Cambodian border

Crossing the Infamous Poipet Border in Cambodia

Advice on Cambodia Visas

If you’re considering crossing the border by land from Thailand to Cambodia through Poipet, we recommend getting an E-visa beforehand at www.evisa.gov.kh.

The e-Visa costs 35USD (5USD more than the visa on arrival) but it’ll save you from the stress and the “processing fees” charged on the land border. Better yet, if you want to cross the border smoothly, do it by plane as there are no scams in Cambodian airports.

 

Comboio

 

What happened to us when crossing the land border to Cambodia was quite stressful. The infamous Poipet lived up to its reputation.
We woke up after a really bad sleep in Bangkok, to catch the 5:50 AM train to the border town of Aranyaprathet for a 7 hour trip through the central plains of Thailand. It’s a really pleasant trip that costs 48THB.

(By the way, if you’re looking for transportation from Thailand to Cambodia check www.bookaway.com. They have plenty of options at great prices, plus, if you use the code “gravy5″ at checkout you’ll get 5% off your ticket price).

 

 

We started with a plan

It’s important to say that every plan or decision we make comes from what we’ve learned from travel books, blogs, the experiences of other travelers, and a little dash of intuition of our own. We do our homework pretty well. Studying and preparing ourselves with a good itinerary and a plan.

The plan for the day was to get off the train in Aranyaprathet, get a tuk-tuk to the Thai border for 80THB, get a stamp from Thailand to get out and a stamp from Cambodia to get in. Simple.

 

Train to Aranyaprathet

Clay Gilliland

 

The tuk-tuk cost us 200THB for a 10-minute ride. Fortunately, we ended up sharing the tuk-tuk with two American backpackers: Ryan and Winslow, that we had the pleasure to get to know along the ride.

 

At the Thai border (Aranyaprathet)

As soon as we got to the Thai border, we started walking to the building along with many other tourists and backpackers. There was a local market around, lots of tuk-tuk drivers and other random men. We immediately followed Winslow the seasoned traveler from New York, coming to Cambodia for the second time.

 

Aranyaprathet Thailand to Cambodia Land border

Clay Gilliland

 

Inside the building at the foreigners’ queue, we filled the departure card, handed over our passports, got a photo taken and our passports stamped. Super easy!

Went down some stairs and entered no man’s land and a bridge over stagnated water. At the end of the bridge, some dodgy men in hats were allegedly selling illegal visas, but none of them approached us. We just kept walking to the right end of the bridge into the Cambodian border offices.

 

The welcoming party at the Cambodian Border (Poipet)

As soon as we got in, a government official gave us a form to fill in.
We filled the form and prepared a photo, our passports, and the 35USD each (just as it said in every textbook, travel site, and in the big sign above the office counter). As we tried to hand them to the border officials behind the counter, they refused to take them, pointing to a handwritten sheet of paper that said “35USD + 100THB”.

So there we were in front of border corrupt government officials, trying to extort some extra money from tourists crossing the border. Just exactly as every textbook, travel site, and Winslow warned us. Great…

A little intimidated Nuno and I (plus all the riled-up backpackers in the queue) refused to pay the processing fees, which only made the officials speak louder in Khmer and point extra hard to the “100THB” in the paper.

 

The waiting game

Seeing that we weren’t going to give in, they took us aside, made us sit on some plastic chairs, and ignored us.

By then everyone is annoyed, anxious, and tired from the long train ride. After what felt like forever, a cranky officer came and took our passports and forms.
20 minutes later he came back, yelling our names and handing out our passports and visas. We got out of there as fast as we could.





Still trying to process what had happened, another officer took us to another long queue. This was the queue to get our visas stamped. Now, unfortunately, there was a power outage and no power means no processing tourist visas. So we had to wait. Under a boiling metal roof.

After 20 minutes, the power finally came on. Once again, we gave our passports to the officer, he took a webcam photo, moaned something, stamped the passports and we got in.

 

Border crossing at Poipet, Cambodia

 

Siem Reap off!

After this whole border mess, we just wanted to get to the next bus to Siem Reap.
From what we’ve read, the bus station was nearby and the bus would prevent us to get ripped off by taxi drivers that wait for tourists at the Poipet border roundabout.

 

IMG_0569

 

Ryan, the backpacker we met at Aranyaprathet asked Winslow, Nuno, and I to share a taxi. Our minds were still fuzzy from the heat and the border stuff, so we said yes!
We just wanted to calm down, and rest.

The taxi ride was 2h30 and cost us 48USD. Quite expensive considering it was not a taxi at all. Just a dude in a car, moving people from here to there in his spare time.
At least he had air-con and promised to leave us at our hostels.

Arriving at Seam Reap, the driver turned in a random street, pulled over, and told us to get out. We had no idea where we were, and outside the car, a group of Cambodian men were already taking our backpacks from the trunk. Something wasn’t right. And it the second time that day we felt like shitting our pants.
Winslow was the first to get out of the car and started yelling at the driver. Things got pretty heated and the Cambodian men started surrounding Winslow and us.

 

Basically, it was all a scam:

The fake taxi driver overcharges tourists at the border and dumps them in that corner of Siem Reap where other tuk-tuk drivers await. The tuk-tuk drivers will then take the tourists to their hotels – for more money obviously – and ideally get booked to show them the Angkor temples for the next days.

Winslow refused to pay the taxy driver and refused to go on any tuk-tuk, screaming and threatening to call the police. By now the tuk-tuk drivers were also yelling, laughing, and making fun of him, which only made things worst.
What the f*ck have we got ourselves into?

Shit was about to go down when the taxi driver, backed down from the argument and said he’d take us to our hostels. As soon as we saw the famous Pub Street, we got off the car and figured the rest out.
Not a good first impression of Cambodia.

It was quite a rough day but hey, it’s all gravy!


Crossing border gate in Cambodia

9 tips & tricks for a smooth border crossing

Crossing a border by land is hands-down a tedious moment for everyone. Backpackers do it solely for the love of the game, and as a means to cut expenses of a tight budget. When it comes down to the more money I get to save, the more traveling I get to do, we just gotta suck it up and do it.

But after several unfortunate occurrences (like this one, and this one), border crossing also became synonymous of anxiety and sweaty palms. In all conscience, being on the other side of the world dealing with corrupt armed men planning to steal your money, would make you feel quite apprehensive as well.
On the other hand, you can see land border crossing as the rite-of-passage that turns a common tourist into the intrepid backpacker all of us strive to be.

All jokes aside, corruption from police and border officials underlines a real social problem that we’ll explain in a minute. But first, here are the top tips (in no particular order) for crossing a border by land:

 

1. Appearance

I’m all up for comfortable clothes, but entering a new country is an occasion that asks for something with sleeves, so dress appropriately. Let’s just say that the goal is: to not give the officials a reason to ask for a proof of adequate funds.

 

2. Lie on your resume

On the subject of “adequate funds”, it may be convenient to have a job – so lie if you have to. Naturally, most countries prefer welcoming tourists on vacation than unemployed backpackers who’ll try to find illegal work on a tourist visa.

At the borders, some occupations are more taboo than others, so diving instructor, musician or bartender should be replaced by engineer, dentist or accountant. Young looking travelers can dodge the question altogether by saying they’re students.

 

Mario crossing a vietnamese border

 

If an officer asks why you’re visiting, allegate that you’re on holiday and avoid any excuse to be tangled up in further bureaucracy.

 

3. Exact cash and crisp bills

Even though Lonely Planet includes scams as a common border crossing expense, don’t give in just yet! Check up on the visa costs beforehand and carry the exact amount in the appropriate currency (usually US dollars or the country’s currency).
As a preventative measure, hide some emergency cash in case you bump into a more “assertive” guard. Also, don’t expect them to accept your crinkly-old-faded bills!

Tip: You’ll find plenty of money exchange services in the periphery—some more legitimate than others—avoid them, the rates are always unfavorable.

 

Vietnamese dong

 

4. Research the border crossing checkpoint

Do a fast Google search on the land border you’re about to cross and become acquainted with what you might expect, such as location and visa procedures (not all checkpoints provide visas on arrival to foreigners). Maps.me and travel blogs can help you with that.

 

goats crossing lao cambodia border

 

Some border checkpoints are more isolated or sketchy than others, that’s why being prepared, walking in confidently and understanding the country’s processes can make the experience run smoother.





5. Transportation to and from the border

Bus companies in Southeast Asia will arrange and assist you in the whole border crossing process front point A to point B. However, this is not the norm around the globe.

Border forms and officials will ask for your destination inside the country, so have an answer ready.

Tip: there will be plenty of transport options at customs (tuk-tuk, taxi, shuttle buses), but negotiating transportation from the border will always be more expensive.

 

Arriving at the border checkpoint

 

6. Updated Visa information

Double-check in advance the exact visa requirements to your nationality—you might need to apply for the visa and it takes time.
Have in mind that foreigner policies keep changing, and is up to us to keep informed. As an example: in Thai land borders, as from 2017, tourist visa renewals are limited to twice per calendar year— despite airport borders not being affected by this measure.

Tips: your passport should be valid for at least six months.
If you’re going to be traveling through several countries, you need to be informed about where the embassies are.
Carry up-to-date vaccination booklets.

 

7. How long are you staying for

Trust us, always ask for the maximum limit of time in the country—you might regret if you don’t. If a country exceeds your expectations, or in case of an emergency (like ignoring point 6) you’ll be able to stay for a while longer.

 

8. Staying safe

If you’re on a bus ride to the border, make some acquaintances so you won’t have to cross it alone. Try to join other fellow travelers during the crossing.

Keep an eye on your belongings, be cooperative and civil to the officers as many of them have useful safety advice to share.

 

After crossing land border

 

9. Just beat it

Get away from the border as quickly as possible. Get back your stamped passport, thank the officials, and leave quietly before they regret letting you in. Bye Felicia!

Tip: take a picture of your visa and save it on your phone. In case of something happening to your passport, you’ll have somewhat of a proof of your legal entrance in the country.

 

Cambodia tourist visa

 

The cause of border corruption

Most of us are unaware of the personal and professional circumstances surrounding police officers and border guards in many Southeast Asian countries. Did you know that they have to buy their position for sums of money that can reach up to $25.000?
And every time they apply for a new position, they’ll have to pay the fee associated with it.

To put that insane amount of money together, officials have to borrow it from their families and friends, to which they’ll have to pay back. And it gets worse when you consider the economic reality of countries like Cambodia, where a big part of the population lives on merely $2 a day.

Although nothing justifies the scamming and the stealing, it may help us understand the context in which they operate and their conduct as a way to comply with a rotten system.

 

If you have extra tips or similar experiences share them in the comments below. Thanks!
Cover image by Rikker Dockum.