Vietnam forum

Chau Doc border crossing and Cambodia Visa

torilou

motodop
Posts: 25

Posted from within Vietnam.

My boyfriend and I weren't sure where it was we would want to cross back into Cambodia from Vietnam so chose Chau Doc as we had heard the journey was a pleasent one view-wise. We have since tried to change the exit point, finding out it was expensive, and are looking to see if anyone has done said crossing recently and what they thought of it?

Also, we had planned on doing an e-visa, which we used when crossing into the Cambodia originally, but they aren't accepted at Chau Doc - is it possible for us to get a
Visa in HCMC. If so, how long does it take?

Tori

#1 Posted: 7/7/2010 - 09:00
busylizzy

under-employed
Posts: 1471
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I don't understand why you think the 'exit point' Chau Doc is expensive? There is no 'exit' fee as such, and all you need to do is to pay for the Cambodia Visa when you arrive on the Cambodia side.

Nor do I understand your comment about visa's not being accepted at Chau Doc?? (Where has this info come from?)

The boats stop at 'departure' point for the Vietnamese to stamp your passport, then the boat stops again a few 100m later at the 'arrival' place to enter Cambodia. You don't pay anything to leave Vietnam; you pay the normal US$20 for the Cambodia visa at the arrival point. You would have to pay the same amount if you were to arrive at an airport.

Some of the boats will try to hit you up for an extra $2 or so for them to handle the passport 'paperwork' and stamping exercise, but you can just insist on doing it yourself.

You don't need to get an e_visa to arrive in Cambodia, regardless of entry point or method.

Personally, I would recommend the boat trip from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh as a pleasant way to go. You get to cruise by the villages, it's nicer being on the water than in a bus, and the boats are quite comfortable.

#2 Posted: 7/7/2010 - 10:05

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arah

adventurer
Posts: 473
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Posted from within Vietnam.

Completely agree with Busylizzy - we found the border crossing to be simple and no more expensive than from another border. We did pay for the guy on the boat to do it for us but we weren't given an option and it made for an easy life anyway.

#3 Posted: 7/7/2010 - 10:43

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torilou

motodop
Posts: 25

Posted from within Vietnam.

Sorry, I meant to say we had looked into changing the exit point on our Vietnam visa but have found information leading us to believe it would cost a lot.

And by the Visa not being accepted, I meant the e-visa - we had been on the website and the crossing shows you can only buy on the border or at an embassy, hence me asking if we could do so in Ho Chi Minh. If it is easy to get one on the border though, we shall do so.

#4 Posted: 7/7/2010 - 16:36
busylizzy

under-employed
Posts: 1471
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Sorry, I still don't get what you mean by changing your exit point? I know when I entered Vietnam I didn't have specific plans on where I would exit from: HCMC, Phu Quoc and Chau Doc were all options for me. Plans change - that's the life of a traveller. If we had to put something on the Viet visa to indicate exit point (I can't remember), I probably would have put HCMC. In the end, I left via Chau Doc. No one questioned it.

I think you have been given bum advice somewhere.

Again, a Cambodia visa can be picked up on at arrival - whether it be land, boat or air arrival points.

Hope this helps clarify things for you.

#5 Posted: 7/7/2010 - 16:50

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As you grow older, you'll find the only things you regret are the things you didn't do.
torilou

motodop
Posts: 25

Posted from within Vietnam.

Ok, thank you for your reply. We applied for our Vietnam Visa in Phnom Penh and had to specify both entry and exit points - when I then checked on the internet I read a few times that, once specified, you had to leave at the exit point you originally wrote on the form otherwise you'd be charged extra to 'change' the exit point. Maybe the information I read was incorrect.

Thanks for all the info

#6 Posted: 7/7/2010 - 19:57