Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
BORDER CROSSINGS IN THE EAST
Eastern Cambodia currently has four international border crossings: one with
Laos
, and three
with
Vietnam
. All four are open daily from 7am to 5pm. Entering Laos and Cambodia,
visas
are issued on arrival (roughly $30-40 for a Lao visa, depending on your nationality; $20 for a
Cambodian visa). Heading into Vietnam, you'll need to have acquired a visa in advance, since
none are issued at the border.
TO LAOS
Trapeang Kriel-Nong Nok Khiene
Popular crossing 57km north of Stung Treng. Full details
are given with our Stung Treng account (see p.224).
TO VIETNAM
O Yadaw-Le Tanh
The most useful of the three border crossings into Vietnam, 70km east
of Banlung along a good road. Guesthouses in Banlung sell through bus tickets from
Banlung to the town of Pleiku, in the central highlands of Vietnam (around a 6-7hr journey
from Banlung).
Trapeang Phlong-Xa Mat
Little-used (and di
cult to reach) crossing around 70km east of
Kompong Cham.
Trapeang Sre-Loc Ninh
Around 20km southeast of Snuol. This obscure crossing isn't of
much practical use given the lack of public transport on both sides of the border.
p.230), although a new road between the two towns is currently under construction, and may even have opened by the
time you read this. Pending the completion of this new highway, access to Sen Monorom is via NR76, branching off the
main N7 highway at Snuol.
4
Kompong Cham
Situated on the west bank of the Mekong, the mellow town of
KOMPONG CHAM
has
little of the bustle that you'd expect of the biggest city in eastern Cambodia. Its small
commercial port doesn't exactly hum with activity, and the riverfront, in the shadow of
the massive Kizuna Bridge, is pretty quiet too since road improvements have led to the
demise of most river transport. The town's attractive backwater somnolence belies its
more energetic past. In the 1930s and 1940s, Kompong Cham - named after the
sizeable population of local
Cham Muslims
(see box, p.215) - was a prosperous rubber
and tobacco trading centre and the most cosmopolitan town in Cambodia. You can
sense some evidence of its previous a
uence in the wide, tree-lined streets and the
faded shophouses and warehouses lining the waterfront.
Today's town has a distinct charm, and it's easy to while away a day meandering
through the unhurried streets, taking in the faded colonial architecture (particularly
around the market) and visiting the remains of the venerable
Wat Nokor
just
outside town - as well as enjoying the convivial riverfront cafés, busy in the
evenings with tourists stopping over on a slow journey through the country.
In half a day you can follow the Mekong north to
Phnom Hann Chey
, a quirky
hilltop temple with fabulous views of the river, while a day-trip will get you to the
pre-Angkorian site of
Banteay Prei Nokor
, home to a few ruined towers surrounded
by a massive earth embankment. Enjoyable
boat trips
can also be made to villages
up and down the Mekong.
The riverside
Quiet by day, Kompong Cham's
riverside
really comes alive after dark, when locals come
out to wander the waterside promenade and eat at the food stalls set up along its length,
and the attractive string of Mekong-facing cafés fill up with crowds of tourists.
