Koh Kong

Koh Kong (Cambodia) /Hat Lek (Thai):

Open from 7:00 -17:00.

It is always travelled by backpackers; there are many comfortable means of getting to Bangkok and Phnom Penh via Koh Kong.

Bangkok to Phnom Penh:

1.) Take a bus to Trat.

2.) Take a Songthaw to Klong Yai, takes 2 hours

3.) Change to another Songthaw to Hat Lek, about 30 min. Then cross the border. You can get the Cambodian 1-month arrival visa on the border. $20 or 1000 Bath. The visa application form requires 1 passport photo.

4.) Take a moto to Koh Kong

5.) Express boat to Sihanoukville, departure 8:00am

To catch up with the Express Boat in a same day, you have to leave Trat very early in the morning. Or take the minibus.

6.) In Sihanoukville, take a moto from the port to the bus station. If you want to travel to PP in a same day, you have to hurry to go to the bus station. You have to ask for the moto fee before, otherwise you are asked to pay a higher fee.

7.) Take a bus to PP, around 4 hours.

It is possible to travel from Koh Kong to PP in a day.

Note: Moto and boat fees have to negotiate before you enter them for travelling.

From Phnom Penh to Bangkok

Bus: Capitol Bus departure 7:30 am

Bus + Boat:

1.) Take a bus from Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville. To catch up the boat in the same day, you have to take an early bus at 7:30.

2.) Take a moto from the bus station to the boat pier. Make sure you bargain for the moto fee.

3.) Take an express boat from Sihanoukville to Koh Kong. Departure: 12:00 noon. If you want to take the boat in a same day, it is not sure to get the seat as what you want but you can sit on the roof. Travel time around 3.5 hrs,

4.) From Koh Kong to the Border: take a moto driver.

5.) Cross the border. The border is closed at 17:00.

6.) Take a Songthaw to Klong Yai, travel time around 30 min.

7.) Change songthaw to Trat, around 2 hours.

8.) From Trat to Bangkok, there is also a night bus departure.

If the boat arrived later than 16:00, you have to take a risk not to be able to cross the border. In case the border is closed once you got there, you have 3 choices.

1) Stay at Eingdoy Hotel, 500m before the border, tel. 039-588109, room rate is around 10 – 15USD per night with TV, Pool Bar.

2) A small Guest House in the village nearby, 1.5 km from the border. Experience the local home stay; room rate is around 5 – 8 USD per night.

3) Go back to Koh Kong town by moto or boat for only 1USD per person.

Share Taxis:

You can also make the way from Phnom Penh to Koh Kong town in a share taxi. The departure is early in the morning around 7am opposite of the central bus station, where there are lots of minibuses and taxis waiting for customers. The ride will probably take around 8-10h depending on the season you’re travelling. The price is negotiable between $14-20.

If you would like to experience a very nice, but kind of rough route through a remote area of Cambodia, than it’s that tour you’ll have to go for. You need to take the National Highway No 4 from Phnom Penh in direction of Sihanoukville. After heading on the Highway for around 180km you’ll pass a small town called Kampong Seila, from which it is a couple of kilometres more to come to a T-junction. Now turning right you’re entering the Minor Road No 48. It’s a narrow road badly paved with laterite, which makes an adventure out of your trip. You should be well experienced to manage this bumpy, creek-crossing road during the wet season without tasting the ground. As the road led through a breathtaking countryside you’ll reach Koh Kong after approx. 140km. Be sure that the early bird catches the worm so don’t go to late as you want to manage the whole trip within one day.