On the road to Cambodia - part One

I'm always looking for the best travel options at a reasonable price.  So when I came across Giant Ibis Transport I had to give them a shot. Billing themselves as a the only luxury bus service plying the

Ho Chi Minh to Phnom Penh route and other points with in Cambodia. With a fleet of new

buses with unique amenities there competition doesn't offer.

Was thinking of a visit to Phnom Penh and maybe on to Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat and this would be a good opportunity to try out the Giant Ibis. Oh, and alone the way I also learned Giant Ibis is not just a bus company but the name of the national bird of Cambodia and an endangered species with less than 250 birds remaining.  I know this number because I believe the bus company drove one of there buses to the Giant Ibis' habitat in the north of Cambodia and in Lao and counted them.  The 250 number was given to me by the bus company but said nothing about there effort to count them but are active in efforts to preserve the bird. 

For a seat from HCM to Phnom Penh the cost is$18.00 which is higher than the other guys like Sapaco, Mai Linh or Mekong Express. Though, Giant Ibis try's to offset this premium  by offering  WI-FI, extended leg room (didn't find that to be the case in my seat), GPS (never lose a bus that way) and other stuff that sounds good like seat belts but unless your a safety freak you'll probably find it too uncomfortable to use.  

Unlike there competition they have no on board rest rooms, though they stop frequently for that purpose.  Anyway, must add, not on their list of amenities but should be is their friendly and courteous staff.  Also, they hand out pastry's and a bottle of water, nice.

A couple days after purchasing my ticket I walked down hem (alley) 120, crossed Le Lai St, walked across park 23-9 to Giant Ibis’s office on Pham Nhu Lao Street for my 8:30 departure.  The bus pulled up on the park side of Pham Nhu Lao Street across from their office at 8:15 and soon we were motoring across Sai Gon. 

Due mostly to traffic in Sai Gon it took us close to 7 hours to make the 6 hour trip, pretty much takes care of a day. If your ultimate destination is Siem Reap they offer a night bus out of Phnom Penh to get you the rest of the way.  In route our bus made restroom stops every hour or so and a 30 minute stop for lunch at the border.  Lunch is in a newly opened spiffy, cheap but good, fast service restaurant.


Done eating and looking for that new Rolex or a case of Chivas you'll find them in the newly created duty free style mall shops by the restaurant.   Then it’s off to Vietnamese and Cambodian customs and emigrations.

Unlike entering Vietnam where you have to acquire a visa in advance, Cambodia's entry visa is on demand. Meaning you can get one at the port of entry.  Cambodian visas through the bus company cost $25.00 and I think buying it on your own cost $20.00, though it’s well worth the $5.00 to have the bus company take care of it for you.  Other carriers I've used in the past fill out the forms for you but with Giant you need to do it you’re self.

In this case as you leave Sai Gon they pass out emigration and custom forms which you complete and place them along with the $25.00 visa fee in your passport, the bus guy picks them up from everyone, once at the boarder he passes them in mass to emigrations. Once your visa and the rest of your group’s visas have the appropriate stamps from emigrations, again in mass they call out your name, individually handing them back. Now all that’s left is the emigration door checker who checks your visa for the stamps and its back to the bus. 

In days of yore the place for buses was by the Central Market, Psar Thmel. Now a days with so many private bus operations, your bus could arrive or leave from just about anywhere around the city.

So it's a good idea to ask exactly where the bus will drop you off and where you pick it up.  Giant Ibis is located by the Night Market so it's easy to find.

 Pulled into Phnom Penh around 4:00 pm so it was still light out, hate having to find my way around at a new destination 

in the dark..

When you hop down from the bus you will be greeted by a bevy of tuk tuk drivers, motor bike pulled passenger trailer that will carry you on. Ask a price to your destination, respond with a lower price and establish what the ride will cost and all the while trying to figure out if the guy really knows where he is taking you.

Climb on and welcome to Phnom Penh.