Arriving by air from Bangkok and Phnom Penh is a common way to go to Siem Reap of the majority of visitors. Also, there are also flights from Vientiane, Ho Chi Minh City and Singapore. At Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports visas on arrival are available. There are also daily buses and boats going from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. Visit Siem Reap through Indochina holidays
Siem Reap: Arrival and Departure
Airport Departure and Arrival Tax: International: US$25, Domestic: US$6. Siem Reap Airport is situated 6km from town, not far from the temples and during landings and take offs, occasionally affording magnificent views of the Angkor Wat. You can find a ticket booth for registered taxis into town outside the terminal. Outside the airport are independent motorcycles and taxis waiting for tourists. For both, the price is the same: cars are $6-7 and motorcycles are $2 into town. Even though most hotels offer free transportation service from the airport, travelers have to notify them in advance of their arrival. Cambodia travel tours
Siem Reap Ferry Dock
Chong Khneas near Phnom Krom, about 12km to south of Siem Reap is the arriving point of the ferry to Siem Reap. At the dock, there is always transportation waiting for you. for the 20-30 minute ride into town, cars charge $6-$7 and mototaxis about $2-$3.
Air
You can get daily flight to/from Phnom Penh offered by Siem Reap Airways http://www.siemreapairways.com/; www.laoairlines.com/ or http://www.airasia.com/ (another cheap opportunity). Through http://www.tourismcambodia.com/flights/, you can make your flight booking.
River Ferry
Every day, there are ferries plying the Tonle Sap Eiver and lake between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. A hill, Phnom Krom, near the ferry dock at Chong Khneas 12 km south of Siem Reap is the marking point of the end of the trip. If your trip is in the dry season, the ferry will stop short of the dock and to traverse the final few hundred meters, you will be transferred to smaller boats.
Ferries depart for Siem Reap daily at 7am daily from the Phnom Penh Port on Sisowath Quay. For a 251km, 4-6 hour ride, the passage is around $18-$25 and should be purchased a day in advance. Through travel agencies and hotels, you can get cheaper tickets than at the ferry offices. During the wet season (June-November) is the best time to travel. Dry season low waters can mean smaller, occasional groundings and less comfortable boats.
Another interesting option is very leisurely paced 3-day boat trips between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap on a traditionally crafted wooden riverboat with deluxe facilities offered by the Compagnie Fluevial Du Mekong.
Buses
You can find daily bus transport between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap offered by several bus companies, travel agencies and guesthouses. It is a 5-7 hour trip on a 314 km smooth road. Along the way, the bus usually makes two stops, one at Skun and another at Kampong Thom. All cost the same price, one-way ticket costs $3.50 (14,000R). The last buses depart between noon and 1pm and the earliest buses starting at 6:30am.
Share Taxis
5-8 hour local share taxi ride departing from southwest corner of Central Market in Phnom Penh costs 25,000 riel per traveler. A 5-6 hour private taxi ride costs US$38-$45 for the whole car. (Due to rising fuel costs, prices are in flux).
Motorbike to Siem Reap
Although the road to Siem Reap is in good condition, driving in Cambodia, which is still challenging in the extreme, should only be attempted by experienced motorbikers. The norms are slow cows, speeding taxis and oblivious children. The trip calls for a road or dirt bike, at least 250cc. Even though it is possible to make it in a day, a two day trip with a layover in Kampong Thom, which allows time to visit the pre-Angkorian ruins of Sambor Prei Kuk, is a more relaxed alternative.
Read more:
- Pandora box of things to experience in Cambodia
- One Day Tour of Battambang Cambodia
- Which is the best restaurant in Siem Reap
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