We're planning a road trip in Cambodia in November this year for three to four weeks, and we want to hire a car and drive it ourselves.
First, before someone else says it, I know that Cambodia can be a nightmare to drive. But I don't want a driver. And previously we've done many thousands of miles of self-drive road-trips around Thailand, India, Morocco, Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Iceland (in winter)... and others. And I already have the basics of the Khmer language (as well as basic conversation/reading in 11 other languages including Thai, Hindi, Russian, Icelandic, Swahili - none of which will help me much in Cambodia, except possibly French, but I mention it to show that learning Khmer, although a little more tricky than some, is not going to be impossible for me) and I'm confident that by the time we visit Cambodia I'll at least be able to read most signs and have a reasonable chance of being understood some of the time by any Cambodians that don't speak English or French, and understanding them if they speak very slowly.
So, having done a bit of research and found that there are several car hire companies that claim they will hire cars to "tourists" (we want a 4x4), and will arrange a Cambodian driving licence, any advice would be appreciated.
Most worryingly, a travel "specialist" recently told me that the rules have changed a few months ago and now it's impossible for tourists to hire a car. If they're right, we'll go somewhere else instead of Cambodia. But it may be that the "specialist" was only interested in making money by providing a driver and guide. I've also been advised that to hire a car I need a business visa ("type E") not a tourist visa on entry or an online "e-visa".
Specifically, my questions are:
1. As a tourist, or "business traveller" not actually living or employed in Cambodia, is it possible to hire a car and drive it myself?
2. Any recommendations of the best place to hire from?
3. Any parts of Cambodia where it really isn't safe to drive, or impossible or illegal to drive?
4. Am I right in thinking that November should be after the worst of the wet weather/floods and before the worst of the heat/dust? And, for example, is the road to Osoam (Veal Veaeng) from the north and then southward likely to be driveable (even if a little challenging) that time of year?
5. Anything else?
I haven't finally planned a route yet - but I'm thinking Phnom Penh, Kampong Cham, Saen Monourom, Ban Lung, Stung Treng, Preah Vihear, Anlong Veng, Siem Reap, Pursat, Osoam, Kampot and back to Phnom Penh. Or something like that, depending on doing a more accurate assessment of distances and driving times, and allowing for time to stop if/when we see something interesting. With the intention of spending two nights and a full day at most places, probably longer somewhere near Siem Reap.
Any comments/suggestions? We're not youngsters - not interested in noisy bars and nightlife - and hope to see some of what the "real" Cambodia is like as well as a few of the better "tourist sites". Costs not a problem - but obviously I don't want to spend more money than I need to. We don't need luxury!
Hiring a car - self drive
-
- I've got internet at work
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 345
- Joined: Thu Nov 15, 2012 8:54 am
My friends have been coming over for years and renting a SUV from a place in PP.Drivers's license included.But no more.This year the same place couldn't get a license and wanted a passport and one thousand deposit.You need a 6 or 12 month visa to get a license.
I understand about wanting to drive yourself.In the last 16 years I have about a half a million kilometers on two and four wheels here.All the places you mention.It's all easy now except the Promuny { spelling } to Osom part.I did it a year ago.
I understand about wanting to drive yourself.In the last 16 years I have about a half a million kilometers on two and four wheels here.All the places you mention.It's all easy now except the Promuny { spelling } to Osom part.I did it a year ago.
You won't be able to get a drivers license as the requirements for obtaining one have changed significantly and agents can no longer facilitate the process for you, although I believe that you're allowed to drive on your foreign drivers license for the first month of your stay...but the devil will be in the fine print of your travel insurance...and whether car rentals will rent you a vehicle without a Cambodian DL.
I'm not a negative person, I encourage people all the time...it's usually to f**k off! But, whatever.
- Lucky Lucan
- K440 Knight Captain
- Reactions: 761
- Posts: 22525
- Joined: Fri Mar 04, 2011 12:24 pm
- Location: The Pearl of the Orient
To comply with the laws here, you need a Cambodian driving license. Not an International Driving License or one from your home country, a Cambodian one. Cars are relatively expensive here. So you could either buy a car here yourself and try to get all the paperwork together, which will not be practical for a short trip like yours, or get a car with a driver. I'm sure there will be private individuals who might be willing to rent you their car if you put a large deposit down, but the car will still be registered to them so most will be very reluctant to do that.
Romantic Cambodia is dead and gone. It's with McKinley in the grave.
-
- I live above an internet cafe
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 146
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:34 pm
Being able to read Thai numbers will certainly be of much more use in Cambodia than French - Thai and Cambodian numbers are written the same way, except they are pronounced differently. Also, many words from Sanskrit/Pali are shared among the two languages. This is because Thai has many loan words from Khmer, which originally came from Sanskrit/Pali.
French is next to useless these days in Cambodia. You'll be perfectly fine with English, like most other tourists. If you can speak some Thai, you'll be able to make use of this in the border regions within about 50km of the Thai border and especially in border towns like Koh Kong where most people can speak Thai. Otherwise you'll need Khmer although English works well in places with sufficient tourist numbers as mentioned.
You can easily rent a car and drive yourself via AVIS Cambodia. They have branches in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
French is next to useless these days in Cambodia. You'll be perfectly fine with English, like most other tourists. If you can speak some Thai, you'll be able to make use of this in the border regions within about 50km of the Thai border and especially in border towns like Koh Kong where most people can speak Thai. Otherwise you'll need Khmer although English works well in places with sufficient tourist numbers as mentioned.
You can easily rent a car and drive yourself via AVIS Cambodia. They have branches in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
Last edited by black69wolf69 on Sat Jun 09, 2018 9:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
-
- I live above an internet cafe
- Reactions: 0
- Posts: 146
- Joined: Wed Apr 25, 2012 4:34 pm
Sorry just to add a few more details.
If as the other posters have stated, it is no longer possible to rent a car in Cambodia without a local driver's license (although AVIS Cambodia for example has always been able to facilitate this process) then this may add some difficulties to your quest.
I don't see any information on their website suggesting any prohibitions on tourists renting their vehicles. To be sure though, you might want to contact them directly:
https://www.avis.com.kh/
If as the other posters have stated, it is no longer possible to rent a car in Cambodia without a local driver's license (although AVIS Cambodia for example has always been able to facilitate this process) then this may add some difficulties to your quest.
I don't see any information on their website suggesting any prohibitions on tourists renting their vehicles. To be sure though, you might want to contact them directly:
https://www.avis.com.kh/
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 2 Replies
- 1640 Views
-
Last post by RobW
Sat Aug 01, 2020 9:41 am
-
-
Hiring a local from a foreign company
by nerdlinger » Tue Aug 01, 2023 2:48 pm » in The Business Forum - 2 Replies
- 2077 Views
-
Last post by MarkinAston
Tue Aug 01, 2023 8:46 pm
-
-
- 9 Replies
- 862 Views
-
Last post by Spigzy
Thu Dec 01, 2022 10:18 pm
-
-
Import right hand drive car from uk
by Brokenleghead » Wed Mar 11, 2020 5:43 pm » in Questions and Answers - 12 Replies
- 2689 Views
-
Last post by YaTingPom
Fri Mar 13, 2020 12:02 pm
-
-
-
Right hand drive vehicle ban lifted?
by Brokenleghead » Mon Nov 21, 2022 7:39 pm » in Questions and Answers - 3 Replies
- 769 Views
-
Last post by Brokenleghead
Tue Nov 22, 2022 3:45 pm
-