How to get around Cambodia

I spent a week backpacking Cambodia and went to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap. Siem Reap turned out to be one of my favourite places. Cambodia is easy to travel and is well connected by buses and ferries to islands. Here is a short guide to getting around Cambodia cheaply and sustainably.

If you want a perfect itinerary for a week in Cambodia, including the best things to do, where to stay, and places to eat, see my post here.

Angkor Wat, Siem Reap

I arrived into Phnom Penh by bus from Vietnam, which is a very common thing to do. The bus was comfortable, the driver and conductor helped us all with our visas and the border crossing, and we even stopped for a lunch break.

The best way to get between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap is by bus. You can either book buses through your hostel or on 12Go Asia (the app or website). There are advantages to both, but in Cambodia, I found booking directly with my hostel was the best option. The bus will usually come to your hostel to pick you up, and if not, a transfer to the bus stop will be included in the ticket price. The price of booking through the hostel was also slightly cheaper than booking online on 12Go Asia. Booking through the hostel also comes with the huge advantage of having someone who speaks the local language available to help you if something goes wrong. They often have the contact details of the bus company and can sort anything out. I’d recommend booking transport a couple of days before you go.

Phnom Penh

If you are heading to the islands like Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem, you will need to get a bus to the coast and then a ferry to the island. Again, the hostels all provided this booking service so you don’t have to make two separate bookings.

Within cities, taxis and tuk tuks will be your best option to get around. Tuk tuks are always on the street, so you will just need to find one and negotiate a price. Grab is another option if you want to order a taxi on your phone.

Ta Prohm, Siem Reap

Hopefully this gives you a good idea about how to get around Cambodia. It’s one of the easiest countries to travel, and the people there are always kind and willing to help you. Where you can, use ground transportation and public transport to get around over private cars and taxis as it is more sustainable. As always, remember to look after the places you visit and only leave your footprints behind :)