Crossing the border: Siem Reap to Ho Chi Minh

Alas, I had to say goodbye to Siem Reap, a beautiful and laidback city and a gateway to the temples of Angkor. After my short stay in the city, its time for me to go back to Ho Chi Minh. Unlike my bus service from Ho Chi Minh to Siem Reap which had a stop over and change of bus in Phnom Penh, this trip only stopped in Phnom Penh to validate tickets and possibly to eat lunch off we went to Ho Chi Minh in the same bus. We were even picked up in our respective hotels by a van going to te bus terminal!


I was surprised that they served snacks (pastries) and water twice on board - one in Siem Ream and another one in Phnom Penh. It was the same set of snacks though. Good thing I brought a couple of leftover slices of Pizza from the night before.


We had a few minutes stop in Kampong Thom Market for snacks.


Some scenes when we passed by Phnom Penh


Saw this scene when our bus was about to cross the river. This is a common scene everywhere and you can really feel the country is struggling against poverty.


Cattles crossing the street


Short stop-over at Taleong Restaurant for snacks by mid-afternoon


It was already late in the afternoon when we arrived at the immigration border in Bavet, Svay Rieng, Cambodia. It took us a bit longer (around 45 minutes to an hour) to get cleared because there were more people in our bus this time.


Crossing the border


By the time we arrived in the immigration border of Moc Bai, Tay Ninh Province, Vietnam, it was almost dark. Here it took us another hour to get in.


Bavet border at sunset. A lovely scene from afar.


On the way back to the bus terminal in Pham Ngu Lao street, we passed by a lot of clothing shops.


Upon arrival in the bus terminal, I immediately walked to my hotel (which is just a couple of blocks away), checked in and left for dinner. For about 20 USD per night, this is how my room looks like.


Dinner time, I was so hungry because I only ate pastries that were served in the bus and didn't dare buy food on the stopovers. I went out to eat at Huong Vy Restaurant.


I had an order of a sliced beef dish and a sauteed fish. I like it when they serve their food in a clay pot, the food remains hot and sizzling and (psychologically) tastier.