Aug 12 2008
Letter from a Future Filipino Tourist to Cambodia
I’ve received letters from a businessman on a business trip, a future teacher, and a future expat in Cambodia. Here’s one from a future tourist:
Dear Toe,
Hi! I found your blog via Kristene’s blog and I think you’re one of the best writers in the blogosphere (hindi kita binobola!).
I live in Dallas, Texas (originally from Bacolod), and was hoping that you could help me with some travel tips for Angkor Wat. My husband and I are going home for a visit to the Philippines in December and we’re hoping that we could make a sidetrip to another country in Asia during this time. I’d really like to see Angkor Wat if we can work it out.
If you have some time to help out, these are the questions I have:
- What airline would you recommend for the Philippines to Cambodia trip? Any good deals on fares (how much is a round-trip ticket)? Is there a straight flight from Manila (or Clark) to Siem Reap? Also, what ballpark price would you consider a “good deal” on the fares? How many hours of travel time is this?
- Any hotel recommendations? For hotels, around $100 would be our budget. We’re not picky on hotels as long as they’re clean and safe.
- Is December a good time to go to Cambodia? Are there any December dates/holidays that we should steer clear of (i.e. too many crowds at Angkor Wat? Or is it closed for the holiday?)
- Any recommendations on how many days to plan for Angkor Wat? Would three days be enough or would it be bitin (this would include arrival day + touring + departure day). We don’t really want to spend too many days away from the Philippines but would really like to do this sidetrip if time/resources permit.
- Do we need visas (our citizenship is Filipino so we still travel with our green passports)?
Thanks so much in advance! Hope you and your Honey are doing well!
Johanna
Dear Johanna,
First of all, thank you for such nice words. You don’t know how much that means to a non-earning blogger like me. Your appreciation though is more than enough profits. Second, I would like to apologize for my very late reply. My schedule has been quite toxic for the last couple of months with office work and our move back to the Philippines. Nonetheless, here’s my reply to your queries… finally.
Before I state my answers though, I would like to establish a few premises. First, there are three popular tourist destinations in Cambodia – Siem Reap, the town near the Angkor Archaelogical Park; Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia and where I was formerly based; and Sihanoukville, Cambodia’s beach town (note: click the links for more information on Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville).
As I’ve mentioned in previous posts, people who go to Phnom Penh think that they could visit Siem Reap and Angkor Wat easily. The truth is if you’re going to Phnom Penh, you have to take either a roughly one hour plane ride or a four to six hour bus trip (depending on the speed of the bus).
Other places in Cambodia are mostly for adventure-seekers (Ratanakiri, Mondulkiri, etc.) and casino-goers (Bavet, Battambang, etc.). There’s also the Temple of Preah Vihear which is at the border of Thailand and Cambodia. However, presently, there is a military stand-off between the two neighboring countries.
You indicated that you want to see Angkor Wat – a very good idea indeed as you ought to see this temple at least once in your life. And if you’re going to Cambodia only once, then this is the place to go to. Thus, the second premise is that you’re going to Siem Reap from Manila.
The third premise is that Angkor Wat is only one of the temples, albeit, the largest, most important, and most popular of them all, in the Angkor Archaeological Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a 400-meter forest area dotted with hundreds of Angkorian temples. (Note: Wat means temple so literally, Angkor Wat means Angkor temple).
And now to answer your questions:
- What airline would you recommend for the Philippines to Cambodia trip? Any good deals on fares (how much is a round-trip ticket)? Is there a straight flight from Manila (or Clark) to Siem Reap? Also, what ballpark price would you consider a “good deal” on the fares? How many hours of travel time is this?
There are no direct flights from any point in the Philippines to any point in Cambodia. I guess this is why from the Philippines, flights to Cambodia are generally, quite expensive – almost like going to the States from the Philippines (which is a problem for my parents, for example, as they couldn’t visit me as often as they would like). You have to transit through Bangkok, Singapore, or Ho Chi Minh. Flight time is two to three hours to the transit city, plus two to three hours lay-over, and another one to two hours going to Siem Reap. Here are airlines which offer flights from Manila to Siem Reap:
- Thai Airways (via Bangkok)
- Singapore Air/Silk Air (via Singapore)
- Philippine Airlines/Vietnam Air (via Ho Chi Minh)
- Philippine Airlines/Bangkok Air (via Bangkok)
- Cebu Pacific/Air Asia (from Clark, via Kuala Lumpur)
Last time I checked, a Thai Air round trip ticket costs $800+ to $900+ depending on the length of validity of the ticket. Meanwhile, it may cost you as low as $300 for the Air Asia budget fares. So do check out the Air Asia website. Of course lately, with the price of gas soaring almost daily, so do plane fares. Myself, I cancelled a trip back to Phnom Penh to pick up Honey (who has been extended for a month) and help him pack and shop.
- Any hotel recommendations? For hotels, around $100 would be our budget. We’re not picky on hotels as long as they’re clean and safe.
Honey and I usually go to hotels where there are Filipino managers because we are sure to get excellent service. The following are hotels that I and people I know have tried:
- Prince d’Angkor – we used to frequent this hotel because of the Filipino manager. The guy has moved to another hotel though. However, the rooms are very spacious and tastefully decorated in a fusion of Cambodian and modern design. They also have the biggest pool in Siem Reap.
- Hotel de la Paix - very posh hip expensive boutique hotel, this consistently gets excellent reviews. Their complimentary water is Evian and they also give complimentary insect repellents made of natural citronella oils (useful in tropical countries surrounded by jungle like Siem Reap).
- Le Meridien Angkor – beautiful hotel – Honey’s favorite
- Sokha Angkor Hotel – We’ve tried the Sokha in Sihanoukville (see here) and we thought their service was excellent.
- Angkor Village Resort - a boutique hotel in lush surroundings
You may wish to book through the Internet. Some sites give great discounts. You can also check out these posts from bloggers Rayts and Ferdz who both have been to Siem Reap: From Poipet to Siem Reap by Rayts and Cambodia: Arrival in Siem Reap by Ferdz. Both bloggers have excellent posts and photos about their trips to Cambodia.
- Is December a good time to go to Cambodia? Are there any December dates/holidays that we should steer clear of (i.e. too many crowds at Angkor Wat? Or is it closed for the holiday?)
The seasons in Cambodia are much like those in the Philippines – hot and dry, cool and dry, and cool and wet. December is an excellent time to go because it’s cool and dry (like in the Philippines again). The only setback is that the temples are packed at this time of the year because of holidaymakers from Europe and Asia. I suggest that you avoid the hot and dry season (March to May). I find it too difficult to be roaming around temples when the temperature is sizzling. With Cambodia and its Angkor temples gaining popularity each year (they’re expecting 2.3 million visitors in Cambodia in 2008), crowds are aplenty almost all year-round. Low season is is from May to September. In any season though, I suggest that you book your hotels and flights early.
- Any recommendations on how many days to plan for Angkor Wat? Would three days be enough or would it be bitin (this would include arrival day + touring + departure day). We don’t really want to spend too many days away from the Philippines but would really like to do this sidetrip if time/resources permit.
Three days, including travel time, is enough especially if you’re coming all the way from Texas and you don’t want to spend too much time away from the Philippines (I know how important it is to fulfill all your family and social obligations back home). You can just choose the important temples to visit. For a one-day tour of the Angkor Archaeological Park, this is the suggested itinerary.
- Wake up with the sun and go up the Phnom Bakheng for a sunrise view of Angkor Wat (see my header for an example of the sunrise view).
- For a one-day tour, you may opt for the Little Circuit Tour. As you drive into the Park, try to restrain yourself as you will get verrrry excited once you see the spires of the Angkor Wat. However, try not to go there yet because due to the positioning of the sun, the best time to go to Angkor Wat is in the afternoon. Instead, turn left and go through the gate of Angkor Thom which is the capital of Angkor during the Angkorian times. Then, go straight to the Bayon Temple to see the gargantuan four-faced heads. (See this for more information about the Bayon Temple).
- After the Bayon Temple, you will pass by the Elephant Terraces and the Terrace of the Leper King. Then, off you go to Ta Prohm (the temple of Lara Croft fame.. click here for more information about Ta Prohm.
- Go back to your hotel for lunch or wherever your guide suggests. You can take a short siesta, before you go off back to Angkor Wat at around three or four. Take photos in front of the pond at sunset. (Click here for more information about Angkor Wat as well as here, here, here, and here).
- During your freetime, there are other things to do like go to the markets, visit the butterfly farm, tour the Tonle Bassac Lake, visit weaving and silk shops, and others. (For information about how the Great Tonle Bassac Lake, together with the Bassac River and the Mekong River contribute to Cambodia’s civilization and culture, click here).
- Do we need visas (our citizenship is Filipino so we still travel with our green passports)?
Filipinos enjoy visa-free privileges for twenty-one days. Make sure though you have a return or onward ticket.
Other tips:
- Remember that the entrance fee to the Angkor Archaeological Park is $20 for one day. If you plan to go there for more than one day, make sure you bring ID photos which are required for the 3-day and 7-day passes.
- If you want to go shopping for precious stones, silk, silver, and wood crafts, go to Phnom Penh. Shopping in Siem Reap is also good but because it’s geared more towards tourists, it’s also a bit more expensive.
- Cambodian tour guides are quite good. You can arrange for a guide and a vehicle with driver with your hotel.
I hope all these help you in your planning Johanna. Good luck and best regards to you and your family.
Toe
- The Bayon Temple
- Cultural Performance at Angkor Wat
- Prambanan and Malioboro
- The Ta Prohm Temple
- Independence Hotel in Sihanoukville – Where Jacqueline Kennedy Stayed
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I love traveling myself but unfortunately I haven’t made it to Cambodia yet. I I’ve been to plenty of other places though. Since your a hotel blogger could you tell us about some of the best hotels to stay in like maybe the Hampton Inn where I work. I’ve learned through my travels that where you stay is just as important as where your going. It just sets the whole tone of your trip.
Oh and all rooms are 10% off here’s the link and come check us out,stay with us, do a review!!! We’d love to have you.
http://hamptoninn.hilton.com/en/hp/promotions/hx_summerpromo08/index.jhtml;jsessionid=SXEZ4FIZDCG4OCSGBJF2VCQ?it=specials,dreams&cid=om,hx,dreams,specials
Sarah B
P.S.
Check out this funny video, called “Ballad of a Traveler”, it is hilarious. He totally sums up the travelers experience:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2tgnUsj8NE>
wow, it’s great that i stumbled onto this accidentally (forgot where i bloghopped from, he he); also planning a trip to cambodia later this year and this will be very useful. i’m now exploring your other siem reap/phnom penh posts
aside from those 2 sites, i’m also interested in checking out ecotourism spots – national parks, forests, river cruises, that sort of thing. but i’m wondering if i’d just end up seeing stuff that i’d see in the philippines anyway, similar ecosystems and all. what do you think?
Toe, you’re one great information-giver/communicator.
And I agree you’re one of the blogsphere’s best.
There’s no way ba to go to Cambodia by land from Bangkok?
One of our blog buddies, Cookie, has this option to go there for her family’s annual vacation (kainggit naman). Let me alert her to this post of yours.
ang galing mo talaga Toe! hehe. very organizes ang mga tips.
“Remember that the entrance fee to the Angkor Archaeological Park is $20 for one day. If you plan to go there for more than one day, make sure you bring ID photos which are required for the 3-day and 7-day passes.”
–> nung nagpunta kami, di naman kami hiningan ng ID photo. sila na ang kumuha ng pictures namin tapos mabilis din lang na-laminate ang mga IDs namin. pero siguro okay ding magdala lalo na kung peak seasons kase mahaba ang pila sa gate. para bigay ka na lang ng photo sa kanila.
Sana makapunta naman tayo ng Machu Picchu for the Lost City of the Incas, hehe!
Great post!! And very informative. I’m definitely considering Cambodia for this year’s trip…if not this year then maybe next year. But we will definitely visit. I’ve read somewhere that Angkor Wat is something you have to see, at least once in your life..just like you said. Tsaka, ma-eexercise ko na din ang aking inner-Angelina Jolie kung sakaling makapunta kami dyan.
Nga pala, there are great deals from Clark. Air Asia offers trips to Siam Reap via Kuala Lumpur. The last time I checked you can get a package (with hotel) for as low as 15k lang. Yun nga lang red-eye flight. Di na bale, matulog na lang sa plane.
I have Myrna to thank for giving me a heads up on this post
Toe, you are awesome! Thank you so much for taking the time to do this. I really appreciate it!
Tonette,
We are going to Siem Reap, Bangkok and Saigon in Sept!! We wanted to add Phnom Penh to our itinerary but time is a bit short for most of us. Where will you be in Sept/Oct? You can email me directly.
Rosanne
Hi SarahB!
Where is there a Hampton Inn in the Philippines?
Hi Rina, oh ecotourism is big in Cambodia. And it’s worth a go because Cambodia’s ecology is very different. Read my post on the Water Festival – http://kurokuroatbp.com/?p=717 – to find out more about Cambodia’s unique ecologic and geographic features.
Thanks for visiting my blog and I hope you find it useful for your trip to Cambodia. 
Hi Annamanila!
Thanks ha. 
Yes, you can go to Cambodia by land from Bangkok via Poipet. I do’t know how long the bus ride would be but I know it’s long. I think both Ferdz and Rayts did it. You have to take the bus from Bangkok to Poipet and then Poipet to Siem Reap. The only reason I’m not doing it is because of the scarcity of the bathroom breaks… e maarte ako jan e. 
Thanks for sounding this off to Cookie! 
Rayts, hehe.. salamat.
Yes, you’re right… they take your picture naman but yes, especially if the queues are long, it would be faster to bring your own ID photo. Hey, maganda sa Machu Picchu ha. I think fellow blogger Linguist-in-Waiting (check Memoirs of a Linguist on my sidebar) has gone backpacking there. You can check his blog for tips. 
Wow Cookie! How exciting for you and your family to be going to Cambodia. Oo nga… you really should try to go… mamamangha ka talaga sa Angkor Wat.
My friend also used the Air Asia package and she said it was good naman… so go na and release your inner Angelina Jolie. 
Hi Johanna, I ought to be the one thanking you for writing to me.
I hope you enjoy your trip to Cambodia. 
Hi Cuzin Rosanne, I’m in Manila now so I hope that you take time to come here and I could see you… haven’t seen you in six years.
Not only are you one of the best writers (hindi rin kita binobola ha!) but you’ve also become one of the most amusing travel bloggers.
Hey, you’re back home in Manila na huh? It must feel good to be home again. Enjoy your stay there.
Oi!! Mukhang kina-carreer mo na ang pagiging “Dear Ate Helen” I mean… “Ate Toe” ha? Next time we might be reading your advice on love and marriage, hehe
I’ll be sure to put Cambodia in my places to see. Nakaka-enganyo naman ang mga tips mo. Galing mo talaga Toe.
Toe, this is unrelated to your post, and I do not know who else to talk to. I hope you can help me. To other people out there that can give advice, please help me. If I have low grades and failed subjects in college, would that make my chances entering U.P. and Ateneo Law School less? Thank you guys. I am so depressed.
Aw man… nawala na naman ang comment ko!
If honey will start his food blog, you could start your travel blog, very detailed ka talaga mag recommend
!
Haze, thanks!
I’ll just try to blog more regularly with this one. 
This is very very helpful Toe. I should have read this before I went on Air on ANC. I could have added more to what I said. Hahaha.
Still thank you thanking time to write this guide to those who would be going there to visit Cambodia.
Thanks Niceheart.
Oh yes… it’s wonderful to be home again… even amidst the traffic and population… there’s no place like home. 
Snglguy, bring it on.
Let’s have those letters about love and marriage coming. 
Leah, oh yes… Cambodia should be right up there in your list.
Ferdz, though I wasn’t able to watch you in ANC, I’m sure you did a great job. You’ve been to more temples pa nga than me in Siem Reap e.
Venus, perhaps not. I took up music in College and I managed to pass both the Ateneo and UP Law entrance exams. I think that it’s probably how well you do in the test. Would you consider emailing me and turning this into a “Dear Toe” post?
galing Toe, true to your career. am sure you will be doing the same if others ask you about the philippines. reading your post makes me reminisce my dear old days in phnom penh, sabi nga mga friends ko dyan, ginagawa ko lang daw quiapo ang phnom penh with my frequent visits. hindi mo yata na mention yung sa may temple dyan na may malaking elephant kung saan may mga manghuhula (lol).
Thanks Sexy Mom.
Is that in Wat Phnom or in a temple in Siem Reap? Anyway, oo nga… I should have visited a Cambodian manghuhula… to know where my next posting would be. 
Naku, if you go back to Phnom Penh, ibang-iba na. In my six years there, it was growing at a rapid furious pace right before my eyes.
[...] Read more in Toe’s Kurokuroatbp. [...]
Hay naku, I’ve been planning to visit Cambodia but the total expense would cost me a dear P45,000 via a package (with Vietnam tour). That’s why till now, I really haven’t traveled to the place yet. I want to spend around P20,000 lang even it it means riding in buses and staying in hostels. I’m an adventurous person as long as everything is safe. And by the way, I want to have a side trip to Vietnam and possibly to Laos. If these two more countries can be visited, I can spare at most P30,000. Do you think this is possible? Any advise?
hi toe, first of all i adore your “name”… the concept is very unique.
secondly, thanks for the post, you actually answered by blog post.
it’s very timely as i’ve been eyeing a trip to both angkor wat and halong bay. any more suggestion how to go about it coming from the Philippines? ho chi minh – hanoi – siem reap a good itinerary? medyo mahal nga yong airfare.
As usual great info Toe
You look like you’re a well-honed travel agent with your advice . Now you got me interested to visit Cambodia 
well this is very useful… (at least for me)
very thanks
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Travel at Thailand
Abaniko, if you’re planning to visit plenty of cities, ask your agent about the ASEAN fare. I don’t know but for some reason they don’t advertise this. You can go to several ASEAN cities for the price of a round-trip plane fare. When my parents went to Cambodia, their route was Manila – Ho Chi Minh – Phnom Penh – Bangkok – Manila. Perhaps, you can ask your agent so that you could go to Luang Prabang (Laos), Hanoi, and Ho Chi Minh. Yes, the plane fare to Cambodia is quite expensive because there are not too many flights.
If you’re really on a budget, check our Air Asia and see what they can offer you. I think you can get a good deal. I think that is what Rayts and Ferdz used.
Hi Freeze. Thanks so much. Toe is a nickname given to me by my highschool friends. I haven’t used it much so I thought I’d revive it for my blog.
I think Cebu Pacific just ended their flights to Hanoi. As I told Abaniko above, ask your travel agent about the ASEAN fare. A possible itinerary is Manila – Ho Chi Minh – Siem Reap – Hanoi – Manila. However, I have to warn you that I’m not really certain if there’s a flight to Hanoi from Siem Reap. If there isn’t any, then you have to go back to Ho Chi Minh first.
Yes, mahal talaga ang Manila to Cambodia, unfortunately, especially considering that it’s so near.
BW, oh yes… you really have to go. Indochinese, particularly, Khmer culture is indeed very unique… something we’re not used to. And Angkor Wat is magnificent!
Hi Travel at Thailand.
I’m happy to be of help.
sort of cambodia travel guide. you can do it plus some SEO and adsense and you’ll be earning from these posts
Thanks Tutubi. Maybe sometime, I’ll get around to doing that.
hi toe, i read your post years back (i could see my previous post above). wow, it took years before i could finally have the chance to visit siem reap. I have my tickets ready (at a bargain $350 via KL, not bad right?) and so i’m excited but i’m not flying til the year ends. haha
i’m reading your guide again and i got the needed info. thanks!
by any chance would you know if Angkor Century Hotel is good?
Hi! I am planning to visit Cambodia sometime in September or October and I was wondering if it is possible to enter through ho chi minh and land travel to phnom penh and siem reap, afterwards my return ticket to the Philippines would be from bangkok?