Thailand to Cambodia- Angkor Temple and Siem Reap
 

We are traveling to Thailand in Dec. for 16 days. On another post Kathie recommended to visit the temples at Angkor.
What is the best way to get from Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai to Angkor/Siem Reap using air transport?
Do we have to go back to BKK to do this?
How long will we need in the Angkor area?

Most people spend 3 full days in Angkor. If you get tired of the temples, you can visit a school and make donations and/or visit the Vietnamese floating village at Lake Tonle Sap.

There are Bangkok Air flights all day long between Bangkok and Siem Reap but I don't think you can fly directly to Siem Reap from Chiang Mai on Bangkok Air. Bangkok Air does not fly to Chiang Rai but Thai Airways does. AirAsia flys to all of the destinations but no direct flights between CM/CR and SR - they don't have a very good reputation on this board. There is also Nokair but they don't fly to SR at all. Bangkok is between CM and SR so you won't be backtracking by connecting there.

You will have to go back to Bangkok to get to Siem Reap. Bangkok Air is the only airlibe that flies non-stop from Bangkok to Siem Reap.

As Craig says, you really need three days to visit the major temples at Angkor. There are dozens of accessible temples and even in a week, I didn't see them all.

Thanks!
I think we can manage the 3 days. We just need to figure out the best way to rearrange our itinerary. Hoping you can help with this, right now:
12/18 - 12/22 Phuket * we can leave a day early if needed
12/22-28 we have open to visit Chiang Mai and Angkor Wat/Siem Reap
12/28-1/2/07 Bangkok
We have hotels reserved for the first part in Phuket and the last part in Bangkok as described in an earlier post but the time in between is totally open.
What's the best way to fit Chiang Mai and Angkor Wat in, with the air travel, etc., during the middle part?

If it were me, I'd fly from Phuket to Bangkok, change planes and fly onward to Siem Reap. After your stay in Cambodia, you'll fly from Siem Reap to Bangkok and change planes to Chaing Mai.

It will save you some money to buy the Bangkok Airways Discovery Pass. You need to fly 3 legs on Bangkok Air to use it.

I don't think it matters in which order you do them. Kathie mentioned Bangkok Airways Discovery Airpass which can save you lots of $$ - check out the flight schedules on their website:
www.bangkokair.com
and pick what best suits you.

You're going in the highest og high seasons. You should book promptly. At AW, Ponheary is a very good guide. She can be reached at [email protected]. She can also arrange your hotel at a better price than you can get. I agree with Kathiew. You should check out the Discovery Pass from BKK Air. The phone number is 866-226-4565.

Thanks! I sent an email to Ponheary. Do I need to get a visa before I get to Cambodia or can I get one at the airport? Do I need some type of visa for re-entry to Thailand if I am a U.S. citizen?

You can get the visa at the airport. No, you don't need a visa to re-enter Thailand

You can also get the visa for Cambodia on line. Here is the link

http://evisa.mfaic.gov.kh/index.php?version=eng

If you use the Bangkok Air Pass for 3 flights - Phuket/BKK/SR/BKK you will save around $80. For BKK to either Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai and back I would use one of the budget airlines and save yourself some money.

We're doing a similar trip -- but a bit longer:

10/20 - 21 fly US to BKK
10/21 - 24 Phuket 10/24 - 26 to Phnom Phen via BKK 10/26 - 28 Siem Reap
10/28 - 31 to Chiang Mai via BKK
10/31 - 11/2 Golden triangle
11/2 - 11/5 BKK
11/5 - 9 Kuala Lumpur
11/9 - 11 BKK for some last minute shopping

We're using a combo of Thai Airs pass (BKK - Phuket - BKK; BKK - Chiang Mai; Chiang Rai - BKK)
and the Bangkok air pass (BKK - Phnom Phen - Siem Reap - BKK).

There are 2 adults and 1 child traveling and we save about $400 USD altogether using these 2 passes.