Road Trip to Siem Reap

Day 3.

Another early wake up time, as we’re booked for the 7:30 AM trip. Luckily, Mekong Express Bus Station is just along Pham Ngu Lao, and a Mekong Express representative picked us up from the hotel. Talk about convenience. :)

We’re still able to have breakfast before leaving.

Bus left 7:40, and just few minutes after, we were greeted with a steward that’ll also be with us throughout the trip. Snacks were also served. (We're seated at the first row. :) )

2 hours after the trip, we reached the Moc Bai border. While on the trip, the bus steward already took our passports, and at the border, he brought it to the immigration counter. All you had to do was just wait for your name to be called. That’s it. There’s not much security check going on here. Goodbye Vietnam!

 

Back on the bus, and few minutes later, we’re at the Bavet border. Here we had to go the immigration counter ourselves, as there’s a need for fingerprint.

Hello Cambodia!

We’re back on the road again. An hour after, we’re on our first stopover. We loaded up with fried rice, as it’s another couple of hours before we reach Phnom Penh, for our next stop. 

Also along the way, the bus will be onboard a ferry to cross a river, it's the Mekong River i guess.

After 3 hours, we reached Mekong Express Bus Station in Phnom Penh. Here we will change our bus, to take us to Siem Reap. We had about a 30-minute break at the station. We were also able to grab lunch before we left for Siem Reap.

Another greeting from a new steward welcomed us as soon as the trip started. Snacks are again served in this second half of the journey. It’s another 6 hours from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap. More time to catch up on sleep. :D Anticipation grows though, as hours of wait become shorter. There’s one stopover after about 3.5 hours on the road. 

Finally after 13 hours, we arrive Mekong Express bus station at Siem Reap. Our tuktuk pick-up from the hotel was already there when we arrived. We booked our stay with Bou Savy Guesthouse, and it’s about 15-20 minutes from the bus station. We had dinner in the hotel, and after settling in our room, we then headed to our first destination in Siem Reap – the Angkor Night Market. :) Shop away in this place! Don’t forget to haggle, and also don’t forget to try their $1 massages or the fish spa.

  

 

Oh by the way, here's a heads-up. Only one Hollywood movie was played in our entire bus trip. Prepare your ears for a 10-hour long Cambodian Videoke! You were warned. LSS alert! :)

Mekong Express bus fare - $24 per person 

Bou Savy Guesthouse - $16 per night

 -- free pick-up from airport / bus station

 -- free breakfast

 -- one free dinner