Vietnam Royal Tourism

Tickets

When buying airline tickets, it is always worth shopping around. Buying direct from the airline is usually more expensive, unless the airline has a special promotion. As a rule, it is better to book as early as possible, as prices only get higher as the seats fill up. The time of year you travel has a major impact on flight prices. If you are starting out from Europe, North America, or Australia, figure on prices rising dramatically over Christmas and between July and August, and dropping significantly during lax periods of business like February, June and October. Thailand is the most convenient gateway, to Cambodia when travelling from outside the region. In Bangkok, the Banglamphu area, especially Khao San Rd, is a good place to buy tickets to Cambodia. Those who are travelling into Cambodia by air through Vietnam can easily pick up tickets in Ho Chi Minh City. When buying tickets in Cambodia, the biggest agents are in Phnom Penh , although many now operate branch offices in Siem Reap. Agents can normally save you a few dollars on the airline price, much more for long-haul flights or business class seats.

International Departure Tax
There is a departure tax of US$25, payable by cash or credit card, on all International flights out of Phnom Penh International Airport and Siem Reap International Airport.

All travelers heading to Cambodia by air will have to either pass through or fly from one of the regional air centres. Bangkok is the most likely option, but Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Hong Kong are also popular. Good places to pick up tickets in your country include the following:

CHINA
China Southern Airlines has flights between Phnom Penh and Guangzhou in southern China. Shanghai Airlines has flights connecting Phnom Penh with Shanghai. Both airlines offer onward connections throughout China.

HONG KONG
Dragonair and First Cambodia Airlines connect Hong Kong and Phnom Penh, and Dragon-air has good onward connections to main-, land China.

LAOS
Lao Airlines and Vietnam Airlines connect Phnom Penh and Vientiane, with an onward service to Hanoi. Lao Airlines also offers flights from Phnom Penh and Siem Reap to Pakse in southern Laos, sometimes continuing to Vientiane. Siem Reap Airways now offers several flights a week between Luang Prabang and Siem Reap.

MALAYSIA
Malaysia Airlines and First Cambodia Airlines fly between Kuala Lumpur and Phnom Penh. Malaysia Airlines also offers services to Siem Reap from Kuala Lumpur.

SINGAPORE
Silk Air connects Singapore with Phnom Penh and Siem. First Cambodia Airlines also sent the Singapore to Phnom Penh route.

TAIWAN
EVA Air (www.evaair.com) has flights between Phnom Penh and Taipei

THAILAND
Flights between Phnom Penh and Bangkok operate daily with Thai Airways, Bangkok Airways and President Airlines.
Bangkok Airways also offers daily flight between Siem Reap and Bangkok, from Siem Reap t Phuket and from Siem Reap to Ko Samui, via Bangkok.

VIETNAM
Vietnam Airlines does the short hop between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh and also offers flights from the Cambodian capital to Hanoi via Ho Chi Minh City or Vientiane (in Laos).
Vietnam Airlines also offers daily flight between Siem Reap and both Hanoi and Chi Minh City.

Australia
Fares between Australia and Asia are lively expensive considering the distance involved. All flights between Australia a Cambodia involve stopovers in Bangkok Kuala Lumpur or Singapore. Vietnam All lines sometimes offers cut-price deals in Ho Chi Minh City.
There are usually peak and off-peak rail for flights from Australia to Southeast Asi The peak season is December to January Flights are often heavily booked at thi time, as well as more expensive.
Good places to pick up tickets in Australia include the following:
Flight Centre (www.flightcentre.com.au)
STA Travel (www.statravel.com.au)

Canada
Discount tickets from Canada tend to c« about 10% more than those sold in the USA. From the Canada's western side, the best deals are availablarvia Hong Kong Kong or Bangkok. From the eastern side, it may be cheaper to go through London. For the lowdown on cheap fares, contact Travel Cuts: www.travelcuts.com).

Continental Europe
Although London is the discount travel capital of Europe, major airlines and big travel agents usually have offers from all the major cities on the continent.
Recommended agents include:
Airfeir (www.airfeir.nl) Operating from the Netherlands.
Barcelo Viajes (www.barceloviajes.com) Operates within Spain.
CTS Viaggi (www.cts.it) This is an Italian outfit
Just Travel (www.justtravel.de) travel agent in German/.
Nouvelles Frontieres (www.nouvelles-frontieres.fr) This agency operates from France.
STA Travel (www.statravel.com) STA has branches in cities throughout Europe.
Voyageurs du Monde (www.vdm.com) Another French outfit.

New Zealand
The best way to get from New Zealand to Cambodia is to use one of the leading Asian carriers like Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines or Thai Airways. Good agencies to start shopping around for tickets:
Flight Centre (www.flightcentre.co.nz)
STA Travel (www.statravel.co.nz)

UK & Ireland
Discount air travel is big business in London and there are some great fares to Asia, al-though the prices through to Cambodia are nowhere near as cheap as are those to Bangkok or Hong Kong. Many of the cheapest fares from London to Bangkok are with carriers from the Middle East, with long stopovers en route. Eva Air often has the cheapest direct flights to Bangkok, although look out for low season specials right through to Cambodia, particularly with Singapore Airlines and their regional wing, Silk Air.
There are oodles of agencies in the UK.
Flight bookers (www.ebookers.com)
North-South Travel ( www.north south travel .co.uk) North-South Travel donates part of its profit to projects in the developing world.
STA Travel ( www.statravel.co.uk)
Trailfinders ( www.trailfinders.co.uk)
Travel Bag ( www.travelbag.co.uk)

USA
Discount travel agents in the USA are known as consolidators, although you won't see a sign on the door saying 'Consolidator'. San Francisco is the ticket-consolidator capital of America, although some good deals can be found in Los Angeles, New York and other big cities. Hong Kong is a handy gateway for those coming from the west coast, although many of the cheaper flights end up passing through Bangkok. Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways both now offer non-stop services to New York. Otherwise you can go via the west coast or via Europe.
Useful online options in the USA include the following:
Cheap Tickets (www.cheaptickets.com)
owest Fare (www.lowestfare.com)
STA Travel (www.statravel.com)
Travelodty (www.travelocity.com)

Airlines in Cambodia

Domestic flights offer a quick way to travel around the country. The problem is that the airlines themselves seem to come and go pretty quickly. There are currently three domestic airlines operating in Cambodia. Siem Reap Airways serves the Phnom Penh to Siem Reap route with modern ATRs from France; President Airlines flies from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Ratanakiri Province, sometimes with a Boeing 737 to the former and Royal Phnom Penh Airways operates flights between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and the capital and Ratanakiri Province, but with a fleet of older Chinese planes.

There are up to six flights a day between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and it is usually possible to get on a flight at short notice. However, tickets for Siem Reap Airways book out fast in peak season, as fewer agents will book with President Airlines and Royal Phnom Penh Airways . President Airlines also flies to Ratanakiri Province ; however, during peak season, demand for flights often exceeds supply.

The baggage allowance for domestic flights is only 10kg for each passenger, but unless you are way over the limit it is Unlikely you will have to pay for excess baggage.