Phnom Penh

[PussyFeelsGood]

Golden Bayon minivan is the one I used.

I'm calling BS on goober getting to Sihanoukville in 3.5 hours on a bus.

[HenryV]

Thank you. Good to know you can bargain with the travel agent. Most I have dealt with just have a set price, walk away or not.

Henry, the hotels where you stay usually has at least one mini van service contact. There are several and they make about 3-4 runs a day.

Also, travel agents have quite a few min van contacts. You can haggle down the price a little bit. It is about $10. 00 USD or less. As I was walking away from a travel agent in SR to use the hotel's contact, the travel agent called me back and offered me a seat for $8. 00 USD. He called the company, gave me a seat number and pick up time at my hotel. Just about all mini van pick up at your hotel. Drop off is at their place. There is usually a half hour break in the travel. Some hotels also pick you up from the mini van destination. You have to let them know what company the mini van is. The van also gives towelletes and a bottle of water.

[LifeIsABeach]

Can you provide additional info on the van service, contact info, pickup location, etc.

Thank you.

Henry, the hotels where you stay usually has at least one mini van service contact. There are several and they make about 3-4 runs a day.

Also, travel agents have quite a few min van contacts. You can haggle down the price a little bit. It is about $10. 00 USD or less. As I was walking away from a travel agent in SR to use the hotel's contact, the travel agent called me back and offered me a seat for $8. 00 USD. He called the company, gave me a seat number and pick up time at my hotel. Just about all mini van pick up at your hotel. Drop off is at their place. There is usually a half hour break in the travel. Some hotels also pick you up from the mini van destination. You have to let them know what company the mini van is. The van also gives towelletes and a bottle of water.

[HenryV]

Can you provide additional info on the van service, contact info, pickup location, etc.

Thank you.

Use a decent mini van service and they don't pack people in, they go over 100km / hr buses never get close, and the biggest problem with the buses is that they drop off locals at so many different stops along the way a 3 hour and 45 minute ride (snooky to PP) takes 5 hours.

[GooberMonger]

I drive to Sihaunkville in 2 1/2 hours, the distance is roughly 250 km.

I have taken the bus to Sihanoukville in the past and it was approximately 3 1/2 hours.

I didn't take the bus back to Phnom Penh so not sure on the return time.

My personal experience,

Cheers.

[PussyFeelsGood]

Use a decent mini van service and they don't pack people in, they go over 100km / hr buses never get close, and the biggest problem with the buses is that they drop off locals at so many different stops along the way a 3 hour and 45 minute ride (snooky to PP) takes 5 hours.

[LifeIsABeach]

My first trip in a mini van was my last. I went from Phnom Penh to Saigon and it was torture all the way.

Mind you this was 10 years ago.

I'm 183cm and was packed into the van like a sardine, there were chickens and pigs in the van too. I couldn't move an inch.

Now I drive or fly everywhere.

Cheers

Times have changed. The 14 person minivan carries only 14 passengers. You are also allocated a seat number. However, as there is little room to put all the luggage at the back, they may have to stow some where the passengers sit. That is not a big deal to me.

What made me choose flying in some cases was the road, not the minivan. It is still being constructed and I did not want too many aches and bumps by the time I got to the destination. I flew from Snookie to Siem Reap, great flight. 45 minutes, than about 14 hours on two minivans back. Cost was $118. 00, the extra $100. 00 USD was well worth it. The flight was good and I arrived fresh.

[GooberMonger]

My first trip in a mini van was my last. I went from Phnom Penh to Saigon and it was torture all the way.

Mind you this was 10 years ago and maybe the service has improved, but I'm not so sure when I see them going down the street loaded with as many people as can possibly fit along with being over loaded with goods.

I'm 183cm and was packed into the van like a sardine, there were chickens and pigs in the van too. I couldn't move an inch for I think around 2 plus hours. Then when I changed buses in Viet Nam it wasn't quite so bad.

Now I drive or fly everywhere.

I'm only speaking from my own experience and it was a long time ago.

Phil has had more recent experience with them, myself if I had to I would take the bus where I can get up and stretch my legs, yes it is a little slower, but more comfortable and safer in Cambodia.

In Thailand and Viet Nam I found the mini vans great, used them in Thailand for Visa runs for years.

So I leave this one up to the traveller or Phil is correct and things are much better for service now, but I'll stick to the bus and it's dirt cheap.

No offense intended Phil.

Cheers

[Phil Istine]

The name of the country is Srok Kmai or Kampuchea. Khmea is the french version of the original word, the people call themselves Kmai.

The weather in July / August is alternately very hot or wet. But persistent rain is rare except in Sihanoukville or Kampot or in the north east. The best buses to catch are the small vans run by several companies, they cost more but they are fast and efficient.

I can speak Kmai ok and I have just found a new teacher who I should have met years ago, it makes life much more interesting and there are many more opportunities with women.

[GooberMonger]

3 of us are planning a trip across Siem reap, PP and HCMC and back to BKK. Fellow Forumers could you advvise if July / August is a good time to travel weatherwide? Is it rainy season in these months?

Thanks

Yes, ArisCasa July and August are in the rainy season, good idea get some zip lock bags for your wallet and passport. You never know when or where your going to be caught in a down pour. I've been stuck in all 3 cities only after a short time of raining the roads were flooded out, but it's part of the fun and it's not cold.

I go out and shower in the rain water, it's a welcome thing, but be careful of lightning it kills 100s of people here on motorcycles, so choose your form of transportation wisely.

Cheers

[SmallBird]

Not a problem how to spell khmer, some people spell ke-mai. I spell camel once. Not bad.

[Wendella]

Well, sometimes you say you're aware of bad things done by the Cambodian guys, but here you say you haven't seen it. I think it'd be ok to say what you've heard happens but haven't seen yourself.

This whole thing of not being able to criticize someone of another culture, doesn't really work for me. Sure your culture did some terrible things in the past, and probably even now. But you have the right to criticize those of course, if you don't it won't ever change. And back in the day when slavery was rife, in those days there were Americans who were very outspoken against slavery, others who thought it was none of their business, and others who were in favor of it. Would you have been one of the guys who thought it was none of your business to comment on it? I hope not. If some guys in other countries think they have the right to act like monsters, you should have the right to criticize them for it. If 90% of wives in some country are beaten for not mopping the floor well enough, that's just plain screwed up, and if they're going to hide behind the culture argument, then it's fair game to criticize it as bad even if it's part of a culture. The world is globalizing. Do we want a world where this kind of stuff is suddenly permissible again just because some backward-minded country (or religion, or culture, etc) refuses to take a good look at itself? Bad behavior is bad behaviour and you shouldn't get a pass on it because of nationality or race or religion or anything.

[The Wookie]

Wookie take a minivan, there are signs up all over the place or ask your hotel, will only be a couple dollars more than a bus but will get you there much faster.

Car will be much more expensive.

Good idea! Thanks.

So far checked two.

-Get minivan.

-Buy cheap (er) drugs

[PussyFeelsGood]

Wookie take a minivan, there are signs up all over the place or ask your hotel, will only be a couple dollars more than a bus but will get you there much faster.

Car will be much more expensive.

[The Wookie]

Most drugs are cheaper in Cambodia, they have to be, the locals have less money, so if the price is lower they sell more. Copy Viagra made in India is $4. 30 for 10 X 50mg, cheaper than anywhere else and it works. Name is VeeTab, a pharmacy (a real one with a pharmacist) is U Care Pharmacy, their main shop is Sihanouk Branch. 39 Sihanouk Blvd, phone is 23 224 099, if you stay a while they will give you a a little card and then 5% discount.

Thanks AussieDoug, I guess I'll also stack up on anti-biotics and anti-viral meds like acyclovir and such then. The prices youquoted for VeeTab is 60% cheaper than in Thailand.