Travel cheap to Siem Reap / Cambodia

Many travelers – myself included – are probably bothered by the exorbitantly high flight costs to Cambodia. The thrifty traveler could almost get the impression that a trip from Thailand to Cambodia is deliberately made more expensive… Airfares of around 400-500 USD per person for a simple round trip from Bangkok to Siem Reap are no fun!

Of course, this also leads to fewer tourists in Cambodia – although it is very beautiful there.

That’s why I would like to introduce you to the cheapest travel routes to Cambodia in this article.

To keep the flight price to Southeast Asia as low as possible, I recommend booking a flight to Bangkok and not to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. This already reduces the costs by around 400 USD per person. With at least 2 travelers this is already 800 USD.

You can apply for an eVisa for Cambodia (at http://evisa.gov.kh/), which will save you trouble with any agents at the border. The border crossing at the national border is called Poipet. The eVisa should be printed out twice.

In Bangkok, most – European – travelers will receive a free visa on arrival for 30 days. Once you have arrived, take your luggage and book a cheap hotel in Bangkok for 1 to 2 nights so that you can get into the new time zone. If you can sleep in a cab, you can also go straight to the border.

Then we need a cheap cab from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet/Poipet. The cab costs the equivalent of around 60 USD.

Make sure you have internet on your cell phone abroad. Either with an appropriate package or local SIM cards. In Thailand I recommend dtac. With a bit of luck, you can get a Cambodian SIM at the border.

When we arrive at the border, we cross the border with our luggage (take a wheeled suitcase – the walk is a bit strenuous). The numerous offers for help with visas, carrying suitcases and the birth of your first-born child can and should be ignored.

Foreigners must go to the second floor (with luggage – no elevator) of the respective border building on both sides. Stamp out once in Thailand and stamp in again in Cambodia with the eVisa.

On the Cambodian side you now have to find your new (pre)booked cab. The cost to Siem Reap (from the border) should not be more than 50 USD. My cab driver may also be able to help you at +85577317918 – just write to him.

With my cab driver you can of course also get a cab from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh and vice versa.

Don’t let yourselves be cheated on the Cambodian side of the border, don’t give your luggage to strangers. Don’t take the free shuttle/bus!

Alternative to a cab: As an alternative to a cab, I recommend traveling with the Cambodian bus company “Giant Ibis”. Single travelers in particular can save a little compared to a cab. If there are 2 or more travelers, the cab usually costs the same as the bus. Another advantage of the coach trip is that the coach group is “guided” through the border. The bus trip is even booked in one piece (from Bangkok to Siem Reap).

Personally, if there are 2 travelers, I would just take a private cab. You can stop where and when you want (e.g. for a toilet break) and it’s generally a bit quicker.

If you are totally unsure about crossing the border easily, just take the Giant Ibis bus.

Congratulations on arriving in Cambodia so cheaply. You’ve saved around 300 USD on your own and around 700 USD as a couple.

Hotel booking? Doesn’t really matter – there are plenty of cheap offers locally. Exception: There is a special event like the Cambodian New Year.