Transport, accommodation, and great spots for a month in Cambodia (page 2 of 2)

Thanks for the info! Our itinerary is coming together. After Phnom Penh, we're heading to Kratie, then making our way back down to Kompong Cham. We're still looking for the best way to go straight up to Battambang before heading to Siem Reap. The *Routard* guide mentions a daily bus, but we haven’t been able to find it yet. Maybe a taxi could take us there? 🤔 Have a great evening! Fabie

... or why make it simple when you can make it complicated.

Yeah, it’s as complicated as Songsam says!

Kampong Cham to Siem Reap is about a 5-hour trip, but Kampong Cham to Battambang is more like 8–10 hours unless you take a taxi! You’d either have to go back to PP to switch buses and head straight to Battambang, or find a way to reach Highway N5, which goes directly to Battambang from Kampong Cham by crossing the Tonlé Sap River near Prek Kdam/Oudong. I don’t think you’ll find tourist buses doing that route—maybe just local minivans stopping at the Skun road junction, then again after Prek Kdam where you’d join the N5 near Oudong (which, by the way, could’ve been a nice afternoon stop—it’s the former capital and royal necropolis). By taxi, it should cost around $80. Ask the driver to leave really early (5–6 AM) so you arrive in Battambang by early afternoon and can enjoy the rest of the day.

Why do you want to go to Battambang before Siem Reap? So you can take a direct overnight bus to Kampot or Sihanoukville/Koh Rong later? It’s still way simpler and saves time to go from Kampong Cham or Kratie to Siem Reap first, then Siem Reap to Battambang, and finally head to the coast from Battambang (check for overnight buses with a transfer in Phnom Penh—there are several reliable night bus companies: Giant Ibis, Larryta, Virak Buntham/VET).

For Phnom Penh, I spent 3 nights at the Vacation Boutique Hotel two years ago. It was well-maintained in a neighborhood I know well, and I really liked it—clean and well-kept. But I don’t know how it is now; in Asia, hotels can deteriorate quickly. I’ve had a lot of bad surprises with poorly maintained guesthouses.

Skun highway junction

Don’t miss the local culinary specialty offered right at the "bus station"—yum yum! Lunchtime will be here soon, enjoy your meal everyone! 🙂.

I’ve already tasted it (not bad, actually), but letting one crawl up my arm—never! I’d have the wrong reflex to knock it to the ground and crush it under my shoe, no matter how harmless it is 😏

Happy New Year Kate🤗 Have you already been to Cambodia? We can’t wait to hear your great tips!! 😉

Hello and happy New Year! 🙂

We’ve canceled our trip to Cambodia because of the conflict. We’re heading off to other adventures—Thailand and Laos—in 2 days.