Getting from Vietnam to Cambodia
· Updated · BootsnAll
Vietnam and Cambodia share a long land border and most travellers cross it at some point, usually between Ho Chi Minh City and Phnom Penh. It is one of the easier international crossings in Southeast Asia and it can be done in a day.
Visas, which is the part that has changed
Vietnam's entry rules are far simpler than they used to be.
The Vietnamese e-visa is now open to every nationality, valid for up to 90 days, single or multiple entry, and costs 25 dollars for single entry or 50 for multiple. Approval usually takes about three working days. Apply on the government portal, evisa.gov.vn, and not through the many lookalike sites that charge a markup for the same thing.
More than thirty nationalities do not need a visa at all for short stays. A 45 day exemption covers the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, the Nordic countries, Japan and South Korea among others, under an arrangement currently running to 2028. ASEAN nationals and a few others get 30 days.
Going the other way, Cambodia issues visas on arrival at the land borders to almost all nationalities, and also runs an e-visa. Bring dollars in cash and a passport photo for the border, because that smooths things considerably.
Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh by bus
The standard crossing is Moc Bai on the Vietnamese side and Bavet on the Cambodian, and it is the busiest and most straightforward of the land borders. The gate is open from 08:00 to 20:00 daily.
Direct buses run the whole way in about six hours from as little as 10 dollars, and the good ones carry you and your luggage across without changing vehicles. The bus company staff usually walk the group through the formalities, which is worth more than it sounds if you have not done a land border in the region before.
Modern coaches on this route have air conditioning, wifi and seats that recline further than an airline's.
The other crossings
From the Mekong Delta, the river crossing at Chau Doc to Phnom Penh by boat is slower, more expensive and much more interesting, running up the Mekong itself.
There are crossings in the central highlands and near the coast at Ha Tien too, and those are quieter and less practised at dealing with foreigners. Fine if you have time, not the place to be in a hurry.
Practicalities
Have small dollars. Cambodia effectively runs on US currency alongside the riel, and the border is not where you want to discover your card does not work.
Expect to be asked for informal payments at some crossings. It is a known feature of this border, the sums are small, and the usual advice applies: be polite, be patient, and do not hand over your passport to anyone who is not in a booth.