Urgent, please: basic info about Cambodia
 

Hi travellers, <BR><BR>We are making a short trip to Cambodia and Vietnam, leaving on Monday, June 17. Please, can you give us some very needed info and advice: <BR><BR>1. If we travel to Cambodia by bus from Thailand, do we need to get a visa in Bangkok, or can we get a visa at the border?<BR><BR>2. Cambodian and Vietnamese people have some basic knowledge of English or French? (we have just returned from Beijing, where virtually nobody could understand a word in English, and it was a little difficult because of this)<BR><BR>3. Is it compulsory to hire a guide in order to visit Angkor? How much does it cost? Some advice for selecting a guide?<BR><BR>Thank you!!! Cosima<BR><BR>

Here's some brief info on Cambodia. I was there in December.<BR><BR>You can get a visa at the Thai-Cambodian border. Please be aware that the road trip from Bangkok to Siem Reap is very long, very dusty full day. A quicker more comfortable option is to fly from Bangkok to Siem Reap on Bangkok Airways, approx $250 round trip, half of that for one way. A Cambodian visa is US$20 plus a passport photo, but I've heard many tales of people being charged a bit more at the land border.<BR><BR>In Siem Reap, you will be able to get by on English and French. There are so many foreign visitors to the temples that most locals speak at least some English.<BR><BR>There is no requirement for a guide at the temples. The temples are located outside of Siem Reap, and spread across the countryside. You can get a motodop (a motorcycle and driver) for $US 7-8 a day or a car and driver for US$ 20-25 a day. A guide would be extra. If you buy Dawn Rooney's book, Angkor and study up, you'll have the info you need. Any hotel or guesthouse can set you up with a driver and/or guide, depending on your needs. Note that one of the very poplular temples, Banteay Srei is far outside of town and always costs extra to go there.<BR><BR>You will need another passport photo for your temples pass. Cost of the pass is US$20 for one day, $40 for three days or $60 for a week. I loved Angkor, spent a week there, and would have enjoyed even more time there.<BR><BR>You can check out some of my photos of Angkor at www.marlandc.com<BR><BR>Enjoy your trip!

All above is correct. I was in SR for a week back in February and had a great time. I hired a car, because some of the roads are extremely dusty. Beware some drivers ask for exorbitant prices to go to the Banteay Srei and the waterfall/carvings, it is proper to pay an extra $40 (on top of the $20 or $25)for that trip.<BR><BR>Have a great time!

By the way, I paid an extra $20 to go to Banteay Srei on top of the $25 a day charge for the car and driver.

Can I just say that I found your Angkor photographs wonderful !!<BR><BR>Very comprehensive, and interesting.<BR><BR>How did you find the crowds ? I noticed on a few photos that it was very busy. (esp.Bayon) Did that spoil the experience or was it not as bad as it looked ?

The only two temples where it felt too busy to me were Banteay Srei and Bayon. At Bayon, we just stayed a round for a while and it cleared out a bit. At Banteay Srei it has become so crowded that you have to stand behind barriers to photograph the exquisite carvings (the only temple they have cordoned off). Busload after busload of people were being dropped off, so we were never able to get away from the crowds there. At some temples, we were the only visitors. One morning we went to Angkor Wat very early and nearly had the place to ourselves. We were there during high season. I think it's always worthwhile to consult with your driver about times of the day that are less busy at particular temples. But, no, generally the crowds weren't bad.