Ho Chi Minh City to Bangkok by land

[Gold60]

Hi All,

am looking at doing the above trip - possibly this year or early next.

looking at some type of bus transport - VIP or similar quality. i am keen on safety and comfort.............

Maybe have a stopover in Phnom Pen.

any suggestions please - aside for don't do it !!

Thanks in advance....................

 

[bsb]

OMG I did want to say don't do it but then got to the end of your post. That is going to be a slow and painful experience. The only reason I am commenting is because you say you want safety and comfort which isn't going to happen in any way shape or form. Have you been to that part of the world before?

 

[Gold60]

OMG I did want to say don't do it but then got to the end of your post. That is going to be a slow and painful experience. The only reason I am commenting is because you say you want safety and comfort which isn't going to happen in any way shape or form. Have you been to that part of the world before?

That bad huh?? had a feeling this might be the case, so no great surprises here.

I did a VIP Bus from SIN to KUL last year and that was nice, but i presumed a similar trip from HCMC to BKK might be one or two levels lower in quality - but that is that nature of travel and life i guess.

Oernight, having thought about it a bit more, I have reconsidered.

Planning now to just do the bus from HCMC to PNH and then fly from PNH to BKK. This way i get the best of both worlds.

So off planning i go......................

 

[feezable]

I have been on buses in the Peruvian Andes and a flight where I wanted to kiss the ground after landing, but I have never been so frightened as I was on a bus trip in Cambodia.

But....

We travelled from SGN to Chau Doc by bus which was excellent.
Then by boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, again no issues - long and noisy, but relatively comfortable.
I wish we had travelled by boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, but instead endured a horror mini-bus ride.
We flew home from Siem Reap.

 

[v1nce007]

You could take the sleeper bus. I believe you'd have to stop in Phnom Penn and Siem Reap. Never done it myself but it's popular with the more affluent locals and seems to be the most comfortable way if you're going by bus. I assume the bus company assists with the border crossings.
Roads are extremely bad throughout Cambodia.

 

[feezable]

Sleeper bus (even though it was a 6hr daytime journey) from SGN to Chau Doc


Boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh

 

[bsb]

That sounds more sensible. Vietnam roads are OK but they have weird driving ways (like driving in the inside lane as slowly as possible and not using the middle land to pass and the outside land with crazy motorbikes) which can make a short distance take a long time. Cambodia, on the other hand, is operating in a parralel universe where anything goes and the roads suck (and that's the technical term)

If its countryside you want to see, why not hire a private driver. Cheap as chips and you can stop as you please. Especially good for a pic stop or roadside food stall. Not sure if they Criss borders though.

 

[coyote25]

I have been on buses in the Peruvian Andes and a flight where I wanted to kiss the ground after landing, but I have never been so frightened as I was on a bus trip in Cambodia.

But....

We travelled from SGN to Chau Doc by bus which was excellent.
Then by boat from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh, again no issues - long and noisy, but relatively comfortable.
I wish we had travelled by boat from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, but instead endured a horror mini-bus ride.
We flew home from Siem Reap.

Posting this from bus on way to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh six hour ride half half there, wifi onboard. Seems so far like a good ride.

 

[There'sOnlyOneJimmy]

I did the bus from Phnom Penh to Saigon last year.
It was very comfortable, in an air-conditioned bus (with wi-fi to the border), for about USD15.
We used Mekong Express - refer to link https://catmekongexpress.com/default.aspx
They can also help with visas, and the border crossing was reasonably quick & painless.
Have fun,
J

 

[feezable]

Posting this from bus on way to Siem Reap from Phnom Penh six hour ride half half there, wifi onboard. Seems so far like a good ride.

We made the mistake of thinking the minibus would be a better option than the regular bus.

Enjoy Siem Reap and Angkor ☺

 

[v1nce007]

I did the bus from Phnom Penh to Saigon last year.
It was very comfortable, in an air-conditioned bus (with wi-fi to the border), for about USD15.
We used Mekong Express - refer to link https://catmekongexpress.com/default.aspx
They can also help with visas, and the border crossing was reasonably quick & painless.
Have fun,
J

I did this exact bus trip last year. Bus was very comfortable and in addition to the driver there is also an attendant who hands out a breakfast snack and assists with the border crossing. Can recommend it. Just watch out for the agressive taxi drivers waiting for you when the bus stops at HCM city. Ignore them (push past them) and get a proper metered taxi.