Phnom Penh

[QUOTE=GooberMonger; 1399810]Cheers,

PS Sorry for the late reply, I've been ill.[/QUOTE]Yes I hear there's a nasty bug going round. Caused by sleeping with too many virgins. Hahaha

[quote=maestro boy; 1399973]gents, especially those with extensive local knowledge:

what's the best way to get from siem reap to pp? bus? train? plane? and how much money / time would it cost?

also, reading the isg, seems like us dollars is used extensively in cambodia. so for a foreigner coming into cambodia on holidays, is it best to carry a heap of us dollar in small bills? or are the local shops happy to give you change in us dollars too? i won't do anything silly like using a $100 bill to pay for a coke and then expect to get change from the street vendor, but do they give you us dollars in change in most places?

thanking you all in advance.[/quote]no train and 'plane expensive. go by bus from centre of town. any hotel will help you get a ticket the day before. journey time, inc, [url=http://isgprohibitedwords.info?CodeWord=CodeWord134][CodeWord134][/url] stop, five. seven hours, cost about us$10.

bring us$50s and $100s for hotel bills and a pile of small s1 and $5. depending where you are you will get change in us$ and local currency mixed most of the time.

[QUOTE=AussieGuy100;1399981]Yes I hear there's a nasty bug going round. Caused by sleeping with too many virgins. Hahaha[/QUOTE]The problem if it has anything to do with virgins was that there were none to be found, because I just got back from Thailand, BKK.

Cheers,

PS working on a couple new ones right now, but proving to be a hard nut to crack these two birds. I think they're on to me.

[QUOTE=Maestro Boy; 1399973]Gents, especially those with extensive local knowledge:

What's the best way to get from Siem Reap to PP? Bus? Train? Plane? And how much money / time would it cost?

Also, reading the ISG, seems like US dollars is used extensively in Cambodia. So for a foreigner coming into Cambodia on holidays, is it best to carry a heap of US dollar in small bills? Or are the local shops happy to give you change in US dollars too? I won't do anything silly like using a $100 bill to pay for a Coke and then expect to get change from the street vendor, but do they give you US dollars in change in most places?

Thanking you all in advance.[/QUOTE]There's also a boat option. The road is rough. I took a cab with a bud and it was ok. He bussed it on the way back. There is a lot of construction going on near PP so it get hairy. The bus has wifi.

[QUOTE=Maestro Boy; 1399973]Gents, especially those with extensive local knowledge:

What's the best way to get from Siem Reap to PP? Bus? Train? Plane? And how much money / time would it cost?[/QUOTE]We took the boat and it was very nice. Didn't take too long (don't remember the exact time). It is cheap and the most convenient, not a rough ride. You can take sun or look at the scenes on top of the boat. Highly recommended.

[QUOTE=Maestro Boy; 1399973]Gents, especially those with extensive local knowledge:

What's the best way to get from Siem Reap to PP? Bus? Train? Plane? And how much money / time would it cost?

Also, reading the ISG, seems like US dollars is used extensively in Cambodia. So for a foreigner coming into Cambodia on holidays, is it best to carry a heap of US dollar in small bills? Or are the local shops happy to give you change in US dollars too? I won't do anything silly like using a $100 bill to pay for a Coke and then expect to get change from the street vendor, but do they give you US dollars in change in most places?

Thanking you all in advance.[/QUOTE]To Masetro boy

The bus is faster now and cheaper I took the bus a few yr ago the road is much better than it was 10 yr ago 5 hr 10 USD. 10 yr when I take the fast boat it was 18 USD one way then and the Tonle sap lake have some very nice view, you should bring alot of one dollar bill for moto taxi and five dollar use the 100 bill for hotel most shop will give you change in riel in small amount I just give them to little kid on the st when I leave PP, most hotel can change your 100 dollar bill into small change also Thai baht is also accept if you come in from BKK.

I would take Golden Bayon, its a minivan service that will get you there as fast as a cab at much less price, little more expensive then a bus but will go much faster.

If you take the boat bring sunscreen and water

New bar called Pretty Woman, It actually has image from the movie on it's sign. (on 10th)

Has all white interior so kinda "modern".

Had about 8 girls but all low to middle for looks and all around initial service was.

Low on the "nice and friendly" scale- maybe it will pick up after they get "kinks" worked out.

But.

Also across street on 10th Zanzibar opened a pub, took a peak inside and the girls looked really great in looks department. Unsure if they go with customers though?

[QUOTE=Pekkakoo;1400089]We took the boat and it was very nice. Didn't take too long (don't remember the exact time). It is cheap and the most convenient, not a rough ride. You can take sun or look at the scenes on top of the boat. Highly recommended.[/QUOTE]Whilst the boat is fun and interesting both from the scenery and fellow passengers point of view the boat breaks just about every safety rule of ferries known to man.

It has not capsized yet. But.

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48; 1400261]To Masetro boy

The bus is faster now and cheaper I took the bus a few yr ago the road is much better than it was 10 yr ago 5 hr 10 USD. 10 yr when I take the fast boat it was 18 USD one way then and the Tonle sap lake have some very nice view, you should bring alot of one dollar bill for moto taxi and five dollar use the 100 bill for hotel most shop will give you change in riel in small amount I just give them to little kid on the st when I leave PP, most hotel can change your 100 dollar bill into small change also Thai baht is also accept if you come in from BKK.[/QUOTE]Don't worry about small US$ bills. About $20-$30 in $1s and $5s and $100 in $10s and $20s will be enough as you will get change from larger bills in local currency and US$.

I always end up with a fistful of US4 small change.

Do not give surplus riel to small boys / local beggars. It only encourages begging dependency. Do not bring sweets for children, bring pencils and ballpoint pens for schools.

[QUOTE=RookieReport;1400371]Also across street on 10th Zanzibar opened a pub, took a peak inside and the girls looked really great in looks department. Unsure if they go with customers though?[/QUOTE]The girls there are great. They are the pick of the crop from Zapata and Zanzibar. This place is aiming to be a bit more chilled and upmaket than a typical hostess bar, with frequent live music, pool table and cocktails.

There are no barfines available and the girls are discouraged from hugging, kissing or other overt sexual activities with customers. But the owner has no issue with you taking the phone number of a girl you like and then meeting up with her during the day or after working hours.

[QUOTE=Titanio;1390603]I agree on the Walkabout. That is a dump. Next door to the Walkabout is the PC Hotel that is reasonable well although staff is contineously pushing to have a drink or a meal at their empty bar but rooms are spacious and clean. Street 154 opposite the Sorya Mall has some OK hotels like the Nana, which recently merged with the Circuit hotel. That area is all safe to walk at night but not when walking from street 51 through 154 to riverside. A few Khmer street bars and food vendors in a very dark street and some drunken Khmers can be a hassle. On such a budget last month I found a brand new hotel, absolutely GF, on corner of riverside and street 102 in the former Mekhong Express building. 35 dollar a night for a great room. Spotless clean and a great breakfast included. Easy going from there to the 104 bars around the corner and 110, 118 and 136 street bars all on walking distance.[/QUOTE]Can you please name this hotel?

Thanks

Nandu

Hi Guys.

I plan to visit HCMC mid April, I want to take a bus or taxi to Cambodia border then cross over to Cambodia, then change a bus to PP, so friends there, can you please suggest the easiest route and is it advisable, considering am a singaporean Indian.

Suggestions will be highly appreciated.

Cheers

How did you learn K'mai?

I just got back from a long trip to Asia but only did a border run to Cambodia. Never been to PP.

Feel free to PM me.

[QUOTE=GooberMonger; 1386930]I've been semi-retire in SEA for over 10 years now, first 3 in Thailand and last 8 or so in Cambodia.

I love PP my neighbours are excellent, most of them work for the government and have helped me more than anyone ever did back home.

Just wait if you learn to speak K'mai you get most things for about half price that tourists are paying. Come here and retire and I'll get you set up brother with a few girlfriends, virgins if you want.

I go back to Thailand a few times a year to visit friends and do some mongering and I can't believe how much the prices for some shit has gone up there. Other stuff is the same price as 10 years ago, like rent, hotel rates, but food, beer, cars and girls wow prices have gone way up. Just a regular bar on Sukhumvit is over $3 now. In PP at a night club you'll pay less. I got a 6000 baht bill at I love NY in Pattaya. I'd be dead if I spent that much in a bar in PP.

I keep wanting to be a member here so I can PM people, but I don't like it takes so long for posts to go up. It is a good site though and most of the guys have had similar experiences as myself in the same countries. Others have help by stopping me from wasting my time by going to countries I've been curious about.

Cheers,

PS Chicago rocks, prefer it over NY, but that's just my opinion.

PSS Fuck the pizza, Blues clubs, Outlaws, steak houses and prime-rib at Lowery's, almost as much fun as BKK, but without the rats. PSSS Seen the sun come up many a morning in BKK.[/QUOTE]

From Mochit 2 Bus Terminal you can catch a bus that goes all the way through to either Siem Reap (750 Baht) or Phnom Penh (900 Baht).