The temples of Angkor in Cambodia are one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. They are amongst the most impressive and visited archeological sites on the planet.
Located in the North-West of Cambodia, they are surrounded by jungle and farms, making them difficult to reach.
Most tourists visit Angkor as a side trip from their tour of Thailand, traveling from Bangkok to Siem Reap, the Cambodian city closest to the famous temples.
Three options exist in order to reach Siem Reap from Bangkok:
Bangkok to Siem Reap by Air
Bangkok Airways has a monopoly on this route. The cheapest return ticket from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport to Siem Reap Airport costs around 10,000 Thai Baht ($300 or EUR220), making flights on this route unaffordable for most travelers.
Another, more recent, option is to take a flight with AirAsia from Bangkok to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Then, travelers can take a second flight to Siem Reap. This option, while costing only about $90 for a one-way ticket, requires tourists to spend the night in Kuala Lumpur.
Once at Siem Reap Airport, it is quite easy to reach the city center. Taxis and motorcycles await passengers and take them for $7/$5 to their hotels.
Bangkok to Siem Reap by Bus via Poipet
This is the most popular option to reach Siem Reap but unfortunately, not the fastest.
First, travelers should go to the Mor Chit II bus station in Bangkok. This very large transportation hub is located near the Mo Chit BTS Skytrain station. A motorcycle ride from the Skytrain to the bus station costs 20 baht.
Once at the station, tickets to the border town of Aranya Prathet can be bought from one of the ticket booths on the ground floor. One-way tickets cost around 200 baht for a 1st class seat. Fares can vary according to the bus company. The Thai Government operates the 999 buses. They are usually cheaper and more reliable than buses from other companies.
The first bus to the Cambodian border leaves Mor Chit II at 4.0AM while the last one leaves at around 8PM.
Once visitors have reached Aranya Prathet, they can take a tuk-tuk or a motorcycle to the border market. Travelers should be aware that most drivers will attempt to stop at what looks like a Cambodian Consulate. This is in fact a scam and, while the people there will undoubtedly assist visitors to fill the required forms for a tourist visa, they will also grossly overcharge for doing it. It a driver does indeed stop at the "Consulate", travelers should simply refuse to step out of the vehicle and insist on getting to the border market instead.
Once at the border, visitors will first have to get stamped out at the Thai immigration, apply for a Cambodia visa and get stamped in. More details on Cambodian visas are available below.
Poipet is an extremely poor border town and quite frankly, it is not the best sight to offer to a visitor on his first visit to Cambodia. From child beggars to pickpockets and touts, this town, while unavoidable due to its location, should be left behind as soon as possible.
In order to do so and reach Siem Reap, many options exist:
- A shared or private taxi can take travelers to Siem Reap directly for around $25. This is of course the fastest option and can be quite cheap as well if additional tourists can be found to share the taxi with. Up to five people can take place in a Toyota Camry. The ride takes about four hours.
- Old overcrowded buses can be taken to Siem Reap. A one-way ticket costs $10 and the ride should take at least five or six hours.
Bangkok to Aranya Prathet by Train
Taking a train from Bangkok to Aranya Prathet is cheap and can be extremely rewarding since it is a good way to meet local Thai people in a relaxed atmosphere.
However, it is also painfully slow, taking over six hours to reach the border town.
First, travelers should reach the Hua Lamphong train station in Bangkok. You can do by taking a taxi or the MRT Subway (only if taking the 1.05PM train).
Once at the station, one-way tickets can be bought to Aranya Prathet. The ticket costs 48 baht for a third class train. No first or second class trains run on this route.
Trains leave Hua Lamphong station at 5.55AM and 1.05PM. As stated above, the journey takes about six hours.
Upon arriving at Aranya Prathet, travelers can refer to the Poipet-Siem Reap options detailed above.
Cambodian Tourist Visa Formalities at Poipet
The Thai-Cambodian border is open from 7.00AM to 8.00PM.
Cambodian tourist visas can be obtained at the Cambodian side of the border, on the right side of the road. Officially, visas cost $20 per person. However, visa officers usually request 1000 baht for a visa, almost $31. This is of course totally illegal but has been going on for years. Attempts to bargain or just to request to pay in US dollars rarely work.
Along with a valid passport, a photo and a completed application form are required in order to obtain the visa.
Once the visa has been issued, travelers can move on to the second window, further on the road. An immigration official will then stamp the visa and allow visitors to enter the Kingdom of Cambodia.
Read more:
Transportation Guide From Bangkok to Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Bangkok City Guide: What to Visit, What to Do and Where to Eat
Transportation Guide from Bangkok to Vientiane
Nicolas Henrion - Nicolas Henrion started his writing career for the now defunct Geocities website, back in the nineties. As a Community Leader, he was in ...
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