We've been looking at hiring a car from Phnom Penh to Kampong Thom for the Khmer daughter's upcoming wedding and found the prices to be outside of our budge - the private drivers must mistake us for westerners or something. For those that are interested or were following my previous post, quotes are $180 and (way) upwards for two nights. Might be reasonable (I dunno) but out of our range.

We're now looking at finding a reasonable bus/van service that passes through KT, presumably to SR?, that will drop us off but also pick us back up without reselling our seats in SR when we're not there to claim them.

We'll then book a tuktuk in KT for the 4 trips out to the village and back.

Can anyone advise on the wisdom of this? Hazards? Recommendations? Is it the road to SR, or to HCMC?

I know the Cambodia Post VIP Van is testing karma, as is Bayon. Others?

Take the bus it's under $20. to KT if the village is on the way to SR then take the bus to there and they will drop you where you want on the route.
On the way back you basically stand by the hyway and flag down a bus to get home or you need to go the SR or KT to get on the bus if you don't want to flag one down.

khmerhamster wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 7:48 pm Where in KPT are you going to?

I’d expect that there are minivan drivers who probably go right to the village of the wedding. I know of one guy who goes from around Prasat Sambor Prey Kok to PP and back every day (probably less than $10 a seat - maybe more for big foreign bums who don’t want to share)

I’d suggest to get the lass who is getting married to ask her folks if there is someone in her or the next village who runs a minivan to PP.

The price of $180 is probably fair enough - the trick is to find someone with a van who lives local to the wedding.

Have you got a contact for that guy, please? Are we talking one of the typical Khmer moving shed type vans, or something a bit more upmarket? Not looking for Mai-tais and Brie, but I'd rather Mrs Stroppy travel in something a bit more than the local speeding coffins. I've done the "flag down a van" and don't mind sharing body odour with the locals, but it's not really her thing.

Our girl has asked family already, not much use. When we were there for the engagement ceremony an extended family member charged us $20 to take us from the village back to KT, which is where he was going anyway, despite the family's protestations, and wouldn't be budged on it. Harsh country, it seems.

The quote of $180 was for an SUV - no idea if that's a good price or crazy barang price.

Username Taken wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:07 pm Can't you take a Bumblebee tuk tuk?

Actually considered it for a while. Two hours driving the big tuktuk is about my limit these days, I believe KT would be about 4-5 hours.

A lot of buses and vans go through Kampong Thom, as it is on the way to Siem Reap. Check with any of the bus companies.

When you are there, find local transport to the village and back.

explorer wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:46 pm A lot of buses and vans go through Kampong Thom, as it is on the way to Siem Reap. Check with any of the bus companies.

When you are there, find local transport to the village and back.

Thanks for that. Just out of curiosity, did you read the original post?

StroppyChops wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:24 pm

Username Taken wrote: ↑Mon Jan 28, 2019 10:07 pm Can't you take a Bumblebee tuk tuk?

Actually considered it for a while. Two hours driving the big tuktuk is about my limit these days, I believe KT would be about 4-5 hours.

Once you're out of PP it's a doddle to get to Kampong Thom, just burn up the new route 6. When my wife buys the bus tickets she tells them where to pick her up and drop her off (when it's not the terminus). Usually written on the ticket. You wouldn't be the only person. The times I've been in Kampong Thom no-one has asked me if I wanted a tuk-tuk so I'm not sure how easy it would be to get one. You would have to track one down.

Maybe a long shot but, in Kampong Thom you have the main road from Phnom Penh, which continues to Siem Reap, another road going to Preah Vihear province, and other smaller roads. If the wedding is on or near the main road to Siem Reap, either before or after Kampong Thom, there are a few guest houses along that road. There is a possibility there is one closer to the wedding. The locals may know. You could also look on Google maps. Maybe the wedding is out one of the other roads, and this idea is irrelevant.