• From A to B
• Accomodations
  • Phnom Penh
  • Siem Reap
  • Pak Chong
  • Chiang Mai
  • Surat Thani
  • Cheow Lan Lake
  • Koh Samui
  • Bangkok
• Activities
• Costs
• Visa?

From A to B

We flew with Thai Airways from Brussels to Phnom Penh, with a stopover in Bangkok. For the return flight, we flew directly from Bangkok to Brussels. With such long flights, it's really nice not to have an extra stopover, even if it does mean paying a bit more. We booked these flights with Connections.
https://www.connections.be/

I arranged all the on-site travel in advance. In retrospect, that might not have been necessary.
In Thailand in particular, the focus is completely on tourists. Whatever you can think of; people are willing to arrange it for you. The locals are very helpful. Payment is also easy, as Visa cards are accepted in many places. Just make sure you have Thai baht on you. On markets, in temples... People still mainly use cash.
Cambodia is less touristy than Thailand. That's certainly not a bad thing; quite the opposite. It just makes things a bit more complicated. We could barely get anywhere with our Visa card. US dollars and Cambodian riel are used interchangeably. It's best to bring low-value notes, as almost no one can give back $100 bills. The people are extremely friendly and helpful. So don't worry. Everything will always be fine.

For the trip from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap, we used a taxi with a driver/guide. We were very satisfied. The vehicle was comfortable and clean. The guide provided plenty of information and planned interesting stops. We could get as much bottled water as we wanted.
https://cambodiataxidriver.com/

We booked the flight from Siem Reap to Bangkok several months in advance with Bangkok Airways.
https://www.bangkokair.com/

I arranged transport from Bangkok airport to the Khao Yai region and then from Khao Yai to Ayutthaya with our hotel in Khao Yai.
https://khaoyainaturelifetours.com/

You have to book the night train well in advance. Almost all the tourists we met were taking the train to Chiang Mai, so it's a very popular route. Train 9 is a modern, clean and comfortable train. We booked second-class tickets, which was fine. There was also plenty of room for our suitcases under the bunks. Booking is very easy via
https://12go.asia/nl

After our stay in Chiang Mai, we flew south to Surat Thani. We booked our flights through https://www.airasia.com/

I arranged all transportation to and from the lake through our resort on Cheow Lan Lake. A driver picked us up in Surat Thani and took us to the lake. From there, a boat took us back and forth to the hotel. After our stay, we were accompanied by another driver who drove us to Donsak Pier. https://www.thegreenerypanvaree.com/

The Seatran Ferry provided the crossing to Koh Samui. The ferry service is very flexible. We arrived at the pier much too early but were able to board an earlier ferry without any problems. I booked the ferry several weeks in advance through https://12go.asia/nl

Our last domestic flight, from Koh Samui to Bangkok, I booked with https://www.bangkokair.com/

For short journeys locally, we usually used the GRAB app. It works very well. In Cambodia, we were usually picked up by tuk-tuks; in Thailand, it was often a car. I wasn't able to link my credit card to the app but you can easily pay for rides in cash on the spot.

Accomodations

Phnom Penh

Plantation Urban Resort and Spa: A peaceful oasis in a bustling city. Friendly staff, lovely rooms and a wide selection for breakfast, lunch and dinner. https://theplantation.asia/

Siem Reap

Angkor Heart Bungalow: A bungalow with a private pool. The lady who welcomed us went above and beyond to arrange everything we wanted: an excursion the next day, a taxi to the airport, a tuk-tuk to the city center… Nothing was too much trouble for her. Highly recommended!
https://www.angkorheartbungalow.com/

Pak Chong

Khao Yai Nature Life Resort: The staff were very friendly and helpful. The activities we booked through the hotel were excellent. We found the rooms themselves rather basic. Hard mattresses and a cold shower (which you had to hold). Nothing major, but this was one of our more expensive accommodations on vacation, so we expected a bit more.
https://khaoyainaturelifetours.com/

Chiang Mai

Thai Akara Lanna Boutique Hotel: A wonderful hotel. Beautiful room, lovely pool and a decent breakfast. Great location, right in the old town. The staff was a bit more reserved than during the rest of our trip, but certainly friendly.
https://thaiakara.com/

Surat Thani

Aiem Wilae Guesthouse: Small cottages, basic but with all the necessary comforts. Not very cozy but more than adequate for one night. Close to the airport, which suited us well. The owners are very friendly, provide a good breakfast and arrange transportation to and from the airport.
https://iam-wilai-guesthouse.allsuratthanihotels.com/

Cheow Lan Lake

Panvaree The Greenery: A true paradise! Bungalows on the water with direct access to the lake. Delicious meals and extremely helpful staff.
https://www.thegreenerypanvaree.com/

Koh Samui

Prana Resort Nandana: a luxurious resort with several swimming pools, a lavish breakfast and a wellness center. Located right on the beach. Fisherman's Village, where a wide selection of restaurants awaits, is just a few minutes away by taxi. You can also dine at the hotel itself. We enjoyed this option several times: the selection was plentiful and delicious. We completely relaxed here and would have happily stayed longer.
https://pranaresortsamui.com/

Bangkok

Chatrium Hotel Riverside: ideally located on the waterfront, with a large pool and spacious rooms (like "apartments"). The breakfast was very extensive. It's a bit further from the city center but a hotel boat takes you every half hour to the pier, from where boats depart to all the highlights.

Activities

We arranged most activities on site, the hotel often provided transportation.

For the visit to Angkor, I bought a one-day pass for four people in advance
https://www.angkorenterprise.gov.kh/

In Pak Chong and Cheow Lan Lake, all activities were included in the hotel price. You essentially book accommodation and activities together.

Costs

We paid around €1200 per person for the flights, including luggage. It could probably be cheaper, but I've been keeping an eye on the flights for a long time and haven't found many cheaper ones. We're traveling during school holidays, of course, so tickets are usually quite expensive then. We also really considered our convenience. We didn't want to spend 30 hours traveling and make multiple stopovers. If you're up for that, you're sure to find cheaper tickets.

We paid around €1000 per person for all the accommodations. This always included breakfast and at Cheow Lan Lake, it was even full board. Activities were also included there and in Pak Chong. We arranged transfers through the hotel several times. That's also included in this price.

We paid a total of €400 per person for the taxi from Phom Penh to Siem Reap, domestic flights, the night train and the ferry.

Entrance fees on site are almost negligible: €1 or €2 to enter a temple, €5 for Tuol Sleng Prison and the Killing Fields with an audio guide…

Conclusion: the biggest expense is airfare. Hotels, transportation, activities and meals are much cheaper than we're used to in the Western world.

Visa?

For Cambodia, you need an ETA to enter the country. You must arrange this in advance and can easily do so online. One week before arrival, you must also complete an online e-arrival form.
https://www.evisa.gov.kh/

Do you want to experience our entire journey?

Would you like to learn more about our trip and read about our experiences? Then take a look at our travel stories.
Cambodia and Thailand Travel Stories