Boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

Hi everyone

we are thinking about getting the boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and I would like to know everyones opinions on the following:

1) Is it safe (Im a fly between cities kind of woman!) /clean?

2) Whats people generally paying for seats?

3)These are the boats I have found, has anyone been on them/which is the best one to go with:

Khemara Express Boat:

Soon Ly Boat:

Channa Boat:

Royal Express Boat:

Angkor Express Boat:

Rambo Express Boat:

Mittapheap Boat

Hang Chau Boat:

4) How do you go about booking tickets? Can you do it online?

5) How do you all rate the experience? Is it worth it?

Thanks everyone, really appreciated!

Boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

Roughly $35 which makes it more than the coach. Personally thought it was quite good - left around 8AM and was in Siem Reap around 12:15PM.

Well the boat wasn%26#39;t packed at all - covered long boat with seats like a coach. Or you could sit on top of the roof - most people did this. Only gripe - got really warm inside, but pretty scenic if you like water. Very safe IMHO.

Any rate if you are going back to PP - can always do the coach ride back.

Hotel arranged the tickets for the boat ride, and I picked them up in the evening at the front desk. Pretty convenient.

I personally liked it and liked floating down river. So it was worth it to me. :)

Boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap

I did the boat 4 years ago when it was $25 (including transfer from hotel-pier). Took 6 hours. The inside of the boat was very comfortable and it had A/C. I enjoyed the ride, but now I prefer to go by bus. By bus it is only $9, so I have more money left over for beer! :-)

Hi everyone

thanks for this, I think I will stick with the boat as opposed to the bus as we are on a time scale!

Which was the best boat/company in your opinions? We are going early October, do you think it will be ok?

Thanks again its appreciated!

The bus arrives at approximately the same time the boat does, maybe earlier.

We took a boat trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap in December. There was only one boat doing the journey (lots of different agents selling the tickets, but all for the same boat) - it cost US$35.

Here%26#39;s an extract from a comment I posted on a previous thread about the trip.

';We were crammed with 100 others onto a tiny boat - the boat was about 3 metres wide - the top deck, which is where we were, you were sat on the top of the boat (no seats) - it was similar size to a narrow boat in the UK (although maybe slightly longer)- there were so many people on board you couldn%26#39;t move - after 7 hours (we were running late!)of sitting in the same position it was just too much.

Around the sides of the boat is no rail - just a 35cm walkway. There was not a life boat, or even belt, in sight.

We felt ourselves burning and tried to move inside but that was also crammed - we couldn%26#39;t get in.

When you see the pictures of the boats, they all look great - big boats, comfortable seats etc - this is not the case - DO NOT BE FOOLED.

When we showed our photos of the boat to the receptionist in the hotel in Siem Reap she was shocked - she sells the tickets (but shows the picture of a luxury boat) - she was totally unaware of what the boat is really like!!';

If you really want to take the boat rather than a coach or private car, I would recommend before you book your ticket you go to the dock and watch the boat departing - at least then you can see what the boat is like and then make a judgement on whether you want to take the risk (most of the travel agents in the area or even you hotel/hostel you are staying in will make the booking for you a day or so before you want to travel, so there is no need to book on-line in advance). I would also check how many tickets have been sold for the day you want to travel. I would imagine that the trip would be okay if you were able to actually move on the boat and not be packed in like sardines having to fight for space. We travelled in peak season, so maybe you will not be so unlucky with space, but based on the journey I had there is no way I would recommend this mode of travel!

Hi

thanks for your comments, its definitely made me think about how we will get to Siem Reap (I like my comforts!) Will take your advice and have a look a the dock before deciding to boat or not to boat!

Thanks very much

I%26#39;d have to agree if the boat is packed with people then you will probably be miserable. If I recall I think there was around 20-30 people on the mekong express boat that we took.

Have a look at this link give you an idea of the boat...

travel-cambodia.com/cam-travel-info/bantey-s鈥?/a>

Hi! I%26#39;m planning to do the same - go up river from PP to Siem Reap, and would like to know if we%26#39;ll be able to see the river suspended houses on the way. My idea was to do this boat travel in order to meet with this hsuspended houses but does may not happen. Can any one help me with this?

Thank you.

Yes, you will pass several villages on the water with houses on stilts...