai prostitutes, someone is dancing on tables, someone is going crazy and shouting incoherent nonsense. All this happens to the accompaniment of Western music screaming from dozens of street bars. What is most interesting is that the police are scurrying around here and there, not at all embarrassed by the behavior of the guests of the kingdom.
"Oppa Gangnam style!"
I make my way through the maddened crowd in search of a hotel.
The Thai, without any embarrassment, offers to buy marijuana. I wasn't surprised.
Here is the hotel. Rikka Inn sign near the 7 Eleven supermarket.
I grabbed mineral water along the way and headed to the reception.
The room is on the second floor. I open the window - a view of the very “belly of hell”. I'm closing.
I wonder what makes more noise, the cacophony of sounds coming from the street or the air conditioner that is running around the clock? Doesn't matter. I take a shower and fall asleep.
I slept for quite a long time and when I woke up, the clock pointed to around 14:00. Going out into the street in search of a suitable place for brunch, I am surprised at how Khao San Road changes its appearance during daylight hours. All around there are tents selling all sorts of things: souvenirs, magnets, T-shirts, various snacks, Chinese and local electronics, iPhone cases, brass knuckles, knives, kitchen utensils, posters, postcards, patches - you name it...
After breakfast and lunch, I head back to my room to collect my thoughts and make a plan for a cultural program for the rest of the day. After studying the map of the surrounding area, I decide to take a short walk around the area, take a boat ride to China Town and stop by the train station to find out about existing flights to the border with Cambodia. That's what I do.
I must say that a boat is not only an interesting way to get around Bangkok, but also incredibly economical. Moreover, the savings are reflected not only in financial costs, but also in time. The trip to China Town took me about 25 minutes and cost me some ridiculous amount (I don’t remember the exact numbers). The only negative is that navigation of passenger boats along the Chao Phraya River is suspended at night.
China Town is a pretty nice place. Here you will not find such sodomy as on Khaosan Road; on the contrary, everything is absolutely civilized and calm. Harnessed chaos. All around there are open-air cafes and restaurants serving dishes of Thai and Chinese cuisine, hundreds of shops attract with an abundance of goods, countless street food vendors scurry about, night markets are seething with excitement and the hieroglyphs dazzle your eyes. I'll probably have dinner here on the way back from the station.
Bangkok's main railway station is called Hualamphong. This is a fairly clean place by Asian standards. Spacious hall, electronic displays, many ticket offices. Super. I head to the free window.
Good evening! Do you have tickets to Aranyaprathet? (city on the border with Cambodia)
Hello! Yes, a ticket to Aranyaprathet costs 48 baht. Departure at 7 o'clock in the morning.
I need one ticket for the day after tomorrow.
Tickets go on sale immediately before the train departs. Come on the day of departure.
What is the probability that all tickets will be sold out?
It doesn't happen that way. There are always tickets - the woman smiles.
Thank you!
Goodbye!
One less problem. I return to China Town, have dinner and catch a taxi to the hotel. Tomorrow I plan to get up early.
The next morning I decide to go on foot to the tallest building in Thailand - Baiyoke Sky Hotel, on the last, 85th floor of which there is an observation deck. Next, the plan is to get to the business center of the city and visit large shopping complexes.
The road to the skyscraper took much longer than I expected, due to the jungle of the concrete jungle. Halfway through the journey, it began to rain, which we had to wait out under the post office canopy. In the end, I got to the place quite exhausted.
Having paid for the entrance ticket to the observation deck, a stunning picture opens up: the roofs of motley houses are made of incredible mosaics, road junctions that look more like a loose ball of thread cover the city, and hundreds of thousands of cars move like an endless stream of a magical multi-colored river along the arteries of the metropolis. As for the people, they are not visible at all. Just me... and that guy, the watchman, smiling from ear to ear with one snow-white tooth.
I take a taxi to the business center. The spectacle is massive. Tall buildings with multi-colored signs, wide avenues, expensive cars, high-speed skytrains, crowds of white-collar workers, this is not at all the Thailand that I have seen before in Phuket.
I visited MBK Center, Siam Discovery and several other large shopping complexes. Cornucopia. Products for every taste, for every wallet, white and dark-skinned, Europeans and Asians. Many floors. Electronics, clothing, household goods, souvenirs, food, household appliances, furniture. I have seen a lot, been to the largest shopping centers in St. Petersburg, Moscow, Helsinki, Stockholm, but I have never seen such abundance anywhere. Eyes wander, attention wanders. The main thing is to watch your pockets. After walking around the shopping arcades to my heart's content, I go out into the street full of people.
The very heart of one of the most populated cities in the world.
18:00. Peak hour. The streets are crowded.
I'm looking for a free taxi.
Literally a week later, an explosion would take place at this site, killing and injuring more than a hundred people.
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Train to Aranyaprathet
Bangkok is an interesting city, colorful, modern, but in all this diversity I have not come across a single large green park. This is where big money is circulating and issues are being resolved. Here you can buy and sell anything. I enjoyed walking through the concrete jungle, but now I want to enjoy the real thing, so the next morning I head to Aranyaprathet to cross the border into Cambodia.
I jump into a free taxi.
At 6:45 I was already sitting in the carriage of a half-empty train and watched from the window as station workers washed the trains with hoses. I wonder if they do this here too? Never paid attention.
At 7:00 the train starts moving. The carriage is still half empty. I expose my face to the flow of the oncoming wind rushing through the wide open window and smile at the new day. There is a long road ahead, the final destination of which should be the Cambodian city of Siem Reap. 
After 5 hours the train arrived at the final station. The remaining passengers quickly leave the carriage, following them. Near the eatery located near the railway platform, there are about 10 tuk-tukers looking out for a pale-faced victim. I'm heading towards them. A trip to the border crossing costs US$5.
Border post Aranyaprathet - Poipet
Crossing the Thailand-Cambodia border took me about an hour and a half. I think this is a very long time. The visa cost US$30, including photographs and various fees. That's the only thing I didn't understand: was I scammed or not?
The buffer zone between the Thai border checkpoint and the Cambodian town of Poipet is a dusty road, along the sides of which there are shopping stalls, several hotels, a casino (gambling is legal in Cambodia) and mountains of garbage. Incomprehensible-looking people, half-homeless children, stray dogs are scurrying around everywhere, the fittings are rattling and the dust is standing like a column.
There is a queue at the Cambodian checkpoint - only three windows are open. A crowd of tourists from Bangkok and Pattaya, apparently arriving by bus or some other means. I stand for 20-30 minutes waiting for my turn, get my passport stamped and leave the stuffy building. I'm in Cambodia.
Siem Reap
The most common method of tourist communication between Poipet and Siem Reap is a regular minibus. This is not government transport aimed at making a profit from tourists. Perhaps there is another way to get to Siem Reap, but I decided to stop there. The journey took about 2.5 - 3 hours and cost 10 dollars.
By the way, about dollars. No matter how surprising it may sound, in Cambodia, there are 2 types of currencies in official circulation - the Cambodian riel and the American dollar. Even in most stores, prices are indicated in American currency, which the local population sometimes uses in everyday life even more often than their native Cambodian currency. However, upon arriving at the Siem Reap bus station, I caught a tuk-tuk and asked the driver to pay in Thai baht, to which I heard the answer: “no problem.”
The clock hand passes the 16:00 mark.
A tuk-tuk roars along a wide asphalt road.
There is sand and garbage all around.
On the side of the road, children raise their hands in my direction.
“One dollar! One dollar, sir!
God where did I end up...
As a result, the driver safely delivered me to the gates of the previously booked hostel with the cozy name “New Home Hostel”. I settle down, take a shower and go in search of evening adventures.
As it turned out later, my first impressions of Siem Reap were deceptive. The city center is quite comfortable and interesting for tourists. Here is located one of the most attractive, in my opinion, streets in all of Southeast Asia, called Pub Street.
Looking back, I can safely say that Pub Street is a cross between Saigon's Bui Vien, the Rambuttri restaurant in Bangkok and the cozy Galle Fort in Sri Lanka. There is an establishment here to suit every taste. French cuisine, American fast food, sushi. Would you like to try pizza or pasta? Please - a couple of excellent Italian restaurants. Traditional Khmer dishes? It’s easy, bro, you’re in Cambodia. Without exaggeration, I can say that Pub Street is suitable for any type of gastronomic leisure, from a romantic dinner to a noisy party with beer and dancing. With all this, the overall picture looks quite harmonious, even despite the heterogeneity of the audience. An American over 50 in light chinos, an expensive shirt and moccasins on bare feet enters a restaurant with his equally graceful companion, and a couple of meters away, a young group of hairy Australian backpackers are cheerfully trampling the dance floor to the accompaniment of splashing beer. Asia is a country of contrasts. 
The main purpose of my visit to Siem Reap was to visit Angkor Wat, where I headed the next morning. Angkor Wat is the main attraction not only of Siem Reap, but of Cambodia as a whole. The ancient temple complex annually attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists from all over the globe. A movie with Angelina Jolie was filmed here, a concert of the Placebo group was held here, many books have been written about this place, the best photographers in the world strive to capture the ancient relic in their camera lenses, this is truly a cult place that you definitely need to visit.
The centralized entrance to the complex is located on Charles De Gaul Avenue, 4 kilometers from the center of Siem Reap. There is also a ticket office there. A fairly large percentage of older tourists prefer three-day or even five-day tours of Ancient Angkor, while young people limit themselves to one day. I hand two bills with Hamilton’s image through the window, and now I have the treasured ticket to the origins of the Khmer civilization in my hands.
In order not to distort historical facts, I will not go into details of my walk through the ancient relic. My excursion lasted about 6 hours, during which I managed to get around the main attractions of the complex, including: Angkor Wat itself, Angkor Thom with its main Bayon temple, Prae Khan temple and several other less significant, but no less interesting places. To avoid unnecessary transportation costs, I walked the entire route, catching a tuk-tuk only at the very end of the excursion. I spent the evening on the already familiar Pub Street, walked along the Siem Reap river of the same name and looked at the local market, called the Old Market. This is how my second day in Siem Reap passed, and the third was supposed to be the final one, before leaving for the capital of Cambodia, the city of Phnom Penh.
I read a lot about Tonle Sap Lake, where the floating Khmer village is located. Interest in the lake was also fueled by the fact that you can raft along its waters straight to Phnom Penh. Such a tempting adventure attracted me and the next morning I decided to go exploring.
Why not take yourself on a bike ride? The road takes only 10 kilometers. — I thought when I saw a bicycle rental point not far from the hostel. And it was a fatal mistake.
The first 2-3 kilometers on asphalt city roads were easy. I enjoyed the pleasant headwind, looked at the houses along the roadside and the Khmers busy with their daily lives; the sun had not yet entered its scorching phase and it was quite comfortable to be under its rays. Then real hell began. The asphalt ended and potholes began. Cars rushing past threw impenetrable clouds of dust and fine soil in my direction. The speed dropped significantly. Here the tropical sun began to show its character. The journey took me an hour. I would have covered a similar distance by running much faster. But once you “called yourself a milk mushroom, get into the back.”
Here is the lake, although it looked more like a swamp. Café au lait water, a pier, a restaurant, a tourist office and a bunch of Koreans with giant cameras.
I approach a girl in the office:
Hello! Is it possible to get to Phnom Penh by boat?
Hello! There are passenger boats to Phnom Penh, but only during the rainy season. Now the lake has dried up significantly and navigation has been suspended until the fall.
On such a minor note, I jumped on my iron nag and hurried back to the city.
That same evening, I visited a traditional Khmer massage salon, which, by the way, was greatly overrated, had dinner and dropped into one of the offices selling travel services and transfers. It turned out that a bus to Phnom Penh would cost only 6 dollars, and the driver would pick me up right from the hostel gate, which is definitely a plus. This option suited me quite well and I set off to get ready for the upcoming journey.
Phnom Penh. Capital of Hell
Around noon the bus entered the city. Everything around speaks of the capital status of Phnom Penh. Glass skyscrapers of business centers loom in the distance, heavy traffic, an abundance of advertising billboards, the working day in full swing. I can’t help but remember the book I read by the Swedish journalist Peter Fröberg Ilding, “The Smile of Pol Pot,” which described all that Cambodia, and Phnom Penh in particular, experienced, the horrors of the Khmer Rouge regime. And here the most interesting part begins - the first impressions of the city.
A halo of smog and exhaust fumes hung over the hot city.
A street cleaner sweeps sand from the sidewalk.
Children chase a stray dog with a stick.
A red Ferrari is parked on the opposite side.
Another 5 minutes pass.
Monument to a revolver with a tied barrel.
Homeless woman. Absolutely naked. I look away.
Central Market. Arrived.
Taxi drivers and tuk-tuk drivers surround me and almost forcefully try to drag me into their carriages. I snarl at such insolence. My guesthouse is located just a little over a kilometer from the market square, so I follow the navigator on my smartphone.
#10 Lakeside Guesthouse - the sign says I've arrived. I approach the Khmer at the reception desk. The room costs only 8 dollars, I hand over 24. The key is in my pocket, I go up to the third floor. The room is quite shabby. There is a TV, air conditioning, bed, bedside table, window and bathroom. Nothing extra. I take a shower and go downstairs to the guesthouse cafe.
While studying the assortment of the menu, I involuntarily heard Russian speech coming from the speaker of the smartphone of a guy of unknown nationality. After 5 minutes, the phone rings and the guy starts talking in some incomprehensible language. They bring me lunch and a can of local cold beer, out of the corner of my eye I see the guy already chatting with all his might in English with the guesthouse worker and both are looking at me.
Russian? — the guy extends his hand in a friendly manner.
Russian... - I answer the handshake in confusion.
My name is Morgan. - he introduces himself.
Am I overheating? A guy named Morgan, who speaks native Russian, pure English and some other incomprehensible language, sits in a local cafe, behaves like a local and watches Russian YouTube?
I'm Dima. - I introduce myself in response.
Shall I sit down? — points to the chair opposite.
Yu welcome.
During the conversation, it turned out that Morgan was the guy’s nickname; in fact, his name was Fedor. Fedor arrived from Kirov 4 days ago in search of a new life. Before that, he lived for several years in northern Vietnam and China. He speaks Chinese perfectly (“some kind of incomprehensible language”), and has worked as a linguist in the industrial sector for many years. The guy turned out to be quite a pleasant conversationalist and we agreed to meet at the same place at 7 pm.
I went to scout the area. I combed the surroundings of the Market Square, but didn’t find anything interesting for the day. An incredible variety of pharmacies, local eateries, shopping malls, business centers and the like. At the end of the walk, I made a great discovery for myself - in Phnom Penh there is a huge variety of different imported products from France at incredibly low prices. The same goes for alcohol. Apparently Cambodia's colonial past plays a role in some way.
Returning to the guesthouse along the evening streets, I became an involuntary witness to all the “charms” of metropolitan life. People sleeping right on the sidewalks covered with newspapers, poor people storming garbage dumps in search of food and various “valuables”, girls of easy virtue who looked to be about fifteen years old, rats, dirt and a terrible smell. All this is present in other cities of Southeast Asian countries, but the scale of the Phnom Penh tragedy is colossal.
From an evening conversation with Fedor, I realized that there was nothing special to catch here. There is nothing that could interest a traveler, which means my assumptions about the capital of Cambodia are not in vain. One more day and I'm done.
The next day I visited one of the local markets with the interesting name Russian Market, wandered around the city, found out about tickets to the next point on my itinerary and returned to the guesthouse cafe I loved. Tomorrow I'm leaving for Sihanoukville.
Sihanoukville. Another Cambodia
I didn’t have the slightest idea about the place where I was going, which added even more excitement to my journey. Leafing through the book “The Kite Runner” by Khaled Hosseini, I periodically glanced out the window and fiddled with a ticket in my hands with a handwritten price of “$6”.
6:00 am. Heavy traffic.
Thousands of motorbikes. Hundreds of cars.
There is an impenetrable concrete forest all around.
Beeline sign in English. Interesting... I'm immersed in the book.
Sparse greens. Industrial zones.
We left the city. The bus picks up speed.
I look up from the book to read the latest news.
Terrorist attack in Bangkok.
There's a jungle outside the window. Dilapidated huts pass by. Farms. Dragonfruit planting.
One of the locals is clearly arguing with someone on the phone.
There are palm trees outside the window. Sihanoukville. Bus station.
The evening earlier, while sitting over a beer in a guest cafe, I booked a rather interesting accommodation in Sihanoukville - a thatched Indigo bungalow on Otres beach, where I headed and paid the taxi driver $2. For the first time during the entire trip, I did not experience negative feelings during the first minutes of being in a new place.
The resort is wonderful. Snow-white sand, green coconut palms cast a dense shadow, calm clear sea, islands on the horizon, silence, freshness, blue sky, bright sun. Idyll. My bungalow is only 10 meters from the high tide line. From the interior: Bed, mosquito net, light bulb, socket, fan and rack for things. A real tropical paradise in a hut. The cost is $5 per day. 
Sihanoukville made the most favorable impression on me and I stayed here for a whole week. I rented a scooter, traveled all over the area, visited 3 of the largest islands, went snorkeling, hand-fed monkeys, walked around the city at night, and relaxed in beach restaurants. In general, I lived a full resort life and before I could blink an eye, the week came to an end and I moved on to my further journey.
Summarizing the 7 days spent in Sihanoukville, I can say the following: the resort is ideal for lovers of a secluded beach holiday. It is much quieter here than on other coasts of Southeast Asia, large hotels are almost completely absent, but there are a large number of bungalows of various types, small guesthouses, mini-hotels and villas. Good conditions for sports, both water and beach. Shopping is Sihanoukville's weak point. The only available options are the city market Phsar Leu, Otres Market and all kinds of small shops. Otherwise, Sihanoukville is an amazing place that will forever remain in my heart.
From Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City
The third country on my route is Vietnam, which can only be reached on a budget from Phnom Penh. Therefore, I returned to the capital. Upon arrival, I headed to the same guesthouse #10 Lakeside Guesthouse, where I found Fedor at the same place at the table, who, by the way, had managed to acquire a local girl.
We spent that evening in a cafe, drinking cold beer and cheerful conversations, and in the morning, I boarded the Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh City bus and left Cambodia.
Crossing the border and processing documents did not take much time. I received a stamp in my passport allowing me to stay in Vietnam for 14 days without a visa, took an electronic fingerprint and got back on the bus.
Ho Chi Minh City. Love at first sight
This is not my first trip to Vietnam, but I have not yet visited Ho Chi Minh City. And I must say, this visit played an epic role, because I fell in love with the southern capital at first sight. The comfort of the backpacker streets of Pham Ngu Lao and Bui Vien, the view of the night metropolis from the Bitexco Tower, green squares, beautiful restaurants with delicious dishes, millions of bright lights, billions of roaring engines, everything merges together. One endless melody. Saigon Opera... 
During two days in Ho Chi Minh City, I visited a lot of interesting places, visited many parks, beautiful shops, museums, restaurants and bars. I made my way through narrow alleys filled to capacity with people and motorbikes, walked through squares, jostled in markets and hid in the shade of trees. Ho Chi Minh City is completely different from other Asian megacities; it is a completely different chaos, which you absolutely don’t want to leave. I will visit here more than once in the future, but for now, it’s time to go to the final destination, to see friends, to the village of Mui Ne.
Mui Ne. Final point
The trip Ho Chi Minh City - Mui Ne opened up a new way of transportation for me, incredibly comfortable and budget-friendly - Sleeper Bus. In fact, this is an ordinary passenger bus, with the only exception that instead of seats in the cabin there are recumbent cradles-chaise lounges, located in 3 rows in two tiers. Additional amenities included in the ticket price: Wi-Fi, mineral water and blankets. The ticket for that trip cost me only 140 thousand Vietnamese dong (about 6 dollars).
Mui Ne is a small village not far from the city of Han Thiet, where I have never been before, but where I will return. It is in this village that my friends from Russia live, and I went to meet them. The guys told me the location of a rather pleasant guesthouse, drove me around the area, showed me the sand dunes, the mountain of the reclining Buddha, the magnificent La Gui lighthouse, a deserted beach on the east coast and told me about all the pros and cons of living in a foreign land. We spent 5 days like this, after which the guys went on vacation to Nha Trang, and I started getting ready for the return trip. My journey has come to an end. 
Way home
If packing for the return trip does not put you in a melancholic mood, then the trip was a success. So Dima is great. This means that the “maximum” plan has been fulfilled. It was the same this time. I took the same bus back to Ho Chi Minh City, and then, like autumn leaves in the wind, fragments of memories rush like a crazy kaleidoscope...
Ho Chi Minh City. 3 days.
Morning exercises in the park at Pham Ngu Lao. Evenings on Bui Vien. Hammer and sickle with a Porsche Cayenne parked underneath it. Monument to Grandfather Ho. Children's laughter. Saturday evening.
Bangkok. 2 days.
Evening. Khao San Road. Fun. The youth. Alcohol. Music. It was as if the terrorist attack never happened. City in blue colors. Preparations for the Queen's birthday. Traffic fumes.
6 a.m. Smoldering Khao San Road.
Janitors with brooms sweep the sidewalks.
I walk around a puddle of someone’s stomach-rejected dinner.
I jump into a free taxi.
Hello friends! Although we have returned to our homeland, interrupting our trip to warm countries, we still have a lot of new articles to post. During our trips, we did not have time to write about everything we would like to tell, but now we have been given a great opportunity. Today we decided to answer a question that readers have repeatedly asked us - which is better, Thailand or Cambodia?
Thailand and Cambodia: our experience of living in these countries
We first came to Thailand by accident. We didn’t have a strong desire to spend the winter in this country at that time. It so happened that while in Malaysia, we successfully bought bus tickets and arrived in Bangkok. The sea and islands didn’t bother us then. The capital of Thailand fully met our expectations. After 2.5 months, we moved from Bangkok to Krabi. And after another 1.5 months we ended up in Pattaya. In total, we lived in Thailand for 8 months.
Pattaya
Gradually, the desire arose to travel around neighboring Cambodia. Firstly, you don’t need to spend money on air tickets - buy a bus ticket and you’re already in Cambodia. Secondly, while collecting information, we read on various blogs that the Cambodian city of Sihanoukville has amazing beaches. These two moments prompted us to move to Cambodia and live there. In Cambodia we saw Angkor Wat, lived for a month in Sihanoukville and visited the capital - Phnom Penh. Thailand, like Cambodia, has its own advantages and disadvantages, which I will tell you about now.
Beaches of CambodiaWhich is better, Cambodia or Thailand
3 advantages of Thailand
Convenient visa regime. We had peace of mind in Laos and lived without any problems while extending our stay at the immigration office.
Lots of sights and excursions. Thailand is a country where every city is different from the other. There are a lot of interesting things to see in every province.
And thousands more places to visit. Thailand is exactly what attracts many travelers. There is no time to be bored here and there is always something to do and how to spend your leisure time. And Thailand's transport network conveniently connects all cities and provinces by land routes.
Low prices. Almost everything. Cheap means of transportation, buses, taxis, songthaew, renting a bike costs pennies, cheap food, housing, clothing.
Cheap food
Eating in a simple cafe or a decent restaurant will not significantly affect your wallet. Our average bill in a simple cafe is 300 baht ($10). In restaurants for tourists - 1,500 baht ($50). Read also:
Cheap fruit
Inexpensive seafood
Street food costs penniesCheap housing
In Thailand, in any city, even in the capital, renting comfortable housing for little money is quite possible. For example, in Bangkok we lived in a very decent one for 14,000 baht per month ($420). And in Pattaya we cost 10,000 baht per month ($300). Swimming pool and gym are included in the price. If you are unpretentious, you can find accommodation 2 times cheaper. Read on topic:
3 disadvantages of Thailand
The presence of outright prostitution. It's not noticeable at first. However, after a couple of months of living in Pattaya, you begin to get tired of older men showing off with young and not so young Thai girls (and not always girls).
There are many people who, over time, begin to get annoyed by this contingentIt is worth adding here that due to the rapid development of prostitution, quite a lot of older men have flooded Thailand. Especially many European pensioners can be seen in Hua Hin and Pattaya.
Old farang on the beachWhere can I order a transfer from the airport?
We use the service - KiwiTaxi
We ordered a taxi online and paid by card. We were met at the airport with a sign with our name on it. We were taken to the hotel in a comfortable car. You've already talked about your experience In this article.Theft. It is inherent in any country and Thailand is no exception. Despite constant vigilance, we were in Pattaya. And not only here. This is all due to the abundance of ladyboys who can, without hesitation, approach a male tourist and grab one place by the yay; during this distracting maneuver, another shemale will pull money and valuables out of his pocket.
They cleverly carry out their shady dealingsDifficulties with visas. As of today, the visa issue with respect to Russians remains open. Judging by people's stories, getting a visa to Thailand is no longer as easy as it was a year ago, and the abolition of visa-runs makes life even more difficult for Thai “centenarians.” Therefore, a person either takes risks and wastes his time and money in the hope that he will be allowed into the country, or plans new routes and also loses time and money.
3 advantages of Cambodia
Adequate visa regime. Even those who do not conduct their own business in the country can obtain an official annual visa for little money. It is very comfortable. You don’t need to renew your visas or travel to neighboring countries to get your visa renewed, and you don’t need to learn the language. You paid the money and you live in peace until next year.
Beaches and islands.
Cambodian beaches are worth visiting. Clean water, calm sea, soft sand.
Delicious food. Food in Cambodia deserves special attention. For $6-7 you get huge portions of the most delicious dishes. Read on the topic of nutrition:
In our ranking of cuisines, Khmer probably ranks second after Indian.3 disadvantages of Cambodia
Inflated housing prices for long-term rentals. It’s a paradox, there are very cheap hotels in Cambodia. In Sihanoukville, all guesthouses rent rooms for $10 per night. But no one gives discounts when renting for a month.
For example, in Sihanoukville, for $300 a month you will be offered a modest dark room or a half-empty house with old furniture. For the same money in Pattaya, your conditions will be much better. About prices and quality of housing in Cambodia, about housing prices in Thailand Streets of Siem Reap
Park in Phnom Penh
It can be hard to look at dirty children begging for alms.Poor infrastructure. There are no large chain supermarkets in Cambodia where you can buy everything you need. Cambodia is just beginning its steps towards tourist comfort and prosperity. Read also:
Streets of Siem Reap
Street in Sihanoukville
The coolest street in Phnom PenhHowever, for those who like to take a break from numerous tourists and live in wild conditions, Cambodia is what you need.
Such different neighbors
Cambodia differs in absolutely everything from its neighbor, Thailand. But first of all, people. The population of Cambodia, the Khmers, speak excellent English, are always happy to help and for the most part are friendly. Contrary to popular belief about divorces in Cambodia, during the month we were not divorced even once. Only on the last day the taxi driver increased the price 2 times higher.
It’s also worth adding that traveling in Cambodia is not as exciting as traveling in Thailand. If in Thailand almost every city has infrastructure that provides comfort and attractions, even in, then in Cambodia there are hardly 3-4 cities where you will see something interesting without leaving civilized conditions.
Where is it cheaper to spend the winter?
The cheapest place to spend the winter is, of course, in Thailand. There is no need for comments here. Even in a run-down Cambodian town, food prices will be significantly higher than in Thailand. Street food is poorly developed and looks unappetizing. So we had to eat in a cafe in Cambodia. Rental amounts will be either lower or similar to Cambodian options, but the quality of housing is much better. Thailand also has a wide selection of inexpensive clothing, which cannot be said about Cambodia. Articles
The list of Asian countries that I was definitely going to explore always included Appendix No. 1: a list of Asian countries where I would never set foot. Cambodia has always occupied a place of honor among them. I don’t even know how it happened that on the morning of Friday the 13th I woke up in the middle of Cambodia))) It turned out that getting from Pattaya to Cambodia on your own is not at all difficult, it’s also interesting and inexpensive.
As you know, there are few attractions in Cambodia. Once... And I miscalculated))) But this very “time” is worth going to this wild but pretty country just for it.
As you understand, we are talking about Angkor, the ancient and incredibly beautiful capital of the Khmer Empire. For her sake, we decided to travel on our own from Pattaya to Cambodia. As you know, a trip to Cambodia is one of the most popular, but we are not interested in it. After all, Angkor Wat is one of the three places in Southeast Asia! So a trip in the “here’s half an hour and don’t deny yourself anything” format didn’t suit us. That's why we decided to travel from Pattaya to Siem Reap on our own. Moreover, it is not at all difficult and inexpensive.
How to get from Pattaya to Cambodia on your own: hello everyone, I arrived in Poipet! And now I’ll tell you how to do it as cheaply as possible.
We will definitely tell you about the beauty of the Angkor Wat temple complex, and today we will talk about how to get from Pattaya to Cambodia on your own. Let me emphasize that we are talking about how to get to the Cambodian city of Siem Reap. If you need to go to Sihanoukville or for some reason to Phnom Penh, then the route will be different.
How to get from Pattaya to Cambodia on your own: route and price
1. To get to Cambodia from Pattaya on your own, the first thing you need to do is get to the border town of Aranyaprathet. Buses go there from Pattaya North Bus Station. Here it is on the city map:
You need a ticket office that sells tickets to the city (sorry) Mukdahan. A ticket from Pattaya to Aranyaprathet costs 263 baht. Buses leave in the morning; it is better to buy tickets in advance, a day or two in advance. Although when we traveled from Pattaya to Aranyaprathet, there were less than 20 people on the bus.
2. In Aranyaprathet you need to catch a tuk-tuk to the Cambodian border. It can cost differently, depending on your desire and ability to bargain)) We agreed on 100 baht for two. Thus, a tuk-tuk ticket from Aranyaprathet to the Poipet border crossing cost us 50 baht per person.
3. Cambodian visa costs 30 dollars and 100 baht. Of this amount, 100 baht is a bribe. You can, of course, not pay it. But then you will have to wait for your passport with a visa not for five minutes, but... In general, we did not experiment with ourselves) By the way, do not forget to take with you one photo for the Cambodian visa, size 4x6 cm.
4. Well, here we are in Cambodia!)) So, to get from Pattaya to Cambodia on our own, we paid 413 baht and 30 dollars.
Now we need to get to Siem Reap. There are two possible options here. First - take a free bus to the bus station, where you can buy a ticket to Siem Reap for $10. But we heard only negative reviews about this bus: it seems like it takes a very long time, stopping in every village and picking up passengers there. Plus, already on the spot you will have to catch a taxi or tuk-tuk to get to your hotel in Siem Reap .
How to get from Pattaya to Cambodia on your own: this is what the border between Thailand and Cambodia looks like from the most Khmer side.
The second option is to make friends with one of the pale-faced fellow travelers and catch one taxi for everyone. That's what we did. Having teamed up with a couple from Romania, after some bargaining, we agreed with the taxi driver that he would take us directly to the hotels for $30. So we paid $7.50 per person.
Total 413 baht and 37.5 dollars. Considering the current price, we got from Pattaya to Cambodia on our own for only 1,650 baht per person. And this includes the visa. The return trip from Siem Reap to Pattaya will cost 30 dollars and 100 baht cheaper, that is 560 baht.
Thus, traveling from Pattaya to Cambodia on your own and returning back, taking into account all expenses, costs only 2,210 baht. Everything else - expenses for food, souvenirs, accommodation, etc. - is up to you. By the way, there are a lot of hotels in Siem Reap - both budget and luxury and expensive. You can choose and book a hotel using this form:
Travel, friends, independent excursions are quite inexpensive!
