Cambodia forum

Hi 73teng,

The river border crossing between Vietnam and Cambodia is near Chau Doc. You need to get from Ho Chi Minh City to chau Doc first (by bus is the easiest way), overnight in Chau Doc and then take the morning boat (there is both a speedboat and slow boat service) to Phnom Penh. The speed boat takes around five to six hours from memory.

There is also a direct bus service between HCMC and Phnom Penh -- costs around US$6 and takes the best part of a day.

The official Cambodian visa site makes it sound like Singaporeans do not need a visa for Cambodia.

Hi there,

No, a bus will have to go through Phnom Penh to reach Siem Reap. If you're looking at only a couple of nights in Cambodia then I would recommend flying Singapore to Siem Reap direct as otherwise you'll spend most of the time in the bus.

Hi 73teng

I'm not sure if you can book online but my family of 3 stayed at the Indochine 2 on 130 and 5th Street which is 1 street from (Sisowath Quay) riverside and handy to the central market, Royal Palace, museum etc, it's easy to walk to those places. Just hire a tuk tuk to go to the Russian Market, Tuol Sleng etc US$2 each way. The hotel cost US$20 for 2 double beds, tv, a/c and fridge - great friendly staff and service, also quiet. They will also arrange your tickets to HCMC. We stayed there twice, bought bus tickets (to HCMC and to Siem Reap) - free pickup from hotel. Highly recommended.

Enjoy your visit

Kind regards

Marian

Hi 73teng, I am also a singaporean, thinking of doing the exact same thing as you. How long was your trip? Can you please tell me how did your trip went, how did you travel from HCM to PP and which bus/ ferry company did you use? How much and duration of the journey? Was it clean/ comfortable? Where did you go to take the bus/ ferry?

Any highly reconmended tourism spots to visit in both HCM and PP, and reconmended hotel to stay in?

It would be great if you could list out your itenarary. It will be soo much of a help because I am trying to squeeze in as much as possible!

If you like to, you can email me at sophistications@gmail.com

Thank you sooo much in advance, your help will be GREATLY appreciated! =)

Hi Ravc101,

You stay with the same boat. The boat waits while everyone on it clears immigration (you can either go to immigration yourself or toss your passport to one of the boat staff who'll do the legwork for you).

This is the main problem with the slow boat is if it is packed, there can be a long wait at immigration when all the passports get done.

For onwards travel, there's no passenger boats onwards into the Delta from Chau Doc to my knowledge. However, there is no shortage of boat traffic -- I've travelled by freighter from My Tho to Chau Doc (admittedly quite a few years ago) and that boat dropped us at Tan Chau, which was around 15km from Chau Doc. Those boats still run, so I don't see why you couldn't get the boat in the reverse. They don't run every day though, so you'd need to ask at a guesthouse in Chau Doc about what to do. I'd guess you'd need to visit Tan Chau first, enquire after boats and probably return a second time to catch the boat.

Otherwise Chau Doc bus station has buses to most destinations in the Delta -- including Saigon.

If you don't have time up your sleeve, I'd suggest a bus to Can Tho, overnight there and see the floating markets, then onwards to Saigon.

Hi Somtam2000

Thanks again.
A bit of inside knowledge goes a long way.

Cheers
Rayc

hi Playground,
Just go to Pham Ngu Lao area (backpacker area). There are plenty of tour agencies in this area. Where you can get bus ticket from Saigon (HCM) to PP. Take the early bus (~6:30 AM) so you will be in PP around noon. Use the afternoon to arrange for transportation to Siem Riep (bus or hi-speed boat) and the rest of the afternoon take a tour at Palace and visit market......
Either bus or boat to Siem Riep, you will have the afternoon to arrange for Angkor tour the next day.
Visiting Angkor Wat is a must if you are going to Cambodia.

Have fun in Cambodia

johnmcdoolittlenee

My understanding is that you have two options.

ONE

You go to the applicable Vietnam Gov't agency and get an extension (but you must have at least 3 days left on the visa).

To find out where the right agency is located, maybe the best place to start is to go to the Danang airport. Some comments on Travelfish suggest that trying to get the visa extension yourself is very very difficult. It is best to approach a travel agent.

TWO

You leave Vietnam, and apply to the Vietnam Gov't embassy in the country you go to for a new visa to enter Vietnam.

- - - - -

The easiest is to extend your visa. Normally a 30 day extension costs around US$15.

You can visit a travel agency who will organise. But, the travel agency will add their charge, which might be very high (sometimes as much as US$25).

For a travel agency, try looking at:

http://www.vietnam-visa.com/blog/vietnam-visa-extension

For the 'official' administrative details, go to:

http://www.danang.gov.vn/home/view.asp?id=81&id_theloai=393&id_tin=11182

- - - -

To go outside the country, from Danang, perhaps don't go to Cambodia as many travellers have said they only got a 15 day visa.

If you want to look at the methods to get a visa in Laos or Cambodia, go to:

http://www.travelfish.org/board/topic/visabordercrossings

- - - -

had you put this message in the 'visabordercrossings' section, you would have got a quicker reply.

Hope this helps.

Cheers

Line

I can't offer advice about your guidebook.

The simple fact is that everyone on board any vehicle MUST get an exit stamp as they leave Vietnam, and only when that is done can they get an entry into Cambodia.

Hope this helps.

ps. this is really a subject that should have been posted to:

http://www.travelfish.org/board/topic/visabordercrossings

Cheers