Angkor Wat Travel Forum

not asking about weather or lodging...

1. Would kindly ask for people's logistical experience on the most direct route and mode of transport to A.W. to and from the closest Int. airport?

2. We will have an ASEAN airpass good to visit multiple countries in Asia and A.W. would be great to experience and squeeze in but we are very short on time. Lousy question, but what is the fastest time frame (airport-travel-A.W. compound-and back) could BE done? Would love to do it predawn, is that possible?

Thanks everyone!

Siem Reap is the town where Angkor is located. Siem Reap International airports services the town, its probably a 10-15 minute drive from the airport to Angkor complex. Flights to Siem Reap are as follows:

1. HCMC or Hanoi via vietnam airways
2. Kuala Lumpur via Air Asia
3. Bangkok airways from Bangkok.

I have a friend who is a temple guide who can meet you at the airport and take you to Angkor if you wish. The pre-dawn thing is best suited if you stay the night. Not sure if flights will arrive early enough to see sunrise over Angkor.

Let me know via email if you want my assistance with a giude

Regards

Eggboy

on top of what eggboy mentions there, silk air also flies to siem reap from singapore.
silk air is part of singapore airlines and a star alliance member.

Thanks a whole bunch the fast and great reply both of you!

I will check if those airlines are part of the pass. I was actually looking at the map and it looks like there should be a bus service from Bangkok Thailand to Siem Reap. (major highway connects them) Is it not the case? With airlines and waiting at airport, and stuff vs. direct bus thru real countryside, plus joy of local bus travel especially border crossings, this seems like the same amount of time used but potentially more colorful.
Any thoughts about this idea?

i took the bus between siem reap and bangkok last december and it took me 6-7 hours and was a fine hassle free trip.

I took a bus from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap in Feb this year. It was interesting as mainly local people/families on the bus and you get to see different scenery, small villages etc. It takes about 5 hours and thats about my max time I would want to spend on a bus. But you should see more of the country side and if you are more tolerent of long bus trips than me, then it may be a good idea for you. I've not done the trip from Bangkok by bus so I cannot comment.

You two guys sealed the deal for me for this leg. You guys are superstars!

Claus, PLEASE pass on the info on the bus and where to catch if from Bangkok. I would love to get the website for the bus company to check the time tables and this might just get me a better chance for early dawn at Angkor.

This is just pure awesome. Though 6 hours is long- I see it not a waste of time but doing multiple things at once! I love taking the locals bus/train/route as its REAL and not a company glossy production of a tour guide.

Thanks a million times over. I'm sure I will call on you two as I do more research.
Ken

you have two options ken.
either take the regular bus from the bus station or grab one of the backpacker busses from khao san road.
from what i hear they are about the same price.
some people complained in the forum here once that the backpacker bus from khao san road did not toake them to the bus station in siem reap, but to a hotel they had a deal with.
i don't know if that is the case, but when i came the other direction i had no problems and was dropped off where i wanted to.
i don't know if there is a website for the busses.
it's not really a big problem once aou are there though as you have planety of busses.

Hope you enjoy the journey Ken. It should be an interesting one. Let me know if you need some assistance with the sunrise at Angkor. There are a couple of cool spots at Angkor to take pics if you are interested.

Peter

Peter, for sure I would like to ask more of your advise and assistance about this spot and others. Let me get the air taken cared of which will give me a good idea of the dates of each location first. Thanks for the offer!

Claus, so I'm presuming there is only one central bus station in Bangkok? Would you remember the bus number or final destination name of this particular bus?
When are you going to be around here (L.A.) again?

Hey Ken.

Aside from the airlines mentioned by the others Bangkok Airlines also flies from Bangkok to Siem Reap daily.

BTW, Last year I took an A/C bus from Bangkok to Aranyaprathet (border crossing to Cambodia) which cost me 236 Baht one way (4 hrs) then once across the border at Poipet we were picked up by a car arranged by our inn at Siem Reap (USD60, I didn't haggle). The drive from Poipet to Siem Reap took about 3 hrs.

If you do decide to take the bus from Bangkok go to the Northern Bus Terminal at Morchit. :)

all set for this leg.
Going westward not eastward. But that 5 hour leg seems more like 8 hours (as Monina stated). Thanks all!

EGGBOY~ Hey bud, yes I am now ready to ask for that assistance you offered. I have exact dates now. Aug. 21st arriving at Siem Reap airport at 5am.
No, we won't get the sunrise shots that day but if you could assist for sunset and sunrise (next morning) and getting me in contact with that trusted guide of yours. That would be fantastic!

Hey Ken! Good luck on the trip!
A friend just got back from there all sun-burnt and happy. :)

Ken

just sent you his details on email.

Enjoy

Eggboy