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 Getting
to Sihanoukville and Southern Cambodia
Phnom Penh and Koh Kong are the primary gateways to
Sihanoukville and southern Cambodia. From Phnom Penh, most people travel by bus, taxi or
motorcycle to one or more of the most popular southern cities -
Sihanoukville,
Kampot and Kep. There are several daily
buses between Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville.
The international border crossings at
1) Had Lek, Thailand/Koh Kong, Cambodia;
2) Xaxia, Vietnam/Prek Chak,
Cambodia ('Ha Tien') and;
3) Tinh Bien, Vietnam/Phnom
Den, Cambodia all allow international overland access
to southern Cambodia. The Had Lek/Koh Kong crossing allows easiest access to
Sihanoukville as it is a long-established crossing and regular
transportation between Sihanoukville and Koh
Kong are also well
established (ferry or road.) The 'Ha Tien' crossing with Vietnam is now
open and allows direct and easy access between
Kampot and Vietnam. See the Overland
Border Crossing page for details about overland travel from Thailand
and Vietnam to Sihanoukville and southern Cambodia.
 Phnom Penh to/from
Sihanoukville
Bus
Comfortable, a/c buses depart Phnom Penh
several times per day. 16,000R-17,000R for the 4 hour trip to
Sihanouk Ville via Route #4. Some companies run deluxe buses with
on-board toilets and other features for a slightly higher price.
There is no centralized bus station in Phnom Penh. Buses from
different companies depart from different stations. At Sihanouk
Ville, all buses arrive and depart from the downtown bus and taxi
station.
Phnom Penh Sorya
Transport
PP to SHV : 7:00, 8:00, 9:00, 11:30, 12:45, 1:45
SHV to PP : 7:10, 8:00, 9:00, 12:15, 1:10, 2:00
Phnom Penh Station: On Charles de Gaulle, near Central Market.
Mekong Express
PP to SHV : 7:45, 2:30
SHV to PP : 7:45, 2:30
Deluxe buses - $7/pax
Phnom Penh Station: 87AEo, Sisowath Quay
Capitol Guesthouse
PP to SHV : 7:15, 8:45, 9:45, 1:30, 2:30
SHV to PP : 7:15, 8:45, 9:45, 1:30, 2:30
Phnom Penh Station: Capitol Guesthouse, corner of Streets 107 and
182..
 Taxi
Share taxi: Shared taxis offer a
cramped and harrowing 2½-3½-hour ride with seven or more people stuffed
in a compact car. 25,000R/person.
Private taxi: Private taxis run about $40-$45. In Phnom Penh,
Sihanouk Ville bound taxis wait at the southwest corner of the Central
Market (Phsar Thmey). In Sihanouk Ville, Phnom Penh bound taxies can be
found at the downtown bus and taxi station on Street 108.
 Motorcycle
It is a 230 km, 4-5 hour trip on Route #4.
Most cyclists rent 250cc off-road bikes for the trip. Leaving Phnom
Penh, follow Confedertion dela Russie (Airport Road) south past the
airport and out of town. At the well marked Route #3/#4 fork just east
of Phnom Penh (Chum Chao), bear right. National Route #4 to Sihanouk
Ville is now a toll road with booths located just south of Phnom Penh
and north of Sihanouk Ville. The toll is nominal, less than $1 for most
vehicles. Route #4 is a paved and smooth, fast and easy, but is still a
relatively dangerous road. Speeding taxis and reckless lorries are the
norm. Slow down as you pass through he villages, watch for errant cows
and dogs and oblivious children on the road. By all means
wear a helmet and bear in mind that medical help and rescue is
non-existent in the countryside. Stop for a refreshment break at one of
the many road side restaurants just south of the Pich Nil pass near the
half way point. You can’t miss all of the buses and taxis parked along
the road. Just north of the
restaurants, on top of the pass, there are dozens of spirits houses and
shines dedicated to local spirits and the deity Ya-Mao. It’s a good
photo opportunity and they say it’s good luck to burn a few incense and
leave a small donation, and maybe even a hand of bananas.
Kampot/Kep
to/from Sihanoukville
The road between Sihanoukville and Kampot is paved and most is in good
condition (110km). From
From Sihanouk Ville, travel north on
National Route #4 to Veal Renh (43km). Turn east on Route #3 to Kampot.
Route #3 and #4 are both paved and in good condition. 1½ - 2 hours,
110km total. Currently none of the larger bus companies offer service
between Kampot and Sihanouk Ville. Most travel by taxi and guesthouse
mini-bus.
Bus Service G’Day Mate/Outback Tours offers reliable, daily, a/c
mini-bus service between Sihanouk Ville and Kampot. Currently $7.50.
Best to book a day in advance. Stop by the G’Day Mate in Sihanoukville,
book at your guesthouse or call 012-1707857
G’Day Mate/Outback Tours
SHV to KPT : 8:30AM; KPT to SHV : 11:00AM
Taxis In Sihanouk Ville, taxis can be found opposite the market
(Phsar Leu) and at the downtown bus and taxi station. In Kampot, taxis
wait at the taxi stand. Taxi price, $5/person for shared taxi and
$25-$35 for a private taxi.
Koh Kong
to/from Sihanoukville
From Sihanouk Ville you can travel to/from Koh Kong City by road or
daily coastal ferry. The road trip to/from both Sihanouk Ville and Phnom
Penh follows Route #48 from Koh Kong through the picturesque Cardamom
Mountains to National Route #4 and then either National Route #4 north
to Phnom Penh or south to Sihanouk Ville.
Bus Virak-Buntham bus company offers direct daily bus service
between Koh Kong and Sihanouk Ville using full size a/c buses.
$11-$15/person. About 4 hours duration. Departs about 8AM. Check current
schedule. In Koh Kong the bus office is located on Street 3 in the
center of town. In Sihanouk Ville the office in located at the bus
station.
 Coastal
Ferry There is one daily ocean ferry going each direction between
Koh Kong and Sihanoukville. The trip takes about 4 hours. US$25 for
foreigners. There are occasional cancellations in the monsoon season.
The ferries are not up to international safety standards.
From Koh Kong to Sihanouk Ville: The speedboat departs at 8AM
every morning. The ferry dock is located on the riverfront in Koh Kong,
500m south of the bridge.
From Sihanouk Ville to Koh Kong: The speedboat departs at noon
everyday from the ‘Port of Passenger Ship’, near the Port of Sihanouk
Ville. Check departure schedule for changes.
Taxis Private taxi runs about 3000B ($80-$90.)
Thailand
to/from Sihanoukville
 The Had Lek/Koh Kong Border
crossing (officially the Cham Yeam Crossing) is the only Thai border
crossing allowing easy access to the southern coast of Cambodia and
Sihanoukville. Both Cambodian and Thai
visas are available on arrival at the border. This border crossing
has been open to international travelers since 1998 and is fairly busy,
with plenty of onward transportation available on both sides. To get to
Sihanoukville from Thailand travelers enter Cambodia at Had Lek/Koh Kong
and then travel from Koh Kong to Sihanoukville either by bus (4 hours) or ocean ferry (daily, 4 hours).
See the overland international border crossing
page
for detailed information on travel from Thailand to Sihanoukville via the Had Lek/Koh Kong crossing.
Also see above for travel from Koh Kong to
Sihanoukville.
Vietnam
to/from Sihanoukville
The ropening of the 'Ha Tien Border Crossing' (officially the 'Xaxia/Prek
Chak Border Crossing) represents the removal of the last road block on the coastal
travelers trail from Koh Chang Thailand, though the beach towns of
Cambodia (including Kep, Kampot, Sihanoukville and Koh Kong) and on to
southern Vietnam and Phu Quoc Island (Koh Tral). Using the Had Lek/Koh
Kong crossing in the west and the Ha Tien crossing in the east of
Cambodia, overland travelers can now
beach hop across Indochina without ever having to leave the coastal
roads. To travel from Sihanoukville to Vietnam, first
travel to Kampot. See details
above. The road is good and the trip takes about 2 hours from
by taxi. Then travel from
Kampot to the Ha Tien crossing,
by motodup or tuk-tuk. Most of the road is in good condition, requiring
1 - 2 hours to make the trip.
See the overland international border crossing
page
and the Kampot page for more details on
the Ha Tien border crossing and travel between Kampot and Sihanoukville.
Siem Reap Angkor
to/from Sihanoukville
There is no direct transportation between Siem Reap and Sihanouk Ville,
requiring travel via Phnom Penh. From Sihanouk Ville, bus or taxi to
Phnom Penh (see page 40) and then connect with onward transportation.
From Phnom Penh, Siem Reap is accessible by direct daily flights as well
as by bus or taxi. Some bus companies in Sihanoukville such as Paramount
Angkor and Mekong Express, offer package bus tickets to Siem Reap with a
change of bus in Phnom Penh, running about $16 and taking 10 hours.
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Orientation and Arrival in Sihanoukville
 The Sihanouk Ville town area is spread thinly across a peninsula,
surrounded on three sides by beaches, with a
downtown area near the center of
the peninsula a couple of kilometers from the beaches. If you are
arriving in town by bus or taxi, you’ll be dropped off at the bus
stop downtown. If you’re coming from Koh Kong by ferry you’ll
disembark at the ferry dock north of town. There are always dozens
of motorcycle taxis (motodups) and a few car taxis waiting for new
arrivals. Some guesthouses and hotels offer a free shuttle for
pre-booked guests. Look for a placard displaying your name. Motodup
prices to the various parts of town are posted on the wall at the
bus stop. Car taxis cost $6-$7 from the bus stop to almost anywhere
in town. Bear in mind that with rising fuel costs, prices may vary
slightly.
Touts will try to direct you to commission paying hotels. Do not
believe stories that the hotel you want to go to is “dangerous,
damaged, dirty, closed,” etc. Insist on being taken directly to your
requested hotel.
Hotels, guesthouses and
restaurants can be found across the entire
peninsula, but many are concentrated into three areas: 1) The
Downtown Area, about 5 minutes
from the beaches by moto taxi. All regular tourist services are
available including several mid-range hotels, budget guesthouses,
lots of restaurants and bars, the main market, convenience stores,
banks, and the bus/taxi stands. Many of the downtown hotels are
within walking distance of the bus stop. Motodup from the bus stop
to downtown: 3000-4000R; from the ferry dock to downtown:
$1.50-$2.00; 2) Ochheuteal and
‘Serendipity’ Beaches offers a variety of mid-range and
budget hotels, guesthouses and bungalows as well as restaurants and
bars. ‘Serendipity Beach’ at the northern end of Ochheuteal is the
only beach in Sihanouk Ville with selection of rooms and bungalows
right on the sand. Motodup from the bus stop to Ochheuteal:
3000-5000R; from the ferry dock to Ochheuteal: $1.50-$2.50; 3)
Weather Station Hill (Victory Hill),
above Victory Beach, has long been popular with budget travelers for
its hilltop budget guesthouses, bungalows, restaurants and bars.
Motodup from the bus stop the Hill: 3000-5000R; from the ferry dock
the Hill: 3000R-5000R.
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Getting Around Sihanoukville
 Motorcycle Taxi (motodup, moto) drivers expect foreigners to pay
1000-2000R in town, and 2000R - 4000R from town to the beaches. (A bit
more from the bus station. See previous page for arrival prices.) Locals
pay less but getting the local price is nearly impossible. Prices go up
for multiple passengers and at night. Some Sihanouk Ville motodups are
some of the most assertive touts in Cambodia. Settle on a price and
destination before taking the ride and insist on being taken directly to
your requested destination.
 Moto-romauk (‘tuk-tuk,’ moto-trailer) Long popular in Phnom Penh
and Siem Reap, ‘tuk-tuks’ have just begun to operate in Sihanouk Ville.
‘Tuk-tuks’ - more properly referred to by the Khmer ‘moto-romauk’ - are
two and four passenger motorcycle trailers. Unlike motodups, the covered
and semi-enclosed trailer offers some protection from sun and rain,
though tuk-tuks are a bit slower climbing Sihanouk Ville’s hills than
motodups. Currently, the price for tuk-tuks seem to be in flux, but are
charging near the same prices as a car taxi.
 Motorcycle Rental At the moment there is a ban on tourists
driving motorcycles and cars in Sihanoukville. At the moment it seems to
be somewhat loosly enforced.
Prior to the ban, most of the tourist-oriented businesses in town rented
motorcycles, including most guesthouses and hotels, the bus companies,
travel/tour companies and even restaurants. 100cc bikes were between
$3-$5/day. Fewer places rented 250cc bikes but they were still readily
available at about $7-$8/day. 100cc is more than sufficient for travel
in town and to the beaches. Most places required a passport as security.
Always lock your motorcycle or leave it in guarded parking. Motorcycle
theft is not uncommon.
Car Rental Car rental (with diver) can be arranged through your
hotel or travel agent. Taxis at the downtown bus and taxi station are
also available for private hire. Cars cost around $20/day with driver.
They can also be hired for short jaunts in town ($4-$6) and specific
trips such as sunset mountain ($10) the waterfalls ($15) or Ream ($17).
Last updated 08/08
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