Siem Reap

[QUOTE=Bionicman]Not a cheap airline, though[/QUOTE]To say the least. I remember a few years ago someone calculated that per kilometer it was the most expensive airline in SE Asia. The BKK-SR fares are especially outrageous. Nice aircraft and good service, though.

[QUOTE=Chuckn]When I was planning to go to Siem Reap, the initial plan was to fly.

However, Bangkok Air are pirates. Try to book a fare on line, and depending on the season, its something like 5, 000 Baht. ONE WAY.

In fact, I just looked on their web site, and a return trip in early October, 2010 would cost Baht 10, 700 return. US $ 345. 00.

The road trip return for US$ 104 is a bargain. If there are two travelling together, the savings really really add up.

Thats why I go by road.[/QUOTE]Chuck N,

I book my ticket with a travel agent at SR that was 4 yr ago and USD is still strong, there are not too many option very few airline fly this route and I don't want to waste too much time on a damn bus.

Fast Eddie 48

[QUOTE=Betong]To say the least. I remember a few years ago someone calculated that per kilometer it was the most expensive airline in SE Asia. The BKK-SR fares are especially outrageous. Nice aircraft and good service, though.[/QUOTE]Bentong,

I have fly Bangkok airway from BKK to phuket is about the same as Thai air, route like BKK to koh samui and RP is much higher because not many airline fly this route, I think their service is better than Thai airway.

Fast Eddie 48

so FIRST go to PP then bus to SR.n Return the same route in reverse. about 5000B total

[QUOTE=Dinghy]so FIRST go to PP then bus to SR.n Return the same route in reverse. about 5000B total[/QUOTE]My favorite way to Siem Reap is to spend a couple relaxing days in Pattaya, grab the bus to Chantaburi and the van to Pailin, spend a night in Battambang, then buzz up to SR the next morning. Yes, plenty of time on the highway, but at least the scenery is interesting, unlike PP-SR. Then back overland via Aran, or by bus to PP for a few more days of misbehavior before catching Air Asia back to Bangkok.

But for anyone in a hurry who ONLY wants to go to Siem Reap, I say just bite the bullet and pay Bangkok Airways. That PP-SR roundtrip gets old real fast.

[QUOTE=Betong]To say the least. I remember a few years ago someone calculated that per kilometer it was the most expensive airline in SE Asia. The BKK-SR fares are especially outrageous. Nice aircraft and good service, though.[/QUOTE]Their monopoly on the S.Reap route isn't going to be around forever. Gotta like the Bankgkok Air time slots, though. Have paid the extra to fly with them because of that alone.

OK... IF you take a cab from BKK to border cost is at most 120usd then from border to SR 60usd -at most and that is 180usd from Bkk hotel to SR hotel, door to door. Total time - door to door - at most 6 hrs.

Now, to get from Bangkok hotel to airport 3/4 hr,, get to airport at least 1.5 hrs before flight, airtime 1 hr., arrival in SR, go through customs/visa/get luggage probably about 1 hr. time get ride and go to hotel 1/4 hr. total time about 5.5 hrs. COST: 220USD AIR plus 20usd taxi to airport TOTAL: 240 USD

.......... IN SUMMARY

. . . . . . . . VIA TAXI . . . . . . . . VIA AIR

COST .. . .. . .. 180usd . .. . .. . 240usd

TIME .. .. . . about 6 hrs . .. . .. about 5.5 hrs.

One nice thing about the taxi ride is that you leave WHEN you want to leave, regardless of airline schedule.

Which is the best choice: you decide

OH - if more than one person is taking cab... fare will really be less per person!!

[QUOTE=Golfinho]Their monopoly on the S.Reap route isn't going to be around forever. Gotta like the Bankgkok Air time slots, though. Have paid the extra to fly with them because of that alone.[/QUOTE]
Bangkok AIrways had a monopoly also in Koh Samui, since they own the airport and, albeit often people takes their flight as a continuation of an intercontinental flight they were not much cheap (also in comparison to asian standard.
It is not anyhow rated neither a low-cost nor a low-fare, so their prices are aligned with most of major airlines.
Not helping much local transportation and tourists to move around the country.
It is not their call as they want to make money as a private enterprise.
They had to "surrender" Samui to the arrival of other airlines (namelu Thai with 2 flights a day) and some charters (mainly from PR China, with All Inclusive packages)
This 'opening' did not mean any change in fares.
I doubt they will ever allow Air Asia and the alikes to touch their runaway....

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48]Chuck N,

I book my ticket with a travel agent at SR that was 4 yr ago and USD is still strong, there are not too many option very few airline fly this route and I don't want to waste too much time on a damn bus.

Fast Eddie 48[/QUOTE]Fast Eddie,

I am in Australia. Just did an online quote with Expedia. Travel in October 2010, for 7 days in Siem Reap. Australian $ 432 return (US$ 393. 00 or Baht 12, 275)

Even when a mate of mine in Thailand were planning a trip in March, 2010, he said. "You don't really want to fly, do you? ". Its just expensive.

I was in Siem Reap in July, and had to return to Thailand for 20 days or so, and knew that I would only get a 15 day stay in Thailand if I came in by road. I went to Phnom Penh for a few days, and flew back to Thailand on THAI AIRWAYS for US$ 142. And received THAI STAR ALLIANCE mileage points as well, and my 30 day stay stamp too.

Thats still expensive, but, I prefer THAI for the miles

For me, travel from BKK to Siem Reap is only financially viable by using the bus / taxi route.

When I was in Thailand in August, I flew down to Nakhon Si Thamarrat on AIR ASIA. Baht 2, 950 for the return trip. US $ 94. 00. That included 15 kg of check in luggage.

When you look at the miles (kilometers)

BKK to SIEM RIEP. approx. 360 km as the plane flies

Phnom Penh to BKK 550 km

BKK to Nakhon Si Thamarrat 600 km

Of course, the flights to Cambodia are International.

Interesting, isn't it?

Rgds. Chuck

[QUOTE=Bionicman]Bangkok AIrways had a monopoly also in Koh Samui, since they own the airport and, albeit often people takes their flight as a continuation of an intercontinental flight they were not much cheap (also in comparison to asian standard.

It is not anyhow rated neither a low-cost nor a low-fare, so their prices are aligned with most of major airlines.

Not helping much local transportation and tourists to move around the country.

It is not their call as they want to make money as a private enterprise.

They had to "surrender" Samui to the arrival of other airlines (namelu Thai with 2 flights a day) and some charters (mainly from PR China, with All Inclusive packages)

This 'opening' did not mean any change in fares.

I doubt they will ever allow Air Asia and the alikes to touch their runaway.[/QUOTE]To Bionicman

I wonder how much Thai airway need to paid them to land their plane on their airport, I think ticket cost is over 300 USD for a round trip ticket from BKK to koh samui on Bangkok airway, I flight into Suri thani and take the ferry to the island but ut take more than 4 hr at half the price.

Fast Eddie 48

[QUOTE=Bionicman]Bangkok AIrways had a monopoly also in Koh Samui, since they own the airport[/QUOTE]I remember when they put up the money to build it, other airlines thought they were crazy to invest that much in a little island that still didn't have that much tourism. Then of course they made a fortune from it. So you have to give them credit for being visionary.

As far as flying vs. driving from Bangkok to Siem Reap, I'd pay whatever extra flying takes just to avoid Poipet! What a shithole.

[QUOTE=Fast Eddie 48]To Bionicman

I wonder how much Thai airway need to paid them to land their plane on their airport, I think ticket cost is over 300 USD for a round trip ticket from BKK to koh samui on Bangkok airway, I flight into Suri thani and take the ferry to the island but ut take more than 4 hr at half the price.

Fast Eddie 48[/QUOTE]
Yep, currently it is
338€ with TG and
260€ with PG
on a same day monitoring and similar day times
Was much cheaper (20%) last spring, but fuel surcharges went dramatically up and also airlines are cashing back what they lost in the previous 18 months due to the global (joke) recession.
Surely the 737 of Thai touching down in SUm are paying a good stake, but their planes are full and so is PG.
I fly to Samui twice a year and never seen less than 80% load factor.
Still the general trade cries for lack of tourism.
I simply think there has been a change in that.
More resorts have been built and now they are operational
More 4 stars hotel from International chains are being built or opened.
Charter flights from China are increased too.
Their customers are not much the cheap beach bungalow customers, nor the local thai restauarant user, nor the beer drinkers at the night bars where nice girls play the furniture (and as Ikea you can bring the furnitures home yourself).
Those tourists are more family groups, spending alltheir tme (and money) inside the resort, occasionally walking out if convenient for a quick stroll and an ice cream, and spending the rest of the evening at the resort bar.
Not yet but in the direction of S.Domingo beach resorts in Punta Cana etc.
This type of clientele make suffer the night bars and the trade that goes around them.
Have seen myself empty bars and the planes are full.
Some 3 years ago bars were full and plane full too...

Quote:
Originally Posted by Somewhere15
I wanted too experience how it was too travel by road between Seam Reap and Bangkok (mid August 2010).
I asked some travel agencies in Seam Reap about this and they all had the same story.
It will take you 2 hours from Seam Reap to the Cambodia/Thai border (Poi Pet), than 1 hour for border change followed by a 3 hours drive to Bangkok (Koh San Road).
Pick up from your Seam Reap hotel by minibus and depending on the number of passengers they will continuing with the minibus or change to a larger aircon bus.
I travelled on a mid week day (believe it was Wednesday) and the trip was totally done through mini busses (change from mini bus on the border).
In Cambodia the driver always drove more than 100 km where mostly 60 km is signed/allowed.
When he was stopped by a traffic control (I guess they used the only laser gun available in the country) he reacted very upset, both to us his passengers as to the Cambodia police people. When he returned to the bus he did not want to say how much his fine was and also not if he has to pay by himself or that he could declare by his employer (a big lack of English happened after he was fined).
The driver from the minbus from the Thai/Cambodia border to Bangkok was even more worse; he didn’t speak any English and he drove more than 120 km per hour (but in general Thai roads are much better). Only one stop for a army control.
Within 3 hours (including a stop for fuel and using the restrooms) he dropped me and two other passengers (for a tip) on the Sukhumvite area instead of Koh San road.

This all for US $ 11.00 !

[QUOTE=Sammon]Is it 6 hours total travel time? For $11 dollars U.S. ?
You should atleast put the name of the travel agency here so that many will benefit.
It will be much shorter travel time to Pattaya if one chooses to go there.
Previously I heard Cambodian road from SR to the border is horrible. Is it etter now?[/QUOTE]

Sorry for the late reply......
I did not register which travel agency I booked with but many of them sell these tickets. On the ticket they gave 3 telephone numbers and name who you could contact. We agreed to a pickup time of 11:30 AM and when there was nowbody at 11:40 AM I called the number. Within 2 minutes the minibus was there; I guess not from my phonecall but already on his way.
I include some pictures from the billboard on the street in Seam Reap and some pictures from the location close to the Cambodia/Thai border which was owned by the company who executed the trip.

For you information we left at 12:00 AM in Seam Reap and arrived at 02:00 PM by the border. Changing time Cambodia/Thai border etc. was around 1 hour and the (mini) bus to Bangkok left at 03:15. At 06:30 I was in the sukhumvit area.
I also saw many of these billboards with offers in Phnom Pehn, I also include a taxi offer that I pictured by the Thai border.

[QUOTE=Somewhere15]Quote:
Originally Posted by Somewhere15

Sorry for the late reply......
I did not register which travel agency I booked with but many of them sell these tickets. On the ticket they gave 3 telephone numbers and name who you could contact. We agreed to a pickup time of 11:30 AM and when there was nowbody at 11:40 AM I called the number. Within 2 minutes the minibus was there; I guess not from my phonecall but already on his way.
I include some pictures from the billboard on the street in Seam Reap and some pictures from the location close to the Cambodia/Thai border which was owned by the company who executed the trip.

For you information we left at 12:00 AM in Seam Reap and arrived at 02:00 PM by the border. Changing time Cambodia/Thai border etc. was around 1 hour and the (mini) bus to Bangkok left at 03:15. At 06:30 I was in the sukhumvit area.
I also saw many of these billboards with offers in Phnom Pehn, I also include a taxi offer that I pictured by the Thai border.[/QUOTE]


Sorry I forgot to include the taxi signing on the Thai side of th Cambodia/Thai border.

[QUOTE=Somewhere15]Sorry I forgot to include the taxi signing on the Thai side of th Cambodia/Thai border.[/QUOTE]

And this time including the picture....:)