Koh Kong: lies, scams and ripoffs
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Koh Kong: lies, scams and ripoffs
I recently made my first land border crossing into Cambodia from Thailand. So here's my newbie's view. This may be old hat for those who cross at Poipet.
From the barrier at the Thai border to the hotel desk, NO ONE is your friend. Two other barang seasoned travellers (and myself) with dozens of countries under their money belts were not surprised at the attempts (successful at some points) to milk tourists but still rather aghast at the in-your-face manipulation by locals in the no-holds-barred border zone, under the non-watchful eyes of the immigration police co-conspirators.
Our Thai minibus took us right to the immigration shack on the left, passing through the barrier on the Thai side that marks the "gaming" area. We bypassed the baggage carriers with their carts who will try to tell you how far it is to "other side". It is not. Outside the shack to the left is an official looking table with "Quarantine" and signs saying you need to do something official before proceeding. A uniformed person sits with several others who take your passport and start to fill out forms. The three of us smelled a fish factory, grabbed back our passports and briskly headed to the window before they could extract a "fee".
Here the outside guys will try to help when all you need to do is get the Arrival/Departure card and visa application (should you need one). I didn't see an exterior shelf with the forms; the cards and applications are in the hands of the helpers who will want a tip to help you fill them out. As you complete the forms (having an e-visa or long-term visa didn't seem to save any time), taxi drivers grab your bags even if you tell them firmly to stop, will try to hook you into a hotel with claims the hotel you booked is full or push and prod you into a quick getaway because the last bus will leave for S'ville very soon, and any other lies to get you into your car before you can take in the nice seaview at Cham Yem border point and before you realize you've agreed to a 400 baht car ride (for 2) into Koh Kong town.
I and quite a few others crossing over stayed at Apex hotel in the centre of town, one guy and his GF involuntarily, being lied to that Otto's was closed. I tried to get the $15/night (air-con room) rate down to $10. Failed. The rate did not include breakfast, the advertised free wi-fi did not work (no one seemed inclined to get it working and wonder if it ever worked) and the hotel organized bus fare to Phnom Penh was $10, which did not include (surprise, surprise) the tuk tuk ride to the station. Well, the real bus rate is $7 (barang; Khmer pay $5-6).
Everyone's in collusion and don't expect to get any customer focused help from the desk clerks. At one point I asked how long the offered bus service takes to get to PP, hinting that I will take an alternative service. One clerk said only 4 hours. Ha! I knew it was about 6 and pointed that out and they finally relented that indeed it was 6. Every clerk, helper or driver will give you exaggerated figures to suit their money grabbing purposes. Don't trust anyone, except . . .
Once in town and out of the tourist robbing mafia's hands, everyone was friendly, warm, helpful, charged the right price and gave back the right change, even pointing out my stupidity one time in giving a 10,000 riel note instead of a 1,000 riel note. No one pressured you and they seemed genuined happy to make your stay comfortable. At one Khmer eatery, I got quite a plateful of vegetables and meat, with rice. When almost finished, a girl brought over more, no doubt thinking that at my rate of food inhalation, I was hungry and might like more. At no extra charge, since the price was already agreed.
I liked Koh Kong (expecially The Dugout bar/restaurant) but things close early, really early, in KK, like 8 or 9 o'clock. Two discos can supply booze for the late partiers.
Have to say the Virak-Buntham Co. bus for the run to PP was at a high standard. However, the road is not. The first three hours into the mountains were dire, with switchbacks, plunging first-gear descents and first-gear ascents, gravel/sand "repairs" in the asphalt that had deep ruts, axle swallowing potholes and mudholes (which almost stopped us dead at one point). A girl across the aisle from me puked from the swaying. At about 3.5 hours, the road straightened out and then we joined the highway from Sihanoukville into Phnom Penh. There are other bus services, which you can book at the shops on the main street. But there's only one or two trips a day per service. You can also go to S'ville.
From the barrier at the Thai border to the hotel desk, NO ONE is your friend. Two other barang seasoned travellers (and myself) with dozens of countries under their money belts were not surprised at the attempts (successful at some points) to milk tourists but still rather aghast at the in-your-face manipulation by locals in the no-holds-barred border zone, under the non-watchful eyes of the immigration police co-conspirators.
Our Thai minibus took us right to the immigration shack on the left, passing through the barrier on the Thai side that marks the "gaming" area. We bypassed the baggage carriers with their carts who will try to tell you how far it is to "other side". It is not. Outside the shack to the left is an official looking table with "Quarantine" and signs saying you need to do something official before proceeding. A uniformed person sits with several others who take your passport and start to fill out forms. The three of us smelled a fish factory, grabbed back our passports and briskly headed to the window before they could extract a "fee".
Here the outside guys will try to help when all you need to do is get the Arrival/Departure card and visa application (should you need one). I didn't see an exterior shelf with the forms; the cards and applications are in the hands of the helpers who will want a tip to help you fill them out. As you complete the forms (having an e-visa or long-term visa didn't seem to save any time), taxi drivers grab your bags even if you tell them firmly to stop, will try to hook you into a hotel with claims the hotel you booked is full or push and prod you into a quick getaway because the last bus will leave for S'ville very soon, and any other lies to get you into your car before you can take in the nice seaview at Cham Yem border point and before you realize you've agreed to a 400 baht car ride (for 2) into Koh Kong town.
I and quite a few others crossing over stayed at Apex hotel in the centre of town, one guy and his GF involuntarily, being lied to that Otto's was closed. I tried to get the $15/night (air-con room) rate down to $10. Failed. The rate did not include breakfast, the advertised free wi-fi did not work (no one seemed inclined to get it working and wonder if it ever worked) and the hotel organized bus fare to Phnom Penh was $10, which did not include (surprise, surprise) the tuk tuk ride to the station. Well, the real bus rate is $7 (barang; Khmer pay $5-6).
Everyone's in collusion and don't expect to get any customer focused help from the desk clerks. At one point I asked how long the offered bus service takes to get to PP, hinting that I will take an alternative service. One clerk said only 4 hours. Ha! I knew it was about 6 and pointed that out and they finally relented that indeed it was 6. Every clerk, helper or driver will give you exaggerated figures to suit their money grabbing purposes. Don't trust anyone, except . . .
Once in town and out of the tourist robbing mafia's hands, everyone was friendly, warm, helpful, charged the right price and gave back the right change, even pointing out my stupidity one time in giving a 10,000 riel note instead of a 1,000 riel note. No one pressured you and they seemed genuined happy to make your stay comfortable. At one Khmer eatery, I got quite a plateful of vegetables and meat, with rice. When almost finished, a girl brought over more, no doubt thinking that at my rate of food inhalation, I was hungry and might like more. At no extra charge, since the price was already agreed.
I liked Koh Kong (expecially The Dugout bar/restaurant) but things close early, really early, in KK, like 8 or 9 o'clock. Two discos can supply booze for the late partiers.
Have to say the Virak-Buntham Co. bus for the run to PP was at a high standard. However, the road is not. The first three hours into the mountains were dire, with switchbacks, plunging first-gear descents and first-gear ascents, gravel/sand "repairs" in the asphalt that had deep ruts, axle swallowing potholes and mudholes (which almost stopped us dead at one point). A girl across the aisle from me puked from the swaying. At about 3.5 hours, the road straightened out and then we joined the highway from Sihanoukville into Phnom Penh. There are other bus services, which you can book at the shops on the main street. But there's only one or two trips a day per service. You can also go to S'ville.
"We want our country to develop step by step. But that is such a long way off . . . as far away as the stars."
Jobless father in documentary Cambodia: Country of Scars.
Jobless father in documentary Cambodia: Country of Scars.
Sounds like every Thailand-Cambodia bus trip I've made.PenhMan wrote:gravel/sand "repairs" in the asphalt that had deep ruts, axle swallowing potholes and mudholes (which almost stopped us dead at one point). A girl across the aisle from me puked from the swaying.
They didn't make you pay for a "Health Check"?
How long did they make you wait for the bus that will pick you up in "20 minutes"?
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learn these phrases for that crossing, - fack off im a dr with the UN , i dont need a health check, i already know i have AIDS
fack off, me no speaky english
fack off i can read and write english better than u
fack off its 20$ and i know the taxi aint leaving without me
get ur thieving mits off my bag and i'll be going on the vip bus i paid for not the crappy local bus
fack off, me no speaky english
fack off i can read and write english better than u
fack off its 20$ and i know the taxi aint leaving without me
get ur thieving mits off my bag and i'll be going on the vip bus i paid for not the crappy local bus
Haha, usually fack off us enough without wasting even more breath...MasterofDisaster wrote:learn these phrases for that crossing, - fack off im a dr with the UN , i dont need a health check, i already know i have AIDS
fack off, me no speaky english
fack off i can read and write english better than u
fack off its 20$ and i know the taxi aint leaving without me
get ur thieving mits off my bag and i'll be going on the vip bus i paid for not the crappy local bus
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There's an old saying: 'See Naples and die'.
I think it should be see Koh Kong and die.A shithole.I stayed at a hotel there got charged $30/night, total rp off. The brochure advertised a sea view, and we were told our balcony would have one. There is no sea view. There is only the back of another hotel which fronts the river estuary. The Khmer guy next to me paid $18 and when I raised the question they said they made a 'mistake'. Like the mistake they made organising a tuk-tuk that tried to charge us $6 for a 2 km trip.Nothing on the hotel menu was under $5, and it was hinted that if we stayed at the hotel we couldn't go and eat elsewhere.The mangrove boat trip was a rip off, we hired one for two hours, he came back in one, I paid for one hour, he threatened to call the police.I told him to go and fcuk himself. We saw most of the place in three days, found a decent guesthouse run by a foreigner after one. I've never visited a place that seems to be so intent on self-destruction, with the Thai border only a few km away.
The only redeeming thing for the whole place was Cafe Laurent, a lovely restaurant/ bar that seemed totally out of place; excellent service, lovely food, reasonably-priced drinks, and friendly staff.
I can honestly say that I wouldn't go to Koh Kong again even if someone else paid.
I think it should be see Koh Kong and die.A shithole.I stayed at a hotel there got charged $30/night, total rp off. The brochure advertised a sea view, and we were told our balcony would have one. There is no sea view. There is only the back of another hotel which fronts the river estuary. The Khmer guy next to me paid $18 and when I raised the question they said they made a 'mistake'. Like the mistake they made organising a tuk-tuk that tried to charge us $6 for a 2 km trip.Nothing on the hotel menu was under $5, and it was hinted that if we stayed at the hotel we couldn't go and eat elsewhere.The mangrove boat trip was a rip off, we hired one for two hours, he came back in one, I paid for one hour, he threatened to call the police.I told him to go and fcuk himself. We saw most of the place in three days, found a decent guesthouse run by a foreigner after one. I've never visited a place that seems to be so intent on self-destruction, with the Thai border only a few km away.
The only redeeming thing for the whole place was Cafe Laurent, a lovely restaurant/ bar that seemed totally out of place; excellent service, lovely food, reasonably-priced drinks, and friendly staff.
I can honestly say that I wouldn't go to Koh Kong again even if someone else paid.
ירי ילדים והפצצת אזרחים דורש אומץ, כמו גם הטרדה מינית של עובדי ההוראה.
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Heh, that was my first ever experience of Cambodia. I'd heard scare stories about Poipet scams and thought I was being clever. That was eight years ago. Interesting to see how NOTHING has changed! Who's in charge of Koh Kong? Oh yeh, the robber baron who stole my land
I came, I argued, I'm out
I like Koh Kong and the border crossing is pretty relaxed once they realize that you know all their shitty scams. Always love it when I look down on KK from that hill. What I would like to know is if there is a real differene beetween KK and Poipet. Only used Poipet to leave Cambodia but I suspect the scams are the same in Poipet (visa,taxi etc.)
No they're not. They've been mostly cleaned up 2 years ago for independent travellers.
They still rip off group tours though, but that's instutionalised...
They still rip off group tours though, but that's instutionalised...
So you get your visa in Poipet for 20 dollars without any discussions?SunSan wrote:No they're not. They've been mostly cleaned up 2 years ago for independent travellers.
They still rip off group tours though, but that's instutionalised...
With very minor discussions.
1. They don't just pull some Thai baht pricing out of their hat, e.g. 1200 or 1500 per visa.
2. They politely ask for 100THB expediting fee (can be useful if two tour busses arrived just before you.
3. If you say 'no', they'll smile and give it to you for 20USD.
4. You should have 20USD in USD currency with you or else they'll use their exchange rate.
5. Don't buy anything on the Thai side, that's where the biggest scam now takes place, don't do anything in Poipet but leave (e.g. change money).
And O'Smach, Anlong Veng and as far as I know Pailin have always been clean mostly.
1. They don't just pull some Thai baht pricing out of their hat, e.g. 1200 or 1500 per visa.
2. They politely ask for 100THB expediting fee (can be useful if two tour busses arrived just before you.
3. If you say 'no', they'll smile and give it to you for 20USD.
4. You should have 20USD in USD currency with you or else they'll use their exchange rate.
5. Don't buy anything on the Thai side, that's where the biggest scam now takes place, don't do anything in Poipet but leave (e.g. change money).
And O'Smach, Anlong Veng and as far as I know Pailin have always been clean mostly.
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So the visa is $20 with no hassle now in KK ? That was the worst thing about that border crossing. Yeah the bullshit from the taxi guys trying to get business for guest house operations in town was/is a pain in the arse but the worst aspect was always the 1000/1500 baht visa bullshit and the ridiculas argument/mexican stand off that followed. If the visa is a no hassle $20 then that makes the rest of the process that much easier.
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