Cambodia Overland

The Overland Guides:

Bangkok - Siem Reap by way of Poipet
By way of Poipet / Aranyaprathet. How's the road? What's up with the Khao San Road "scam" buses? Is the Poipet taxi mafia that bad? Do I have to worry about land mines and road blocks? Here you will find EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about overland travel between Bangkok and Siem Reap by way of Aranyaprathet/Poipet. Updated March 26, 2008

Travelers' Reports:
Bangkok - Siem Reap by way of Poipet
Updated April 17, 2008

Guesthouse - Siem Reap
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Bangkok - Phnom Penh + Sihanoukville by way of Koh Kong
Updated December 18, 2003 (see Travelers' Reports section below for more updated information).

Travelers' Reports:
Bangkok - Phnom Penh + Sihanoukville by way of Koh Kong
Updated May 10, 2008

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Additional Travelers' Reports:
Recent information from travelers using other border crossings into and out of Cambodia. Updated regularly.

Pailin / Battambang (Phsa Prom and Daun Lem)
Updated January 20, 2008

O'Smach
Updated February 15, 2007

Anlong Veng
Updated February 26, 2008

Laos (down the Mekong to Stung Treng and vice versa)
Updated November 10, 2007

Vietnam - Cambodia
Updated March 15, 2008

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NEWSLINE:

MARCH 26, 2008
They've started paving! Though it's only 25 km from Sisophon west to Poipet and maybe a kilometer or two from Sisophon east to Siem Reap, it's a start and certainly far more important than some silly new terminal at Heathrow. Paved, raised, widened. They're really finally doing this road. And the rest, though still dirt, has progressed to the point that travel times are some of the fastest seen in years.

(near Kralanh, Oct 25, 2006)

Complete details inside the Bangkok - Siem Reap section.

Guesthouse - Siem Reap
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Dance, drink, eat - Siem Reap
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Scam at Poipet! Tourists, especially those coming on the Khao San Road buses are being told they must change as much as $100 US into riel and are being given only 3400 riel to the dollar (the corrrect exchange rate is about 4000). This is a complete scam. There is no law that says you have to change any money on arrival in Cambodia (or in Sisophon) and certainly not at a rate that scams you for about $15. Whatever you might need to change you can do in Siem Reap at any number of locations at correct rates.

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Thailand/Cambodia border hours extend to 8 pm. However, I do not recommend using the Poipet / Aranyaprathet border crossing much beyond 5:00 pm as I do not consider Poipet a safe place to be after dark and onward transportation could be a problem at that hour.

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There are a total of six international checkpoints between Cambodia and 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.

Visas are available on arrival at all of these new points as well as at checkpoints from Vietnam.

Any first-hand reports of the crossings? Send them here.

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This peaceful, serene image was taken on March 16, 2003 at the Poipet border crossing when the border was temporarily closed to Thais and Cambodians. At no time was the border ever closed to foreigners.

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All text and photographs © 1998 - 2008 Gordon Sharpless. Commercial or editorial usage without written permission of the copyright holder is prohibited.