May 6, 2013 -- After spending a couple of nights in Bangkok, we made our way to Siem Reap by bus early in the morning, with pickup directly from our Bangkok hotel. The bus ride was roughly 4 hours and dropped us off at the Rongklua border market, shared by both Thai and Cambodian vendors.
The bus we caught in Bangkok was definitely an advantage over the buses we'd originally researched online which depart from the Morchit bus station and arrive at Aranyaprathet. If you arrive at Aranyaprathet, you'd still be in for more traveling since you'd need a tuk tuk or bike to transport you to the Rongklua border market/Poipet border crossing which is still 7km away. (Unfortunately, I don't have details on the bus transport we took from the Bangkok Loft Inn directly to Rongklua...the receptionist/owner at the Bangkok Loft Inn simply arranged it for us when we told her we were trying to get to Siem Reap.)
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| Welcome to Cambodia! |
It was a chaotic, dusty scene at the border market with people everywhere and our little trio of travelers looking rather lost and dazed. Luckily for us, a kind soul was able to point us to the immigration line and Poipet border crossing. We tried to stick together as a group as we made our way there. At the turnstiles, however, a group of teenage girls squeezed their way in front of my brother, effectively cutting him off from me and my cousin. The girls then proceeded to surround my brother while crossing the turnstiles - an effective method when trying to pick his pocket!
Fortunately, he felt the intrusion and was able to clamp his hand over his pocket. The girls all scattered empty handed. He was understandably pissed and we had to keep reminding him that he was lucky he didn't have anything in his pockets to steal. Plus, we're in a poor South East Asian country after all. These things are to be expected.
After going through immigration, we boarded a shuttle (we were skeptical at first about getting in it, thinking we were being scammed), but we were assured the shuttle simply takes us to the taxi depot. It did. Thankfully. From the taxi depot, we secured a taxi for our 3 hour ride from the border to our hotel in Siem Reap.
Whew! Lots of travelling.
Cambodia entry requirements and miscellaneous bits
- You will need two passport-sized (4cm by 6cm) photographs and a passport valid for a minimum of six months beyond the date of entry into Cambodia. (I got my photos taken at a U.S. post office.)
- Visa entry into Cambodia is $20 U.S.
- As you walk towards the border crossing you will be approached by lots of touts - ignore them, though they may get in your face a bit.
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