A/ Saigon to Cambodia, Thailand and Laos
B/ Transport in Cambodia
C/ Tipycal itinerary
D/ Other
A/ Saigon to Cambodia, Thailand and Laos
* By bus
Travel distance: 240km (Saigon - Phnom Penh capital)
557km (Saigon - Siem Reap town, Angkor)
470Km (Saigon - Sihanoukville beach city, Cambodia)
317Km (Phnom Penh - Siem Reap)
230Km (Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville)
470Km (Saigon - Sihanoukville beach city, Cambodia)
317Km (Phnom Penh - Siem Reap)
230Km (Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville)
Travel time: 06 hours (Saigon - Phnom Penh capital)
11 - 12 hours (Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap town, Angkor)
10 hours (Saigon - Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville)
06 hours up (Siem Riep, Cambodia - Bangkok, Thailand)
04 - 05 hours (Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville)
2.5 - 3 hours (Phnom Penh - Kampot)
05 hours (Phnom Penh - Battambang)
12 - 13 hours up (Phnom Penh - Bangkok by night sleeping bus)
12 hours up (Phnom penh - Kampong Cham - Kratie - Stung Treng - Pakse, Laos)
10 hours (Saigon - Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville)
06 hours up (Siem Riep, Cambodia - Bangkok, Thailand)
04 - 05 hours (Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville)
2.5 - 3 hours (Phnom Penh - Kampot)
05 hours (Phnom Penh - Battambang)
12 - 13 hours up (Phnom Penh - Bangkok by night sleeping bus)
12 hours up (Phnom penh - Kampong Cham - Kratie - Stung Treng - Pakse, Laos)
Bus operators: There are many bus operators in Saigon's backpacker area (De Tham and Pham Ngu Lao streets). Famous ones are: TheSinhTourist, Sapaco, Khai Nam, Sorya, Humho Samco, Capitol...
In Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, there are many bus operators offering daily morning and evening buses to Bangkok, Thailand.
Sorya has daily buses from Phnom Penh to Pakse, Laos
All buses have A/C and offer 01 bottle of water. Sapaco, Kumho Samco and Sorya have attached restrooms.
Hong Kong/China movies and Vietnamese music on the buses of Sapaco and Kumho Samco. These two bus operators are popular with local passengers (Vietnamese and Cambodian)
TheSinhTourist is popular with foreigners and overseas Vietnamese. Good drivers. Quiet on the bus.
1/ Sapaco - The leading bus operator for Saigon - Phnom Penh
Address: 325 Pham Ngu Lao street, district 1, HCMC
592 Cong Hoa street, tan Binh district, HCMC
307 Preah Sihanouk boulevard, Sangkat Veal Vong, Khan 7 Makara, Phnom Penh (Its about 10 minutes by motorbike/tuk-tuk to Phnom Penh riverfront. Spend 2 USD or 8,000Riel for a ride)
Booking ticket, get on/off the bus at the above offices
Tel: 39 203 623 - 39 206 706 ( Pham Ngu Lao office)
38 101 466 - 38 121 348 (Cong Hoa office)
023 210 300 - 023 210 324 - 012 69 66 88 (Phnom Penh office)
Daily departure: Ho Chi Minh - Phnom Penh : 6:00 - 7:00 - 8:00 - 9:00 - 10:00 - 11:30 - 12:30 - 14:00 - 15:00
Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh: 6:00 - 7:00 - 8:00 - 9:00 - 10:00 - 11:30 - 12:30 - 14:00 - 15:00
Booking: I just give them a call one day before (or some hours before departure time) to have a ticketIn Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, there are many bus operators offering daily morning and evening buses to Bangkok, Thailand.
Sorya has daily buses from Phnom Penh to Pakse, Laos
All buses have A/C and offer 01 bottle of water. Sapaco, Kumho Samco and Sorya have attached restrooms.
Hong Kong/China movies and Vietnamese music on the buses of Sapaco and Kumho Samco. These two bus operators are popular with local passengers (Vietnamese and Cambodian)
TheSinhTourist is popular with foreigners and overseas Vietnamese. Good drivers. Quiet on the bus.
1/ Sapaco - The leading bus operator for Saigon - Phnom Penh
Address: 325 Pham Ngu Lao street, district 1, HCMC
592 Cong Hoa street, tan Binh district, HCMC
307 Preah Sihanouk boulevard, Sangkat Veal Vong, Khan 7 Makara, Phnom Penh (Its about 10 minutes by motorbike/tuk-tuk to Phnom Penh riverfront. Spend 2 USD or 8,000Riel for a ride)
Booking ticket, get on/off the bus at the above offices
Tel: 39 203 623 - 39 206 706 ( Pham Ngu Lao office)
38 101 466 - 38 121 348 (Cong Hoa office)
023 210 300 - 023 210 324 - 012 69 66 88 (Phnom Penh office)
Daily departure: Ho Chi Minh - Phnom Penh : 6:00 - 7:00 - 8:00 - 9:00 - 10:00 - 11:30 - 12:30 - 14:00 - 15:00
Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh: 6:00 - 7:00 - 8:00 - 9:00 - 10:00 - 11:30 - 12:30 - 14:00 - 15:00
Wesbite: www.sapacotourist.com
Lunch: Sapaco buses stop at a restaurant near Bavet check point for lunch. It costs about 2USD for a meal (steamed rice with fried fish/pork...)
Bonus: Very good A/C buses. A good choice for hot summer, especially in April.
Pictures:
Sapaco bus at Moc Bai border checkpoint
2/ TheSinhTourist - Asian tourists prefer this company
Address: 246 De Tham street, district 1, HCMC
In Phnom Penh, TheSinhTourist has a hotel near a market. Get off the bus in front of the hotel (Its about 10 minutes by motorbike/tuk-tuk to Phnom Penh riverfront. Spend 2 USD or 8,000Riel for a ride)
Tel: 3838 9597
Departure: daily at 6:30AM
Bus fare: 199,000VND (About 10USD)
Website: www.thesinhtourist.vn
Booking: at office which opens from 6:30AM to 10:00PM or online booking
3/ Kumho Samco
Address: 239 Pham Ngu Lao street, district 1, HCMC
Mac Thien Tich street, district 5, HCMC (Next to 215 hospital)
313 Sihanouk boulevard, Phnom Penh (beside the Phnom Penh Sapaco office)
Tel: 6291 5389 - 6291 5471 - 0945 611 611 (Pham Ngu Lao office)
66 601 727 (Mac Thien Tich office)
023 215 844 - 023 215 313 (Phnom Penh office)
Daily departure: Ho Chi Minh - Phnom Penh: 7:00 - 8:00 - 9:30 - 11:00 - 13:00 - 15:00
Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh: 6:00 - 7:30 - 9:00 - 10:30 - 13:00 - 15:00
Website: www.kumhosamco.com.vn
Minus: Old buses. A/C sometimes doesnt work well
4/ Phnom Penh Sorya - One of the leading bus operators in Cambodia
Address: 301 Pham Ngu Lao street, district 1, HCMC
Street 217 & 67, Sangkat Phsar Thmey 2, Phnom Penh (Just a few minutes to Phnom Penh riverfront)
Tel: 090 2575 765 - 39 209 438 - 66 701 898 (Pham Ngu Lao office)
023 210 359 - 012 63 15 45 - 010 63 15 45 - 081 90 80 22
Daily departure: Ho Chi Minh - Phnom Penh: 6:45 - 8:00 - 11:30 - 13:30
Phnom Penh - Ho Chi Minh: 6:45 - 8:30 - 11:45 - 13:45
Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville / Siem Reap / Battambang / Kampot - Kep / Koh Kong, Trat, Bangkok - Thailand / Preah Vihear / Kampong Cham / Kratie / Stung Treng / Pakse, Laos... (Check out its website for departue time)
Website: www.ppsoryatransport.com
Pictures:
Website: www.ppsoryatransport.com
Pictures:
Sorya office on Pham Ngu Lao street, Saigon
Phnom Penh Sorya bus schedule
Sorya bus station in Phnom Penh: crowded
5/ Khai Nam
Address: 163 Le Hong Phong district 5, Ho Chi Minh city
Number 56, street 286, Phnom Penh (Its about 10 minutes by motorbike/tuk-tuk to Phnom Penh riverfront. Spend 2 USD or 8,000Riel for a ride)
Tel: 3838 1122 / 3838 33 99 (Le Hong Phong office, Chi Minh city)
3837 66 55 (Pham Ngu Lao, district 01, Ho Chi Minh city)
077 639 399 / 023 220 599 (Phnom Penh)
Price: 10 - 11 USD/way (Saigon - Phnom Penh)
15 - 17 USD/way (Saigon - Siem Reap)
14 - 16 USD/way (Saigon - Sihanoukville beach city)
05 USD/way (Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville)
4.5 USD/way (Phnom Penh - Kampot)
27USD/way (Phnom Penh - Pakse, Laos)
17 - 25USD/way (Phnom Penh - Bangkok, Thailand)
I just took Sapaco bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh on 22th June 2013 and the bus fare was 230,000VND (about 11USD). Got back to Saigon by Kumho Samco bus at a price of 210,000VND (About 10USD).
Kumho Samco offers round trip Saigon - Phnom Penh - Saigon at a price of 19USD.
14 - 16 USD/way (Saigon - Sihanoukville beach city)
05 USD/way (Phnom Penh - Sihanoukville)
4.5 USD/way (Phnom Penh - Kampot)
27USD/way (Phnom Penh - Pakse, Laos)
17 - 25USD/way (Phnom Penh - Bangkok, Thailand)
I just took Sapaco bus from Saigon to Phnom Penh on 22th June 2013 and the bus fare was 230,000VND (about 11USD). Got back to Saigon by Kumho Samco bus at a price of 210,000VND (About 10USD).
Kumho Samco offers round trip Saigon - Phnom Penh - Saigon at a price of 19USD.
Visa: Cambodian visa is available on arrival (at Bavet check point - from Saigon, Poipet check point - from Bangkok and Prek Chak check point - from Ha Tien of Mekong delta, Vietnam).
Visa fee is 20USD (But you will pay more than that, say 25USD, without photo. The reason: corruption!!!)
Visa fee is 20USD (But you will pay more than that, say 25USD, without photo. The reason: corruption!!!)
Those who are going back to Saigon, needs to apply for Vietnam visa at Phnom Penh (take 1 working day)
Cambodian currency: USD is accepted everywhere in Cambodia. Its best to keep USD. When you buy something, the seller will often give you a change in USD too.
Cambodian currency is Riel. 1USD is about 4,000Riel. The local markets in Phnom Penh have many money exchange counters which give good exchange rate than the hotels, tourist agencies and the banks!
Note: Inside Moc Bai check point of Vietnam, Its forbidden to take photos
Saigon to Moc Bai and Bavet check points takes about two and a half hours. Buses often stop at a restaurant near Bavet check point for about 20 minutes for passengers having breakfast/lunch).
* By Bus and Boat
Travel time: A good option is 3 days 2 nights from Saigon to Mekong delta and exit to Phnom Penh. Its a combination of bus and boat. In the 3rd day, you will arrive in Phnom Penh about 3:30PM if you take slow boat (those take fast boat will be in Phnom Penh's center riverside about 1:00PM)
Some tourists (Maraton athletes) take only 2 days 1 night from Saigon to Mekong delta and exit to Phnom Penh. The first day with most of the time on the bus, say about 6 hours from Saigon to Chau Doc. The second day takes boat (and bus) to Phnom Penh.
Some luxury cruise operators offer 7 days 6 nights cruise from My Tho or Cai Be of Mekong delta to Phnom Penh and Siem Riep.
Visa is available on arrival.
Visa is available on arrival.
Price: A 3days 2 nights from Saigon to Mekong delta and exit to Phnom Penh costs about 95USD (price of www.thesinhtourist.vn). It includes: bus, boat, accommodation (1 night in a 4-star hotel at Can Tho city and 1 night in a 1-star hotel at Chau Doc town), some meals, English speaking guide.
A 7-day 6-night luxury cruise from My Tho or Cai Be of Mekong delta to Phnom Penh and Siem Riep cost about 2,200USD/pax. Famous cruise operator is www.jayavarmancruise.com
Pic: Jayavarman cruise
A 7-day 6-night luxury cruise from My Tho or Cai Be of Mekong delta to Phnom Penh and Siem Riep cost about 2,200USD/pax. Famous cruise operator is www.jayavarmancruise.com
* By Air
http://www.cambodiaangkorair.com offers flights Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap
http://www.cambodiaangkorair.com offers flights Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap
Visa is available on arrival at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap international airports
B/ Transport In Cambodia
1/ Bus
With the above information, its easily to travel around Cambodia by bus, especially with Phnom Penh Sorya bus operator.
Capitol bus operator also has daily buses from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Battambang, Kampot, Poipet, Kampong Cham... The buses are quite old but have A/C and full of Cambodian people.
Other bus operators are: Mekong Express, Virak Buntham Express, GST Express...
Please note that there are a lot of motorbike and tuk-tuk drivers waiting at bus stations. Make sure that you just pay about 2USD for one way going to downtown of almost destinations (I paid 1 - 1.5USD from Capitol office/bus station in Sihanoukvill city to Serendipity beach). Some drivers, especially in Siem Reap, will tell you that the guesthouse/hotel youre looking for is fully booked or closed. In fact they want to take you to another one to have a little commission.
2/ Boat
There are slow and fast boat services from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc town of Mekong delta, Vietnam and to Siem Reap city.
Its easy to book a ticket at Phnom Penh riverfront.
Please note that May to September is rainy season in Cambodia and Mekong delta of Vietnam.
Vietnam visa is nor available on arrival. Get it at Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville (Just 01 working day)
3/ Air
I flew with Vietnam airline from Siem Reap city to Ho Chi Minh city at a price of 185USD/way! That was 02 years ago (Company paid, if no, I wouldnt go, haha). The flight was just 01 hour
Pochentong airport in Phnom Penh is about 30 minutes from the center of city. It has taxis to downtown
Siem Reap airport is just about 10 - 15 minutes from center of the town.
4/ Tuk-tuk
B/ Transport In Cambodia
1/ Bus
With the above information, its easily to travel around Cambodia by bus, especially with Phnom Penh Sorya bus operator.
Capitol bus operator also has daily buses from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, Battambang, Kampot, Poipet, Kampong Cham... The buses are quite old but have A/C and full of Cambodian people.
Other bus operators are: Mekong Express, Virak Buntham Express, GST Express...
Please note that there are a lot of motorbike and tuk-tuk drivers waiting at bus stations. Make sure that you just pay about 2USD for one way going to downtown of almost destinations (I paid 1 - 1.5USD from Capitol office/bus station in Sihanoukvill city to Serendipity beach). Some drivers, especially in Siem Reap, will tell you that the guesthouse/hotel youre looking for is fully booked or closed. In fact they want to take you to another one to have a little commission.
2/ Boat
There are slow and fast boat services from Phnom Penh to Chau Doc town of Mekong delta, Vietnam and to Siem Reap city.
Its easy to book a ticket at Phnom Penh riverfront.
Please note that May to September is rainy season in Cambodia and Mekong delta of Vietnam.
Vietnam visa is nor available on arrival. Get it at Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville (Just 01 working day)
3/ Air
I flew with Vietnam airline from Siem Reap city to Ho Chi Minh city at a price of 185USD/way! That was 02 years ago (Company paid, if no, I wouldnt go, haha). The flight was just 01 hour
Pochentong airport in Phnom Penh is about 30 minutes from the center of city. It has taxis to downtown
Siem Reap airport is just about 10 - 15 minutes from center of the town.
4/ Tuk-tuk
C/ Tipycal Itinerary
* Most tourist take a 4-day 3-night package tour (Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Saigon). The price is about 184 USD which includes bus, accommodation (3-star hotel), all meals, entrance fees, English speaking guide.
DAY 1: Saigon - Phnom Penh
DAY 2: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap
DAY 3: Siem Reap - Angkor
DAY 4: Siem Reap - Saigon (or Bangkok)
* 7-day itinerary
DAY 1: Saigon - Sihanoukville
DAY 2 and 3: Sihanoukville
DAY 4: Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh
DAY 5: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap
DAY 6: Siem Reap - Angkor
DAY 7: Siem Reap - Saigon (or Bangkok)
* Those who are interested in Chenla and Angkor temples
DAY 1: Saigon - Phnom Penh
DAY 2: Phnom Penh - Phnom Chisor temple and Udong old capital
DAY 4: Phnom Penh - Kampong Thom - Sambor Preikuk temples (7th century of Chenla kingdom)
DAY 5: Kampong Thom - Siem Reap - Tonle Sap lake
DAY 6: Siem Reap - Angkor
DAY 7: Siem Reap - Saigon (or Bangkok)
D/ Others
Moc Bai border checkpoint: about 2.5 hours from Saigon by bus
Neak Loeung ferry: from here, another 2-hour drive to Phnom Penh
* Most tourist take a 4-day 3-night package tour (Saigon - Phnom Penh - Siem Reap - Saigon). The price is about 184 USD which includes bus, accommodation (3-star hotel), all meals, entrance fees, English speaking guide.
DAY 1: Saigon - Phnom Penh
DAY 2: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap
DAY 3: Siem Reap - Angkor
DAY 4: Siem Reap - Saigon (or Bangkok)
* 7-day itinerary
DAY 1: Saigon - Sihanoukville
DAY 2 and 3: Sihanoukville
DAY 4: Sihanoukville - Phnom Penh
DAY 5: Phnom Penh - Siem Reap
DAY 6: Siem Reap - Angkor
DAY 7: Siem Reap - Saigon (or Bangkok)
* Those who are interested in Chenla and Angkor temples
DAY 1: Saigon - Phnom Penh
DAY 2: Phnom Penh - Phnom Chisor temple and Udong old capital
DAY 4: Phnom Penh - Kampong Thom - Sambor Preikuk temples (7th century of Chenla kingdom)
DAY 5: Kampong Thom - Siem Reap - Tonle Sap lake
DAY 6: Siem Reap - Angkor
DAY 7: Siem Reap - Saigon (or Bangkok)
D/ Others
Moc Bai border checkpoint: about 2.5 hours from Saigon by bus
Neak Loeung ferry: from here, another 2-hour drive to Phnom Penh
Journey from Saigon to Siem Reap is a fascinating journey. Visitors can choose a lot of this kind of move, but I personally recommend choosing a boat trip, just take a break can just comfortable scenic river.
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