Anyone done flight to Siem Reap?

Hi, our celebrity century cruise in feb offers a flight to Siemens reap , 2 nights there , has anyone done something similar? Thanks, lorri

I will be there in two weeks but traveling from Bangkok by bus to Siem Reap but returning

via Asia Air.

If you have specific questions or concerns, I will try to help.

I will be there in two weeks but traveling from Bangkok by bus to Siem Reap but returning

via Asia Air.

 

If you have specific questions or concerns, I will try to help.

Thanks, was wondering if flight from phu my to siem reap and then to bangkok with only two nights was doable. Celebrity offers a tour, but mega bucks!

Yes, it is doable if you spend two nights at Siem Reap. We flew from Bangkok to Siem Reap, spent 2 nights then flew back to Bangkok. You would speed things up though if you purchased your visa prior to flying to Siem Reap. It takes quite a while to work your way through the line up at the airport to get the visa at Siem Reap.

We plan to do this. Looks like an easy flight from BKK.

It was. You have to have only a small suitcase though. Check your larger suitcase into storage at your Bangkok hotel. The children try to sell you trinkets in Angor Wat and Siem Reap. It is very hard to say no.

Thanks, was wondering if flight from phu my to siem reap and then to bangkok with only two nights was doable. Celebrity offers a tour, but mega bucks!

You can do this. HOWEVER, you MUST purchase a Vietnamese visa (NOT the ship issued one) to be able to FLY out of Saigon. You have to have a regular Vietnamese visa which must be procured in advance. The ship issued one is only good for around the port area on specific days. AND you need to MAKE SURE you are officially registered as ENTERING Vietnam. Most people on your cruise will have their name on the ship issued visa register. You must MAKE SURE your passport is stamped by Immigration BEFORE you leave the ship. Otherwise, you could get to the airport and you will be denied boarding. And could have some real problems as there is NO RECORD of you officially entering Vietnam if you don't have your passport/visa stamped on the ship. And DO NOT depend on the ship to take care of this for you-they have no interest in helping you because you are saving large dollars by doing this trip on your own.

You will have to make your way from Phu My to the airport in Saigon. Arrange a private transfer. Both Vietnam Airlines and Cambodia Angkor Air (an airline owned by the government of Cambodia and Vietnam Airlines-which is owned by the government of Vietnam) fly nonstop Saigon to Siem Reap. It is a one hour flight. There is currently on the schedule with Cambodia Angkor Air a 12PM flight to Siem Reap and a 3:55 flight. Multi destination (Saigon to REP, REP to BKK 2 days later) is currently pricing out at $205US for the cheapest. Then you can pick your flight to Bangkok or book a separate ticket on Bangkok Airways. Here is the info for Cambodia Angkor Air: https://wl-prod.sabresonicweb.com/SSW2010/K6K6/webqtrip.html?execution=e2s2

I DO NOT suggest you try to make that noon flight coming off the ship. TOO much traffic, too much hassle getting through security at the airport to cut it that close (can easily be an hour or more drive from Phu My to the airport plus another hour or so getting through the airport)

Take the 3:55 flight, arrive at 4:55PM. You MAY be able to make your way to see the sunset over the temples if you choose. Make those arrangements with your hotel in advance to go straight from the airport to the temples if you want to see the sunset (I think the sunrise is better).

Visa on arrival at the airports in Cambodia is very easy. MAKE SURE you have two passport pictures with you. The e visa into Cambodia is getting better but since you are coming from Vietnam and not taking the main route (BKK to Siem Reap), I truly wouldn't trust the e visa for Cambodia. There have been quite of few of them that are just not valid due to bad technology basically. Then you still have to buy one at the airport or the border crossing. Why hassle it. If you just plan on getting off the plane and going out for dinner, going to bed early so you can do the sunrise over the temples, you have plenty of time to get visa on arrival at the airport.

I have spent a lot of time in and out of Cambodia (almost 3 years turning a dilapidated apartment building into a boutique hotel in Phnom Penh). ALL decent hotels in Siem Reap will send a car for you at the airport. ALL decent hotels in Siem Reap either have their own tour guides on staff or have an affiliation with tour guides/cars/drivers and are more than willing to bend over backwards to help you enjoy your trip, no matter what you want to do-temples, elephants, hot air balloon rides. dinner cruise on the Tonle Sap. One time, I even got to go to a local wedding because my driver was a relative of the bride. That was sure a different cultural experience.

My favorite hotel in Siem Reap is the FCC. http://fcccambodia.com/fcc-hotel-angkor/?cbg_tz=420. Old governor's mansion with GREAT food, poolside rooms are to die for and their customer service/tours/help with anything you need can't be beat. NOT the HUGE hotels so many are in Siem Reap. This is more boutique hotel.

First trip my dear departed DH made with me to Cambodia he had never seen the movie, "The Killing Fields". And we were going back to Phnom Penh via fast boat in a couple of days and I wanted to show him all the harm the Khmer Rouge did to the country. The hotel found a copy and promptly brought it to our room. He then REALLY had an understanding of the horrors perpetrated on the Cambodia people. Who can forget the helicopters flying out of the US Embassy and leaving the Cambodians who were so faithful to us during the War to fend for themselves.

If you need more tips and pointers, please respond with dates, how many people, etc. etc. You can save a LOT of money doing this yourself. And it definitely is NOT difficult.

I will be there in two weeks but traveling from Bangkok by bus to Siem Reap but returning

via Asia Air.

 

If you have specific questions or concerns, I will try to help.

Please be aware that you are NOT taking a bus all the way from Bangkok to Siem Reap. You have to get OFF the bus at Aranyaprathet / Poipet border crossing. WALK or take a tuk/tuk or somehow get to the Cambodia border. Then there MAY or MAY NOT be a bus for your onward journey. But the easiest way is to rent a Toyota Camry in Poipet for about $50US for as many passengers as you can cram in there and go to Siem Reap. The road is now hard surfaced and relatively quick (about two hours). I did it before they made the road a road (it was basically a dirt road with river crossings and a few hard surface sections). Riding in the back of a Toyota pickup was a highlight but a long, dirty nasty journey back then and certainly not for most cruise passengers.

PLEASE read through this: http://www.talesofasia.com/cambodia-siemreap-guide-get.htm

This is a direct quote from their info:

"We do not in any way shape or form recommend Bangkok to Siem Reap bus tickets (or Pattaya to Siem Reap, or Koh Chang to Siem Reap, etc.). This has been our position for ten years now and little has changed. Where Thailand and Cambodia are concerned, conventional wisdom is to deal with Thailand in Thailand, and Cambodia in Cambodia and don't mix the two on one bus ticket."

Please pay attention to this article. Written by a guy who does business on both sides of the border almost daily. He DOES know his stuff.

Please be aware that you are NOT taking a bus all the way from Bangkok to Siem Reap. You have to get OFF the bus at Aranyaprathet / Poipet border crossing. WALK or take a tuk/tuk or somehow get to the Cambodia border. Then there MAY or MAY NOT be a bus for your onward journey. But the easiest way is to rent a Toyota Camry in Poipet for about $50US for as many passengers as you can cram in there and go to Siem Reap. The road is now hard surfaced and relatively quick (about two hours). I did it before they made the road a road (it was basically a dirt road with river crossings and a few hard surface sections). Riding in the back of a Toyota pickup was a highlight but a long, dirty nasty journey back then and certainly not for most cruise passengers.

 

PLEASE read through this: http://www.talesofasia.com/cambodia-siemreap-guide-get.htm

 

 

 

 

 

This is a direct quote from their info:

 

"We do not in any way shape or form recommend Bangkok to Siem Reap bus tickets (or Pattaya to Siem Reap, or Koh Chang to Siem Reap, etc.). This has been our position for ten years now and little has changed. Where Thailand and Cambodia are concerned, conventional wisdom is to deal with Thailand in Thailand, and Cambodia in Cambodia and don't mix the two on one bus ticket."

 

Please pay attention to this article. Written by a guy who does business on both sides of the border almost daily. He DOES know his stuff.

Thanks to all, that's a lot of good stuff! Lorri

Thanks to all, that's a lot of good stuff! Lorri

JUST curious-that quote you posted is from BANGKOK. Has nothing to do with flying to Siem Reap from Vietnam.

You can fly from Saigon to Siem Reap, then from Siem Reap to Bangkok VERY easily. FORGET any info on the bus. You really DO NOT want to take it if you only have two days.

FLY from Saigon (MAKE SURE you have a Vietnamese visa BEFORE you get on the ship), then fly to Siem Reap and after you experience Angkor, fly to Bangkok.

Did I totally confuse the issue???? Two ENTIRELY different trips.