Getting Around Cambodia
Transportation is finally coming of age in Cambodia, after years of stagnation.
The last few years have seen major investment in roads and highway net-works, with water-resistant surface roads connecting major towns such as Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, Sihanoukville, and Battambang. Boat travel is often very slow, although enjoyable, but it is not recommended forvisitors on a short trip. The internal airways network is also quite efficient although visitors traveling to remote locations will have to make use of local transportation such as a bus service, or hire a car and driver. Driving alone, however, can be quite challenging, especially in the provinces, where few locals speak English and road signs are in the Khmer script.
DOMESTIC AIRLINES
Cambodia is served by two domestic airlines – Cambodia Angkor Air in collaboration with Vietnam Airlines and Royal Khmer Airlines. While Cambodia Angkor Air offers flights to Sihanoukville, Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Ho Chi Minh City, Royal Khmer Airlines, which has been around for longer, flies to Siem Reap, Bangkok, Tokyo, Hanoi, and Osaka.
PLANE TICKETS, FARES, AND RESERVATIONS
Tickets can be purchased at the airlines’ reservation offices at the airport, in their offices in Phnom Penh, online, or through a reputable tour agent. Agents are usually a good choice because they are often able to get discounts on ticket prices, especially on long-distance flights. Prominent agents such as Exotissimo and Hanuman Tourism are located in Phnom Penh, while others, including All Concierge Services have offices in Siem Reap. Some of the larger hotels will also be happy to deal with your onward travel at no extra cost. A one-way ticket from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap will
usually cost under US$70 and the domestic departure tax levied is US$18. Tickets may not be easily avail able during Christmas, major fes tivals, or at any time during the peak season from November to February. Visitors are therefore advised to book well in advance during these times.
Ticket prices generally drop during lean periods, especially in the months of February, June, and October.
BUSES
Bus journeys have improved immeasurably, with newer air- conditioned buses and vastly upgraded roads on major routes. As a result, travel time between places such as Siem Reap and Battambang have more than halved. Among the principal bus companies that operate decent services out of the capital are Phnom Penh Sorya Transport Company, which runs services to Sihanoukville, Siem Reap,
Bangkok, Battambang, and other provincial towns, and Mekong Express, which follows similar routes, but offers greater luxury. For remote places, it is necessary to hire a car with a driver or catch a local minibus, which can be uncomfortable and dangerously overcrowded and the seating space is quite constricted. It is usually advisable to hire a minibus and driver if there are sufficient passengers. Buses and minibuses take regular breaks en route,.
BUS TICKETS AND FARES
Tickets can be bought through tour agents, organized from your hotel, or on arrival at the bus terminus – from where most buses operate. If traveling on a busy route, such as Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, it is advisable to make reservations in advance as buses fill up very quickly. Bus fares are
usually very reasonable.
RENTING A CAR OR MOTORBIKE
Renting a motorbike is a great way to see the country, and if you are an experienced rider,
it can be a terrific way to tackle the roads in isolated regions such as Mondulkiri and Ratanakiri. Motorbikes also have the advantage of allowing travelers to move at their own pace, as well as interact with locals. However, bikers must keep in mind that traveling this way may not always be
a pleasant experience, especially since many of the roads in remote areas, barring the highways, are in very poor condition. Besides, locals often speed along the wrong side of the road, especially on
hairpin bends, and riders also need to keep an eye out for wandering livestock and children running across their path. Renting a car is generally quite easy and affordable, but only recommended if you
plan to take a local driver who knows the road and the locations of temples and other sights. Driving on one’s own is not advisable for visitors who do not speak the local language. However, should
you wish to do so, bear in mind that driving without a license may warrant a fine from the Cambodian police.
BOATS AND FERRIES
Cambodia’s many rivers are a great way to travel from one place to another while observing the fantastic wildlife, as well as local cultures en route. Travel companies such as Angkor Express offer boat trips between Siem Reap and Battambang, which usually take around 5 to 8 hours. Boat tours between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap can take up to 5 hours. Although both routes take in the Tonlé Sap Lake, the latter is less rewarding as there is little to see except vast expanses of water.
Travelers coming from Laos now have the option of the rocket boat, which can be a dangerous way to travel due to rocks hidden below the surface of the river, particularly during the wet season. These long tail boats ply the route between the Lao border and Cambodia’s Stung Treng, but in the dry season, when the river is low, the route can be fraught with danger. In Laos, similar vessels have met with accidents that have killed people every year. If traveling on these boats, visi tors must carry earplugs as the noise from the engines can be deafening.
They must also never agree to travel when the light is fading and visibility is poor. Sun block and a hat are essential, especially if traveling on the roof.
DIRECTORY
DOMESTIC AIRLINES
Cambodia Angkor Air206A, Preah Norodom Blvd,
Phnom Penh. City Map E5.
Tel (023)-666-6786.
Royal Khmer Airlines
36B, 245 Mao Tse Toung Blvd,
Phnom Penh. Tel (023)-994-888.
BUSES
Mekong Express
87 Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh.
City Map E1. Tel (023)-427-518.
Phnom Penh Sorya
Transport Company
Corner of Sts 217 and 67.
City Map D2. Tel (023)-210-359.
BOATS AND FERRIES
Angkor Express
Beside the Titanic Restaurant,
Sisowath Quay, Phnom Penh.
City Map E1. Tel (012)-789-531.
TRAVEL AGENCIES
All Concierge Services
051, Stung Thmei Village, Siem
Reap. Tel 855-89-855-855.
Exotissimo
66 Norodom Blvd, Phnom Penh.
City Map E2. Tel (023)-218-948.
Hanuman Tourism
310, St 12, Phnom Penh. City
Map E4. Tel (023)-218-396.
