FAQ (and not so FAQ)

Transportation

Most recent update: March 11, 2007

1.) What are the overland options for traveling to Cambodia from neighboring countries?
2.) What are the overland options within Cambodia?
3.) How safe is it to travel around the rural areas?
4.) What routes do the speedboats cover and are they safe?
5.) Can I take a boat to or from Thailand?
6.) Can I rent a car or motorcycle?
7.) Where can I rent a car or motorcycle?
8.) If I'm involved in an accident, what could happen?
9.) How is the train service?
10.) Who flies to Cambodia and from where?
11.) Is flying domestic safe?
12.) How much are departure taxes?
13.) How much are taxis from the airport into town (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap)?
14.) What is the best form of local transportation?
15.) Once and for all, do you or do you not negotiate a taxi fare before you get in (or on)?
16.) Are cyclos a good way to get around?
17.) What about purchasing a motorcycle?
18.) Can I bring a car in from a neighboring country?
19.) What about bringing in/taking out motorcycles?

Guesthouse - Siem Reap
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Q: What are the overland options for traveling to Cambodia from neighboring countries?

A: It is possible to travel overland from all neighboring countries, Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand. There are presently four open crossings from Vietnam, one from Laos, and six from Thailand.

To/From Thailand:

1.) Aranyaprathet/Poipet which is the main checkpoint between the two countries and generally the one to use if going to Siem Reap from Bangkok and with improved roads in Cambodia is also suitable for Phnom Penh and really, any destination in Cambodia except the south coast. This border offers the most onward transportation options in both Thailand and Cambodia. This is also the busiest, most chaotic crossing.

2.) Hat Lek/Koh Kong a.k.a. Cham Yeam, is the southernmost crossing and best used for Sihanoukville and a more scenic route to Phnom Penh. While border guards tend to play games at all border crossings this is the place where, historically, you are most likely to be scammed for the highest visa and stamp fees.

3.) Chong Jom (Surin province)/O'Smach crossing, north of Siem Reap, west of Anlong Veng, useful for travel to/from Vientiane in Laos or Thailand's Isaan region.

4.) Chong Sa-ngam (Si Saket province)/Anlong Veng, also north of Siem Reap and useful for travel to/from Vientiane in Laos or Thailand's Isaan region.

5.) Ban Pakard (Chantaburi province)/Phsa Prom Pailin is on Cambodia's west side south of Poipet, north of Koh Kong and is a convenient entry point for travel to Battambang and also for travel from Thailand's east coast beaches such as Pattaya to anywhere in Cambodia. Connects with Chantaburi province (Pongnamron district), Thailand.

6.) Ban Laem/Daun Lem Border (Kamreang district of Battambang province) is also on Cambodia's west side south of Poipet, north of Koh Kong and is equally convenient as Ban Pakard/Pailin as it is just to the north of it. Also connects with Chantaburi province (Pongnamron district), Thailand.

To/From Laos:

Voeung Kam, Laos - There are actually two border crossings - the river and the road. Cambodia visas are available here, but according to some reports only at the road crossing.

To/From Vietnam:

Moc Bai/Bavet : The most popular crossing from direct access between Phnom Penh and Saigon.

Ving Xuong/Kaam Samnor (Chau Doc) : The increasingly popular Mekong River crossing into or from Vietnam's Mekong Delta.

Tinh Bien/Phnom Den : Recently opened, to the west of Chau Doc, useful if coming from or going to Kampot and Sihanoukville.

Xa Mat/Trapeang Phlong (Kompong Cham province, Memot district) : out in the sticks of eastern Cambodia and to/from Tay Ninh province. *Visa situation is not clear for this crossing.

Quite possibly by the end of the year the Ha Tien crossing may finally open for non-Cambodians, non-Vietnamese.

Cambodia visas are issued on arrival at all entry points, including Laos, which is a very recent development.

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There is copious amounts of information on border crossings and transport in Cambodia on the Overland pages elsewhere on this website.

You can also find good information on the Canby and Travelfish websites.

There is talk of opening up several more border crossings with Vietnam. As it is today, you can probably get stamped out of most of the crossings now - at least the guys in Ratanakiri told me so when I was there over four years ago, but your chances of getting stamped into Vietnam are about nil.

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Q: What are the overland options within Cambodia?

A: Basically anywhere you want to go. Regular air-con buses ply the routes to and from Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville, Kampot, Kompong Cham, Kratie, Stung Treng, Kompong Chhnang, Pursat, Battambang, Siem Reap, and Poipet. There isn't really much inter-provincial bus services other than connecting any two towns along any of these routes which all originate or terminate in Phnom Penh. There are a few exceptions, for example Siem Reap to Kompong Cham, but by and large everything starts or ends in Phnom Penh. One notable exception is the tourist buses that run between Poipet and Siem Reap, which if you've read much of this website you know you shouldn't be using, anyway.

With the exception of the Poipet to Siem Reap buses, prices for the buses are fixed and reasonable. Service is generally okay. So many bus companies have come and gone that I've given up trying to list them all, but the best of the bunch is Mekong Express. Presently $10 between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The positive side of Mekong Express is they use late-model Japanese buses with decent A/C and onboard toilets. One negative, if you're inclined to see this as a negative is that they practice two-tiered pricing, which considering they are already the most expensive bus service, it's sort of hard to justify the "poor Cambodian" bit. Still, they are the best even if you do have to pay over 50% more than the Cambodian sitting next to you for no other reason that they got you to pay it. And despite the name "Express" they tend to hire the slowest drivers, but considering the anarchy of Cambodia's roads this may not necessarily be a bad thing.

At most destinations, buses will stop at some totally chaotic excuse for a bus station where over-zealous local motodrivers will practically carry you off the bus. The bit with buses dumping their cargo at a commission-paying guesthouse is by and large the exclusive domain of the tourist buses from Poipet to Siem Reap.

For other destinations and most inter-provincial travel that doesn't involve Phnom Penh you have to hassle with shared transport in the form of Toyota Camry taxi, van, or pick-up truck. Taxis can be shared or hired privately outright.

For further information on transport to and from Siem Reap, see the Talesofasia Guide to Siem Reap.

In Phnom Penh, share taxis are available to most any destination, Siem Reap, Kompong Thom, Kampot, Sihanoukville, Koh Kong, Battambang, Vietnam border, etc. For most destinations, they can be found at the northwest corner of the Central Market. The exception is for southeastern destinations (i.e. Moc Bai, Vietnam border crossing). These taxis leave from a stand near the Monivong bridge. Provincial capitals also have taxis going in every direction. If you can in any way connect two destinations, you can probably find a share taxi or pick-up truck going there, even to some very remote areas.

Contrary to conventional wisdom, most routes have a fixed rate which the locals pay and bargaining is rarely an issue. Unfortunately, as a foreigner you probably don't know these fares and you may be forced into a discussion about it. Usually when such discussions take place you'll end up paying more than you should. If at all possible, discuss rates only with the driver and avoid touts, motorbike taxi drivers etc, as they are only hustling for commissions which will raise your cost. For pricing in northwest Cambodia and more details about negotiating prices, see my Overland section.

Pick-up trucks, once the only way to get around Cambodia, are gradually being relegated to their place in Cambodia transport history. They are still used in the countryside, but much less so on the major routes as improved road conditions and bus services render them redundant.

Q: How safe is it to travel around the rural areas?

A: Some foreign embassy reports (i.e. Canada, USA, England, well, all of them I guess) and some guidebooks have advised against overland travel for security reasons. This is complete nonsense, highway banditry hasn't been a problem since 1999. Any "roadblock" you encounter is some form of a toll (though the legalities of these tolls may be subject to debate, you as a passenger need not be concerned with them). Except for the tollbooth on NH 4 on the way out of Phnom Penh which is a proper toll plaza, here a tollbooth is a bamboo gate and some guy in a uniform will move that gate when you give him the money or alternatively, he just waves a baton at whoever he wants to stop. They even issue receipts at some. But whatever form of a toll it is, if it even is one, it is entirely between the driver and the person with their hand out and has absolutely nothing to do with you the passenger. There is nothing whatsoever for you to be concerned about if you're hurtling down the highway in a taxi or truck and some guy in a uniform stops the vehicle.

I have traveled throughout Cambodia and have encountered almost nothing but friendly curious locals. Embassy reports that advise against overland travel are written by people that quite frankly, have never been outside of an office in Phnom Penh if they've even been in Cambodia at all.

One of the most inaccurate reports comes from Canada - a country whose representation is through the Australian embassy! Reports, like the Canadian report, that advise against overland travel in Cambodia do a tremendous disservice to both tourists and locals alike. A disservice to the tourist by potentially scaring somebody away from what might otherwise be a memorable travel experience and to the locals by denying them needed tourist revenues.

What I will suggest, however, is that you do not travel at night. This is largely due to dark lousy roads, vehicles that may not have headlights, and all manner of obstacles that find their way onto the road even though they shouldn't be there.

Guesthouse - Siem Reap
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Q: What routes do the speedboats cover and are they safe?

A: With any luck this from of transport will up and go away and the sooner the better. Fortunately, it is indeed moving towards extinction. Your refusal to submit yourself to their ridiculous prices and dodgy conditions will help bring this about.

At present only three services remain:

Siem Reap/Battambang : Dodgy as dodgy can be, but outrageously scenic. Given the scenery and that the road between Siem Reap and Sisophon is still bad it's not totally ridiculous to use this boat. However, other than the scenery, don't expect anything by way of safety or reliability. The trip could take four hours, it could take fourteen hours. You might get stuck in the mud, you might even have to get out and help push it free. You might sink - this usually means everyone grabs their bags and stands in waste-deep water for a couple of hours until another boat comes along. Or you might get where you're going in a few hours without fuss. You never know. Take this boat for scenery and adventure, don't take it if you just want some transportation. One early morning departure per day. Prices fluctuate from $10-15.

Siem Reap/Phnom Penh : A complete waste of time and money. It's nearly three times more expensive than any bus and you really don't see much. Half the trip is in the middle of the lake, "Oh, look dear, all the brown water, it goes on forever." And the rest is spent rushing down a river for a couple of hours passing endless houses on stilts with naked kids running circles around them - the same view you get from the bus. And you can sit downstairs with blasting karaoke, frigid A/C, and puking Khmers. Or ride on the top and get burned to a crisp. Unless it rains. Then you just get wet. Take my advice: there are better ways between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap - the bus. And better ways to see the lake - book a half day trip to Kompong Phluk or Kompong Khleang while you are in Siem Reap. One early morning departure per day. Prices fluctuate from $22-25.

Any guesthouse or travel agent can purchase a ticket for you and it won't cost any more to allow them to do so.

Q: Can I take a boat to or from Thailand?

A: Some people have been led to believe that there is a ferry service that crosses the border at Hat Lek/Koh Kong. There is not. The border is a land crossing. The boats that run between the border area and Sihanoukville are found in Koh Kong town which is about eight kilometers from the border.

Q: Can I rent a car or motorcycle?

A: Yes you can - except in Siem Reap and more recently Sihanoukville - which in the past year or so has been sort of an on-again, off-again thing. But the question is should you? My answer is probably not. Unless you have experience operating a car or motorcycle in a third-world country where driver education is non-existent, traffic laws rarely enforced, and people, cows, dogs, chicken, children, dust, rocks, rats, ghosts, and hallucinations come at you - literally - from all directions, you'd do better either to hire a car with a driver or stick to motorcycle taxis. Cambodia's roads are dangerous and of all the possible dangers that exist in Cambodia, highway accidents are number one.

Siem Reap has prohibited tourists, as a distinct entity from expats, from renting motorcycles since April 2003. Though technically in effect throughout the province, enforcement is limited largely to the temple area. However, as enforcement is directed more at the rental agencies then at the renters, it's a moot point because no one is likely to rent you a bike, anyway. Occasionally tourists bringing up rented bikes from Phnom Penh have had problems with the police but it seems to be the exception nor the norm.

Almost every resident expat who owns a motorcycle, which is most of us, has had at least one accident. I had two friends killed in separate motorcycle accidents early in 2002. So please, give it serious thought before riding a motorbike around this country. And if you do ride - wear a helmet!

Though there's probably a law somewhere that says you must have an international driver's license to rent a vehicle (car or motorbike) in Cambodia, I have never heard of anyone ever being asked to produce one.

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Q: Where can I rent a car or motorcycle?

A: Motorcycles first.

In Phnom Penh the two major rental agencies, located next to each other no surprise, are Lucky! Lucky! and New! New! Both have a variety of 250cc and smaller 110cc bikes. 250s rent from $6 to $10 a day depending on the age and condition of the bike. On Street 51 are two newer outfits: Angkor Motorcycles and Touring Bikes.

In smaller towns you'll probably do best to inquire at your guesthouse or hotel. You can also try what we did when I was in Kratie a number of years ago (1999) - find a moto driver and offer him some cash to rent his bike for a day. You may be surprised to find him agreeable to this. Just be diligent in returning to the agreed upon location at the agreed upon a time, lest you either give him a heart attack or worse, he sends out a posse of his motodop friends to track you down.

All the shops will require you to leave your passport as deposit on a rental. You will be absolutely 100% responsible for any damage, or worse, theft. The practice of shop owners stealing back their bikes seems to be a thing of the past, but it doesn't hurt to use your own lock and make sure the guesthouse or hotel where you stay is able to secure the bike at night.

Cars second.

I know of no self-drive rental car agencies in Cambodia. However, car hire with driver is available from just about anywhere to anywhere. Cars are commonly hired for tourist purposes by the day in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and can also be hired for multi-day long-distance trips. Talk to any taxi driver. And if he won't do it, he'll surely have a "brother" who will.

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Q: If I'm involved in an accident, what could happen?

A: If you're out in the sticks and you think you are not at fault and nobody's been left flat out across the road, you might consider getting yourself out of there as quickly as possible because whatever happens it will cost you money. However, if you are at fault and there are injuries or damage to the other party, then you better stick around and face the music, which may be unpleasant, financially anyway. In Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, and other provincial capitals, fleeing the scene is not necessarily the best course of action, especially if it wasn't your fault. The police tend to be reasonably fair at blaming the person who really was at fault and not automatically find you at fault because you're a foreigner.

Anyway, what happens at an accident scene is first, every Khmer for miles comes around to watch what's going on. If you're injured they will try to help. This is unfortunate as help usually means picking up the unconscious victim and shaking him or her in an effort to revive them. I don't even want to think about how many accident victims were further injured by this practice, but regrettably, as the average Khmer knows nothing of proper medical procedures, shaking the unconscious person seems like the right thing to do.

If you're in an isolated area or it's late at night and not too many people are around it is quite possible that the first people on the scene will rob your unconscious body of everything worth stealing.

By law, you're not supposed to move anything, not the bikes, not the cars, not anything. I witnessed one accident where the police held an injured accident victim in place until they could draw a chalk line around him! The police will conduct an investigation and usually try their best to come to a proper conclusion. Of course the word proper is open to various interpretations.

An American friend of mine once related a story where he was involved in an accident involving three motorbikes. The cops on the scene agreed that my friend was not at fault but asked him to pay damages anyway because they said, "you're the only one who has any money."

Often the police will try to confiscate the bikes until they complete their investigation as it insures they will be compensated for their time. Fast talking and a little money can sometimes allow you to avoid this unpleasant situation.

If you're at fault and you know it and neither party is seriously injured and the motorbikes still work, it is in your best interest to try to resolve the matter before the police arrive and then disappear quickly and quietly. If the other party makes a reasonable request, just shut up and pay it because if the police investigate you'll still have to pay the other party and you will also have to pay the police!

If you're convinced you're not at fault and you can't come to an agreement with the other party, then you'll have to involve the police. Also, if you do believe it's the other person's fault, they may believe the same as well and try to flee. Stop them by whatever means necessary.

Q: How is the train service?

A: Cheap, painfully slow, uncomfortable, scenic, friendly, limited. Trains operate only between Phnom Penh and Battambang/Sisophon. There is no connecting service with Thailand yet. Allow me to emphasize one adjective - slow. The passenger service between Phnom Penh and Kampot/Sihanoukville has been suspended indefinitely.

Q: Who flies to Cambodia and from where?

A: There are two international airports in Cambodia, in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. The Phnom Penh airport was recently renamed from Pochentong Intl Airport to Phnom Penh Intl Airport and the airport in Siem Reap is called Siem Reap-Angkor Intl Airport. For the time being there are only flights from regional locations though there are plans to build a new airport in Siem Reap later this decade that will permit long-haul flights.

To Phnom Penh there is service from Bangkok (Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways, Air Asia), Hong Kong (Dragon Air), Guangzhou (China Southern), Shanghai (Shanghai Air), Singapore (Silk Air - subsidiary of Singapore Air, Jetstar), Saigon (Vietnam Airlines), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Air, Air Asia), Vientiane (Lao Aviation), and Taiwan (EVA).

To Siem Reap there are flights from Bangkok (Bangkok Airways), Vientiane and Pakse (Lao Aviation), Singapore (Silk Air by way of Phnom Penh, Jetstar), Saigon, Hanoi, and Danang (Vietnam Airlines and sometimes Siem Reap Airlines for Danang), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Air, Air Asia), Kunming (China Eastern), and Seoul (Asiana). Bangkok Airways monopolizes the Bangkok-Siem Reap route and has round-trip fares in excess of of $275 for the 45-minute flight! It's a cozy deal for them we're sure. Vietnam Air enjoys a similar monopoly for the Saigon-Siem Reap route.

For reasonably accurate and up-to-date information you can check out the Cambodia Airports official website here: http://www.cambodia-airports.com and yes their's and my information does contradict each other, thus is the volatile world of air travel scheduling.

I try to keep some updated flight information on Siem Reap in my Siem Reap - Angkor guide, but it's a tough undertaking as the schedules change so often. Most important thing to do is verify any information with an airline or travel agent, or anyone really, who is capable of actually giving you a reservation and a ticket and not some guy like me who only has a website.

See the Legalities section for visa information and customs procedures.

There is presently no national carrier. The former national carrier, Royal Air Cambodge went out of business in October 2001, something many people considered a blessing. A few optimistic folks have bounced around the idea of having a national carrier but no one has been able to pull it off. No doubt we can find someone in the government to blame.

Q: Is flying domestic safe?

A: As safe as it is anywhere else, I suppose, and certainly safer than the highways. Most of the dodgy domestic carriers come and go in short order and at present the only reliable domestic flights are between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and on Siem Reap Airways, which is essentially the local arm of Bangkok Airways. They use French-made ATRs and Boeing 717s.

PMT, yes that really is their name, tries to fly between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and Ratanakiri. Sometimes they make it, sometimes...

Angkor Airways exists and flies charters but I still have yet to meet a single person who's taekn a scheduled flight with them anywhere. But they have offices with people in them and I've seen their aircraft parked on the tarmac at Siem Reap International. So somewhere somehow they do exist.

No doubt a new airline will hit the scene soon, and judging by past history it will disappear in a few months, never to be heard from again... Mekong Air, Royal Khmer Air, First Cambodia Air, Royal Phnom Penh Airways,... Angkor Beer remains a better option.

Q: How much are departure taxes?

A: International departure tax is $25 at both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports, giving Cambodia one of the highest departure taxes in the world. Yes, you should complain every time you pay it. It doesn't matter that the person collecting the money has nothing to do with it. The money is going to a company that is 70% French owned and are by and large considered to be one of the most useless companies in Cambodia. However, in their defense the departure tax is set by the government and not by them. But they're still useless. Domestic departure tax is $6 at both Phnom Penh and Siem Reap airports.

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Q: How much are taxis from the airport into town (Phnom Penh and Siem Reap)?

A: Phnom Penh - there is a taxi booth where you pay $7 for the ride into town by car. This is a fairly high price given the distance. There are now official motorbike taxis, you'll see them outside wearing vests, that'll run you into town for $2. You can walk out to the street and you might be able to find a moto to take you in for a dollar. Sometimes you can walk away from the taxi drivers and one may then chase after you lowering his price to $5 and maybe less if he thinks he can get you into a hotel of his choosing, which is what he's more interested in doing, anyway, then actually delivering you into town.

Siem Reap Airport is controlled by the Tourist Transport Association. A car costs $5 and a motorbike is $1. You don't have to pay at the desk, so don't. Pay the driver directly and you'll stand a much better chance of getting delivered where you want to go.

For more information on transport from the Siem Reap - Angkor International Airport see my Siem Reap - Angkor guide.

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Q: What is the best form of local transportation?

A: Motorcycle taxis, a.k.a. motodops, are the standard form of transport. In Phnom Penh they cost 1500-2000 riels for very short trips, up to 3000 riels for a ride across town. At night, double the fare and try to use one you know. In Siem Reap you should pay around 1500-2000 riels for a ride in-town, but these days they tend to expect a dollar from anyone not Cambodian.

Some drivers speak no English. Just tap his shoulder and point in the direction you want to go when you need to turn. If you forget to tap his shoulder he'll keep driving straight, possibly forever. We're not quite sure how far these guys will straight-line it, but back in 1999 an ex-pat hopped on the back of a motorbike with the plan to see how far the driver would go before turning around and asking where they were going. They headed out of Phnom Penh in a northerly direction and were never heard from again. We reckon they ran into bad weather in Siberia or something.

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Q: Once and for all, do you or do you not negotiate a taxi fare before you get in (or on)?

A: Once and for all, it depends. With motodops the answer is usually no, except in Sihanoukville (see the Sihanoukville guide for more information) and sometimes in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. If you flag down a motodop and ask him how much, he'll know right away that you just came into town and know nothing about how things are done here. Thus, you'll pay at least double what you should. Just get on and hand him some riel when you get to your destination. He'll let you know if it's not enough. 99% of the time there are no problems. The other 1% results in the occasional impasse. Such a situation of unreasonable expectations from motodrivers tends to occur if you are walking out from an expensive hotel (Intercontinental, Sofitel, Sunway, etc). In that case you might want to discuss the fare first but you still shouldn't pay more than the usual rates. In Siem Reap we're seeing more often, particularly from English-speaking tuk-tuk drivers, demands for up to two and even three dollars for rides that shouldn't cost more than a buck.

With long-distance taxis it's not so straight-forward. Taxis are generally fixed-priced though most tourists don't know this. If you absolutely know the correct fare you can get away with not discussing it beforehand, but you better be sure you know the true fare just in case the driver tries something at the end. It is normal procedure that everybody pays at the end so you can just watch what the Khmers pay and do the same.

If you have no idea what the correct fare is than you may have to discuss it. Unfortunately, all too often you'll agree to a fare, get to your destination and watch as all the Cambodians hand the driver half of what you agreed to. It's a Catch-22 situation. If you don't know the fare, then you'll have to discuss it, but by discussing it, you're letting the driver/tout know that you don't know what the fare is and you'll probably pay too much as a result.

See Cambodia-Overland, specifically the On Your Own, Bangkok to Siem Reap page for more information about price negotiation.

But however you agree on a price, all fares should be paid at the end of the journey only! I can't stress enough how important this advice is.

Q: Are cyclos a good way to get around?

A: Not really, but they are a tourist thing to do in Phnom Penh. It's a slow ride and you'll pay more than if you were riding on a moto, but still, most cyclo drivers aren't the hustlers like their brethren in Saigon. Take a ride to say you rode in one but if you just need to get somewhere, take a moto.

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Q: What about purchasing a motorcycle?

A: Many expats end up purchasing their own motorcycle for transportation. Most of us have 250cc enduro-type bikes. These are basically large dirt bikes with headlights and turn signals. Honda XR/XLR/Baja are the most popular models, 2-stroke Honda CRMs are fairly common as well. Because of the poor state of Cambodia roads these bikes are the best option.

Most Cambodians ride the smaller step-through Honda Dream/Wave/Cub bikes, most with 110cc engines. I do not recommend one of these small bikes as they are not suited for long-distance travel and believe it or not, these smaller bikes, especially the newer models, are highly susceptible to theft. The big bikes are rarely stolen because they appeal to a smaller market and are thus harder to sell and easier to trace.

For the larger bikes, there are no new bikes in the country. Most of the bikes come from Japan, often disassembled, and some are of dubious origin. An older 250 that's been in the country for awhile can be purchased for as low as $500, newer models (three years old or so) can run up to $2000. Other less common models, such as a Honda XR400 can run several thousand dollars. Prices have gone up on 250cc bikes as there have been some importation problems as of late and there's a bit of a scarcity on these bikes sometimes.

You needn't be too concerned in regards to the origin of the bike outside of Cambodia. Once it's here, it's here. Just be sure that when you purchase a bike you get a registration card with it, though many cards are fakes; but that in itself is not a problem as you can still get a number plate and sell the bike if you choose. You must have a number plate, especially if you are in Phnom Penh as this is one law the police do enforce and as a foreigner they will definitely pick on you. You're also supposed to display a road tax sticker. This is an annual tax of about a dollar.

If you decide to buy a new bike and a small bike, like a Honda Dream or Wave, you will be quoted two prices, tax or no tax. The no tax price is about two hundred dollars cheaper, but you don't want to buy this bike as it was smuggled into the country and may have been from a stolen shipment. You will not be able to register the bike, or you will have to pay a lot of money to get a fake registration card and license plate. Many locals can get away with a no tax bike, but as a foreigner, again, the police will pick on you.

In recent times the Phnom Penh police have taken to confiscating untaxed bikes (this includes 250s) and the cost to get them returned is well into the hundreds of dollars. This registration card business is less of a concern with the large bikes because they don't come into the country new and any large bike you buy should have a registration card already. Given the recent crackdown on untaxed bikes, you probably want to make sure your owner's card is legit and all taxes have been paid. Outside of Phnom Penh the tax/no-tax issue seems to be less of a concern.

Make sure you have a number plate. If for some reason there is something dodgy about your bike and you can't legitimately get a number plate, then have somebody make a fake one for you. This a third-world country, there is no computer check or anything like that if the police stop you (though they've been trying to get a computerized registration system started). A fake license plate is as good as a real one. Trust me. You will even see cars driving around with US license tags! Really! Apparently the law only states you have to have a number tag, but doesn't specify what kind of number tag it is.

The two best places to go if looking to purchase a bike are Flying Bikes and Vy's. Both are on Street 114 (Pochentong Blvd) in Phnom Penh. Repairing the big bikes can be a problem outside of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Phnom Penh has plenty of shops that can repair big bikes and in Siem Reap the garage on Sivatha Street across from the E-Cafe and next to the Dead Fish Tower is the place to go.

Q: Can I bring a car in from a neighboring country?

A: Yes, at least from Thailand.

Cambodia is a member of ASEAN and one of the agreements designed to remove barriers to international overland travel calls for any vehicle registered in any ASEAN country to be permitted open access to any other ASEAN country. All regional countries (Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia) fully honor this agreement while Vietnam is still the lone hold-out. Make sure you bring all documents related to vehicle ownership with you.

Here are a couple of reports, albeit dated, of people bringing their own cars in:

I received the following report in June 2003:

On June 1 I entered Cambodia with my own car coming from Singapore/Malaysia. The only time consuming paperwork is on the Thai side, nothing seems to be required on the Cambodian side. The officer asked where I intend to go, I answered and that was it. Outbound also no problem, again a lot of paperwork on the Thai side but that's OK. All what one needs is a recent copy of the car registration paper. Don't bring the original.

I received the following report in March 2003:

First. It is possible and there is absolutely no problem.
Second: There are no special papers needed apart from a copy of your car registration (for Thailand).

I entered Thailand with my Malaysian registered car exactly at the night as the riots in PP reached the peak and the Thai embassy was demolished. After a quick check with tour operators at KSR, I was told that foreign citizens and cars can cross into Cambodia. Well I reached the border on 3rd of Feb. in the afternoon. Apart of myself and two other back pack tourists coming from Cambodia the border was empty like a ghost town. I got my exit stamp at the immigration with no problem. I had some problems with donations (cloth and toys) for an orphanage in Battambang that I carried in my pick-up truck. Well, after two hours of negotiations and several telephone calls to several high ranks with the custom and Thai army, and hundreds of ‘obedient “wais” and friendly smiling’ I got the final clearance. I crossed at 4:55 the first gate and found myself stuck for some minutes in nowheres land till somebody unlocked the gate on the Cambodian site. As I had already a visa obtained in KL, I went straight to the Immigration only to hear that the Office is close (the border close at 5:00 p.m. and it was 5:05 pm). Well, I had an official letter from the Ministry of foreign affairs of Cambodia of ‘To whom it may concern…’ in Khmer and the officer reopened the office with a grim face. I got my entry stamp; I asked about the car, no registration is needed. And then a nice surprise, maybe I should not mention it, but well…. You know …. For this extra work, it was already 5:30, I thought it might be OK to offer him an extra tip (after all the work was done) of 100 Thai Bath for his support. To my surprise, he rejected it and I had not much to say as ‘Akuhn Chran’. To my further surprise the dusty road between Sisophon and Siem Reap was in ‘excellent’ dusty condition, I switched into high four wheel drive, took off with 70 ­ 100 km/h (is there any (legal) speed limit in Cambodia???), and reached at 7:45 (my personal record) Siem Reap. Unfortunately, I had to overtake some foreign bikers in Off-Road gear and they had to eat my dust I think for hours. Sorry guys (you should not drive so late in the dark).

On the way back to Thailand ten days later, again no problem (apart of the fact that hundreds of motordops blocked the narrow lane to the border gate and I had to honk like a Vietnamese truck driver on speed to get through. The Thai side was a bit of surprise as they asked for strange car and custom papers, but at the end, I got my immigration clearance and custom paper for the car and went off to Bangkok. It's always good if you speak some Thai.

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Here some further notes:

Legally, every driver driving in Cambodia needs a Cambodian Driving license (International driving license is not good enough). Nobody asked me for one but I had also no accident or police contact.

Traffic is considered as normal (In an Asian context) and in general quite slow in the cities. Outside the cities always expect the un-expectable, especially all kinds of domestic animals, Potholes big enough to swallow a decent dirt bike, with driver, farmers walking home from the fields and pupils coming from school around 5 pm in the middle of the road and mad truck drivers. Do not overtake on the right side, (unless you have no choice).

It is not advisable to drive outside of cities after sunset, as roads are full of surprises (sudden f***king big and deep potholes, pigs, people, kids, motorbike drives without any light, etc. etc.) and the dust is limiting your view even with high beam. It seems that Cambodian cars have no or don’t know or have not found the switch for normal beam.

The side roads are normally calmer and in better conditions than the main connection roads like R4 (PP-Kampong Som), R5, R6 (Sisophon to PP).

Unleaded fuel supply is a problem outside of the bigger cities, Diesel is absolutely no problem, even in the most remote area.

As the upgrade of the street system is in permanent advance, I could not find any reliable Street Map of Cambodia for the remote sites, so I used my GPS with an uploaded map of Cambodia (I think it comes from the time during the Vietnamese-American war) and it worked fine for me.

Q: What about bringing in/taking out motorcycles?

A: Not a problem so long as you own the bike. At least between Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, it seems not to be a problem. Vietnam can be more problematic as they have a prohibition against anything larger than 150cc and are still holding out on the ASEAN agreement in regards to international land travel and ASEAN registered vehicles (see the previous question).

I have seen the odd Thai-registered, and even Singapore-registered bike in Cambodia, and I do know a few expats with Cambodia-registered bikes that met little resistance getting their bikes out of Cambodia and back in again. Make sure you have all your registration papers with you. When entering Thailand, the authorities there will usually assign a limited number of days you may have the vehicle in the country so be sure to over-estimate the number of days you plan to visit so you don't get caught short.

Obviously (I think), if you've rented a bike in Cambodia you will not be able to take it out of the country or conversely, bring in a bike rented in Thailand.

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