Are you planning on backpacking Cambodia and unsure how to get around? I’m not going to lie to you: transportation in Cambodia is a bit trickier to navigate than in neighbouring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam. The 12GOAsia website has most of the travel routes and companies in Cambodia, so you can book transportation online. However, there are fewer options, and journeys are not super comfortable, but they are well worth it! Ways of getting around Cambodia include buses, vans, ferries, motorbike/moped Tuk Tuks and Taxis. This guide will cover how to plan your travel route, which transport options are best and general tips for getting around Cambodia.
Planning your travel route in Cambodia
When backpacking around any country, having a rough idea or plan of your travel route will save you time and money as you will avoid backtracking. Cambodia has a very well-trodden travel route that most backpackers stick to (some may skip a stop or two depending on personal preference). This travel route can be travelled in either direction, depending on how you get to Cambodia and where you go afterwards. If you’re coming overland from Vietnam or Laos, you’ll arrive in Phnom Penh first. If you’re coming overland from Thailand, you’ll arrive in Siem Reap first.
The popular travel route for Cambodia is generally Siem Reap-Phnom Penh-Kampot-Koh Rong-Koh Rong Samloem-Phnom Penh. Some people also visit Battambang, which is 3 hours south of Siem Reap and only connected via direct bus to Siem Reap, so it will involve backtracking. Personally, I opted to skip Battambang both times I’ve visited Cambodia, and I don’t know many people who have been there, as it’s a bit more off-the-beaten-track. The other place some people visit is Sihanoukville, but this is mainly to break up longer travel days getting to and from the islands. Sihanoukville used to be a super popular travel destination, but most people avoid stopping here (even for a night) if they can due to the effects of over-tourism. Intrepid Travel has a fantastic article on what happened to Sihanoukville. If you’re interested, you can read that here.
To orientate you on the major backpacker destinations in Cambodia, I’ve created a custom map below:
Travel route to visit the Islands of Cambodia
In terms of the order in which you visit destinations in Cambodia, you have little flexibility. Sihanoukville is a transport hub where you can easily travel directly to Koh Rong Island, Koh Rong Samloem Island, Kampot and Phnom Penh. You can also get to Siem Reap, but it is a longer travel route and goes via Phnom Penh anyway.
If you’re planning to go to both islands, it doesn’t really matter which one you visit first. The one thing to consider is timing your visit with Nestival, if you plan to go. Nestival is an all-day event Nest Hostel holds every Saturday and is fairly famous among Southeast Asia backpackers. It involves team games like wheelbarrow races, body paint, and many free drinks. You can read more information about Nestival in my Koh Rong guide here. Kampot is another detour you can take from Sihanoukville, and it really doesn’t matter if you visit Kampot before or after the islands.
The one downside of visiting the islands and Kampot is that you will likely have to backtrack to Phnom Penh to get anywhere else. The only exception to this is if you are heading from Kampot to Vietnam, as there are some lesser-known travel agencies offering tickets direct from Kampot to Phu Quoc Island, Can Tho and Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. This is not a very common travel route for those backpacking Cambodia, but the positive is it saves you from having to backtrack to Phnom Penh to get a bus across to Vietnam.
Where to book transport
As always, 12GOAsia is the most popular place to book buses, ferries and van transfers everywhere in South East Asia. 12GOAsia allows you to search any two destinations, and it will bring up different transport options, timings, and prices and let you secure your spot online. The other place you can book transportation is through your hostel. Hostels sometimes get you a better price than 12GOAsia, or they throw in a free transfer to the bus station, saving you money on a Tuk Tuk. For most buses, vans and ferries, you don’t need to book too far in advance as there are many companies and different departure times along popular travel routes in Cambodia.
Getting around Cambodia by plane
Getting around Cambodia by plane is not a very popular mode of transport due to the short distances, lack of airports and high plane ticket costs. The country has only three commercial airports: Phnom Penh, Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. All airports have domestic and international flights, but Sihanoukville only flies to Ho Chi Minh City and Kuala Lumpur and has fewer flight options. Flight times for domestic flights are usually only around 45 minutes to an hour due to how close everything is. Basic fares (no checked baggage allowance) usually cost around $83 USD for routes between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. This is fairly high compared to the price and the duration of the van transfers between these destinations, so most backpackers will opt to get the van instead.
Getting around Cambodia by bus/ van transfer
This is by far the most popular way to get between cities in Cambodia. There are larger buses operating on multi-country routes, such as Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh and Bangkok to Siem Reap. These buses can differ greatly in quality, amenities, comfort and price. Giant Ibis company is generally the most expensive bus company that crosses the border, but they do have the best amenities. For example, they have both a driver and a “guide” on board who help you with the border crossing. This is a major benefit of going through Giant Ibis, as they explain the process and help as much as they can to get everyone through both immigration departments as fast as possible. They also have super comfortable bus seats that recline pretty far back, good A/C, and they give you water and a bunch of snacks.
Other than travel routes that cross borders, all other “buses” in Cambodia are actually van transfers. Expect a small van even if the hostel, travel agency, or online website tells you it is a bus. Now, I’m not going to sugarcoat it: these van transfers are not comfortable at all. It’s essentially a 12-seater mini-van, where they will squeeze as many people into the transfer as possible. Most likely, this will be on small, uncomfortable pull-out seats. Other times, they even have people sitting on the floor or on small stools. The better seats are the front seats with the driver (if you can get them). The A/C is generally pretty poor, and everyone’s luggage is squeezed around the seats, making it even more cramped.
Tips for van transfers in Cambodia
The roads (particularly between Phnom Penh and Kampot or Sihanoukville) are generally pretty bumpy too. If you get carsick often, bring a puke bag or take some nausea pills, just in case! If not enough people are booked on your van transfer time, they will either change you to a later bus time (meaning you will have to wait longer for the next van) or put you in a smaller van or even a taxi. This only happened to me once, but the taxi ride was so much more comfortable than the van.
For a 4-6 hour journey, the van will only usually stop once for a toilet/ snack break, so keep this in mind for water intake on the van. If you are catching a van to Sihanoukville to board a ferry to the islands, allow extra time, or don’t even book your ferry ticket in advance. The vans are notoriously late, and lots of people who book ferries in advance end up missing their boats. The van will drop you at a travel agency in Sihanoukville town centre, whereas the ferries all depart from the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, which is a 10-15 minute Tuk Tuk ride away. You can easily book and pay for tickets at the port for the next ferry leaving, which is what most travellers do. Just make sure you allow more than enough time to make the last ferry, which departs promptly at 5 pm daily.
Ferries in Cambodia
If you’re heading to Koh Rong Island or Koh Rong Samloem Island, you will need to get a boat from Sihanoukville to get there. The journey to the islands can be a bit of an adventure. Firstly, to get to Sihanoukville, you must take a van transfer on a small, cramped van on bumpy roads. From Sihanoukville town, you need to get a Tuk Tuk to the Sihanoukville Autonomous Port, which is a 10-15 minute ride away. Strongly recommend purchasing ferry tickets at the port as it is common for travellers to miss their ferry if the van transfer is late (and it is often is).
When purchasing tickets for the boats at the port, you have two different types: ferry and speedboat. Speedboats are supposed to be faster and, therefore, more expensive, but there isn’t too much difference between the time taken on the ferry and the speedboat. Expect the journey to last between 40-75 minutes, regardless of which boat type you choose. If you suffer from seasickness, the ferry will be your best choice as it tends to be less rocky. The ferry has indoor seating with A/C and shade. The speedboat has outdoor seating with more of a breeze and a roof to protect you from the sun. However, if it is choppy, expect to get pretty wet from the waves splashing through the sides (speaking from experience).
Getting to Koh Rong Island via ferry
There are two main drop-off points on Koh Rong Island: Koh Rong Port (also called Koh Toch Beach) and Long Set Beach. If you’re staying in the centre of Koh Rong, it will be a short walk from Koh Rong Port. If you’re staying at Nest Hostel or Bunna’s hostel, it will be a bit of an adventure getting there. Long Set Beach is closer to these hostels, but you can also get off at Koh Rong Port. If you get off at Long Set Beach, it is about a 15-minute walk along the beach to Nest Hostel. Be warned, if it’s high tide, you must cross a section of around waist-high water. At low tide, it’s barely ankle-deep.
If you get off at Koh Rong Port and want to get to Nest Hostel, it’s about a 30-minute walk along a beach and through a shaded jungle path. After it’s been raining, the jungle path will flood and become muddy and slippery. Otherwise, it’s usually fine. If you don’t want to walk, local guys on motorbikes at Koh Rong Port will take you for around $5 USD. The journey is pretty bumpy, and you will need to hold your bags on the motorbike.
Getting to Koh Rong Samloem by ferry
If you stay at Nest or Bunna’s Hostel and travel to Koh Rong Samloem, you can arrange a boat through Nest Hostel. The boat picks you up directly at the hostel and takes you to the main pier at Koh Rong Samloem. Be warned, you must walk/swim out to the boat in waist-deep water at high tide. Most people have to put their big backpack or suitcase on their head to try and avoid it getting too wet. Honestly, it can be a bit of a nightmare, especially with the waves or if you have electronics! If you are travelling this route, try departing at low tide or walking to the pier to get a boat to Samloem.
Koh Rong Samloem Island is a much smaller island, so there is only one drop-off point for the boat: Saracen Bay Pier. 95% of hostels and accommodations are located along the beach. At most, it would only be a 15-minute walk along the beach to the furthest accommodation.
Getting around Cambodia by scooter/ moped
Unlike many other Southeast Asian countries, getting around by scooter isn’t super common in Cambodia. There is heaps of traffic in bigger cities like Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, and navigating the streets on a scooter as a tourist can be difficult. There are also many affordable options for getting around these cities, like Tuk Tuks, Grab or Passapp. The main destination where travellers will rent scooters in Cambodia is Kampot. All of the attractions in Kampot are outside the town, so you will either need to join a tour, rent a car with a driver for the day with friends or rent a bike. Out of those options, renting a bike is the most flexible and the most cost-effective. Kampot is fairly quiet, and the roads are in good condition, so many travellers feel fairly safe driving a moped here.
Where to rent a scooter in Cambodia
Many hostels will assist with scooter rentals on-site or recommend reliable rental companies. Otherwise, you can google scooter rental companies and choose the most reliable based on reviews. Some companies have bad reputations for scamming travellers, renting faulty scooters, or claiming tourists damaged scooters when the scratches were actually pre-existing. Make sure you do your research to avoid being scammed! Renting scooters up-front for a few days is usually more cost-effective than renting daily. You can generally rent a scooter everywhere for around $5-$8 USD per day.
Scooters are pretty dangerous, and a lot (and I really mean a lot) of travellers have accidents. Every second backpacker in South East Asia has a scooter accident story. It is THAT common. While people often end up with minor cuts, gravel rash and a bit of a bruised ego, I met many people with serious scooter accident stories. Broken legs, fractured collarbones, and people having to return home and cut their trip short to recover from serious injuries. Also, not to be morbid, backpackers do die in scooter accidents. When I was in Canggu, another traveller died on the back of a motorbike as a drunk tourist hit her. It was tragic and shook many people in the backpacking/ex-pat community in Canggu- a stern reminder of the dangers of scooters.
A warning about scooters in South East Asia!
You need an international driver’s license to ride a scooter in Asia. I’ve heard that it’s super easy to apply for one in most travellers’ home countries and relatively inexpensive. However, most travellers either aren’t aware of this or don’t bother to get one before they leave home. The scooter companies will still rent a scooter to you regardless of whether you have a proper license. Driving without an international license, you can be fined a fair bit of money or face prison if you refuse to pay.
Even worse, if you are in a severe accident and were driving without an international license at the time, it is highly likely your travel insurance will not pay for your medical expenses. Most travel insurers have a clause stating they will not pay for medical bills that result from you committing an illegal activity. As driving without an international license (while commonplace) is technically illegal, insurance companies will not cover you for scooter accidents.
Tips for renting a scooter in Cambodia
- Take a scooter lesson when you arrive to learn about road rules and safety from a local. I did one for less than $5 USD, which made me more confident.
- Get an international license from your home country before you travel. It’s cheap and easy in most countries so that you won’t be fined excess money in Cambodia.
- Don’t drive drunk. You’d think it would be common sense, but there’s something about the scene in many parts of South East Asia where it’s normalised. By all means, drive your scooter during the day sober. At night, jump in a grab. They are literally so cheap.
- Make sure you always lock your scooter and keep the key somewhere safe. You’d be surprised how often someone is tearing apart the dorm looking for a scooter key.
- Take photos and videos of the scooter’s condition before you rent it. Otherwise, you will be charged for scratches or dents already on the vehicle.
- Be mindful of using your phone or any passengers’ phones while driving. Phone grabbing from other vehicles is not uncommon and can cause serious accidents. For directions, either get the back passenger to discretely use their phone from their lap or have Google map directions playing in your AirPods, so you don’t even need your phone out.
Uber and Grab in Cambodia
Cambodia does not have Uber, but they do have Grab, which is used in most South East Asian countries and Passapp, which is a rideshare app specific to Cambodia. Passapp tends to be more widely used than Grab, so it is worth downloading the app to get around cities. Passapp and Grab are readily available in destinations like Siem Reap, Phnom Penh, Kampot and Sihanoukville. On the islands (Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem), you will get around mainly on foot or by boat. Passapp and Grab have options to pay by either card or cash (directly to the driver). While they have taxi cars, tuk-tuks will generally be the cheapest transport option.
Tuk Tuks in Cambodia
If you can’t find a driver on Grab or Passapp, plenty of Tuk Tuks are always around. They usually hang out outside tourist sites, or you can wave them down from the road. Tuk Tuks are motorised three-wheeled vehicles popular in many countries in South East Asia. The driver sits in the front, and you can generally get 3-4 people in the back. They are open-air but quite often have a clear covering over the back to shield them from wind and rain. Tuk Tuks are usually bright colours like green or blue, so they are easily spottable.
Here are some tips for using Tuk Tuks in Cambodia:
- Always haggle! Their initial price will always be much higher than the standard going rate for the journey. Feel free to walk away if they won’t lower the price. A few times, I told drivers, “It’s only 20 minutes. I’ll just walk,” and they chased me and offered me a much lower price, which I accepted.
- Look up the price on Grab or Passapp first to see a rough estimate of the price. Often, you won’t be able to haggle the price down quite as low as rideshare prices, but you shouldn’t be paying anywhere near double that price. You can also use the rideshare price as a haggling tool. Show the Tuk Tuk driver the price and see if they’ll match it or lower their price.
- Make sure you agree on the price before you get in the car or put your luggage in the boot!
- Use Google Translate to communicate the address. Don’t be afraid to show them on a map or point out a nearby landmark like a pagoda. So many hostels and hotels have similar names, so it is not uncommon to get accidentally dropped off at the wrong address.
Getting around Cambodia on foot
In most cities in Cambodia, cafes, restaurants, bars, and other sights are close by and walkable on foot. As in much of South East Asia, there are not really footpaths, so you will have to walk on the road. If there are footpaths, usually they will be used for scooter parking. Cars drive on the right-hand side of the road in Cambodia. So it is better to walk on the left-hand side of the road so you can see oncoming traffic and navigate around it. Walking around Cambodia feels very safe, particularly alone as a female at night. The only real risk is stray dogs. Ensure you keep a fair distance from any dogs, as they are often territorial and used as guard dogs. If you get bitten, make sure you head to a hospital asap to get a rabies shot!
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