Notoriously one of the most confusing and corrupt border crossings in Southeast Asia, there’s an easy way to take all the stress out crossing the Laos to Cambodia border by bus. Border crossing “tours” are becoming more common throughout Southeast Asia, most likely to stop acts of corruption. These are shuttle buses to the border and while some still require you to interact with border officers, I never spoke to one while crossing the land border from Laos into Cambodia, from Don Det to Siem Reap. It was too easy.

While there are other options to get into Cambodia from Laos, this seemed the most efficient and cost-effective way from any travelers I encountered and talked to. The journey from Don Det to Siem Reap begins in the lush green delta of Laos’ 4000 Islands and ends in Siem Reap, home of the world’s largest religious complex, Angkor Wat. If you’re looking to cross the Laos to Cambodia border without a hassle, read on for everything you need to know!  

Please note: some links below are affiliate links. If you book a bed at Siem Reap Hostel through the link below, I get a small commission. It doesn’t increase the price for you, and is a great way to support this site. Please contact me if you have any questions at all.

 

How much does the bus across the Laos to Cambodia cost?

There are different bus options to get from Laos to Cambodia. While the end result is the same, (you end up in Siem Reap, Cambodia), not all “tour” buses from Laos into Cambodia are the same. I use the word “tour” as it’s similar to a sightseeing trip, with the sights being the border between the two Asian countries. Keep in mind, the day consists of transport, and depending on what you pay for, assistance to get through the border between Laos and Cambodia might not be provided, just transport from Don Det to Siem Reap.

The “tour” I took began in Don Det with a small shuttle bus to the small Lao town of Nadasang in the 4000 Islands. From here around 20 passengers boarded the bus headed for Cambodia. Most of these passengers had paid the fee of $40 U.S. Dollars to have everything looked after for them.

There were a few people who were dropped off out the front of the Laos side of the border and they entered the process by themselves. I talked to a few of the passengers who went through the process by themselves and they said it did cost a little more to make it through customs and the paperwork needed to enter Cambodia.

Only a few dollars more but it was surprising that it was more expensive. While the land border between Laos and Cambodia is said to be one of the worst in regards to corruption, myself nor any travelers in my tour had any issues. In fact, I never even spoke to a border official during the entire process. Pretty stress-free right?  

 

What do I need to bring for the visa on arrival into Cambodia?

You will need a few things to apply for your Cambodian visa on arrival. Please note, this list is all that I needed, but things do change and it’s best to get the most up to date information directly from the official government website.  

What you should be prepared for to leave Laos and enter Cambodia:

• A valid passport with at least 6 months before its expiry date. A lot of visa on arrival in Asia is a sticker that takes up a full passport-sized page. Make sure you have a few blank pages spare.
• Two passport-sized photographs – the size of passport-sized photographs you need differ from country to country in Asia, so double-check you have the right size.
• Your initial accommodation when you arrive in Cambodia. If you’re stuck and don’t have any accommodation booked, a handy Lonely Planet guidebook will give you an address of a hostel/hotel in Siem Reap to write down.
• You will need to fill in documents before hopping on the bus, as once you hand the completed visa forms, everything else is handled for you.

 

What is the step by step process of crossing the border from Laos to Cambodia by bus?

If you’re just after a quick rundown of what to expect when traveling between Laos and Cambodia, then this section is for you. The trip that I will detail below is from Don Det to Siem Reap. It consisted of a boat, bus and then a tuk-tuk ride to whatever accommodation you have booked in Siem Reap (if you’re looking for a great hostel in Siem Reap, check out my recommendation below!) I give a more in-depth rundown of my experience and what to expect in the section below, but the basics are right here.

• If you’re on Don Det Island, there will be a quick shuttle boat leaving from the main pier.
• Your first stop will be the town of Nadasang.
• After the documents are all in check you’ll drive the 15 kilometers to the border
• Depending on what tour you took, you may not even meet a border official.
• You’ll change buses in a town called Stung Treng in Cambodia.
• You’ll then set off to Siem Reap, the home of Angkor Wat.

 

What exactly did the process crossing the border into Cambodia from Laos include?

My journey to Cambodia began from the small island of Don Det, part of the 4000 Islands. So while the first chunk may be a little different for some.

• My small travel group of 3 had booked the bus into Cambodia a couple of days in advance. Even though I visited in the lower season the boat from Don Det was almost full – booking early is advised.
• Waking up around 630am to make the 730am boat from Don Det. Tickets are checked at the dock before boarding.
• The boat ride from Don Det to Nadasang is a short 10-minute trip once you get going.
• After pulling into the small yet bustling town of Nadasang, it was around a 10-minute walk to Nadasang Bus station. If you’re walking away from the dock down the main street, the bus station will be on your left-hand side.
• We had a 90-minute wait for our bus. Not too sure why getting up so early is needed to just wait for the bus. If you have time, visited the fruit market of Nadasang, right next to the dock is a great place to get cheap and tasty fruit.

• Before you leave, you will fill out the application form. You will need to hand over your passport to the tour operator from here until you’re in Cambodia. I wasn’t a fan of this at all, but there’s not much negotiation at all. Make sure you have a couple of passport sized photos to go along with your Cambodian visa on arrival application form. You will fill out the form here and the guide for the trip will look over everything for potential errors.
• At 12:40pm the bus departed Nadasang Bus station. It is around a 15km ride to the border of Laos and Cambodia.
• If you’re crossing the border by yourself, you get out at the front of the Laos border entry. If you’re on the “all-inclusive tour”, you drive straight through and stop at a restaurant on the Cambodian side of the border.
• If you’re crossing the border, after the process is completed, you meet up with the other bus passengers on the other side. I was told by those doing it by themselves they had to purchase a separate bus ticket here to continue on to Siem Reap – which is what caused the price to be a little higher.
• Before heading off from the restaurant you’re handed back your passports, along with the full-page sized sticker of entrance visa into Cambodia. Double check to make sure the passport is yours, you have your visa stuck inside the passport and everything checks out (name, date etc).
• From here, you set off to Siem Reap. But there’s still a bit ahead of you before you reach your final destination. This second bus had the best facilities of the three buses/vans of the day – including good air conditioning protecting from the humidity outside.

• This second bus takes around 2.5 hours and stops at the crossroads of northern Cambodia, Stung Treng. From here, we were told to wait an hour until leaving for Siem Reap. Stang Treng is quite busy and has restaurants and ATMs to help pass the time. Side note: some ATMs restrict certain cards from withdrawn Cambodian Riel, and American Dollars is all that’s able to be withdrawn. The US Dollar is an accepted currency throughout most of Cambodia and is sometimes preferred. ($1 USD is around 4,000 Cambodian Riel).
• It is around 4 hours and 50 minutes from Stung Treng to Siem Reap, covering 300 km. In case that doesn’t cause alarm bells to sound in your head, the road is full of curves – motion sickness prone travelers should be aware and take precautions if needed. I personally found the roads in Cambodia to be much better than Laos.
• Around halfway to Siem Reap from Stung Treng is the only rest stop. There’s not too much here other than refreshments and a dingy toilet, but it’s better than nothing. Be on the lookout for three young kids dancing like no one is watching to techno/house beats out the front – they may or may not be wearing pants. It’s was uplifting to see such energy though!
• Arriving in Siem Reap at night, exhausted and drained, the bus arrives at a small bus station with a horde of tuk-tuk drivers waiting to take travelers to their chosen place of accommodation. This tuk-tuk is the only transport not covered in the $40 USD fee.

 

Looking for a great hostel in Siem Reap?

My favorite hostel in Siem Reap, is the Siem Reap Hostel. With a delicious restaurant, relaxing pool with games, a great happy hour and a helpful and knowledgeable tour booking counter – it’s got everything you need to enjoy your time in Siem Reap and meet new travel buddies! You can book a room for Siem Reap Hostel here, hassle free!  

Been through the process of the Cambodian and Lao border? Did I miss something? Tell me about your experience below, or ask any questions you have in the comments below!  

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• Read more about travel in Southeast Asia below!

 

Want even more on Southeast Asia?

• Read about travel from Vietnam into Laos across the border
• Take the slow boat from Siem Reap to Battambang
• Want the best things to do in Cambodia in images?

  As always, thanks for reading! Happy and safe travels, Ben – Horizon Unknown