Cambodia - The Rough Guide to Southeast Asia on a Budget - page 64

ARRIVAL
here are flights to Phnom Penh from
Paris, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul,
Bangkok, Vientiane, Ho Chi Minh City,
and several cities in China including
frequent connections with Hong Kong.
Siem Reap's international airport is also
reached from most of these cities.
Travelling overland into Cambodia is
possible from neighbouring hailand,
Vietnam and Laos.

AIRPORT DEPARTURE TAX
There is a US$6 departure tax on domestic
flights; there is no longer a departure tax
on international flights.

photos are required. You may be able to
pay an extra $1-5 to have the one from
your passport copied, depending on the
mood of the o cial. However, there have
been reports of people being denied visas
for not having a photo. Cambodian visa
o cials are notoriously unfriendly as well
as corrupt. It's also possible to obtain a
visa on arrival at all overland border
crossings, although Cambodian border
o cials have been known to inflate the
price. To avoid the risk, you may prefer
to take care of your tourist visa online in
advance ( W evisa.mfaic.gov.kh), though
these e-visas are not valid at some of the
more obscure overland crossing points
- check the website for details. E-visas
cost $20 for the visa plus an additional
$5 and take three days to process; you'll
need to provide a digital photograph.
Extending a tourist visa is o cially done
at the Department of Immigration,
Pochentong Road, opposite the airport in
Phnom Penh (Mon-Fri 8-10.30am &
2.30-4.30pm). You'll need one passport
photo and next-day service costs $60.
Given the location of the o ces, it's easier
to take advantage of the extension services
offered by travel agents and guesthouses;
they can do the running around for you
and charge just a couple of dollars'
commission. A tourist visa can only be
extended once, for one month. If you
wish to stay longer you'll need a business
visa. You are charged 50,000 riel ($12.50)
per day for overstaying your visa.

2

OVERLAND FROM LAOS
It's possible to cross from Laos at the
Trapaeng Kriel-Nong Nok Khiene/Dong
Kalwa crossing between Stung Treng and
Si Phan Don.

OVERLAND FROM THAILAND
here are six entry points from hailand:
the border crossing at Aranyaprathet ,
near Poipet; two crossings at Pailin ; the
coastal border at Hat Lek to Cham Yeam,
west of Koh Kong (see box, p.778); the
reopened crossings in northeast hailand,
at the Chong Chom-O'Smach border pass,
near Kap Choeng in hailand's Surin
province (see box, p.769); and the
little-used Sa Ngam-Choam border in
Si Saket province.

OVERLAND FROM VIETNAM
From Vietnam, seven crossings are open
to foreigners. he busiest (on the main
highway between Ho Chi Minh City and
Phnom Penh) is at Moc Bai-Bavet (see
box, p.905). here are three border posts
in southern Cambodia including two near
the Vietnamese town of Chau Doc (see
box, p.910) and one at Ha Tien (see box,
p.916), east of Kep on the coast. here are
three further, although little-used,
crossings open in Eastern Cambodia
including the O Yadaw-Le Tanh border
post between Banlung and Pkeiku.

GETTING AROUND
Transport in Cambodia is all part of the
adventure. Massive improvements to
the national highway network in the past
few years have made getting around the
country much easier than it once was,
with many formerly dirt roads now
surfaced and new highways built. Even
so, getting from A to B remains a
time-consuming process: roads are still

VISAS
All foreign nationals except those from
certain Southeast Asian countries need a
visa to enter Cambodia. Tourist visas ,
valid for thirty days, cost US$20 and are
issued on arrival at the airports in Phnom
Penh and Siem Reap; two passport