Travel and Tourism Information

Travel - International

AIR

Bangkok Airways and Thai International fly to Phnom Penh from Bangkok. Malaysia Airlines flies from Kuala Lumpur, Vietnam Airlines from Hanoi, Aeroflot from Moscow, Silkair from Singapore and Lao International Aviation from Vientiane.

International Airports

Pochentong (PNH) is 8km (5 miles) from Phnom Penh. To/from the airport: A bus service (travel time – 15 minutes) and taxis (travel time – 10 minutes) to the city are available. Taxi fares are approximately US$8 and motorbikes are US$1. For pre-arranged tours a pick-up service is available. Facilities: Left luggage, banks/bureaux de change, bars, shops, post office and light refreshments.

SEA

The Main ports: Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville can be reached via the Mekong delta through Vietnam. This route is served by regular passenger ferry crossings.

RAIL

The Thai border is now open for overland access. The main highway links the capital with the Vietnam border. Border checkpoints include Poipet, Cham Yeam (Thailand), Bavet, Kaam Samhar (Vietnam) and Stung Treng (Laos).

Travel - Internal

AIR

Internal flights operate between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap for Angkor (travel time – 45 minutes), Battambang, Koh Kong, Sihanoukville and Stung Treng.

Domestic airports: The upgraded Siem Reap Airport, the main gateway for visitors going to see the ancient temples at Angkor, is a 7 to 10-minute taxi ride from the city. Taxi fares are approximately US$5. Other airports include Bottambang, Mondulkiri, Phnom Penh, Rattanakhiri and Stung Treng.

SEA

Government-run ferries depart from the Psar Cha Ministry of Transport Ferry Landing between 102 and 104 Streets and go to Kompong Cham, Kratie, Stung Treng, Kompong Chhnang and Phnom Krom. Boats are also available from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, a route popular with travellers. Due to the present rise in crime, inter-city boat travel should be restricted to the fast boats to Kompong Cham and Kratie. Some boats have been reported as poorly maintained and over-crowded; some are reported to not contain life-jackets. Care should be taken to ensure the best and most safety-conscious boat travel available is selected.

RAIL

Some rail services operate; they are cheap but take much longer than the buses. There are plans to restore the international service to Bangkok, but a great deal of repair work is needed. If possible, other modes of transport with better maintained infrastructure should be taken.

ROAD

Traffic drives on the right. Most roads are in very poor condition, although the highway to Vietnam is open. It is possible to drive from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City in a day but there are formalities involved regarding the use of the same vehicle all the way. Right-hand drive vehicles (quite common in Cambodia) are not allowed entry to Vietnam. Both Cambodian and Vietnamese visas must be obtained in advance and the Vietnamese visa must mention ‘Moc Bai’ (the border point on the Vietnamese side) as a point of entry/exit, otherwise travellers run the risk of being turned back. Care should be taken while driving as Cambodian drivers are prone to recklessness and accidents are relatively frequent. The safety of road travel outside urban areas varies greatly from region to region. If travel is undertaken in vehicle convoy during daylight hours only, potential risks can be reduced. Other vehicles cannot always be relied on to use headlights. Given the predominant use of motor cycles for urban public transportation, travellers should ensure that any insurance policies provide coverage for riding as a driver or passenger. Cattle often stray onto the roads. In Siem Reap, the local police have banned rental outlets from hiring motorcycles to tourists. Reliable information about security should be obtained before considering extensive road journeys.

Bus: Buses to Phnom Penh suburbs are available from 182 Street and the bus station is open 0530-1730.

Taxi: Taxis can be hired in main cities. However, cyclo’s (tricycles) or motodops (motorcycles) are a slow but inexpensive way to see the city and some of the drivers, especially those found outside main hotels, speak a little French or English.

Car hire: Official visitors can arrange to hire a Government car and driver. Enquiries about car hire should be addressed to the Ministry of Tourism (see Contact Addresses section).

Documentation: An International Driving Permit is not recognised in Cambodia, but car hire is generally not recommended. Visitors are advised to hire a car with a driver instead which is only slightly more expensive than car hire.

Resorts & Excursions

Since the ousting of the Pol Pot regime, many aspects of Khmer cultural life have revived. The famed National Ballet has been re-established by the surviving dancers and performs classical dances for visiting groups. Buddhist temples, such as Preah Vihear, close to the border with Thailand in the Dongrak mountains, have re-opened and are the sites of various celebrations, especially during Cambodian New Year.

The interrogation centre of the Pol Pot regime in Phnom Penh is now the chilling Toul Sleng Museum of Genocide, also called S-21 (security office 21). Other attractions in the capital are the Royal Palace, with its famous Silver Pagoda (whose floor consists of 5000 silver tiles), and the recently restored National Museum (which includes bronze and stone sculptures from the Angkor period). River cruises, some also now offering dolphin watching, operate on the Mekong and Tonle Sap rivers near the capital. The famous and magnificent temples at Angkor, in the country's northwest, are hard and dangerous to reach by road, but may be reached by regular flights from Phnom Penh and Bangkok. This ancient and astounding temple complex is what remains of the capital of the once mighty Khmer civilisation. Angkor Wat itself, built between AD 879-1191 to honour the Hindu god Vishnu, is often hailed as one of the most extraordinary architectural creations ever built, with its intricate bas reliefs, strange acoustics and magnificent soaring towers. Oudong, 30km (19 miles) from Phnom Penh, is located on a hill overlooking vast plains and is famous for the burial chedis of the Khmer kings. Tonle Bati, 42km (26 miles) from Phnom Penh, is located near a lake close to the ancient temple of Ta Phrom. The Preah Vihear temple, in the Preah Vihear province and on the border with Thailand, is now open to members of the public. The temple is a fine example of Khmer architecture from the 12th century. For more information contact the Ministry of Tourism. Sihanoukville is a popular beach resort town and may be reached by bus or air from Phnom Penh