Overland trip from Viantiane (Lao) to Siem Reap (Cambodia) was interest thing. 26 hours trip presented an unforgettable experience.
It was very difficult to hunted an online ticket from Jakarta, it prompted me to immediately bought a ticket when arrived in Funky Monkey Hostel -a hostel that I chose to stayed in Viantiane-. The good news was Funky Monkey Hostel sold it for 420,000 Kip. Although other hostel or travel agents sold it for 400,000 Kip or 410,000 Kip, I preferred to bought in Funky Monkey Hostel because after I checked out on next day, I could use its comfortable lobby to waited for pickup tuk-tuk.
The ticket consists of 2 pieces:
left: ticket information board to several destinations sold in Funky Monkey Hostel
upper right: first ticket. Used for sleeper bus trip from Viantiane to Pakse
bottom right: second ticket. For minivan trip from Pakse to Siem Reap
The pickup tuk-tuk came late 1 hour from scheduled time on 18:30. Due to traffic jam on Rue Setthalhilath Avenue, the hotel owner finally begged me for walked shortly to caught the pick up tuk-tuk that was stuck in that avenue.
The tuk-tuk would bring me to the sleeper bus shelter. During trip to the shelter, tuk-tuk stopped 5 times to picked up other tourists in several hostels where they stayed.
Tuk-tuk arrived in bus shelter within 45 minutes. When tuk-tuk arrived, the bus staff requested a first ticket (yellow) and he would give you a similar replacement one. Because of in a hurry, it only took 5 minutes for passenger boarding into sleeper bus.
top left: pick up tuk-tuk
top right: “King of Bus’ sleeper bus.
bottom right: bus interior
bottom left: I got 600 ml bottle of mineral water on board and one wet wipes upon arrived in Pakse
At 21:00 bus left its shelter towards Southern Bus Station and arrived within 30 minutes. Bus took all passengers here for last time. Actually I was a bit worried about my backpack that put into baggage compartment because it mixed with many local passenger luggages. My backpack should be able to brought up into cabin for safety. But finally, I was very grateful when arrived in Pakse, my backpack was found easily.
Here was situations during trip to Pakse:
During trip I didn’t drink too much after knowing the bus toilet couldn’t be used.
At 9 am, bus reached Pakse downtown.
top and lower left: views of Pakse downtown
right: Pakse bus terminal where bus dropped all passengers.
For tourists who would visit Pakse could continue by walking or rode a tuk-tuk for 10,000 Kip to downtown. Well, I would continue my journey to Siem Reap, I just waited in terminal because in 10 minutes I would be picked up by minivan.
I was picked up by a dark blue minivan. It would bring me into Ban Nakasong and would be switched with another minivan to Lao-Cambodia border.
The first minivan that departed from Pakse terminal was stopping in a rest area.
1 hour later the minivan dropped off a tourist at Don Khong
The minivan then dropped me off in Ban Nakasong to exchanged my second ticket (white) with the other one (green) and I switched to 2nd minivan into border.
left: a replacement ticket was earned in Ban Nakasong travel counter.
right: the 2nd minivan from Ban Nakasong to Lao-Cambodia border.
At 11:45 I arrived at Lao-Cambodia border. Although Indonesia is a free visa country for Lao, I was asked to paid USD 2 to got the departure stamp.
top left: Lao land border gate
top right: Lao immigration building
bottom right: a counter where I got a departure stamp and also as visa payment counter
bottom left: Cambodia immigration building was seen from Lao immigration building
After 15 minute immigration process in Lao, I walked to Cambodia border. Their distance is very close.
Cambodia immigration building (Stung Treng Border Crossing Station)
At Cambodia immigration, I also must pay a quarantine sheet for USD 1 and an arrival stamp for USD 1.
From Cambodia immigration building, I moved into 3rd minivan that will take tourists to next dropping point as far as 1 hour driving.
3rd minivan
The 3rd minivan would dropped off passengers at a dropping point in the form of a restaurant which was also a travel agent. I ate rice with a boiled egg for USD 1.5 here as a lunch. From here I would moved into 4th minivan
After waiting 45 minutes finally the 4th minivan arrived and this was the last minivan that would bring me to Siem Reap.
This minivan would stop once in a rest area around 17:11
a rest area where the 4th minivan took a rest
Then minivan would continue its journey to Siem Reap. At 20:50 I finally reached Siem Reap and minivan dropped off all tourists here to switched by tuk-tuk into downtown:
dropping point in Siem Reap
From this dropping point I rode a tuk-tuk, sharing with two other tourists to downtown We had to paid USD 2 per person.
tuk-tuk only took 25 minutes to got to Hangover Hostel where I would stay
Hopefully my article can be a simple description for you who will take a similar journey.
Thanks.