Getting Around

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Getting Around Cambodia

There are two international airports at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. There are direct flights into Phnom Penh and Siem Reap daily from many nearby Asian countries including, China, Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam. Airlines flying these routes include low-cost airlines Air Asia and Jetstar Asia as well as, Asiana Airlines, Bangkok Airways, China Southern Airlines, Dragonair, Eva Airways, Korean Air, Lao Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Siem Reap Airways, SilkAir, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways International and Vietnam Airlines.

Bangkok Airways has a monopoly on direct flights between Siem Reap and Bangkok so it is quite pricey to take this route. It is a lot cheaper to fly into and out of Phnom Penh and transfer to Siem Reap or travel overland from Bangkok to Siem Reap.

Domestic flights are only available at this stage between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. A third airport at Sihanoukville is currently undergoing renovation and will be accepting domestic and international flights in 2009.

Driving or riding yourself is unadvisable and you should be extremely careful if doing so. Driving practices are very different and anything goes! Local road rules also can differ from city to city.

The Mekong river is a grand river that runs from Vietnam, through Cambodia and up to Laos. There is a river crossing between Cambodia and Vietnam on the banks of the Mekong. Be open to anything though, you may have to literally climb up the bank! There are regular passenger boats that take the route between Phnom Penh in Cambodia and Chau Doc in Vietnam via the border crossing atKaam Samnor-Vinh Xuong.

It is also possible to get from Phnom Penh to the temples of Angkor via luxury boat along the Mekong. There is also a river crossing from Vietnam into Laos.

Changing money at border crossings can prove difficult if at all possible and there are scams which can often result in you being short changed. It is best to have small denomination US dollars handy if coming into Cambodia.

Immigration Officials at border crossings have a reputation for petty extortion. They can ask for an ‘immigration fee’ or force you to change your US dollars for Cambodian riel at a ridiculous rate. Senior government officials are cracking down on this behaviour though.