Driving from Vietnam (Saigon) to Cambodia (Ankor Wat)
 

Has anyone ever considered or executed on driving from Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) to Siem Reap (Ankor Wat) or hired a dirver to do so? If som any insights on how to go about, links and safety considerations will be appreciated. Thx in advance.

SBS

Not sure about the vietnamese side, but it's not a good idea AT ALL to drive oneself on the cambodian side unless you have a proper cambodian driver's license, etc. I have a cambodian drivers license and can't imagine why I would, given that drivers are so cheap and buses even cheaper and more comfortable. I love the overland route, but driving myself, no.

If you want to travel overland, consider a combination of boat and bus.

I certainly wouldn't consider driving myself in Asia, except perhaps for Malaysia - or maybe Japan?

There's a bus that goes from Saigon to PP, but I would agree with offwego that a bus and boat combination is by far the most interesting, and probably the most comfortable. See talesofasia.com for details.

And from PP to SR you have a choice of bus or taxi. I recommend spending a couple of nights in PP if you can manage the time.

Foreigners are not allowed to drive in Vietnam without a Vietnamese driving license. Even an International license is not valid and must be converted, but the document must be translated and notarised, which is likely to take a long time.

we hired a car +driver form Aranyaprathet on the Thai border to Siem Reap by arangement with the hotel in SR. It was pretty cheap as I recall but mostly we used buses in Cambodia. In Vietnam , unless you pay a lot of money (say by arranging through 5* hotel) check the car thoroughly as it is unlikely to be particularly. We spent a week driving around the mountains of NW Vietnam in a Toyota landcruiser that was at least 25 years old, had no lights, no instruments and bald tyres, but hey we survived!!

I agree with offwego, if you want to go overland, go by bus and boat

All of the above advise is good. Here are the ways by land from Saigon that you could chose from

By Car (taxi)
1. To Moc Bai boarder crossing. About 2hrs costing $30. You can get your Cambodia visa here for $20 with no scams like at other boarder crossings.

2. From Moc Bai to Phnom Penh, taking a little less than 4hrs. Around $30-40

3. Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. About 4-5 costing about $60


By Bus using the Mekong Express Bus (a/c with bathroom)

To PP around 6-7 hrs costing around $12 in 2008. May have increased

PP to SR. Takes about 41/2hrs and was $12 in 2008

There is also a direct bus to SR taking 10-12 hours and costing $22 in 2008


By Car/Boat
To Chau Doc by bus or car and overnight. Morning boat to PP. Takes about 5hrs

Overnight (or more) then bus or car to SR

Thanks All, great info and now need to research some more for best options but at least I know it is feasible. Thx again.

SBS