September 17, 2014
Crossing from Malaysia to Singapore
After our Legoland adventure, we were bound for Singapore on the same day. We went back to Larkin Bus Terminal and took CW1 bus to Johor Bahru checkpoint or the Malaysian Immigration.
The bus will drop you off the basement of the Malaysian Immigration building. Do not forget to bring your bag along with you since you will be transferring from one country na to another. Carry them with you as you will go to security checks on both borders.
No cameras allowed in the Immigration building so bear with me as I only document our border crossing by merely words. :)
After your Malaysian immigration clearance, walk your way to the basement again for your transfer to the Singaporean border. No worries, you do not have to pay the driver as long as you have your bus ticket (from Malaysia) with you.
Upon arrival to the Singapore Immigration building and passing through the IOs, make your way to the bus station and get on bus CW1, show your tickets if it will be checked and you're bound for the nearest MRT - Kranji Station.
Our Singapore hotel is located at Geylang Road, known to be the red light district in Singapore. It was a 10 minute walk from the station and you will pass by several restaurants and pub houses. Though we were all girls, we were able to walk safely to our hotel every night.
Showing posts with label Border crossing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Border crossing. Show all posts
Day 6. A Whole Day on the Road: Cambodia - Thailand Border Crossing
August 24, 2012
Day 6.
After a fun filled and unforgettable day in Angkor Wat, its time again to leave and proceed to our final destination - Bangkok, Thailand.
I have been reading accounts on how frantic their experience is on the Thailand-Cambodia border cross is. With the goodness of the Cambodian people, I felt that it would be okay and will run smoothly. I never thought they were talking about the travel itself and not the actual border cross itself.
Our adventure started when we learned that Mekong Express and Giant Ibis, our two transport services, do not extend to Thailand. Sadly, we need to look for another transport service to get us to Thailand. Thus, we decided to take Bou Savy's partner transport. Just like the first two, they picked us up from the hotel at 8:00am and we proceeded to the bus station near Pub Street.
The bus controller checked our tickets, put our bags in the compartment and we were off to Bangkok. According to blogs that I have read, travel takes about 6-8 hours to arrive in Bangkok. Sadly, this is not true.
Unluckily, one of the passengers left her passport at the hotel they were staying at Siem Reap and we have to wait for the runner to hand over her passport. Everyone else is so pissed off with her, since your passport is a very important document, thus, it should not leave your side by any means. It took about 45 minutes before we finally left Cambodia.
Cambodian border - Exit pass
After 4 hours on the road, we arrive at Poipet terminal where we grabbed brunch and have some our money exchanged to Thai Baht. However, it is only a short stop since the border is about 10 minutes away from the terminal. We were also given a small sticker just to identify ourselves with our bus mates.
Arriving at the Poipet Border, we got our bags and we were instructed to walk to the Immigration Counters. The lines were long because there were about three buses that arrived at the same time. After waiting in line for about 30 minutes, our passports were stamped with Cambodian exit and we proceeded to Aranyaprathet Immigration Counter - the Bangkok Immigration.
Bangkok border - Entry Pass
We asked one of the guys we were with where we are heading next. He told us to walk straight ahead and cross the street, since the entry pass to Thailand is at the left side of the road. This time we remembered, they observe the right hand drive.
After walking for about 10 minutes, we arrived at the immigration center of Aranyaprathet. Again, lines were long since we were with the same people we had on Cambodian border. One of the immigration people is handing out entry passes that you need to accomplish before you enter the actual counters. Just like our Cambodian border cross, these entry passes were presented along with your passport.
We waited for about 30 minutes again outside the Immigration complex and then we entered the actual office. There were four lanes for the foreigners and two lanes for nationals. Sadly, the Immigration Officer on our lane seemed to have that Filipino government employee's vibe and it took us about an hour before our passports got stamped (talk about conversations on the phones, with another immigration officer and leaving his station - well, since we don't understand them, we just gave him the benefit of the doubt).
Upon receiving our stamped passports, we exited the complex and walked straight. Good thing, another man instructed us to move along and somebody is waiting for us on the end of the road. This man checked our stickers and made sure that we were on the right group. Reaching a small stop, another man asked us where we are going and we told him that we are bound for Khao San Road. He counted 10 of us and mentioned that we will be in one "shuttle" to Khao San. We hesitated but since we noticed that some of our bus mates were there, we gave in.
We settled in the van, and other epic Bangkok journey has begun. The road trip took about 6 more hours - because of the heavy traffic, road repairs and a gas station stop over. Bangkok - without its traffic, without these scammers we encountered in the Immigration counter - is beautiful. We thought that after the grueling whole day travel, nothing worse will come. But we were not prepared for more "bad" experience in Bangkok.
Day 6.
After a fun filled and unforgettable day in Angkor Wat, its time again to leave and proceed to our final destination - Bangkok, Thailand.
I have been reading accounts on how frantic their experience is on the Thailand-Cambodia border cross is. With the goodness of the Cambodian people, I felt that it would be okay and will run smoothly. I never thought they were talking about the travel itself and not the actual border cross itself.
Our adventure started when we learned that Mekong Express and Giant Ibis, our two transport services, do not extend to Thailand. Sadly, we need to look for another transport service to get us to Thailand. Thus, we decided to take Bou Savy's partner transport. Just like the first two, they picked us up from the hotel at 8:00am and we proceeded to the bus station near Pub Street.
The bus controller checked our tickets, put our bags in the compartment and we were off to Bangkok. According to blogs that I have read, travel takes about 6-8 hours to arrive in Bangkok. Sadly, this is not true.
Unluckily, one of the passengers left her passport at the hotel they were staying at Siem Reap and we have to wait for the runner to hand over her passport. Everyone else is so pissed off with her, since your passport is a very important document, thus, it should not leave your side by any means. It took about 45 minutes before we finally left Cambodia.
Cambodian border - Exit pass
After 4 hours on the road, we arrive at Poipet terminal where we grabbed brunch and have some our money exchanged to Thai Baht. However, it is only a short stop since the border is about 10 minutes away from the terminal. We were also given a small sticker just to identify ourselves with our bus mates.
Arriving at the Poipet Border, we got our bags and we were instructed to walk to the Immigration Counters. The lines were long because there were about three buses that arrived at the same time. After waiting in line for about 30 minutes, our passports were stamped with Cambodian exit and we proceeded to Aranyaprathet Immigration Counter - the Bangkok Immigration.
 |
| Cambodian Indicator. Crossing from Cambodia to Thailand (background image, Thailand immigration) |
Bangkok border - Entry Pass
We asked one of the guys we were with where we are heading next. He told us to walk straight ahead and cross the street, since the entry pass to Thailand is at the left side of the road. This time we remembered, they observe the right hand drive.
After walking for about 10 minutes, we arrived at the immigration center of Aranyaprathet. Again, lines were long since we were with the same people we had on Cambodian border. One of the immigration people is handing out entry passes that you need to accomplish before you enter the actual counters. Just like our Cambodian border cross, these entry passes were presented along with your passport.
We waited for about 30 minutes again outside the Immigration complex and then we entered the actual office. There were four lanes for the foreigners and two lanes for nationals. Sadly, the Immigration Officer on our lane seemed to have that Filipino government employee's vibe and it took us about an hour before our passports got stamped (talk about conversations on the phones, with another immigration officer and leaving his station - well, since we don't understand them, we just gave him the benefit of the doubt).
Upon receiving our stamped passports, we exited the complex and walked straight. Good thing, another man instructed us to move along and somebody is waiting for us on the end of the road. This man checked our stickers and made sure that we were on the right group. Reaching a small stop, another man asked us where we are going and we told him that we are bound for Khao San Road. He counted 10 of us and mentioned that we will be in one "shuttle" to Khao San. We hesitated but since we noticed that some of our bus mates were there, we gave in.
We settled in the van, and other epic Bangkok journey has begun. The road trip took about 6 more hours - because of the heavy traffic, road repairs and a gas station stop over. Bangkok - without its traffic, without these scammers we encountered in the Immigration counter - is beautiful. We thought that after the grueling whole day travel, nothing worse will come. But we were not prepared for more "bad" experience in Bangkok.
Day 2. Crossing the Vietnam - Cambodia border
Day 2.
August 20, 2012
Its time to leave Ho Chi Minh City and proceed to our next destination, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. As first time travellers, we are looking forward on this border cross since it means another 2 stamps on our passports.
We booked our HCMC - Phnom Penh trip from the travel agent in Seventy Hotel. For 15USD each, we took the ever-famous Mekong Express bus (which they call, their limousine). By 7:30, we are good to go and our guide arrived at 8am for the 8:30am trip. They picked us up in the hotel, rode their service to the bus parking area, and after few minutes, we are bound to Phnom Penh.
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| Mekong Express Bus - Proudly Cambodian |
Mekong Express has their own bus steward that will help you on the border cross. They will provide you your departure and arrival card in Cambodia and you must fill it out asap. It is a 6-hour trip from HCMC to Cambodia, no worries, because you don't have to transfer buses in between. The same bus will take you from HCMC to Phnom Penh, Cambodia.
NOTE: Mekong Express gives out wet towels and snacks on the road. This is free and is included in the bus tickets that you paid for. I wish Philippines will also do the same for long travels.
Before you arrive to the Immigration Complex of Vietnam, the bus steward will take your passports, and they will be the one who will pass them on the Immigration officer. After about 4 hours on the road, you arrive at the Immigration Complex of Vietnam. You still need to get off the bus and wait for your name to be called by the Immigration Officer and he/she will hand over your passport. Always make sure to check if you have the departure stamp out of Vietnam so you won't be held up in the Cambodian Immigration.
It only took us about 30 minutes before everyone finished their Immigration Process, rode the bus again and proceed to the Cambodian border, which is only 5 minutes away from the Vietnam Immigration Complex.
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| Shouts WELCOME TO CAMBODIA! Congrats on your border stamps! |
Once at the Cambodian Immigration, you still need to get off and do this on your own. No worries, all you need is to proceed to the counters, present your passport and arrival cards. Biometrics will be taken, finger scans and pictures. No questions were asked to us and they stamped our passports right away.
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| After crossing the murky river. The bus rode the Neak Loeung Ferry to cross the river. |
After 3 more hours, passing by a river, we arrived in the bus station of Mekong Express located at one of the markets in Phnom Penh. Once there, tuktuk drivers will get your attention and ask if you have someone to fetch you. You can haggle on the price and ask them to drive you to your hotel.
Mr. Samoun, our tuktuk driver, even offered us his "tour package" of 25 USD, which includes the Killing Fields and Genocide Museum, Royal Palace, Russian Market and Wat Phnom. We agreed with his price and we asked him if we can meet him at the hotel lobby at exactly 8:30am the next day for the tour.
Before he left, we even asked him if he can tell us where we can find authentic Khmer food and he decided to wait for us after we checked in and drove us to Khmer Saravan. (Again, to give justice to the food of each country, food adventure has a separate entry).
Looking forward on the next day and after doing our ice cream tradition, we are bound for a good night sleep. No problem on the border crossing.
An advice:
Many Cambodians will ask you to exchange Riels at the Immigration Complex, telling you that Phnom Penh and Siem Reap only accept Riels. DO NOT GIVE IN. Like Vietnam, Cambodia widely accepts USD, even on convenience stores and street vendors.
However, changes are made in Riels so you can have "money souvenirs" after.
Next: Day 3: Phnom Penh tour
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