So we ended up in Thailand and want to get to Cambodia. Most likely, you wanted to visit Cambodia for the first time because of the ancient temple city of Angkor Wat. To see Angkor Wat, you need to stop at the nearest "special" city of Siem Reap. Siem Reap is located 5 kilometers from the Angkor Wat temple complex.

Let's go to Cambodia!

The first thing to do is to get to the Cambodian city of Poipet. Poipet, one of the most popular border towns through which entry into and exit from Cambodia is carried out. To Poipet, on the territory of Thailand itself, you can travel by minibus (minivan), bus or taxi.

Minibus (minivan) cheap enough, for example Pattaya - Poipet 260 baht ($ 8) per person. Minibuses are offered by transport companies, they run on schedule. With comfort as you wish. All things are pushed inside the cabin, the backs of the last row of seats do not move apart, you sit at a right angle. The minibus calls in different places along the way and picks up, picks up people, so at the end of the journey all the seats can be filled and a couple more Thais in addition with bags. The experience of driving in Russian minibuses will not be superfluous. Travel time depends on the number of stops and the number of passengers. The best places are separate chairs and so that you can stretch your leg, and if both are so, it's just gorgeous.

Buses- convenient, cheap, a little longer than a minibus. There are "direct" flights Bangkok - Siem Reap. As a rule, locals usually use this type of movement. It costs about 15-20 dollars.

The best way is a taxi. A taxi will cost about $ 100 and 4 people will comfortably reach the border. Travel time is 3-3.5 hours from the airport in Bangkok and the same from Pattaya. There is another way - air travel. The cost of a ticket from Bangkok to Siem Reap is about $200 one way per person. If you are traveling alone, then this is the best option, because. in terms of cost, it turns out a little more than by land transport, but in terms of comfort it surpasses it significantly. And the flight time is only 1 hour.

Where are they taking us? We are brought to the border, Poipet

We are brought to the border, Poipet, to the market - parking, where the locals here offer to persistently follow them to obtain visas - this is a scam. They tell you, for example, the following: "visas are closed, you can only get here" or "there you had to order earlier, and if now, then only here", or "it's very expensive there, but here it's only $ 25" You can use a divorce, nothing There is nothing wrong with that, just spend a little more money. Remember, if someone offers you something and you agree, then at the end he will ask for another tip for his "services". If you do not want to pay too much, then politely refuse, and smiling, go to the direction of the Thai departation point. To do this, follow the market towards the border, it's about 200-300 meters, the main flow of people goes there, if anything, ordinary fruit and lottery sellers will tell you, don't be afraid to ask. The highway connecting the two countries is the only one; numerous carts with bags, cars, motorbikes drive along it. Along the road there is a pedestrian zone, under a canopy, in the building for the deportation from Thailand. Us there. We go into the branch for Foreng people, we get inside the building, we feel the coolness of the air conditioner. We calmly fill out the Thai migration deportation card (perhaps it is already filled out), we stand in line to exit the window 3.4 or 5. There may not be a queue if it is 15-16 pm, at this time there are few people. We get a stamp in the passport, we pass on. We left Thailand, now we are going to Cambodia.

THE OFFICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER CHECK POINT OF POIPET

Another wave of "assistants" offering visas, taxis and everything else. At this stage, you can already arrange a taxi. It is important for us that the taxi is already at the Cambodian border checkpoint. Normal conditions are 30-35 dollars to Siem Reap - the city at Angkor Wat. But you can also politely refuse and continue with a smile - to the center for obtaining visas. He is the only one, correct, official, fast and with a good toilet. This center is located on the right side of the road, 100 meters from the departation center of Thailand, which we passed. And it's called THE OFFICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL BORDER CHECK POINT OF POIPET We go into the center - there should be good-looking policemen. They will give us a visa application form. If you do not have a photo with you, then prepare another 100 baht per person. In the form we enter the last name, first name, date of birth, passport number, indicate the type of visa. Usually this is a tourist visa, it costs 20 dollars, and gives the right to stay in Cambodia for 30 days. If we stay longer, then for each day over 30 we will have to pay a fine of 5 dollars. We fill out the form, hand over the passport and money (20 dollars + 100 baht if there is no photo) and wait 5-10 minutes. Visa is ready. We go outside, go further in the direction of Cambodia.

ARRIVAL

We pass the hotel with a casino and see a small booth called ARRIVAL. This is where fingerprint scanning takes place. There we fill out a migration card and give fingerprints, the procedure is simple and fast if there are no people. Keep in mind that there are always more people in the morning than in the evening. After that, we again go outside, and after 10 meters there will be a shed, where there are many taxi drivers. We are in Cambodia. As a rule, no one looks into your bags and no one asks what you are carrying. There is a customs, as it were, but it is for the locals.

We are in Cambodia

All stamps are affixed in the passport, and we are surrounded by taxi drivers. Here I advise you to agree on a price and calmly follow the driver. The normal price is 30-40 dollars for a taxi. Comfort in a 1995 Toyota Camry is guaranteed)) The trip will last about 2 hours. The driver will definitely stop to fill up with gas. At the same time, he will open the trunk with your things, so I advise you to get out of the car for this time and see everything in person. You should not expect outright robbery, but anything can happen. The taxi driver will take you to the hotel and help you unload. Then he will offer a "friend" or "brother" who will take you to Angkor Wat on his tuk-tuk.

In total we get:

Bangkok-Poipet, taxi: about $100, travel time 3.5 hours

Border, visas: about $20 per person, processing time 30 minutes (on some days several hours)

Poipet-Siam Reap, taxi: about $35, travel time 2 hours

Somehow it brought me a hard time to Thailand. And then I went to Cambodia ...
Once having seen the photos of Angkor Wat and Ta Prohm, a dream appears in the hearts of many to see these amazing places. In most cases, visiting Cambodia is part of a trip to Thailand. You can get to Cambodia by air with a non-budget option immediately to Siem Reap or a budget option to Phnom Penh, and then by land or water to Siem Reap. However, the vast majority enter Cambodia by land through border crossings, usually through the Aranyaprathet-Poipet crossing. Crossing the border is an exciting, uncomplicated activity, but it requires ingenuity and some preparation. To simplify the understanding of the transition procedure, I decided to write this article in the form of a photo instruction. If you wish, you can find a number of materials on a similar topic on the Internet. But I haven't seen this information on this forum. There are many textual descriptions of the border crossing in the Aranyaprathet-Poipet area. But after reading all the same, people still have many questions. All questions will disappear only after your own transition. But you want to know in advance how it will be there, where to go, how to avoid a “divorce” and not get lost?
So take my creation.
What is Aranyaprathet and Poipet? These are towns in Thailand and Cambodia, respectively.

Photo instructions for crossing the Thai-Cambodian border at the Aranyaprathet-Poipet border crossing.

So the prelude: I decided to get to Angkor Wat tried to look for different ways. As a result, I got to Poipet on a minibus with other guys. So watch and enjoy...

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An important question is: how to get to Aranya (Aranyaprathet)? Because people arrive there from Bangkok, Pattaya, Koh Chang, etc., then there will be a lot of transfer options. The description of transfers is not included in my task, but there will be some information, mainly on the option that I used. In the description I will use Latin spellings. Please note that Thailand uses the widest variety of spellings of the same words in Latin.

So, how to get to Aranyaprathet (Aranyaprathet or other spellings used in Thailand in Latin)?

From Bangkok:


3. By bus from Suvarnabhumi airport 2 times in the morning. Not very convenient, because. Tickets are not sold in advance, and the bus may be full by the time of departure.
4. By rail from the railway station. The option is little used due to the duration of the move.
5.By bus from Ekamai East Bus Station. The option is little explored and little described in the reviews. But I think that it is no different from the one described below.
6. By bus from the northern bus station Morchit. The variant we tested. Buses depart from early morning until evening. Both public companies and private ones. Tickets are bought on the ground floor at windows 23,25,30,31 (This is the information that I have). Buses can go both to the city of Aranyaprathet to the bus station a few kilometers from the border, and to the Rong Klua Market near the border itself (after all, about a kilometer from the border, I won’t say more precisely, my head was occupied by others). In any case, upon arrival, you need to take a tuk-tuk, which will take you to the border for 50-80 baht (more precisely, to the place where you will be bred to purchase a visa at inflated prices). In case of arrival at the Market, there is an option to go on foot to the main street and get to the border. But somehow we got lost. A soldier at the exit from the market directed us in the direction opposite to the border. The place is creepy. No European person, no police. Therefore, we still took a tuk-tuk, which took us a couple of minutes to the "consulate" of Cambodia. Our fellow travelers on the bus were already sitting there and they were being issued visas. The fee depends on the impudence of the comrades with badges and is in the range of 1200-1500 baht, despite the fact that a visa costs $ 20 = 600 baht. We ran out to meet with a beaming face "help." However, he did not have time to run, because. we immediately turned around, after a few steps we went out onto the road, turned right and after 100 meters we were at the crossing. Let me draw some conclusions. From Bangkok, we left on a 1st class bus for 212 baht at 6.30 according to the schedule, at 6.45 actually. We arrived at the market at 10:15. At 10:30 we were at the crossing.

From Pattaya:
1. By taxi from anywhere in the city.
2.By bus or minivan, having bought a transfer from agencies. Possible option both to the border and immediately to Siem Reap (Siem Reap) with a change at the border. Options can be both good and terrible with nasty slow buses and parking lots at lured cafes along the way.
3.By bus from the bus station on Severnaya street. The bus goes to Mukdahan via Aranya. Tickets can be purchased on the evening of the previous day.
4. Minivan from South Street, near the intersection with Sukhumvit. It costs 260 baht.

From Koh Chang:
1. By taxi.
2.By bus or minivan, having bought a transfer from agencies. Possible option both to the border and immediately to Siem Reap (Siem Reap) with a change at the border. Options can be both good and terrible with nasty slow buses and parking lots at lured cafes along the way.
3. By bus from Trat to Chanthaburi, then by bus to Aranya. Difficult option.

The photo shows a bus stop near the border in Poipet. Where we tourists in general then arrived.

The guide who helped us. As far as possible. Good Cambodian guide.

This is the last bank (and ATM) near the Thailand-Cambodia border in Poipet

A lot of tourists listen to the guide ... Naive guys :)))

That's what the trip was made for. Thailand and Cambodia border

You must go on the left side. The Thai immigration office will appear ahead. For Thais and foreigners, the paths are different.

At the office, your departure card will be taken away and you will be escorted to the border area. Exit the office and follow the signs. Here, comrades will start approaching you with an offer of services related to visas, taxis, etc. You ignore everyone. A throwback to the global fight against swine flu will appear ahead: Quarantine.

I recommend just passing by. If it takes you there, then fill out a free health questionnaire there. We passed by. Ahead in all its glory appears the famous arch of the kingdom of Cambodia. To the right of it is the visa office.

They say everything that is imported on its ridge in Cambodia is not taxed. So they carry everything from Thailand ...

The carts are empty. View from the other side of the Cambodian border.

Does everyone understand English? :))) We are going for a Cambodian visa.

This is Cambodia Visa Application Center

Visa Application Center Cambodia. Some tourist decided to become a YouTube hero.

The people are dragging every kind of cargo to Cambodia.

On the right in the photo Cambodian Duty Free

Cambodian Duty Free close up

Poipet Casino is already visible in the distance. Cambodia Thailand is here on the borders of the birthplace of gambling.

Life near the Poipet casino is in full swing.

As a rule, “help” doesn’t really want to help, they also need to “cut down” money from you.
They only neighed and poked fingers at us from a distance. Those. up-to-date information will never be redundant.
Come inside. In the room in our case there were a couple of tourists and about a dozen Cambodians in uniform watching some kind of show on TV. Take the form for a visa request in the window. Fill out. If you show doubts and misunderstandings when filling out the form, then the servicemen will show interest in you. They will offer to fill out paperwork for a subsequent reward. Next, with a passport, a completed form, a photo and 20 dollars, go to the window. Above the window it says that the visa costs $20. There is a piece of paper next to the window, on which it is written by hand that for foreigners (strange, because only foreigners need a visa) a visa costs $ 20 + 200 baht per person. There are several options.
1. Pay these 200 baht.
2. Pay only 20 dollars, quarreling with the guards of law.
3. In my case, I did not discuss. But I have not read a single review that someone was not given a visa. Also, I did not want to become the first "refusenik", especially since Cambodia was the most important point of my trip. It was my conscious compromise payment for peace of mind. So our visas cost us $20.0 plus baht.

Then move on the right side past the casino. A canopy with the inscription ARRIVAL will appear ahead.

Lastly, I take something in Dutik ... It seems not a fake.

In a wretched pavilion, they issue emigration cards. Fill them out. The pavilion has 2 windows. There was a line of 5 people in each window. Here the system is similar to Thai. The arrival card is withdrawn, the departure card is stapled to the passport page.
It took us about 1 hour to cross the border. I described everything sequentially, but in reality we veered a little.

At the exit from the pavilion, your documents will be checked again, and you will find yourself in the warm hands of the next "helped" with badges. You will be offered to take a free bus to the tourist bus station.

Here the question arises: how to get from Poipet (PoiPet) to Siem Reap (Siem Reap)?
1. By free bus to the tourist bus station. Then take a taxi for $12 per person. 4 people in the car. Or $48 per car. By receipts. The option is acceptable, but expensive and somewhat long due to the transfer to the bus station.
2. By free bus to the tourist bus station. Then by shuttle bus for a few dollars per person. Buses depart as they fill up. They drive slowly. Their task is to arrive as late as possible so that you no longer look for accommodation yourself, but take advantage of the offers of tuk-tukers who meet you in Siem Reap. The option is cheap, but long.

3. By taxi for a negotiated price directly from the point of arrival.
Taxi prices:
$35 is expensive
30- good
25 is very good, but you need to be able to bargain. I love to bargain.
20 is super good, but requires some serious pressure and diligence in the bargain.

In the photo, the bus on which we were taken to the bus station

Inside the bus station (Cambodia) you can have a bite to eat (which I did)

And take a ticket where you need

And this is my taxi for 20 bucks... To Siem Reap

Signboard at the bus station.

Way back Siem Reap - Poipet - Aranyaprathet.
Options:
1. By taxi.
Price: they want 30, they agree to 25, with further diligence on your part they will take you for 20. If you order a taxi transfer at the hotel, then the price is 25. We took a taxi (for 25) at 6.00 in the morning. Our tuker personally arrived at the hotel at such an early hour and personally handed us over to his friend. Camry in excellent condition arrived in 1 hour and 40 minutes.
2. By bus or minivan, by purchasing a transfer from agencies. An option is possible both to the border and immediately to Bangkok, Pattaya, Koh Chang with a transfer at the border. Options are usually with nasty slow buses and parking at lured cafes along the way. Instead of 2 hours by taxi it will take 4 hours to the border. Then collection, sorting by new buses, minivans by destinations, waiting for latecomers. It takes another hour and a half or two. Cheap but long. I read a lot of reviews where people regretted choosing this option. But the price of the issue (7 dollars to Bangkok, 10-12 to Pattaya) makes the flow of those wishing inexhaustible.

I went through an agency :)

Friends with whom we went to Cambodia - respond :))) In the meantime, like it!

Laos… How little has merged in this sound for the heart of a Russian… The authorities of Laos hope to radically change this situation and have directly announced the priority of the development of the tourism industry. Considering that since 1975 the country has been living under the control of a single party - the people's revolutionary of course, and the policy is determined by the party through the Politburo, this statement is not for you - this is a PLAN.

Well, it's time for us then to draw up a plan for a tourist invasion of this wonderful country. Let's see how you can get to Laos. There are theoretically as many as three possibilities for our choice: by water, by air and by land. Let's take a closer look at each of them.

On water.

Laos has no access to the sea, which significantly reduces the interest in it from our tourist brethren, but on the other hand, the largest river in Indochina, the Mekong, flows through its territory. The Mekong crosses the borders of Myanmar (Burma), Cambodia and Thailand.

A foreigner cannot legally cross the border between Laos and Myanmar either by land or by water.

It was possible to cross from Cambodia to Laos in the Stung Treng - Veun Kham region, but now a new land border checkpoint has been built in the Venkham region and only local residents have the opportunity to cross the border by water.

From Thailand a couple of years ago there was the possibility of a crossing in the Chiang Khong - Houy Xai area, but now another friendship bridge has been built there and the ferry crossing is no longer for foreigners, and water tours to Luang Prabang start from Huay Xai. And yet there is one more place where the bridge has not yet been built and you can get from one state to another only by ferry. This is the checkpoint Bueng Kan (Bueng Kan) - Pak San (Pak Sane, Bolikhamxai). There are practically no reviews on crossing the border at this place on the Internet. It's a pity, but the option of crossing the border with Laos by water will soon sink into oblivion.

By air.

Laos has 4 international airports.

• Wattay Airport (VTE) is located 5 km from the center of Vientiane.
• Luang Prabang Airport (LPQ) is located 2 km from the city center of Luang Prabang.
• Pakse Airport (PKZ) is located 3 km from the center of the city of the same name;
• Savannakhet Airport (ZVK) is located 1 km from the center of the city of the same name.

On dry land.

Laos borders Myanmar, China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand.

As we said above, as of 2015, there is no legal opportunity for a foreigner to cross the border of Laos with Myanmar.

There are two crossings on the border with China:

Mohan (Mohan, Yunnan) - Boten (Boten, Luang Namtha);

Muang Kham (Meuang Kham, Yunnan) - Lan Tu (Lan Toui, Phongsaly).

There are seven crossings on the border with Vietnam:

Tay Trang (Laichau) - Sobboun (Pongsaly);

Nameo (Na Meo, Thanh Hoa) - Banteui (Banteui, Huaphanh);

Namkang (Nam Can, Nge An) - Namkun (Nam Cung, Xiengkhuang);

Cau Treo (Hatinh) - Nam Phao (Bolikhamxai);

Cha Lo (Quảng Bình) - Napao (Napao, Khammoun);

Lao Bao (Lao Bao, Quang Tri) - Dansavan (Dansavan, Savannakhet);

Po And (Po Y, Kon Tum) - Phukea (Phukeua, Attapu).

There is one crossing on the border with Cambodia- Dong Kralor (Stung Treng) - Venkham (Veun Kham, Champasak).

There are six land checkpoints on the border with Thailand:

Chiang Khong (Chiang Rai) - Huaisai (Houy Xai, Bokeo);

On Kra Seng (Na Kra Seng, Loei) - Kaenthao (Kaenthao, Xayabouly);

Nong Khai - Vientiane;

Nakhon Phanom - Thakhek, Khammouane;

Mukdahan - Savannakhet;

Chong Mek (Ubon Rathchathani) - Vangtao (Vangtao, Champassak).

Which of these ways to use is up to you, but whatever you choose, we wish you a successful trip and a lot of new, positive impressions from visiting Laos.

There is an airport for domestic flights. Unfortunately, this airport is temporarily closed.

Border crossings by land/sea are becoming more and more popular among independent travelers. Firstly, it is cheaper than flights, and secondly, you have the opportunity to see the country “without censorship”. When making a choice, be guided by two main criteria: the budget and the number of days of your vacation. It is an undeniable fact that passport control and customs will take you longer if you cross the border by land.

BORDERS

Thailand and Vietnam are the most convenient and most popular border crossing points with Cambodia. This is mainly due to the fact that between Russia and Thailand/Vietnam, there is an agreement on visa-free entry for up to 30 days.

WATER ROUTES

You can cross the border with Cambodia by river and by sea.

Water border between Thailand and Cambodia lies on the south coast near the island of Krong Koh Kong.

Cham Yam – Hat Lek

The opening hours of the point are from 7:00 to 20:00.

From a small border town, high-speed boats run to the village, which is rightfully considered the best resort in all of Cambodia. This scenic route runs along the south coast of non-tourist Thailand and captures the breathtaking scenery of the islands of Cambodia. Unforgettable sensations and stunning photos to the envy of everyone are guaranteed.

In order to enjoy all the delights of this route you need:

2. From Bangkok to Sihanoukville

2.1 In Bangkok, buy a ticket for the Bangkok - Sihanoukville route and be sure to clarify that you want to get to Sihanoukville by sea! (*Last price was approximately $35-45 for the entire route).

2.2 Another option for experienced travelers: buy a ticket in Bangkok at the Trat bus station, which is located in the eastern part of the city (* ticket price to the border is approximately 210 baht, and travel time is from 5 to 6 hours). Buses run regularly from 6:00 to 23:30. The bus leaving at 23.30 arrives at the border of Krong Koh Kong quite early, which means you will have enough time to catch the ship, which leaves at 8:00 for Sihanoukville.

2.2.1 Another option is to leave Bangkok early and spend the night on the coast, in the town of Koh Kong, which is replete with inexpensive guest houses and beautiful views of the islands. You can also rent a motorbike there and start discovering the life of the villagers, as they say “without censorship”. Rent a moped for a day approximately 3$

Important: this route is only possible during the rainy season or immediately after it ends. Also, choosing option 2.1, do not forget that you will have to spend the night in Koh Kong. As a rule, a room in a mini-hotel is already included in the ticket price, but it would not be superfluous to clarify the information in advance with the seller.

Cambodia and Vietnam connects the Mekong River.

Border point - Kam Sumnor - Vinh Xong open since 2000.

At the moment, this point is the most popular among independent travelers. Needless to say, traveling through the Mekong Delta on a fast boat is much more interesting than languishing on a bus. As a rule, this route covers two cities: Phnom Penh and Sha Doc [Vietnam]. This route will reveal to you all the wonders of the authentic life of the river settlers, and the terracotta Mekong and the thickets of the tropical jungle along its banks will color your vacation photos in the colors of Indiana Jones movie hits.

In order to discover all the wonders of this route, you need to:

1. Buy a ticket from Moscow to Ho Chi Minh City

2. In Ho Chi Minh City, buy a bus ticket to the town of Sha Doc

3. Stay overnight at a hotel or guest house **

4. Ask the administrator of the guest house to book a ticket for the route Sha Dok - Phnom Penh, as well as clarify that in the morning you will need a transfer to the pier. (Last price approx $35-40 + (possibly) $2 transfer to the pier).

Customs service at the border point Kam Sumnor - Vinh Xong known for her sluggishness. Be patient and go through the bureaucratic red tape. The whole journey will take you approximately 4 hours.

If you find yourself in Sha Dok after dark, then after staying in the guest house, do not be too lazy to take a walk around the city. This walk will allow you not only to get acquainted with the way of life of the locals and enjoy the culinary delights in the cafe, but also will allow you to understand what prices for this route from other sellers and will give you the opportunity to orient yourself and find out where the local port is.

water border Laos - Cambodia.

House Kralor - Ven Ham is the name of the border point.

opening hours: from 7:00 to 17:00.

Making your route from Laos to Cambodia along the river is generally not a bad idea. Quite rightly, the life of the river inhabitants is very interesting and very different from the rest of the population. However, it is worth noting that for this route you will have to overpay a lot. Traveling on water is far from a budgetary pleasure. And in the case of crossing the Cambodia-Laos border, it especially hits the pocket.

Important: this route is only possible during the rainy season or immediately after it ends. It is also important to note that cases of robbery were observed on this border.

LAND ROUTES

Not so long ago it was believed that it was not safe to cross the border with Cambodia by land, but this opinion has long since sunk into oblivion. Checkpoints are now open at the borders with Vietnam, Thailand and Laos, and crossing the border is not a difficult or dangerous undertaking. However, it is important to note the fact that despite the abundance of border points on the borders of these states, some of them may be closed to foreigners. For the latest and more accurate information, we recommend that you check out this resource.

The most common mode of transport for road travel is the bus. Of course, any of the routes listed below can be traveled by any other land transport: taxi, motorcycle, bicycle, etc. However, we will focus on the description of travel by bus, because. in general, the procedures for some and for others will be the same.

Laos - Cambodia
House Kralor - Ven Ham- the border point is the same as in the journey along the river. Then by minibus to Phnom Penh.
Important: on this border (Laos - Cambodia) cases of robbery were noticed.

Thailand - Cambodia

Poipet – Aranya Pratyet

The transition is convenient for those who are going to visit.

opening hours: from 7:00 to 20:00.

The Poipet-Aranya Pratyet border remains the cheapest point to cross the border between Thailand and Cambodia. The bus route passes through the eastern part of Thailand and the western part of Cambodia. Feelings from this route are guaranteed to be unforgettable.

1. Buy a ticket from Moscow to Bangkok

2. From Bangkok to the border with Cambodia, or rather to the border checkpoint Poipet – Aranya Pratyet, you can get there using the following options:

2.1. Buy a bus ticket along the route Bangkok – Siem Reap. The most inexpensive tickets in Bangkok you can order in the Banglampu area and, of course, on Khao San Road. A ticket for this route costs approximately $ 25-30 (The price includes: payment for a ticket for the Bangkok-Siem Reap bus, the services of an English-speaking consultant, visa application forms and drinking water).

2.2. You can get to the border by train. It departs from Bangkok Central Station twice a day. A one-way train ticket to the Thai border costs 48 baht and travel time is approximately 6 hours. If you want to cross the border between Thailand and Cambodia in one day, you need to catch the 5:55 am train.

2.3. For the most seasoned, you can offer a route that is used by the bulk of the local population. From Mo Chit (central bus station) you can get to the northern part of Aranya Prathet and then, by tuk-tuk *, get directly to the border point Poipet - Aranya Prathet.

3. There are three main tourist destinations from Poipet - these are: Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, and Battambang. Let's stop in the direction of Siem Reap.

You will get to Siem Reap when it is already dark. We recommend that you take care of booking a place in a hotel or guest house in advance, because. the bus driver will bring you to the hotel with which he has an agreement. As a rule, these are not very clean and not very good places, and besides, with inflated prices for accommodation. The presence of such a fact is not a cause for concern. From the place to which the bus will take you to the hotel or guest house of your choice, tuk-tuk drivers will deliver you without any problems.

Tuk-tuk - a local vehicle, which is a motorcycle or moped and a stroller attached to it

You can easily purchase bus tickets to all of the above destinations in Poipet. However, we strongly recommend that you provide yourself with tickets in Bangkok so as not to become a victim of scammers.

Important: The company that sells you tickets for the destination Bangkok – Siem Reap, should offer you assistance when crossing the border. There is usually a $10 surcharge for this service. For those who do not feel very confident or are visiting Cambodia for the first time, we strongly recommend using the help. Employees of the company are obliged to assist you directly at the border point, indicate the direction of movement and coordinate the actions of your group. Try not to lose sight of them. You will immediately feel the flavor of Cambodia and the resonance in comparison with Thailand. On the territory of Thailand you will be taken on a comfortable, double-decker bus with air conditioning and a toilet. Roads in Thailand are in excellent condition. However, as soon as you enter the land of Cambodia, the world around you will turn upside down. You will spend the road to Siem Reap in a completely different bus. And the road itself still leaves much to be desired…especially during the rainy season. But if you decide to go to Cambodia and get a lot of impressions, then this road is exactly what you need!

Vietnam - Cambodia

Bavet – Moc Bai.

Unfortunately, this route is not very picturesque and bright. The road runs mostly on flat terrain. But, despite this fact, this transition is very convenient, because. the road from Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh, including all procedures for passport and visa control and customs, will take you about 5-6 hours.

To follow this route, you need:

1. Buy a ticket from Moscow to Ho Chi Minh City.

2. In Ho Chi Minh City, buy a bus ticket on the route Ho Chi Minh City – Phnom Penh. You can order the most inexpensive tickets in the Pham Ngu Lao area. The average price ranges from $9 to $12 and depends on the services provided (escort at the border, advice from an English-speaking guide, availability of drinking water, etc.) and the quality of the bus.

Choose the bus departure time from Ho Chi Minh City - the earlier the better. This will allow you to arrive in Phnom Penh before dark, which will make it easier for you to move around the city in search of a temporary location. Of course, you can book a hotel or guest house in advance.

OTHER BORDER POINTS:

Let's talk about other points briefly.

There are rumors about the imminent opening of another point on the Cambodia-Vietnam border. It will connect the Cambodian coastal cities of Kep, or Kampot, with Phu Kok Island in Vietnam, which means that independent travelers will have the opportunity to discover truly divine views of the islands of both states.

Not so long ago, the point Prek Chak [Cambodia] - Xa Xia [Vietnam] was opened. When traveling from Kep or Kampot to Vietnam, this point is the best option. This route is not only convenient, but also very interesting. combines the picturesque coast of Cambodia and the most beautiful views of the island of Phu Kok. Due to the fact that this point has recently opened, there is still a risk that there may be overlaps with regular transport. That is why we advise you to use the services of a motorcycle taxi, the cost of which will be: from Kampong Trech $ 3, Kep $ 6 or Kampot $ 9, directly to the border crossing point, and then, already in Vietnam, take a motorcycle taxi and get to the nearest town Ha Tien, which, like Sha Doc, is located in the Mekong Delta. The price for the whole road from the border to the city will be about $2.

Also, the relatively new point of O'Yadau [Cambodia] - Le Tan [Vietnam] connects the Cambodian province of Ratanakiri and the central highlands in Vietnam. The road can take you more than 5 hours and is quite tiring.

In the west of Cambodia, there are several points connecting, to put it mildly, little-known cities that are not even always marked on maps. These are Trapeng Plong [Cambodia] - Xa Mat [Vietnam] and Trapeng Sre [Cambodia] - Loc Ninh [Vietnam].

Xa Mat will likely be convenient for those traveling from or to Ho Chi Minh City who want to discover Khao Dai Temple. Also, after the roads were restored on the territory of both states, this route will be popular among those who travel between Ho Chi Minh City and Siem Reap.

The border point between Banteay Chakrey [Cambodia] and Dong Thap [Vietnam] is far from the usual tourist routes. It is not popular with foreign tourists.

Transit air ticket - an air ticket for a transit flight. A transit flight, in turn, is a flight that involves a transfer at an intermediate airport.

The road from Bangkok was difficult, because of the conditions that were created around. Thai music was screaming at full volume, which was already getting out. When we began to drive closer to the border, people began to enter and fill the bus in the aisle, it’s somehow not very pleasant to ride when dark-skinned Thais or immigrants from Cambodia are standing above you. When we were passing some city, the police inspected the bus and brought out more than half of the people, in our opinion they were Cambodian illegal immigrants. Well, it became easier to go, we go further in anticipation of the border. The bus was checked again by the police and we soon drove up to the Thai city, which is located near the border. We were dropped off at the bus station, from there we need to get to the very border, which is located a little further at the exit from the country. And then it started! Comrades be careful the Cambodian border is a complete scam. I describe how to go through it:

After being dropped off at the train station, you will be offered a tut-tuk (for 25 baht/person) to the so-called "immigration office" where you will be given a CAMBODIA visa, no one even thinks that you have not left Thailand yet. You will be brought to the office where there will be different inscriptions like: visa ... Etc. You can apply for a visa there, but it will cost you at least $ 47, despite the fact that it costs $ 20. You are brought to the immigration office, where money will be taken from you without hesitation.

They will start to assure you that you have come to the right place, but you should turn around and go further, you will pass the temple on the left side, go through a long “corridor road”

which leads to the building where they put an exit stamp, this is

View of the Cambodian side

Almost all Cambodians cross the border harnessed to their carts. They go to Thailand every morning and return with their purchases. As we later found out, they harness themselves to carts, due to the fact that motorcycles and animals cannot be transported across the border, so they found such a way out.

This is how wicker products travel from Cambodia to Thailand

Many Thais travel to Cambodia to play casino games, as this type of gambling is prohibited in Thailand. As soon as you go beyond the borders of Thailand you will be surprised by hotels with casinos, they are everywhere!!

There they can start to breed you for all sorts of quarantines, they even manage a card for you, everything is official and everything is for an additional fee. Of course, this is not necessary, do not believe it. And be sure to take with myself they will need photos for a visa, if you don’t have photos with you, then you can take them somewhere on the spot, but it’s very expensive.

After you leave the building, the divorce does not end! Local guys will come to you with offers to take you to the office, where they put a stamp on arrival, without a queue. As a rule, a queue gathers there, but in our case the queue was not large, 6-10 people. We quickly stamped our arrival and here we are officially in Cambodia.

Here we are in Cambodia

In order to get to Siem Reap (where angkor wat is located) you need to take a free bus that will take you to the bus station, where you can buy a ticket for yourself. You can take a regular air-conditioned bus for $9, an air-conditioned minibus, as in our case, for $11/person.

Be attentive if you stand facing the building with cash desks in the leftmost cash desk, they are 11 dollars each, but you can be charged 12 dollars, as they did with some of the people from our bus, or else you can take a taxi for 4 people for 12 dollars / person. Drive to Siem Reap 2.5 hours.

Here Max is negotiating with other tourists in order to collect people in a minibus, the driver put forward the condition that he goes if there are 10 people. As a result, 12 people went.

Our ticket to Siem Reap

As we read on the Internet later, there is a divorce in this too. This free bus takes you to its ticket offices, and if you walk further than the border, you will find offices of local companies there, where the price will be 2 times cheaper.

We are moving to a hotel called "side walk cofe hotel", where Dan and Christina are waiting for us. We are on the road, we would rather come and take a shower, it is very hot here, a small towel or scarf will not hurt you, it saves me a lot!