by LexusSchmexus » Tue Oct 20, 2015 7:29 am
It really depends on the location and the guy... And how hard you bargain. Usually 10-15$ over the passenger rate is fair enough. I think I paid 15$ or so the times I went to Srey Ambel, maybe 10$ to Takeo (or less? Maybe 30000r?), Stung Treng roughly 15$ as well despite it being much farther (and the poor guy paid off about 12 cops along the way, no joke). I once used a double decker from Koh Kong and they asked 10-15$ I think, plus the 10$ ticket. I was in no position to bargain as I was out of time (showed up the day before assuming they had minivans going to PP but no dice... No minivans there surprisingly) and too tired to ride back.
I don't think I've ever paid 20$. Usually between 10-15 or so. They might start at 20 or 25$ because they assume you don't know the prices, but you have to laugh in their faces and joke around a bit and start bargaining. Keep in mind it's NOT a nice way to travel. Right now it might be ok because the skies are overcast, but the minivans are hot, dusty and cramped. They'll load up your bike telling they're leaving (every single time) and show you people sitting inside, then they'll wait another 30-45 mins for extra passengers. Then they'll stop and go along the way picking up and dropping people off (or driving really slow assuming everyone on the side of the road wants a ride). And you've also seen the pictures of people sprawled in the ditch after an accident... Some are much better than others but there's no way to know. I wouldn't bring a bike to Siem Riep unless I had 4-5 days, since it pretty much takes two days to get there and back. I'd load it up to Kompong Thom and then ride it through Preah Kahn temple all the way to Siem Riep. One of the best rides ever, but it might be too wet for that now.
As for Kampot, there are tons of cool ways to go down there: following the train tracks (most of the way), going via west of the 41 but east of the bokor mountain range...
It really depends on the location and the guy... And how hard you bargain. Usually 10-15$ over the passenger rate is fair enough. I think I paid 15$ or so the times I went to Srey Ambel, maybe 10$ to Takeo (or less? Maybe 30000r?), Stung Treng roughly 15$ as well despite it being much farther (and the poor guy paid off about 12 cops along the way, no joke). I once used a double decker from Koh Kong and they asked 10-15$ I think, plus the 10$ ticket. I was in no position to bargain as I was out of time (showed up the day before assuming they had minivans going to PP but no dice... No minivans there surprisingly) and too tired to ride back.
I don't think I've ever paid 20$. Usually between 10-15 or so. They might start at 20 or 25$ because they assume you don't know the prices, but you have to laugh in their faces and joke around a bit and start bargaining. Keep in mind it's NOT a nice way to travel. Right now it might be ok because the skies are overcast, but the minivans are hot, dusty and cramped. They'll load up your bike telling they're leaving (every single time) and show you people sitting inside, then they'll wait another 30-45 mins for extra passengers. Then they'll stop and go along the way picking up and dropping people off (or driving really slow assuming everyone on the side of the road wants a ride). And you've also seen the pictures of people sprawled in the ditch after an accident... Some are much better than others but there's no way to know. I wouldn't bring a bike to Siem Riep unless I had 4-5 days, since it pretty much takes two days to get there and back. I'd load it up to Kompong Thom and then ride it through Preah Kahn temple all the way to Siem Riep. One of the best rides ever, but it might be too wet for that now.
As for Kampot, there are tons of cool ways to go down there: following the train tracks (most of the way), going via west of the 41 but east of the bokor mountain range...