Traveling by Bus from Vietnam to Cambodia
Coming back to Vietnam, I have decided to travel to Cambodia, instead of staying in Saigon.
I heard that there are buses going to Cambodia from Vietnam so I thoroughly researched about it. I found that there are several bus lines that cater to this service. The following are the bus lines and their schedules and published rates:
Mekong Express:
Fare - 13 USD (Khmer), 14 USD (Foreigner)
Departure - 07:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 13:00 PM, 15:00 PM
Giant Ibis:
Fare - 19 USD
Departure - 8:30 AM
The Sinh Tourist:
Fare - 209,000 VND (10 USD)
Departure - 6:30 AM
Kumho Samco Bus Line:
Fare - 10 USD
Departure - 6:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 13:00 PM, 15:00 PM
I took the Sinh Tourist bus because it was what my friend from Vietnam recommended to me. I bought the ticket a day before to make sure I would have a seat in the bus. I actually paid 12 USD for the Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh Ticket, then they gave me a printed itinerary, much like an e-ticket.
I left my hotel, Golden Rose Hotel, at 6:20 AM and arrived at the bus station, which is actually their office too, just in time. First thing to do was go inside the office to "check in" and they will give you an actual ticket in place of the e-ticket.
After checking in, the driver or the bus steward would check the ticket upon boarding. Once inside, the bus steward (who did speak good English) gave out wet towels (very common in most Asian countries like Cambodia, Thailand and Bhutan), and a bottle of water.
I immediately opened my packed breakfast from my hotel, and the girl who sat beside me, together with two other friends, were talking about making it on time. They were Filipinas. So I politely offered my food to Grace, my seatmate. Then we started chatting.
The bus left at around 6:45 AM. Upon leaving, the conductor did not say anything, until around 10 minutes before we got to the border. He said we were approaching the border and he would collect our passports and we should bring all our belongings when we get off the bus to pass the border.
I read a lot of articles about crossing the Moc Bai-Bavet Border while I was planning my trip so I did not hesitate handing the bus steward my passport. The idea was that he would collect all our passports, sort it by country, depending on which ones needed Visa to cross the border, and pile it at the immigration line inside the border facilities. This way, it makes it much faster for everyone. Because loads of people cross the border everyday.
At exactly 9:00 AM, we were already at the Vietnamese Immigration office, Moc Bai border, side of Vietnam. We arrived there together with two other buses full of passengers, who also had their passports piled by their bus stewards, and a couple of individuals in motorcycles or private cars who had to do the procedure on their own.
We were at the border for more than an hour because of the number of people waiting in line to get their passport stamped, with the date of leaving Vietnam, by the immigration officer. Once the officer was done, our bus steward called out our names one by one. Listen carefully because your name might get mispronounced.
Once I got my passport back, we were asked to go back inside the bus, and then the bus moved a couple of meters ahead. We already left Vietnam.
We were asked for our passports again, this time, the bus steward did not collect them. He told us to leave our big bags and get off again for, this time, the Cambodian Immigration in Bavet border, side of Cambodia.
Our passports were stamped with the date of arrival in Cambodia by the immigration officer who asked for a dollar. I did not read anything about paying a dollar in the Cambodian border, but I was willing to oblige, anyway it's just a dollar. But Grace, who went ahead of me, did not pay. So I told the officer I was not paying. She got frustrated and made face. I almost got tricked!
Please note that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING AT THE MOC BAI-BAVET BORDER IN ORDER TO CROSS IT.
We, me and the other passengers with Philippine Passport were asked to go back inside the bus and wait. Our passports were given immediately. The other passengers had to do a different procedure to those who did not have a Cambodian Visa but needed one.
I did not need a Cambodian Visa because of my Philippine Passport. Other visa-exempted countries are Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
You can actually apply for a Cambodian Visa online.
After this, we were asked to go back in the bus and the journey continued.
Right after crossing the border, different casinos lined the road of Cambodia.
At around 12:15 PM, we were already crossing the Mekong river by a RORO (Roll On, Roll Off) Ferry. The ferry ride is just 10-15 minutes.
There's actually a bridge under construction a few kilometers off the right side of the ferry. In probably a year or two, there would be a direct bus route to Phnom Penh without using the ferry.
I think we stopped twice for restroom and snack break but I'm not quite sure because I was busy dozing off quite a few times after I have appreciated the view outside.
We crossed some countryside, a lot of dirt road, cities, and at 1:30 PM, we were already at the Sinh Tourist, Phnom Penh station. If you will be leaving for Siem Reap, there is a "connecting trip" from here that leaves at 2PM. And you have to go through the same procedure of buying a ticket and checking in before boarding the bus.
I stayed at Phnom Penh for this day.
I heard that there are buses going to Cambodia from Vietnam so I thoroughly researched about it. I found that there are several bus lines that cater to this service. The following are the bus lines and their schedules and published rates:
Mekong Express:
Fare - 13 USD (Khmer), 14 USD (Foreigner)
Departure - 07:00 AM, 8:30 AM, 13:00 PM, 15:00 PM
Giant Ibis:
Fare - 19 USD
Departure - 8:30 AM
The Sinh Tourist:
Fare - 209,000 VND (10 USD)
Departure - 6:30 AM
Kumho Samco Bus Line:
Fare - 10 USD
Departure - 6:00 AM, 7:30 AM, 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 13:00 PM, 15:00 PM
I took the Sinh Tourist bus because it was what my friend from Vietnam recommended to me. I bought the ticket a day before to make sure I would have a seat in the bus. I actually paid 12 USD for the Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh Ticket, then they gave me a printed itinerary, much like an e-ticket.
 |
| My return ticket from Siem Reap was also already booked |
I left my hotel, Golden Rose Hotel, at 6:20 AM and arrived at the bus station, which is actually their office too, just in time. First thing to do was go inside the office to "check in" and they will give you an actual ticket in place of the e-ticket.
 |
| see the orange notes |
I immediately opened my packed breakfast from my hotel, and the girl who sat beside me, together with two other friends, were talking about making it on time. They were Filipinas. So I politely offered my food to Grace, my seatmate. Then we started chatting.
 |
| This is us (from left to right) me, Grace, Claudine and Sai at the Sinh Tourist office in Phnom Penh |
I read a lot of articles about crossing the Moc Bai-Bavet Border while I was planning my trip so I did not hesitate handing the bus steward my passport. The idea was that he would collect all our passports, sort it by country, depending on which ones needed Visa to cross the border, and pile it at the immigration line inside the border facilities. This way, it makes it much faster for everyone. Because loads of people cross the border everyday.
At exactly 9:00 AM, we were already at the Vietnamese Immigration office, Moc Bai border, side of Vietnam. We arrived there together with two other buses full of passengers, who also had their passports piled by their bus stewards, and a couple of individuals in motorcycles or private cars who had to do the procedure on their own.
We were at the border for more than an hour because of the number of people waiting in line to get their passport stamped, with the date of leaving Vietnam, by the immigration officer. Once the officer was done, our bus steward called out our names one by one. Listen carefully because your name might get mispronounced.
Once I got my passport back, we were asked to go back inside the bus, and then the bus moved a couple of meters ahead. We already left Vietnam.
We were asked for our passports again, this time, the bus steward did not collect them. He told us to leave our big bags and get off again for, this time, the Cambodian Immigration in Bavet border, side of Cambodia.
Our passports were stamped with the date of arrival in Cambodia by the immigration officer who asked for a dollar. I did not read anything about paying a dollar in the Cambodian border, but I was willing to oblige, anyway it's just a dollar. But Grace, who went ahead of me, did not pay. So I told the officer I was not paying. She got frustrated and made face. I almost got tricked!
Please note that YOU DO NOT HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING AT THE MOC BAI-BAVET BORDER IN ORDER TO CROSS IT.
We, me and the other passengers with Philippine Passport were asked to go back inside the bus and wait. Our passports were given immediately. The other passengers had to do a different procedure to those who did not have a Cambodian Visa but needed one.
I did not need a Cambodian Visa because of my Philippine Passport. Other visa-exempted countries are Laos, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, Thailand and Indonesia.
You can actually apply for a Cambodian Visa online.
After this, we were asked to go back in the bus and the journey continued.
Right after crossing the border, different casinos lined the road of Cambodia.
 |
| Titan King Casino |
At around 12:15 PM, we were already crossing the Mekong river by a RORO (Roll On, Roll Off) Ferry. The ferry ride is just 10-15 minutes.
 |
| another ferry crossing |
 |
| The bridge under construction from afar, cloudy on this side. |
We crossed some countryside, a lot of dirt road, cities, and at 1:30 PM, we were already at the Sinh Tourist, Phnom Penh station. If you will be leaving for Siem Reap, there is a "connecting trip" from here that leaves at 2PM. And you have to go through the same procedure of buying a ticket and checking in before boarding the bus.
I stayed at Phnom Penh for this day.
1 comments:
I think it's wrong that your passport is collected. Only the holder should hand it in. What if the driver lost it? Or kept it as a bribe? Yes, I know there are queues but at the airport you hand it in yourself and there are queues also.
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