It is common that many visitors arrive in Siem Reap by air from Bangkok and Phnom Penh. On arrival at the Siem Reap and Phnom Penh airports, visas are available. You can also find daily buses and boats going to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh. Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh cruise
Air to Phnom Penh
Travelers can find several daily flights to/from Phnom Penh offered by Siem Reap Airways (http://www.siemreapairways.com) while www.laoairlines.com/ or http://www.airasia.com/ is another cheap opportunity. Through http://www.tourismcambodia.com/flights/, you can make your flight booking.
River Ferry
Daily ferries ply the Tonle Sap river and lake between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. By a hill, Phnom Krom, near the ferry dock at Chong Khneas 12 km south of Siem Reap is where the end of the trip is marked. Passengers transfer to smaller boats to traverse the final few hundred meters after the ferry stops short of the dock during the dry season.
On Sisowath Quay, the Phnom Penh Port, there are daily ferries depart at 7am. From the dock at Chong Khneas, there are ferries depart Siem Reap daily at 7am. For a 251km and 4-6 hour ride, passengers have to pay from $18 to $25 and it should be purchased a day beforehand. Sometimes, drinks are available. You can purchase tickets through travel agencies and hotels at cheaper price than at the ferry offices. These ferries are local transport with groundings and breakdowns and other difficulties experiences though generally safe. From June to November, during the wet season, travel is the best. There are occasional groundings, smaller and less comfortable boats during dry season.
You can find very leisurely paced boat trips between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh on a traditionally crafted wooden riverboat with deluxe facilities offered by Compagnie Fluevial Du Mekong.
Buses
There are daily buses transport between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh offered several bus companies, travel agencies and guesthouses. The smooth 314 km trip will take you 5-7 hours. Along the way, the bus usually makes two stops at Kampong Thom and Skun. For one-way, all charge the same for 14,000R ($3.50). At 6:30am, you can catch the earliest buses and between noon and 1pm is the departing time of the last buses.
Share Taxis
Departing from southwest corner of Central Market in Phnom Penh, local share taxi cost per person for 25,000 riel for 5-8 hour ride. For the whole car, a private taxi will cost travelers from US$38to $45 and take 5-6 hours. Prices are in flux due to rising fuel costs. Cambodia travel packages
Motorbike
Driving in Cambodia is still challenging in the extreme and should be attempted only by experienced riders although the road to Siem Reap is in pretty good condition. The norms are slow cows, speeding taxis and oblivious children. A road or dirt bike, no smaller than 250cc, is what the trip calls for. Two-day trip with a layover in Kampong Thom is a more relaxed alternative and lets you have more time to visit the pre-Angkorian ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk although it can be made within a day.
Follow National Highway No 6 north 75km to the Skun intersection after leaving Phnom Penh via the Japanese Bridge. Bear left and spend 2-3 hours following the NH No 6 to Kampong Thom. In Kampong Thom, all decent mid-range places are the Mittapheap Hotel, Stung Sen Royal Hotel (012-309495) and Arunras Hotel (062-961294). It takes another 2-3 hours to travel from Kampong Thom to Siem Reap.
See more:
- Travel from airport into Phnom Penh
- Restaurants in Phnom Penh
- Where to eat Chinese food in Phnom Penh
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