Visa Run: Bangkok to Ban Hat Lek/Koh Kong

Our destination for this two-dayer was Koh Kong in Cambodia. Entry point is at Ban Had Lek on the Thai side and Cham Yeam on the Cambodian side.

Bangkok to Ban Hat Lek in Trat Province is about 400 kms. If you haven’t been before it’s well worth the trip as the scenery is beautiful, especially the last 90 kms from Trat to the border.

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For those of you who are driving just take the expressway past Suvarnabhumi Airport and turn off on the 344 to Klang. At the T-Junction – approx 200kms from Bangkok – turn left on the 3 to Trat. Just before you arrive in Trat – 325 kms from Bkk – turn left on to the 318 and this will take you all the way to the border.

At the border there is secure car parking, courtesy of the casino. Entry is on the left between the Kasikorn Bank and SCB ATMs. You can have your parking stamped at the cashier in the casino and you’ll park for free.

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Cambodia has an e-visa which you can get for $25 online and it can be used at this border crossing. It’s well worth doing both cost-wise and time-wise. If you get your visa at the border it will cost you 1200 baht and they do NOT accept US dollars.

This has become quite a popular place for backpackers to cross so go early unless you want to join the queue with the great unwashed. Oh and there’s no shade here so you’ll queue in the sun.

There’s loads of touts hanging around pestering you for a ride into Koh Kong. Personally, I like to have a flutter at the tables so I just tell them I’m only going to the casino and they leave me alone.

The casino operates a bus from the border to the front door so avail yourself of this free service. I walked, but they have now opened the final stage of their construction program and the main entrance is further along the road. In the end it’s only 10 minutes so it won’t kill you.

The casino is very plush. One of the best I’ve every been in so you’ll need to be reasonably smartly attired. No shorts or flip flops etc.

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You can check you bags at reception and take the escalator to the Casino floor. Typical of most Asian casinos, most tables play baccarat with only one table for blackjack.

Even if you don’t want to play just cash some money and get some chips and ask them to stamp your parking at the same time. You cash your chips out at a different counter so nobody knows or cares if you play or not.

Take a few moments to check out their swimming pool. It’s fantastic.

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Non-guests pay 50 baht to use it and this comes with towels etc. Many expat residents of Koh Kong come over for the day to enjoy the pool and the poolside bar. When I was there I didn’t see a single soul around the pool either day.

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When you’re done, collect you bags and get the doorman to call you a motor bike to take you to Koh Kong. It will cost you 100 baht plus 11 baht toll way on the bridge. Some miserable types make the driver pay but it’s only 11 baht FFS. You’ll have to pay again on your way back.

Koh Kong is a pretty small frontier town where nothing much happens. That in itself is an attraction after the pace and noise of Bangkok.

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There are lots of accommodation choices here but this time I stayed at The Dugout Hotel which is right in the main street.

This wonderfully unsubtle name –Doug was the previous owner – is the brainchild of the new owner and fellow kiwi Grant. He’s a friendly guy who takes the time to have a chat and like all good hoteliers is able to give you the gen on all things local.

The food is pretty good here, especially the breakfasts. Plate was huge!

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My room with A/C cost 400 baht. They are pretty full so send an email first 'thedugouthotel[at]yahoo.com

Diagonally across the road is a new bar called ‘Fat Sams’. The guv is Welsh so you’ll need to listen carefully when he speaks! He’s a large lad so there’s no mistaking him. He’s mates with Colin and Hatch (before his passing obviously) for those of you in Bangkok.

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Fat Sams has the distinction of employing what must be the prettiest cook of any place I’ve ever been in. And she can cook. This is a great place for a few beers while you watch the passing traffic, which is mostly bicycles and motor bikes.

The Oasis is another place which got good wraps from the locals, although I didn’t go there. Run by an amiable Brit with an interest in trekking and boating so probably a good place to stay if you’re the adventurous type.

Ok so it’s back to the border with a short stop at Cambodian immigration to get your exit stamp. Then on to Thai immigration for your stamp in.

New visas rules have been introduced at other land borders but as of the 10-12-08 they are still giving 30 days at Ban Had Lek.

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All photos taken on my Samsung Omnia Mobile Phone.

Great Pictures for a mobile phone must be high Dollar.
Thanks for sharing your adventures.

^
25k baht

Nice one, how much was breakfast?

Good Stuff and great pics, interesting that they gave you a 30 day chop

Great report Klongmaster and some very nice pictures from that mobile phone. I did like the design of that pool, it would make a good flower bed when scaled down a bit. The little white bridge to the island, is a nice touch. Good info on the hotel as well, thanks very much.

how much the casino room :)?

Grub looks great bro. Any news on the chicken farm?

^Klongy is a respectable and happily married man, so how would he know :) plus he's extremely old :)

bunch of cvnts as usual...

but Chicken Farm update... I took the motor bike there and returned empty -handed...not sure what's happened to me cause the first time I went there I thought it was wonderful...this time all i could see was the dirt...

wow...marriage is a wonderful thing...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snookmas

how much the casino room

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from their brochure which I picked up in their foyer... between 1900 -85000 Baht

although last time I paid 800 baht for a room for three!..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by MeMock

Nice one, how much was breakfast?

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Sorry Memers... missed this one...180 baht which seemed expensiove to me as did the beers at 40 Baht a can...I'm used to paying 75 baht a large bottle of Heneiken in Thonburi...

Cheers.

Can you tell us more about the casino. Many tables but just the one black jack table? Hoe did you go? Food, drinks resturants etc?

Thai don't like to play Blackjack so the first day there was just me and a young Korean guy on the only table...minimum bet 200 Baht Max 8000...

I played for about an hour and pocketed 1500 baht...just enough to pay for the visa...

On the way out the following morning I stopped for another flutter and quickly picked up another 2500 baht so quit while I was ahead...

Total expenses for the trip were 1610 baht for diesel, 1200 for visa, 400 baht hotel plus maybe 800 baht for food and beers. So all up about 4000...

In the end I came out square and had some fun along the way...

I'm used to paying 75 baht in Nonthaburi for a large Heineken so I thought the 40 baht a can for local beer was expensive in Koh Kong...The food in the places I mentioned above was all 'farang food' and averaged around 90-100 baht - burgers, toasties etc -

In the casino there were a number of choices but none of it looked particularly appetising so I passed on it...I do know that if you change 50,000 baht into chips you get to stay there for free and all your meals are covered...needless to say I didn't do that...

any casino photos :) how safe IF wins lots money hahah

Casinos generally don't allow cameras.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by snookmas

how safe IF wins lots money

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Casinos don't care if you win or lose...as long as you play...if you play long enough the Casino will always win...

you need to set yourself a target and when you reach it quit...but most people keep playing when they win and in the end they lose it all and more...

DD is correct...no piccies inside the Casino...

Hi, i stayed at the dugout last month, went to the chicken farm, slipped over in the grotty shower & nearly sliced my arm open on the rusty iron walls, a real turn off

Did you have to show flight ticket out of LOS and/or cash when coming back?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NIRVANA1

Hi, i stayed at the dugout last month, went to the chicken farm, slipped over in the grotty shower & nearly sliced my arm open on the rusty iron walls, a real turn off

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Unbelievable...I've never heard of anyone actually bonking girls there...it's so grotty...dirt floors...corrugated iron walls etc...as I said I went for a look and returned empty-handed...must be getting old or something...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by spiff

Did you have to show flight ticket out of LOS and/or cash when coming back?

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No Stroll...you don't have to show anything at this border...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NIRVANA1

Hi, i stayed at the dugout last month, went to the chicken farm, slipped over in the grotty shower & nearly sliced my arm open on the rusty iron walls, a real turn off

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great report KM i might pass thru myself. NIRVANA1, a u talking about the Dugout rooms? recommendations on a clean budget rooms there. What is the chicken farm?

The "chicken farm" is a low end sex resort :)

which seemed expensiove to me as did the beers at 40 Baht a can...I'm used to paying 75 baht a large bottle of Heneiken in Thonburi...[/quote]


You dont really drink that piss do you ? when you can get a large bottle of chang for 40 baht or less and at least you know your having a drink ??:UK:

upload some low end sex resort :) how low?

great post .
i plan to visit , in february , from pattaya .
what is the bar scene like in koh kong .??

i will certainly visit the chicken shack ,
and pick up a spicy , take away chick..

i look forward to meeting fat sam.
i am from , the green green grass of home
tom bones

Dave: if you're going you'll need transport into town from the border...but the M/C drivers are all touts and they'll take you to the places where they get commission...

just tell them you want to go to Fat Sams...it's only a bar so they won't get any commission...Sam will point you in the right direction for accom...

last time I went the M/C said he didn't know DugOut but as soon as I said Moto he knew - Moto bar was the old name...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by dirtydog

The "chicken farm" is a low end sex resort

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Very low...dirt floors...corrugated iron walls...pot holed roads...but they have take-aways both Khmer & Viet the latter being slightly more expensive...

longtime cost there equates to about half of short time cost in bangkok so take two...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by shayno

Quote:

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Originally Posted by NIRVANA1

Hi, i stayed at the dugout last month, went to the chicken farm, slipped over in the grotty shower & nearly sliced my arm open on the rusty iron walls, a real turn off

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great report KM i might pass thru myself. NIRVANA1, a u talking about the Dugout rooms? recommendations on a clean budget rooms there. What is the chicken farm?

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No...his reference was to the chicken farm, not the rooms at Dugout!..

Anyone done this recently

Anyone done this border crossing recently?

Even though I've have been a member for ages never posted, so I suppose I should make my first post a useful one.

For anyone with more than a few years experience in SEA then I reckon this border crossing has to be one of the most hassle free overland exit/re-entry points from Thailand. I have done this crossing about 5-6 times in the last 18 months and practically nothing has changed so you can assume this info to be relevant for the next 6 months at least I would say.

As with all things visa related there are two ways of doing things 1) yourself 2) getting someone else to do it for you at a minimal cost. Personally I always prefer to do it on my own as it leaves you open to last minute changes of plan and less exposed to having to tell annoying touts to F off.

To/From Trat to Had Lek/Cham Yeam

I will make the town of Trad/Trat the starting point as you may be coming from one of the nearby islands or BKK or one of the provincial towns in the area, either way at some point you will end up in Trat.

Most transport options will drop you off in Trat at either the newish bus terminal about 1k from the center or somewhere around the central covered Market. If you end up hopelessly disorientated than ask for KFC, it's opposite the the market and over the road are Songthaews or moto taxis. Moto Taxi to the bus station is 20 baht, in fact just about anywhere within Trat is 20 Baht.
Once at the bus station walk into the entrance and walk down to the very last bay on the right hand side (Number 13 I believe) regardless it is clearly signed Had lek / Border crossing. Avoid the touts at the entrance as they will offer to take you alone immediately, unless of course you want to pay what they ask. From pier/gate 13 the fixed fare to the border is 120b for Thai or Farang in a minivan. If you see someone else paying 80 baht don't get shirty like I have seen a few backpackers doing, more than likely they are being dropped early at the couple of fishing towns near Klong Yai about 15k short of the border. The minivan goes when full and I have never waited longer than an hour (30-45 mins is typical).
The minivan stops at Klong Yai as there are a few minivans that ply the route to fill up one van rather than run two half full, this stop is rarely more than 5 to 10 mins so get out and enjoy a smoke. From there to the border is just 10 mins or so. The minivan will pull up about 5 meters short of the Thai immigration exit post on the left hand side. Rescue your bag from the wheelbarrow boys who pounce upon it before you even get out of the van and walk to the exit post. Where the van drops you off is exactly the same place you want to be when doing the return journey (all info is reversed, same price, same route etc)

Immigration

Border post operates between 7am and 8pm - Realistically you shouldn't leave any later from Trat than 6pm, 5pm would be my recommendation.

This is an incredibly quiet border crossing and unless you are unlucky enough to arrive just behind a coach load of Thais off on a gambling tour you should be stamped out in about 2 minutes. (If you have overstay or visa transferals to sort out before exiting this is taken care of by the Immigration booth on the RHS (arrivals ??)).
Walk down the road towards the Cambodian border, Just after the red and white barrier is where the amusement starts. Head purposefully towards the Visa service desk and avoid the fools trying to direct you to the health check booth immediately on the left, that is of course unless you enjoy someone in a dirty white coat putting an even dirtier temperature probe in your ear and charging 20b for the pleasure.
Take the Visa application form from the "helpful friend" saying that "as English is my native language I don't really think I need to much help in filling out a form that is in English, but thanks all the same". Once filled out pop inside and hand over the form, 1 photo, your passport and 1000b (The 1000baht rate seems pretty much set in stone these days. add 100b if you don't have a photo). Immigration officials in this office seem genuinely friendly, last time I ended up eating Vietnamese duck eggs with them, whilst they made out the visa. Once you have the visa in your passport backtrack one window closer toward the Thai side and get the arrival form to fill out (more than likely from your "friend") or if he has already sussed out you are not a naive tourist then pop your head through the window and the immigration officer will hand you one. Fill it out and hand it over with your passport. They are still trying to get to grips with a new fingerprint system they installed a few months back, fairly straight forward but if you are behind a local fresh from the fields then this can sometimes take a few minutes but it is worth the watch as they try to get to grips with this gadget. Once you get your passport back you are free to either continue on into Cambodia or double back and re-enter Thailand. Of the 5-6 border crossings I have made here recently none has taken more than 20 mins from the van dropping me off to receiving my passport with visa ready to head off into Cambodia.
A point to note is that if you re-enter Thailand immediately then the Cambodian side will charge you 300 baht (some sort of “lost revenue” taxation) I don’t know but I am fairly sure this is not debateable.

Cham Yeap Border to Koh Kong

Whether you are going into Cambodia for fun, a visa or other reasons chances are you will stay in Koh Kong or at least arrange accommodation their whilst waiting for a visa or waiting for onward transportation elsewhere in Cambodia.
The same guys that were trying to help you fill out your paperwork are invariably the same guys that now sort out your transport into Koh Kong, so it obviously pays to politely decline their previous requests unless you fancy some protracted discussions about transport pricing. Motorbike is about 100baht give or take a little + 11baht toll. Tuk Tuk about 200 and a Taxi will ask for 300 baht, I took this option for the first time this trip. As it was late he agreed to go for 150 but about 2 ks short said that he had to return and I had to get a ticket from his agency as they couldn’t go for less than the full fare of 300. I just said ok then drop me off here and I’ll call the Hotel to come and pick me up and you get nothing, we were back on the road within about 5 seconds, They speak pretty good English and once I explained that I can do the 46Ks from my house to the airport in Bangkok for less than 300baht and that this was only 10ks he quickly got the picture. All very amicable to be honest once they realize you are not Quentin on a gap year Jolly they rarely try anything on and unlike Poipet and other places a polite No means No here.

In Summary
Moto Taxi from central Trat to Bus station 20b (5 mins)
Songthaew from central Trat to Bus station 40b (5 mins)
Minivan from Trat to Border 120b (60-90 mins (80kms)
Visa processing 1000b (20mins) add 100b for photo and 300b if re-entering immediately
Onward moto to Koh Kong 100b + 11b toll (15 mins)
Onward taxi to Koh Kong 150b – 300b + 44b toll (10 mins)
Fan rooms in Koh Kong $5 upwards
Modern A/C room with int Cable Tv fridge etc $10 upwards
AC bus to Sihanoukville or Phnom Penh $8-10 (4.5 – 5hrs)
Weed – Wouldn’t know about that :mid:
Girls – BYOB recommended,
Drinks – Beers 25b and upwards, spirits 30b and upwards
Thai visa services available within Koh Kong (Via Thai embassy in Phnom Penh) with a three day turnaround roughly 1000baht handling fee on top of the cost of the visa you require.
VOA - 15 days on re-entry
Banks - Finally there may be a Cirrus/Maestro option coming to town. Will try it later today and post. They promised the ATM would go online at 4pm.... we'll see about that. Other than that there are a couple of Visa only ATMs in town.