How to get to Cambodia. How to get to Cambodia: personal experience Cambodia airports on the map

If you have read about Cambodia and are really excited about the idea of visiting this Asian state, then we have bad news for you. The flight from Moscow to Cambodia is so difficult that it has already managed to stop a single tourist. But if you are not a timid person and are willing to overcome all difficulties just to end up in Cambodia, then we have prepared an article just for you - how to get from Moscow to Cambodia. But before the flight, it is better to contact a private Russian guide in Cambodia in advance and clarify the question about the excursion and transfer.

How to get to Cambodia

The largest airport in Cambodia is located in the country's capital, Phnom Penh. The airport is large and international, but it serves mainly Asian destinations. Therefore, the main options for how to fly to Cambodia are connected with China. From Moscow you will have to fly with transfers, for example, in the following cities:

Guangzhou;
Doha;

China is the most important “neighbor” and “donor” of tourists for Cambodia. Guangzhou is one of the largest cities in the country and this is where transfers are most often made. You can also change trains in Beijing or Shanghai. Sometimes there are profitable tickets through South Korea, for example, through Seoul. Doha is located in Qatar. This option is somewhat more convenient, since Qatar Airways are famous for their colossal level of comfort.

So what's the downside, you ask. It's simple - you have to fly 30-40 hours one way. As of November 21, we could not find a single option on how to get to Cambodia in less than 30 hours. The fastest option was 33 hours and 20 minutes. You can imagine that after such a flight you will need to move away from it. And if you have a limited number of vacation days, then Cambodia is literally inaccessible.

Prices

Prices are another annoying aspect of this flight. On average, you will have to pay about 20 thousand rubles for a one-way flight. And this takes into account the fact that you are flying with transfers and the flight itself is extremely difficult. But don’t be fooled, many people choose Cambodia not from Moscow, but when traveling around Southeast Asia. This is a healthy choice and in this case you will not have to fly with long layovers or spend a huge amount of money. Therefore, Cambodia is a very frequent stop when traveling around Asia.

Cambodia... A mysterious country where ancient legends come to life in temples with a thousand-year history, where the sun rises every day, illuminating the lush nature of the jungle stretching on the ocean shore, and big cities with their noisy markets and Asian flavor shock the sharp contrast with the pristine nature ... I first thought about traveling to Cambodia several years ago at the invitation of my friend. I couldn’t decide for a long time until I saw a dream about this mysterious country. It was so bright and colorful that I decided to go. And I fell in love with Cambodia forever...

Cambodia, with its tragic history and truly kind and helpful people, is unforgettable.

Visa and border crossing

There are two ways to obtain a Cambodian visa:

To country can be imported: foreign currency in an amount not exceeding $10,000, alcoholic beverages, but not more than 2 liters, pets, if there is a certificate, as well as prescription medications.

Cannot be imported or export: drugs, weapons, flammable substances, audio and video recordings that insult the spiritual culture of Cambodia.

How to get there

The only way to get to Cambodia from Russia is by plane.

By plane

There are no direct flights from Russia to Cambodia. If you live in Central Russia, then the cheapest and fastest way to fly is from Moscow. Prices range from $620 to $900 per ticket, depending on the number of transfers.

In this case, the flight takes place from Domodedovo and Sheremetyevo. You can fly from the Far East through an international airport.

One of the cheapest flights is the flight operated by China Southern Airlines. Its cost is only $620, but the flight will take one day and twelve hours with two transfers. While Vietnam Airlines offers a flight for $730 with one transfer and a round trip flight lasting only 12-14 hours. Other airlines offering relatively inexpensive flights from Moscow: Thai Airways, S7 Airlines, Qatar Airways, Singapore Airlines, Korean Air. You can search for tickets, for example, .

And if you live in the Far East, you can fly from Vladivostok to S7 Airlines, Asiana Airlines or Korean Air, and the cost of a round-trip ticket will be approximately $600.

Tourist regions

The main tourist destinations of the country are: the capital, the temple complex of Angkor Wat, the beach resort of Sihanoukville, the “capital of crabs” Kep, Kampot province, Tonle Sap Lake, as well as the islands of Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem. I will talk about many of them in more detail below.

By the way, I usually look for hotels on Booking - you can see prices from different sites. If you like immersing yourself in local flavor, here are the options for private apartments for rent.

Top cities

Phnom Penh

If you're not used to the bustling charm of Asian big cities, then get ready to get a thrill on the way from the airport.

Locals riding their motorcycles without helmets at crazy speeds that even the Hell Angels could envy are a common sight in Phnom Penh. Traffic jams in the Cambodian capital are as bad as Moscow during rush hour. There are no rules or traffic signs in this city as such, and no one is afraid of the police.

One day I watched as a local woman with hot pink hair and a dragon tattoo on her shoulder rode to my right, calmly smoking weed. And on the left is a large family, where the father drove a motorcycle, holding a baby, and the mother and two daughters sat behind him.

Nightlife in Phnom Penh is also uniquely exotic. For example, if you go out for a walk in the central streets of the city in the evening, local residents may stop you and insistently ask you at the top of their voices, without being embarrassed by the police officers standing nearby: Marijuana? Cocaine? Heroin?.

Phnom Penh has many interesting clubs and bars worthy of a place in some sex, drugs & rock"n"roll movie about hippies.

One of the oldest and most popular bars in the city is Sharky Bar. Live music, Bike nights and Ladies Night on Thursdays with free drinks for the ladies from 21:00 to 23:00, great cocktails and snacks, and a truly authentic atmosphere. A real aesthetic pleasure can be experienced by visiting one of the sky bars - rooftop restaurants, from where you can watch the view of the city at night while enjoying the best drinks and exquisite local cuisine.

In Phnom Penh you can meet people from all over the world, as well as expats who have escaped the pathos of Western civilization. For example, my friend and I met musicians from Seattle who once played on tour with Marilyn Manson.

Of course, not everyone will appreciate the “subtle and wonderful bouquet of life” in Asian big cities. But it is precisely in this wild and unbridled atmosphere of decadence, penetrating the soul like a sweet poison, that their charm lies.

Angkor Wat

This is a real temple city, a unique Hindu architectural monument dedicated to the god Vishnu. It was here that scenes from the famous film “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider” were filmed.

The temple complex was built for King Suryavarman II and is today one of the world's largest archaeological sites. Its mysterious towers, decorations, figures of mythical and beautiful Hindu demigoddesses apsaras and huge heads of Buddha fascinate with the ancient breath of grandeur.

Angkor Wat is the soul and heart of Cambodia, the national symbol and epicenter of the ancient Khmer civilization.

The complex is so large that it is simply impossible to explore it in one day! It is best to stay at a local hotel for a couple of days. I recommend starting your tour of the complex at 6:00, when there are fewer tourists and you can truly feel the mystical spirit of this place.

After many hours of excursions around Angkor Wat, be sure to visit the Angkor Night Market, where you can buy inexpensive souvenirs and also try very exotic local dishes.

Siem Reap

The name Siem Reap translates as “victory over Siam”, and Siam was then called Thailand. It is the city of Siem Reap that is the gateway to Angkor Wat.

Don't forget to take a stroll along the famous Pub Street. This is something like the local Arbat, but with an Asian flavor.

Here you can listen to street bands, dine, and enjoy local drinks such as Angkor beer.

If you're a horse lover, check out Happy Ranch Farm, which offers a two-hour horseback ride through the countryside of Siem Reap, where you'll be treated to expansive rice fields and lotus flowers.

You can read more about the cost and routes of trips at the ranch.

It should be noted that Siem Reap is one of the cleanest cities in Cambodia. You won't see any garbage in the city center, and beautiful ornamental trees are planted along the roads.

Islands

Top attractions

In addition to the famous Angkor Wat temple complex, I recommend visiting other interesting sights of the country. Among them:

Weather

Summer in Cambodia is the time of monsoon rains, so going on vacation at this time of year is not recommended. From March to May and from September to November, temperatures hover around +35 °C and there is high tropical humidity.

The period from November to March is the ideal time to visit the country, as the temperature does not exceed +30 °C and the humidity is quite tolerable.

Money

The local currency unit is the Cambodian riel (KHR). For $1 you can get about 4,000 local “tugriks”, and for 100 rubles you can get about 6,400 riel.

However, even residents of the country are not particularly fond of the local currency, and all prices in hotels, restaurants, etc. are indicated in dollars.

Moving around the country

Public transport

The public transport network in Cambodia is not particularly developed, and you will not see any trams, trolleybuses, or even trains there.

There is a railway in the country, but it is in a deteriorating state and is considered very dangerous, because the rails are old and the tracks are deformed.

The most popular means of transportation for tourists in Cambodia are knock-knock- Asian mini-taxi. The name translates as “cheap”, but in reality the price will depend solely on your bargaining ability. Personally, after a few days of living in Phnom Penh, when asked to offer a trip around the city for $5, I responded with a feigned indignation that I could only offer $2, and they had to agree! Tuk-tuk owners recognize tourists from afar and chase them with obsessive cries of “knock-knock!” until they starve you to death.

For trips to neighboring cities there are many buses, some of them are quite decent and even equipped with Wi-Fi. However, if you're taking an overnight flight from, say, Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, you might be in for an unpleasant surprise: the overnight lounges on the bus are designed for two people, and if you're traveling alone, there's no telling who your seatmate will be! For example, I watched with laughter as an elderly, portly European woman caused a scandal to the driver, because her neighbor turned out to be some young Asian of gangster appearance with many tattoos and gold teeth!

You can also get to neighboring cities by bus. For example, a ticket from Phnom Penh to Ho Chi Minh City will cost only $20.

Popular transport companies are , , .

If you prefer to travel by car, you can see the cost of renting a car in Cambodia.

Overnight

Concerning campsites And motels on the territory of the country, I rented housing only on the islands and I can give the following recommendations: if funds allow, choose housing away from the pier, because this is where the nightlife is concentrated, and discos are held until the morning. True, you can rent housing at the pier for $5 per day or for $1 per day in a hostel.

Personally, I was able to rent a cozy room for only $1 a day, but due to the noise of discos, I had to move to a more remote part of the island. The best bungalows on Koh Rong are Paradise Bungalows (they also have an amazing rooftop restaurant with ocean views), Tree House Bungalow and White Beach Bungalows, and on Koh Rong Samloem there are Sleeping Trees bungalows. Prices range from $20-30 per night on Koh Rong, and more expensive on Koh Rong Samloem, but you can always bargain, especially if you are staying for a long time.

If you want to learn all the intricacies of choosing housing, you can read about it on our website.

Connection

Internet and Wi-Fi are well developed in Cambodia, even on the islands. True, during storms their quality drops sharply. To communicate with Russia, I recommend using Skype - it's free.

Language and communication

Local residents speak Khmer. It was formed under the influence of the Indian language and Sanskrit. Cambodians also speak Chinese and Vietnamese.

Knowledge of English varies by region. In tourist regions, every tuk-tuk driver knows a few phrases in English. The same applies to employees of restaurants, hotels and large stores. Personally, I didn’t know a word of the local language and only used English.

Features of mentality

Features of mentality depend on where you live.

In the city center of Phnom Penh, you'll find locals who look like they've spent their entire lives on Captain Jack Sparrow's favorite island, Tortuga, and brightly colored oriental beauties who seduce foreigners.

In the villages or on the islands, you will see traditional families with many children (they have such magical eyes and smiles!) and highly developed spiritual traditions.

Food and drink

Gourmets and lovers of Asian cuisine should definitely visit Cambodia! Fresh, aromatic, spicy and incredibly cheap local food is one of the sources of national pride.

5 dishes worth trying

Here are a few dishes that you should definitely try (you can ask for vegetarian soups and salads, but I am not a vegetarian and therefore I offer you meat dishes):

There are also various specific dishes, but it takes a certain amount of courage to try them! How do you like, for example, dried toads, fried bugs, the live heart of a snake, or even a snake tincture on moonshine?

Shopping

Safety

Street theft is very common in large cities across the country. When walking the streets in the evening, you need to hold your bag, camera or video camera tightly to yourself, because it can easily be snatched by motorcyclists hunting for easy prey. Therefore, you should not carry documents (a copy of your passport), large sums of money or other valuables with you.

You should also not leave your personal belongings unattended on the beach. Even if you went to the toilet for five minutes and left your iPhone on the sunbed, I guarantee you that you can say goodbye to it forever.

If you're returning late at night, it's better to invest in a tuk-tuk than to walk the dark streets alone.

Popular types of scams

Unfortunately, in Cambodia you often have to deal with:

Child begging. Little boys and girls enter fashionable restaurants and aggressively beg tourists for money while their parents sit and eat pizza in their tuk-tuk. By the way, some drivers who don’t have enough money to rent accommodation spend the night in their tuk-tuk, pulling a hammock.
Money scam in a tuk-tuk. This is one of the popular scams in Cambodia. For example, a tourist negotiates for $2, and the driver nods his head, and at the end of the trip he demands $5 from him. When the unfortunate person tries to prove that the price is too high, the driver may start shouting loudly and indignantly in his native language, attracting the local population as spectators, thereby trying to confuse the tourist and force him to pay $5.
Currency exchange on the street. Be careful and never agree to this: in exchange for your dollars, they may give you, for example, Chinese yuan instead of Cambodian riel or something like that!
At withdrawing money from the card inATM You also need to be vigilant. Fraudsters can attach devices to them that scan the card number and PIN.

5 things you definitely shouldn't do

Leave your mobile phone or any other valuables unattended on the beach, even for one minute!
Ride a motorcycle during monsoon rains.
If you are a single girl and live in a guesthouse on the island, bring guests over and have noisy parties.
When going to the Full Moon Party on the island of Koh Rong, it would be reckless to forget your flashlight - the path to the island lies through a small part of the jungle.
And most importantly...
Forget to use mosquito repellent every few hours!!! They'll eat you alive...

5 things you must do in this country

Try Happy Smoothie and Happy Pizza with interesting toppings that will expand your consciousness and put you in a pleasant meditative state. This is especially pleasant on one of the paradise Cambodian islands...
Attend the Full Moon Party, which is held during the full moon on the island of Koh Rong on the ocean shore.
Bargain at the market and be surprised to find out that you can buy this dress or jeans for 5 times cheaper.
Walk with your loved one or best friend through the jungle on Koh Rong island and come out to its deserted part.
Having completed the previous point, stay on a deserted part of the island with your adventure partner and live in a tent, fishing, making a fire and feeling like Robinson Crusoe and Friday!
Anything to add?

The cost of tickets purchased for flights departing in the afternoon will be cheaper. If your arrival time is evening/night, then expect that a taxi to the hotel will cost 1.5–2 times more.

Flights to Cambodia from Moscow with transfers

There is still no direct flight from Moscow to Cambodia. Passengers will have to make at least one transfer.

To Phnom Penh

The fastest way to get from Domodedovo to Phnom Penh Airport (the capital) will take 16 hours 45 m. First, on board owned by Etihad Airways, you need to fly 5 hours 15 m to Abu Dhabi, then make a transfer that will last 2 hours 30 m, on another board of the same company, next to Bangkok. A transfer in Bangkok to a flight from Bangkok Airways will take 1 hour 10 minutes, exactly the same as the rest of the flight. The price of a ticket for this route ranges from 30,500 to 33,000 rubles.

Another option - with one transfer in the city of Doha, which will last 8 hours 10 m, you can get from Moscow to Cambodia in 22 hours 50 m, if you use the services of Qatar Airways and fly on a day flight. The average cost of such a flight per person will be 25,000 rubles. Important! Luggage is not included in this price!

If you take a Qatar Airways night flight, the transfer in Doha will take 21 hours 30 minutes. The total flight time will be 36 hours 20 minutes. The ticket in this case will cost from 26,000 to 32,000 rubles. Again, luggage will not be included in this price.

For a flight with Thai Airways you will have to pay from 29,000 to 35,000 rubles. The time of the only transfer in Bangkok, in this case, will be 11 hours 15 minutes. The total time will be 21 hours 30 minutes. Without additional payment, you can carry up to 30 kg of luggage per piece and no more than 7 kg of hand luggage for a person.

To Siem Reap

From Moscow you can get to Cambodia by flying not only to the capital’s airport. There is a large airport in. — The fastest way to get there is to use the services of Qatar Airways, make a transfer of 2 hours 50 m in Doha, then transfer to a Bangkok Airways flight in 3 hours 15 m. The entire flight will take 18 hours 45 minutes. Prices vary from 30,000 to 33,000 rubles.

— You can fly with one 11-hour transfer thanks to Thai Airways and Thai Smile. It will have to be done in Bangkok. The total time in this case will be 21 hours 50 minutes, and ticket prices start at 28,000 rubles.

To Sihanoukville

The third airport in Cambodia that is ready to welcome Russian tourists is the airport in Sihanoukville. But flights there are rare and cost several times more than flights from neighboring cities. The best option for a tourist is to use the services of Qatar Airways first, making the first transfer of 8 hours 10 minutes in Doha, and the second in Ho Chi Minh City, which will take 18 hours. Thus, a flight from Moscow to the city of Sihanoukville in Cambodia will take 40 hours 15 minutes. The cost of a ticket in this direction will start from 33,000 rubles.

From Yekaterinburg

The fastest way to get from E-burg to Cambodia is to fly on an evening Ural Airlines flight to Beijing, change there to Air China and fly to the airport in the Chinese province of Sanya. There, transfer on board Hainan Airlenes, and then end up in Phnom Penh. The total time spent is 24 hours 15 minutes. A ticket for such a flight will cost from 34,000 rubles.

The most budget-friendly way to make this flight will cost a tourist from 23,000 to 29,000 rubles (luggage is not included!) and will take 31 hours 40 minutes. The first transfer will have to be made in Moscow, the second in Doha. At Domodedovo it will be equal to 6 hours 20 m, and at Doha airport - 8 hours 10 m. Perhaps this became thanks to the companies S7 (Siberia) and Qatar Airways.

From Saint-Petersburg

— The fastest and at the same time the most inexpensive flight option will take exactly one day, taking into account the time of two transfers: at Urumqi airport, which will last 5 hours 55 m, and in the city of Guangzhou, which will last 4 hours 05 m. This passenger transportation is carried out by China Southern Airlines. Ticket prices start from 28,500 rubles.
— Night flights in this direction are operated by S7 (Siberia) and Thai Airways. The first transfer takes place in Moscow (17:00), the second in Bangkok (11:15). The total travel time is 40 hours. Price is from 27,000 to 29,000 rubles.

From Novosibirsk

In 13 hours, tourists will be transported from Novosibirsk to Phnom Penh airport by S7 (Siberia) and Bangkok Airways with one transfer in Bangkok, the duration of which is 4 hours 55 minutes. The ticket price will be from 19,000 to 21,000 rubles. Important! Baggage transportation is not included in the ticket price; hand luggage should not weigh more than 10 kg for one person.

In 21 hours 55 minutes, tourists will be delivered from Novosibirsk to Phnom Penh Airport by S7 (Siberia), Air China and Hainan Airlenes. The first transfer in Beijing will take 9 hours, the second in Sanya will take 2 hours 40 minutes. The ticket price is 32,000 rubles.

From Irkutsk

The fastest way to get from Irkutsk to Cambodia will take 33 hours 40 minutes. Tickets will cost from 29,500 to 31,000 rubles. Flights are operated by S7 (Siberia) and China Southern Airlines. The first connection in Beijing will last 13 hours 20 minutes, and the second in Shenzhen will last 11 hours 25 minutes.

Cambodia is an underexplored destination in Southeast Asia. Tourists are mainly offered two-day excursions from Thailand or Vietnam. But it’s much more interesting to explore this amazing country on your own.

Flight.
There are no direct flights from Russia to Cambodian cities. You can get to Siem Reap with either one change in Bangkok, Seoul or Guangzhou, or with two changes. But the simplest thing is to fly first to Ho Chi Minh City or Bangkok to relax there for a while, and then take a ticket on local airlines.
Flight cost: from Moscow or St. Petersburg to Bangkok you can buy a ticket for 18–20 thousand rubles, if you follow airline promotions. A plane from Bangkok to Siem Reap will cost about 2 thousand, from Ho Chi Minh City - about 5 thousand. Siem Reap - Sihanoukville: about 4 thousand rubles one way.
From Thailand or Vietnam you can get to Cambodia by bus, it will be cheaper, but the road is quite long and tiring.
There is no need to worry about a visa in advance; it is issued at the border.

Siem Reap.
People from all over the world come to this small town to look at the unique temple complex discovered by the French. Incredible stone structures amaze the imagination and impress even the most experienced.
At dawn, people leave to see the temples, and in the evening they walk the streets and sit in cafes and bars. Since there is no sea, most stay only one or two days. Siem Reap has a unique atmosphere filled with speech in different languages, movement and a sea of people. If you are not a fan of discos and bars, you can get a Thai massage or foot massage in the evening, it costs only 5-10 dollars.
From the airport, you can ask the taxi driver to take you to the city center, where there is always a place in one of the hotels. Price per room: from 20 dollars per day. Any taxi driver will be happy to take you to see the temples, with whom it is better to negotiate the evening before. The trip lasts from 5-6 am until approximately noon.

Phnom Penh.
In the capital of Cambodia, all the contrasts inherent in this mysterious country are fully manifested. On the street you can see luxury Lamborghinis and pedicabs. Wealth coexists with extreme poverty. Tourists in the capital visit temples, as well as the “Killing Fields” near the city, where they can understand the entire Pol Pot regime and the tragedy of an entire nation.

Sihanoukville.
Coastal city built by the French.
This is simply an ideal place where a traveler can recuperate. Warm calm sea, fruit markets, smiling locals who know how to enjoy life and incredibly beautiful children. At the same time, you can find completely deserted beaches, for example, Otros Beach, where instead of palm trees, large larches grow on the shore. On any beach there is always a free bungalow at a price of 20-30 dollars for two.

What to eat.
Prices in cafes on the seashore are not at all high. Of course, there are a lot of seafood and rice dishes here. One of the national Cambodian dishes is amok - fish, poultry or seafood cooked in coconut milk with spices. There are many Italian restaurants on the central beach of Serendipity, where they also serve pizza.

Safety.
Like most countries in Southeast Asia, Cambodia is completely safe for independent travel if you follow the general rules that apply in any country: do not walk on the streets late at night, beware of pickpockets in crowded places, do not wear diamond jewelry on the beach, be polite to locals residents and understand that you are not at home.

What to pay attention to.
Khmers (Cambodians) are very friendly people, but in tourist places you have to keep your eyes open, you can bargain everywhere, as the price is often very high from the start.
At the border you can meet “Ostap Benders” offering to exchange money for the local currency, riel, at a very unfavorable rate. And those who claim that there will no longer be an opportunity to change money anywhere. In fact, in Cambodia you can pay in dollars everywhere, and it is much more profitable.
Many locals speak fairly good and understandable English.
Cambodia is not yet as “spoiled” by tourists as Thailand, so prices here are slightly lower.
Souvenirs. Here you can buy beautiful wood products, jewelry with semi-precious stones, cotton clothes, and pictures of temples.
Don't forget to take out insurance before your trip.

Cambodia is becoming more and more popular every year, so don’t put off your trip to this wonderful country, which will give you vivid memories for a lifetime.

14.10.08 - 16.10.08 Dmitry Gornostaev

I’ll say right away that for a married couple a trip from Pattaya to Ankor Wat cost about 10,000 rubles. This included: tickets to the Cambodian border by bus, tuk-tuk to the checkpoint, visas, transfer across the border to Poi Pet, transfer to Siem Reap, hotel accommodation with breakfast, tuk-tuk to Anchor Wat and the main attractions of the complex, trips along it and back, transfer to the border with Thailand and a car steamed in Aranyaprathet to Pattaya. We traveled in two couples, so it is possible that it would have been more expensive for one couple.

A bright yellow bus leaves daily from the bus station in Pattaya (Thailand) to Aranyaprathet, a Thai town bordering Cambodia. Departure in the morning. It is better to buy tickets a day in advance; on the day of departure it may be full. The double-decker bus is comfortable and provides food and water. Go and see Thai landscapes. After 4-5 hours, get off at Aranyaprathethe (ask the flight attendant in advance about the stop, there are 4 of them there). We went out, caught a tuk-tuk for fifty dollars, and drove 5 km to the border. Direction to the checkpoint, where you apply for immigration cards - give a 3x4 photo (don't forget to take it in advance!), pay for everything, get a visa in your passport and they take you across the border to the bus.

By bus, already in the city of Poipet (Cambodia), which is strikingly different from Aranyaprathet with dirt, dogs, stench and beggars, you go to the car parking lot, where you are transferred to a well-worn, but resistant to all adversities, right-handed “Japanese”. Well, God help us, so to speak, along the red highway with detours of bridges along embankments, landscapes of rice fields, and the poverty of the country.