4 Ways to Get from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to City Centre

With a 30-minutes train ride connecting from Helsinki Airport to City Centre since 2015, it is easy and even more convenient to reach Helsinki downtown in a whizz. Here are 4 airport transfers to get from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to City Centre so that you would not spend the long stopover time sleeping in the airport.

For the second time in Finland with a 9-hours stopover in Helsinki Airport, and the cheapest airfare ever purchased for my regular European trips, I decided to take advantage of the layover in Helsinki for another time.

I benefitted from Finnair long stopover offer a few years ago with an unbelievable 7-days stopover in Helsinki from Singapore to Brussels without additional cost compared to the usual airfare purchased over the past few years. Be sure to include Helsinki as another destination under low or no cost travel.

Strict Security Customs Check at Airport Helsinki

With the fear of terrorism and overstayers, the security check at Helsinki airport is even stringent than before. The Customs officers asked EVERY passenger exiting out of the airport at 6 am on their intention in Finland and to show proof of return ticket or other documents.

What I witnessed in the past was random checks and screening was never done on every passenger. I had to admit that even though it took more time for clearance, I appreciated the stringent control because it made me feel safe in Finland. Kudos to the serious Finnish Customs Officers!

Helsinki Airport Wifi and Tourist Information

There is free wifi at Helsinki-Vantaa Airport. Other than that, if you have a SIM card from one of these 28 European countries you can call and use the mobile data in Finland with no additional roaming charges. On top of that, pick up a Helsinki city map or other cities’ travel maps from the Tourist Information Counter located on the first floor of Terminal 2.

Helsinki city centre is 20 km from the airport. Taking public transport to reach downtown takes about 30 minutes by Airport Train, Finnair Bus, Airport Bus 600 or taxi. The only challenge is the Finnish language written on the board with no English translation when buying a train ticket. Hence, it is wise to know the most cost-effective transport to go from Helsinki Airport to City Centre without being stuck in a traffic jam.

Helsinki Public Transport System 2019: New HSL Zone Segregation

With effect from 27 April 2019, Helsinki Regional Transport Authority (HSL) implemented a new ticketing system using zone segregations. Passengers pay according to the zones and distance travelled. The good news is that the Single Trip ticket is slightly lower as compared to the past from the airport to downtown. You can use the Single Trip Ticket or Day Ticket for both the Helsinki Airport Train and Bus 600.

» HSL Zone Segregation

HSL Zones are segregated into A, B, C and D areas. Helsinki city is at Zone AB, and Helsinki Airport is at Zone C. So if you want to travel from Helsinki-Vantaa Airport to downtown, you have to purchase the travel ticket for Zone ABC.

» Single Trip: From Helsinki Airport to City Centre

• Zone: Select ABC from the ticket machines or sales points.
• Ticket Cost: €4.10/trip (€6.00 from the bus driver)
• Children (7 to 17 years): 50% discount
• Valid: 90 minutes

» Day Ticket: Unlimited Transport Travel

If you want an HSL Day Ticket from 1 to 7 days of unlimited travel for Zone ABC, check out HSL ticket prices from the website ranging from €11 (1-day) to €44 (7-day).

1. By Helsinki Airport Bus 600

Helsinki Airport Bus 600, managed by HSL, will take you from the Helsinki Airport to City Centre in 40 to 50 minutes without changing buses. The ticket costs €6.00 if you pay directly to the bus driver, €4.40 if you purchase from the ticket machine or the HSL mobile app after download. Give exact or smaller amounts as the bus driver is NOT obliged to receive notes more than €20.

The bus stops for both arriving and departing buses are located in front of both Helsinki Airport Terminal ① and ② (Finnish Name: Lentoasema T1 and T2). In Helsinki city, you can stop at ④ Rautatientori Bus Stop right in front of the ⑤ Helsinki Railway Station. Refer to the Trunk Route for Bus 600 from Helsinki Airport to City Centre and the exact bus stop location on Google Maps.

2. By Helsinki Airport Train

Since July 2015, the fastest and most convenient option is the Helsinki Airport train line that goes directly to the city centre in 30 minutes, also operated by HSL. By taking the train to Helsinki city, tourists do not have to worry about the traffic jam on the road by especially when going to the airport.

I opted to take a train to and fro Helsinki city centre during my 9-hrs layover trip to Finland for this round. For my first travel to Helsinki some time ago, I took Finnair City Bus before the Airport Train even existed.

Do note that some ticket machines accept only bank/credit cards and no cash, especially those found on the airport train platform. If you want to pay by cash, you have to look for the ticket machine which accepts it at Terminal 2 or those located along with the Tourist Information Counter.

» Where is Helsinki Airport Train Station?

The ③ Helsinki Airport Train Station is located at the end of Terminal 2 or upon seeing a signboard which states “Railway Station”. Along the 200 metres walk, you can see some ticket machines.

Helsinki Railway Station located at the end of Helsinki Airport Terminal 2

» Ticket Machine Available at Underground Train Platform

Likewise, there are similar ticket machines on the underground train platform where I had bought my ticket. There is an English option on it.

Helsinki Airport Train Station Underground Ticket Machine

» Two Types of Trains – I & P Train

There are two types of trains (I & P) that run from the airport to the Helsinki Central Station (Helsingin Päärautatieasema) in a Ring Rail Line. The difference is that both trains run in the opposite direction (westward and eastward) towards the south to Helsinki and vice versa.

The good news is that you do not have to be concerned about which train to take because they will reach your destination all the same with a mere difference of 5 minutes arrival time. In short, just hop onto any train that arrives at the airport. The screen on the train platform will reflect Helsinki Helsingfors which confirms the journey towards Helsinki downtown.

» Helsinki Train and Charging Station

The interior of the train is new, clean and attractive. What I appreciate most about the train is that every seat has two 230V charging stations which gives me a chance to charge my mobile while taking the 30-minutes ride to Helsinki city.

€5 one-way ticket was the old price in 2017

3. By Finnair City Bus

Finnair City Bus operated by Pohjolan Liikenne is an express shuttle bus service that leaves the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport every 20 minutes from the Finnair bus stop outside Terminal 2. A single trip ticket costs €6.80 whereas a round-trip ticket is €12.60 if you purchase it online.

Alternatively, you can pay the exact amount in cash €6.90 directly to the bus driver. 6 to 16 years old pay half price and children under 6 are free. Many credit cards are accepted on the bus too.

Online Single Trip e-ticket has a flexibility that allows a user to travel within 6 months from the date of purchase. Customers receive a link after an online purchase which they can either print out the e-ticket or show it on their phone screen. 10 and 30 trip multi-journey tickets are also available for frequent travellers with a validity of 180 and 365 days respectively.

I had used the Finnair City Bus service as an airport transfer in 2013 before the Helsinki Train was in service then. The Finnair Bus has a free wireless internet connection onboard. The ride was comfortable and reliable throughout my journey to Helsinki Airport. In case you are wondering, you cannot use the HSL ticket for Finnair City Bus as they are two different companies.

» How to Buy an Online Ticket for Finnair City Bus?

Click on the link. Select departure from Helsinki Airport T2 and choose the arrival point as Eliel Square City Centre. It stops at the ⑥ Finnair City Bus Station at Elielsquare as shown below.

Finnair City Bus operated by Pohjolan Liikenne

4. By Airport Taxi

There is an Airport Taxi counter in Terminal 2 where you can call a cab or ask some questions. The taxi from Helsinki Airport to City would cost between €40 to €55. Taking a cab is perfect for those who landed at the airport at night when there is no more public transport, those with small children or have many suitcases.

Of course, there are always some who do not want to bother too much about how to go about using public transport or perhaps, they are getting company reimbursements for their business trip expenses. Hence, taking a cab seems to be a hassle-free option to take you directly to your destination. Simply book a private transfer online ☟ which is easy and costs almost the same as that of a cab.

Helsinki Railway Station Train to Airport Timetable

When returning back to the airport from ⑤ Helsinki Central Railway Station (Helsingin Päärautatieasema), look for the train timetable board below for the text “Flygplatsen Airport” or “Lentoasema” which means “Airport”. The text comes together with a plane symbol too. There will be a few trains going back to the airport at different timings and platforms. When in doubt, always ask a local there before you board the train.

Beautiful Railway Station Title

The Helsinki Train Station should be another point of interest even if one is not taking a train. Inaugurated in 1919, BBC chose it as one of the world’s most beautiful railway stations in 2013. Apart from the acclaimed Antwerp Central Station rated by Mashable as being the most beautiful railway station from around the world, Helsinki Central Station earns its due recognition and is well-deserved for the title.

» The Most Expensive Toilet Ever

Although voted as one of the most beautiful train stations in the world, the Helsinki Central Station toilet was the most expensive I have ever paid in my life. It cost €1 per entry! When I walked out of the station to begin my Helsinki tour for the day, I saw a FREE public toilet outside.

So, if you have to answer the call of nature, use the free one outside. I had used the same type of toilet a few hours later along the way. It was safe, reliable, and had decent hygiene standards.

The Most Expensive Toilet Ever! €1 Entry @ Helsinki Train Station

Free Public Toilet outside Helsinki Train Station

Hop-On Hop-Off Helsinki Bus Tour

If you prefer a more leisure trip for a layover in Helsinki city, the Hop-On Hop-Off Helsinki Tour departs every 20 minutes to 20 tourist attractions on a double-decker bus. The tour bus will bring you on a sightseeing trip to the most popular travel destinations in Helsinki city. The bus has audio guides in 10 languages and is equipped with wifi connection. For €30, you can hop on and off to any stops in 24 hours.

» List of Hop-On Hop-Off Stops

1. 1. Senate Square
   2. Havis Amanda
   3. Olympia Terminal / Mannerheim Museum
   4. Kaivopuisto Park
   5. Compass Square
   6. Eira
   7. Hernesaari Cruise Terminal (for cruise ships)
   8. Hernesaari Seaside
   9. Melkki Cruise Terminal (for cruise ships)
   10. Hietalahti Flea Market / Market Hall
   11. Bulevardi
   12. Kamppi Shopping Centre / Tennis Palace @ Helsinki Art Museum
   13. Rock Church
   14. Sibelius Monument
   15. Olympic Stadium
   16. Sea Life / Linnanmäki
   17. Parliament / National Museum
   18. City Centre / Lasipalatsi
   19. Swedish Theatre
   20. Esplanade / Market Square

Helsinki Card City / Helsinki Card Region

To get the maximum benefit, get either a Helsinki Card City or Helsinki Card Region from Stromma which costs between €49 to €79 for 1 to 3 days. Ferry and entrance to Fortress of Suomenlinna and a lot more Helsinki attractions are free for both passes. You can discount on some other places too.

Both types of cards also act as travel cards allowing unlimited travel across all transport networks in Helsinki for the duration of your pass. You do not have to worry about spare change for your daily transport tickets. Consider getting one of these travel cards.

• Buses
• Trams
• Metro
• Local Trains
• Suomenlinna Ferry

In the next article, follow me on 20 Things to Do in Helsinki » DIY Sightseeing + Top Attractions or if you like to visit some Helsinki Museums. As Helsinki is a compact city, you can see many points of interest just by foot according to the number sequence in my customised Google Maps.

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Where to Buy Angkor Wat Tickets?

Angkor Wat ticket price 2021/2022 is US$37 (1 day), US$62 (3 days) and US$72 (1 week) as of 1st February 2017, managed by Angkor Enterprise. There are two ways to buy an Angkor Wat ticket – from the ticket office or online. It is recommended to purchase Angkor tickets from the ticket counter as it is a cheaper option between the two.

If you want convenience and do not mind paying a bit more, you can have the tickets delivered to your hotel before your arrival date from a reliable source. You have to purchase the Angkor Wat ticket online for at least one week before going to Siem Reap.

• All tickets will have a face photo as identification. Therefore, the Angkor Wat Pass is non-transferable.
• Children under 12 enter for free with their passports as proof of age.
• US$2 will be donated to Kantha Bopha Children’s hospital through the proceeds.
• A penalty will be imposed for lost or fraudulent Angkor tickets: US$100 (1-day pass), US$200 (3-day pass) and US$00 (7-day pass).

Can you buy Angkor Wat tickets in advance? Quoted on the official website on Angkor Wat Ticket management,

Because of the text in bold, it may deem impossible to buy the Angkor Wat tickets online. But no! It is possible to purchase the Angkor ticket in advance…

A tour agency in Siem Reap, Green Era Travel would do the legwork for you by getting the Angkor tickets from the official counter and then deliver to your hotel. Consequently, the ticket price to the Angkor temples would be higher due to the price markup for that extra effort made to eliminate you from encountering a long queue during peak season.

Is it worth paying for that extra? Why not especially if you have a limited time in Siem Reap and do not want to waste time queuing at the counter under the hot weather in Cambodia.

Angkor Wat Entrance Fee

Here are the Angkor Wat entrance fees when you buy the admission tickets at Angkor Wat Ticket Office or online.

» The prices stated below are all private tours. Only your group will participate.
» The Angkor Wat admission ticket does not include tour guides and your transportation cost.

• After you have made the payment online, Green Era Travel will email you a confirmation asking you to send a digital photo to them.
• They will deliver the Angkor ticket to your hotel reception before 5:00 pm, one day before you arrive. Voila! The process is straightforward and uncomplicated.
• If you do not receive an email from them after payment, email them to check the status. I sent them two emails, and they responded promptly within 24 hours.

Location & ETA

Several Angkor Wat Ticket Counters

We purchased the Angkor Wat tickets in April, which was the hottest month and hence, a low peak season. There were virtually not many tourists around. From the photos, you can see several ticket counters at Angkor Wat Ticket Office, more than 40. Even if the queue were long, the clearance should be pretty fast. The counter staff will take a photo of your face before it is printed onto the paper ticket instantly.

Things to Note When Buying Angkor Wat Pass at Ticket Counter

⦿ Wear appropriate attire when purchasing an Angkor ticket at the ticket office like how you would go to the temples later. Cover your shoulder and knees if you want to climb up to Angkor Wat Temple vantage point. Otherwise, the security officer will prohibit you from ascending to visit the sacred place later.
⦿ Angkor Wat Ticket Office Hours: 5:00 am to 5:30 pm

• 1-day Angkor Ticket » If you buy the ticket before 5:00 pm, it will be counted as a visit for that day. Entry tickets bought after 5:00 pm will then be valid for the next day. For example, if you buy a ticket at 3:00 pm, it will be counted as used for that day.
  • Do note that many people will wait at the Angkor Wat Ticket Office around 4.30 pm so that they can purchase the 1-day Angkor Pass to catch the sunset at Angkor Wat and still visit other temples the following day. So, be prepared to queue at the counter around this time as there will be many people.
  • Also, make sure that the ticket bought after 5:00 pm is not being punched a hole on the admission pass when you visit the Angkor site. Otherwise, you will not be able to use it for the next day.

Payment Methods for Angkor Wat Ticket

⦿ Credit Cards » You can purchase your Angkor ticket with the following credit cards: Discover, Visa, Mastercard, Union Pay, JCB and Diners Club.

⦿ Cash » You can also make payment in cash with Cambodian Riel, US Dollars, Euros and Thai Baht. However, you will receive the change in riel.

⦿ ATM Machine » There are also ATMs where you can draw money at the Angkor Wat Ticket Office. One of them is located beside a shop “Angkor Local Handicraft” below.

Souvenir Shops

If the queue gets too long or while waiting for 5:00 pm to come, there are a few souvenir shops, namely duty-free shops around to keep yourself occupied there. There were also banners of night performances in Siem Reap where you can visit during the evening as part of the things to do in Siem Reap.

Angkor Wat Opening Hours

Here are the opening hours of the Angkor temples so you can fully make use of the expensive Angkor Wat admission ticket.

• Angkor Wat Temple and Srah Srang: 5:00 am to 5:30 pm
• Phnom Bakheng and Pre Rup Temple: 5:00 am to 7:00 pm
• Other temples: 7:30 am to 5:30 pm

Which Temples Can You Visit?

Kulen Mountain (US$5), Prasat Beng Mealea temple (US$20) and Koh Ker temple (US$15) are three exceptions not covered in the Angkor ticket entry. Therefore, you have to pay a separate fee for the visit. As for the rest stated in the table below, they are all covered inside the Angkor ticket. So, take your pick.

• Phnom Kulen: US$5 | 65km | 1hr 30 min drive from Siem Reap city centre
• Beng Mealea: US$20 | 65km | 1hr 30 min drive from Siem Reap city centre
• Koh Ker Temple: US$15 | 120km | 2hr 10 min drive from Siem Reap city centre

Angkor Wat Admission Ticket Check at Every Temple

You have to keep your ticket with you at all times because there will be checks at every temple station. You will then get a punch on your Angkor Pass at the checkpoint.

How Many Days of Angkor Ticket to Buy?

Unless you are on a tight schedule and do not stay long in Siem Reap, I would recommend you to get a 3-day Angkor Pass. For all the temples around Angkor Wat vicinity, you will need more than a day to complete the sightseeing. The factor also depends on whether you can withstand the oppressive heat on certain months at 38 to 40°C to do a full-day tour. I’m not being sarcastic, but the heat there is unbearable with not many trees.

Read » Cambodia Travel Tips before embarking to Siem Reap
Read » Best Prepaid Cambodia Tourist Sim for Mobile Internet Data

Angkor Archaeological Park is generally divided into 3 sections with an allocation of a few temples in each circuit. Thus, that is how the taxi and the tuk-tuk drivers charge you based on the temple tour package. I will explain more in the next post later about Angkor Archaeological Park and the circuit tours.

Therefore, it is advisable to split your temple visits into 2 or 3 days so that will leave you more time to explore other Siem Reap attractions besides the temples during the day. Furthermore, under the harsh weather, one would likely need some time to recuperate and cool down the body so that you can enjoy every moment of the magnificent monuments without rushing to complete the temple tour.

If you stay more than one week in Siem Reap and would like to also venture out of Angkor Park to visit other remote temples further away, then a 7-day visit entrance ticket would do wonder to your exploration. As seen from the list above and the map below, many days are required to cover as many temples visits as possible. Well, that depends also on how enthusiastic you are to visit most of them too.

Angkor Archaeological Park: Getting Around with Circuit Tours

Angkor Archaeological Park left me with a gasp of wonderment as it is hard not to fall in love with the stupendous monuments such as Angkor Wat, Bayon, Ta Prohm, Pre Rup, Preah Khan, Ta Som… These are just some of my favourite temples in the Grand Circuit and Small Circuit tours which I had been there. Before I rattle on and on, the place is unquestionably not for the weak:

People who are afraid to sweat and get their clothes wet.
Sweltering heat between 38°C in the afternoon during the hottest months of the year.
Climbing many steps on the rough rocks which some are rather steep.

For me, the focus of the travel in Siem Reap is visiting the Angkor Archaeological Park whereas my three family members beg to differ. They surrendered to the stifling heat of 39°C after the first day at the Small Circuit Tour even though we had purchased a 3-Day Angkor Pass. Nonetheless, they were eventually coaxed by our taxi driver to visit Bayon Temple in Angkor Thom two days later. It was one fabulous, unforgettable sightseeing Angkor Thom tour that they had never regretted.

Why is Angkor Wat Famous?

Firstly, most tourists would need a visa to enter Cambodia because only nationalities from 9 countries have an exemption (mostly Asian countries). The closest airport to reach Angkor Wat is the Siem Reap International Airport (REP). Secondly, there are no direct flights out of Asia that can fly you directly to Siem Reap Airport. You need to transit from another Asian country. That will help you to plan your trip to Siem Reap while traveling in Asia. One tip to save money on a flight is to take the low-cost airlines from other Asian cities or from Phnom Penh.

How to Get to Angkor Wat from Siem Reap?

My Tuk-Tuk-Driver Arranged by Royal Crown Hotel

Taxi » Taxi is charged per day from US$30 to US$35 and can take up to 4 people. Engage a taxi van if you have a group of more than 4 pax. The good news is that most drivers provide bottles of mineral water.

Tuk-tuk » Generally, Tuk-tuk drivers charge US$15 for a Small Circuit tour and US$18 for a Big Circuit package although the prices between drivers and agencies can vary.

If you get a quote of over US$20+, it may be a combination of big and small circuit tours on the same day. Otherwise, the Angkor Wat tour is considered more expensive than the market rate, in my opinion. Check the temple destinations of the deal before you agreed on the price. Otherwise, you may find yourself being exploited on the costs without knowing the market rate.

*Do note that remote temples out of Angkor Archaeological Park will cost more than the standard temple tour price which I have quoted above because the travel distance can go up to a maximum of 2 hrs or more, such as Koh Ker Temple visit.

There are only 3 types of Angkor Pass you can buy from the Angkor Wat ticket office. You can also purchase the Angkor Wat ticket online, which is a more convenient but expensive option. The Angkor Wat Entrance fee is Counter vs Online:

With the above selections in mind, you can then plan the number of days you want to spend on the most massive religious monumental site in the world, not forgetting there are plenty more enjoyable things to do in Siem Reap besides visiting the temples. My recommendation would be a 3-day Angkor admission ticket.

One day is too short for visiting one of the marvels in the world, and seven days seem too long unless you are planning to stay in Siem Reap for more than a week to fully make use of the expensive Angkor Pass. Moreover, if the heat is scorching, it will be too harsh and too rush for one to complete the Small and Grand Circuit on the same day.

Dress conservatively » You are on religious terrain. Cover your shoulder and knees. If you want to go up to the top tower in Angkor Wat, you have to adhere to the dress code strictly as there will be a security checkpoint below the tower.

Loose and comfortable clothing » You have to balance between dressing conservatively and wearing lesser under the hot weather since you will be perspiring a lot. Get more travel tips on other things to bring in your packing list to Siem Reap.

Here is a list of temples that you can enter with your Angkor Wat admission pass. They are mostly temples inside the Grand Circuit and Small Circuit tours together with some other remote temples that are not within the Angkor Archaeological Park. You may also like to get a cheap prepaid card in Siem Reap for contacting your driver as I had this topic covered for you too.

Bear in mind that your Angkor pass is not valid for Kulen Mountain (US$5), Beng Mealea (US$20), and Koh Ker Temple (US$15) as they are not managed by Aspara Authority Cambodia. Furthermore, you have to pay a separate entrance fee to enter into these remote temples which are a minimum of 1 hr 30 min driving, at least 60km away from Siem Reap city.

Simple Khmer Terms

Some repetition of Khmer terms appeared on the temple names. It is useful to connote these simple terms to understand better on the temple origin.

How It Works to Visit the Temples

Difference between Angkor and Angkor Wat

Firstly, the name Angkor was a designated capital made under the sovereignty of King Suryavarman II. ‘Angkor’ means city. Secondly, ‘Wat’ means temple in the Khmer language. So when people mention the name ‘Angkor Wat’, they are referring to that particular temple and not the entire clusters of temples in Angkor Archaeological Park. Therefore, ‘Angkor Wat’ means ‘City Temple’. King Suryavarman II then made Angkor Wat his state temple in his monarchy after three decades of construction.

Difference between Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom

So, now you know that Angkor Wat is a temple whereas Angkor Thom is not a temple. Similarly to Angkor, Angkor Thom is also a capital established by a different king, King Jayavarman VII at a later time than Angkor. Bayon is the renowned face temple inside Angkor Thom. Like Angkor Wat, it is a state temple of King King Jayavarman VII.

Hopping around from Temple to Temple

Within Angkor Archaeological Park, the cluster of Angkor temples in the 400 km² area is segregated into the Grand/Big or Small circuit. The package tour that you bought online, from Siem Reap agencies or drivers will bring you to see those temples according to the route. The drivers will bring you to the temples one by one and wait for you outside. You can visit each temple for as long as you want. Always remember to bring your Angkor Pass as there will be checks at every Angkor temple without fail.

That’s how a checkpoint looks like at every station. Always carry your Angkor Pass with you.

Angkor Wat Small Circuit

The well-known Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm, Bayon are some temples that you will visit in the 17 km Small Circuit tour. The Small Circuit comprises of the following temples: ⦿ Angkor Wat ⦿ Bakheng ⦿ Bahphuon ⦿ Baksei Chamkrong ⦿ Angkor Thom ⦿ Banteay Kdei ⦿ Bayon ⦿ Terrace of Elephants ⦿ Phimeanakas ⦿ Royal Palace ⦿ Terrace of the Leper King ⦿ Preah Palilay ⦿ Suor Prat and the Khleangs ⦿ Preah Pithu ⦿ Prasat Kravan ⦿ Ta Prohm ⦿ Ta Keo ⦿ Ta Nei ⦿ Thommanon and ⦿ Chau Say Tevoda.

Grand Circuit Angkor Wat

Grand Circuit Angkor Wat, also known as the Big Circuit, comprises of 5 main temples on its 26 km path. They are ⦿ Preah Khan ⦿ Neak Pean ⦿ Ta Som ⦿ East Mebon and ⦿ Pre Rup. Most people will choose the Small Circuit if they have a 1-Day Angkor Pass as they want to see Angkor Wat, Ta Prohm and Bayon as priorities, which is not hard to comprehend. Nevertheless, it would be a pity to miss the Grand Circuit as the Angkor temples there are wholly as magnificent as those in the Small Circuit. My top choice here is Pre Rup.

Are You Going to Visit All The Temples in Angkor Park?

Of course not because all the temples cannot be completed in a few days. I’m sure there are more temples not listed above as there are a total of 72 temples. Some of them are much smaller and less spectacular. From my experience, the drivers will mostly bring you to the most popular ones, or those stated explicitly on their package tour. Moreover, it is unlikely that time is enough to visit every one of them.

On the first day of the Angkor Small Circuit trip, our taxi driver did not bring us to Prasat Kravan though the temple was near Angkor Wat. On the second day when I booked a tuk-tuk for myself to go for the Grand Circuit tour, I asked my tuk-tuk driver to cover the visit to Prasat Kravan at no extra cost. Only then did I realise that Prasat Kravan was such a small temple. Hence, the taxi driver did not even bother to bring us there on the first day.

There are also other remote temples and sites to explore, not defined in the sphere of Angkor Archaeological Park. Here are a few of them: ⦿ Banteay Srei ⦿ Banteay Samre ⦿ Kbal Spean ⦿ Chau Say Vibol ⦿ Phnom Krom ⦿ Phnom Bok ⦿ Phnom Kulen ⦿ Beng Mealea and ⦿ Koh Ker. As a reiteration, your Angkor entrance ticket covers most of them except for the last three – Kulen Mountain (US$5), Beng Mealea (US$20), and Koh Ker Temple (US$15) which you have to pay a separate entry fee.

The Roulous Group temples have 3 religious monuments under their compass: ⦿ Preah Ko (879) ⦿ Bakong (881) and ⦿ Lolei (893). All of them were constructed in the 9th century under two different kings and were one of the earliest groups of monuments erected. Preah Ko and Bakong built by King Indravarman I was dedicated to the Hindu God, Shiva whereas Prasat Lolei, an island temple constructed by King Yasovarman I was to honour his ancestors. ︎Continue below…

10 Best Temples in Angkor Wat That You Must Visit

Check out more things you can do in Siem Reap besides temples – shopping, eating, nightlife, sightseeing…

Getting From Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre

The cheapest way from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre is by bus, which will take 1 hour to reach KL Sentral and 1.5 hours to reach Puduraya, the Chinatown area. The fastest KL Airport transfer is taking a KLIA Express Train to reach KL Sentral Station in 30 minutes.

KL Sentral is the heart of the MRT Station in Kuala Lumpur where all the train lines connect. MRT stands for ‘Mass Rapid Transit’ and also known as subway or metro to others. The distance from KLIA to KL Sentral (city) is 57 km by car. Hence, the Airport Express Train is a preferred option for most people to overcome the traffic jam and to arrive at a shorter time to downtown.

That is even more critical when you need to catch a plane and be on time at KLIA. However, a one-way ticket express train ticket is more costly (RM55 / €11.50 / US$13.20) than a bus ticket (RM12 / €2.50 / US$3). Taking a cab is generally the most expensive of all for one traveller but yet, the most cost-effective for a family of four.

*The exchange rate is correct at the time of writing.

There are two airport terminals in Kuala Lumpur International Airport – KLIA and klia2. Terminal M is the main terminal at KLIA (aka KLIA1). It serves most of the international airlines. klia2 terminal (fka LCCT) started its operation in 2014 to service low-cost airlines such as AirAsia, Jetstar Asia, Scoot, Cebu Pacific Air. Thus, it will be easy to know which terminal you land without looking at your booking slip.

TIP: Do you know that you can order your Malaysia Prepaid SIM Card online and collect it at Kuala Lumpur Airport (KLIA) for as low as 4.50 Euro/USD?

Airport Shuttle Bus Service

Free airport shuttle bus service is available for passengers with inter-connecting flights between KLIA and klia2. The distance is about 1.8 km. The waiting time is every 10 minutes and is available 24/7.

Waiting Area

• KLIA: Door 4, Level 1
• klia2: Bay A10, Level 1, Transportation Hub, Gateway@klia2

Here are three ways to go downtown easily, stopping commonly at KL Sentral Station which is the principal connecting line of the metro. The train is the most convenient method whereas taking a bus is the cheapest way to go from Kuala Lumpur Airport to the City Centre.

1. By KL Airport Train to KL Sentral

Express Rail Link Sdn Bhd (ERL) operates both the KLIA Ekspres and the KLIA Transit train services. Travellers can take these trains from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre, getting off at KL Sentral. The trains are said to be the fastest in Southeast Asia equipped with 4G WiFi.

① KLIA Express Train

You can purchase the KLIA Ekspres ticket at the KLIA Ekspres Ticket Counter, self-service kiosks at KLIA, KLIA2 and KL Sentral Station, online or via the KLIA Ekspres mobile app which you can download from their website. (The phone app does not include tickets from the KLIA Transit.)

» Journey Time

The KLIA Ekspres train service is a non-stop airport transfer that took 28 minutes to reach KL Sentral from the KLIA terminal and 33 minutes from klia2 to KL Sentral.

» KLIA Express Fare

I have converted the Malaysian Ringgits to Euro and US Dollars to make it more convenient for international travellers to know the conversion rate at one glance without reaching for their calculator.

» Ticket Validity

The validity of a single trip ticket and round-trip tickets is 1 month. They have to be used within 30 days from your selected travel date.

» KLIA Express Time

For a more precise train timing from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City and vice versa, you can refer to the KLIA Express Schedule.

② KLIA Transit Train

The KLIA Transit has the same ticket price as the KLIA Ekspres from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre. Check the rates above.

» Journey Time

The total distance from klia2 to KL Sentral is 59 km which takes 39 minutes of travelling time. There are 3 more stops in between klia2/KLIA to KL Sentral that lengthen the overall journey. Hence, it is advisable to get tickets only from KLIA Ekspres to speed up the travelling time.

klia2 ⇔ KLIA⇔ Salak Tinggi ⇔ Putrajaya Cyberjaya ⇔ Bandar Tasik Selatan ⇔ KL Sentral

2. By KL Bus from KLIA/klia2 to KL Sentral or Puduraya

If you decide to take a bus from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City and want to cope with a presumable traffic jam, the good news is that you get to see more of KL centre which you will miss if you choose to take a train.

There are bus ticket counters in KLIA and klia2 terminals to go to Kuala Lumpur and other cities in Malaysia. It is important to note the departure airport terminal of the bus ticketing company that you want to buy as not all will operate at both locations to the same destination.

Bus ticket counters can be found at Level 1 bus bay of both terminals. At klia2, the location is at Transportation Hub of gateway@klia2 mall. Three bus companies go from Kuala Lumpur Airport to KL Sentral and the last one to Puduraya in Chinatown vicinity.

① Express Coach

Express Coach leaves only from the KLIA terminal. Their two-way trip ticket fare is RM18.00 for adults and RM10.00 for children. A single fare ticket would cost adults RM10.00 and children RM6.00. The travel time from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre by bus is approximately 1 hour. The operation time is 24 hours and runs at a 30-minute interval from:

• KLIA to KL Sentral Schedule
• KL Sentral to KLIA Schedule

You can also buy the bus tickets from their counter at KLIA, Level G, Block C STCP (Annexed to Main Terminal Building – MTB) at the bus station area. From KL Sentral Bus Station, you can purchase tickets at the Ground Floor, Express Coach Counter A (between Aerobus Counter and Police booth).

② Aerobus

Aerobus departs only from the klia2 terminal from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre. The one-way ticket from klia2 to KL Sentral is RM12.00 for adults and RM5.00 for children below 12 years old. However, the single trip ticket for children is RM6.00 from KL Sentral to klia2.

According to the table below reflecting Aerobus Schedules on their website, their buses run for 24 hours. When I make random checks on their booking site from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City, certain hours were not in operation between 03:00 – 07:59. You can see the actual bus timing when performing a search.

③ SkyBus

SkyBus operates daily from the klia2 terminal. Buses run at 15-minute intervals during peak hours and depart every 30 minutes at the off-peak timing at KL Sentral. The advantage is that you can ride on any bus on your selected date by looking at SkyBus Schedule. Free seating. Children below the age of 3 can travel for free.

From the international arrival hall of klia2, walk straight for about 3 minutes until you see an escalator. Once down on your left, you will see the SkyBus terminal. You can also purchase the Skybus tickets inside both International and Domestic Arrival Halls. Additionally, there is also a Skybus counter just in front of the Bus Terminal on Level 1.

④ Star Shuttle Express

Star Shuttle Express departs from both KLIA and klia2. Their online booking bus tickets range from RM10, RM12 to RM18 for adults and children after a random check to several destinations. You may not be able to see the departure schedule online if the selected date is too far away. You can check the location of Star Shuttle ticketing counters at both terminals.

One of the destinations in Kuala Lumpur departing from both airport terminals is Puduraya Bus Terminal (Pudu Sentral), which is 400 metres away and a 6-minute walk from Chinatown in Petaling Street Market. You skip the hassle of taking additional transport from KL Sentral if you are staying around the Chinatown area. Other drop-off points are KL Sentral, Classic Inn Hotel at Bukit Bintang and an unnamed hotel in KLCC.

3. By KL Airport Taxi

Taking a taxi from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre is the most expensive option of all but is still considered cheap if you are coming from Europe and America as the cab fares there are even more costly. Quite a practical choice to take you directly to the hotel especially when there are small children around or when your flight lands late at night.

Here in KL Airport, the ride to downtown would take at least 45 minutes and approximately RM75 (€15.60 / US$18) for a small Budget Taxi and over RM100 (€20.80 / US$24) for an executive model. If you have a minimum of 2 people sharing a cab, the taxi fare might even be lower as compared to the total cost of all individuals taking a train (RM55/pax ≈ €11.50 / US$13.20).

When you return to Kuala Lumpur Airport from the city centre, do not expect to get the same metered rate as most taxi drivers will quote you an inflated price instead of running the fare on a meter. Count yourself lucky if you get one who is willing to turn on the meter. Some unscrupulous taxi drivers may also detour from the original route to make the distance longer when going by the meter.

They can earn more cab fares from innocent tourists knowing that they are unfamiliar with the roads. Either encounter that you chance upon should not deter your sparkling holiday mood as such shady culture has been going on for decades in KL that it becomes a norm. Furthermore, it is also a matter of luck if you would meet unethical taxi drivers like them. Alternatively, you can also get an inexpensive airport transfer by car or van that is equivalent to the price of taking a taxi (less than €30).

① KLIA Taxi

In  KLIA, there are 4 types of taxis or limos to choose from – Budget Taxi, Premier Limo, Super Luxury and Family Service according to the car model for accommodating passenger capacity from 3 to 8. The taxi can be found in:

1. International Arrival Hall (just after Customs, before the public arrival area)
2. Domestic Arrival Hall (public area after Domestic Baggage Clearance)
3. Domestic Baggage Reclaim @ Arrival Level

» Metered Taxi

• Available at level 1 and 3 of the Main Terminal Building (MTB).

» Budget Taxi Fares

» Executive Taxi Fares

② klia2 Taxi

For klia2, There are 3 types of taxi available in Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre for 24 hours similar to the those discussed above. Coupon Taxi, Metered Taxi and Premier Taxi at the Transportation Hub located at Level 1 of the Gateway@klia2 building.

» Coupon Taxi

Get a coupon from the counter after informing them of your destination. After making the payment, go to Door 4 to queue and wait for a red Budget Taxi. Pass the coupon to the taxi driver to proceed with the journey to your destination.

» Metered Taxi

Go to the metered taxi counter and get a coupon for RM2.00. Queue up for the Metered Taxi at Door 4. The taxi meter will start running after you hand it to the driver. You will pay the fare displayed at the meter plus other additional costs like toll charges if any.

» Premier Taxi

The colour of the Premier Taxi is blue. They are more pricey and spacious than the Budget Taxis. Beware that you have to pay double the price for a more comfortable ride than the smaller ones. They are readily available at all time.

Other than restricting yourself to stay only in Kuala Lumpur, below are some ideas to hop on a bus to get to other cities in Malaysia. It can also be a good travel plan to discover other stunning parts of Malaysia without burning a hole in your pocket. You can go to Penang, Johor Bahru, Port Klang and Genting Highlands from Kuala Lumpur. Genting is the nearest to KL and takes approximately 1hr 10 mins to reach.

Finally…

After giving you three choices above, you have to decide ‘time versus cost’, which is the most appropriate mode of transport for you from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre. Next, follow me to take a look at our 4-star hotel room at Impiana KLCC Hotel and how my Belgian friend working in Singapore and I spent 2 days in Kuala Lumpur with 4 MRT Stations.

Getting to Tioman from Singapore and Mersing

Just two weeks later after spending a weekend in Pulai Springs Resort (Johor Bahru, Malaysia) in my last blog with my friends, I went to Pulau Tioman (also known as Tioman Island) in Pahang, the largest island situated in the South China Sea. I had been to nearly all the islands in the South China Sea region when I went fishing with my friends ten years ago.

The islands around the South China Sea are renowned for their diving spots and fishing. The area experiences the seasonal monsoon from November to March and with limited water sports during this period. Please check the schedules and activities if you are planning to go during the monsoon period as the water is very choppy.

A word of caution: It is dangerous to take a ferry or do water sports during monsoon season as the waves can go up very high and the water is very choppy. Many of my friends vomited non-stop due to severe seasickness. The boat could capsize and therefore, please think twice before taking the risk to go during this period.

I remember that I stayed in a budget and rundown resort when I went fishing in Tioman Island. I did not know the name of the resort. I did not know the name of the resort. We stayed there for a night or two just to shower. Most time, we stayed on board the fishing boat. We used taxi boats to ferry us to the centre of Tioman so we could see more people and feel its vibrancy.

How to Go to Tioman Island from Singapore to Mersing Jetty?

Berjaya Air, the only commercial flight carrier serving Pulau Tioman had ceased its operation in March 2014. One can reach Pulau Tioman by chartering a private plane.

1.By Car from Singapore to Mersing

The distance from Singapore to Mersing takes approximately 3 to 4 hours, 150 km of driving. One can park at Mersing Harbour Centre for RM15 per day. I have heard stories about people losing their car, tyres, theft, vehicle damage while parking overnight at the old car park of Mersing Jetty, especially vehicles and accessories that were perceived to have a higher value by the thieves. Park at your risk.

You can also book a private charter from Johor at your designated pick up location and have him send you to Mersing. Alternatively, for people arriving at Senai Airport in Johor, you can also book a private car to bring you to Mersing.

2.By Coach from Singapore to Mersing

Booking a coach ticket online from Singapore to Mersing from 4 departure points – Golden Mile, Singapore Flyer, The Plaza and Boon Lay. The price ranges from SGD 21 to 35 (RM 67 to 113) for a single trip and is available at different timings.

*Bear in mind that it takes 5 hours from Singapore to Mersing by bus. There are approximately three ferries per day departing from Mersing Jetty to Pulau Tioman with no fixed timing. Read more on the ferry from Mersing Jetty to Tioman Island in the next section below.

Assuming you choose to take the earliest coach departing at 6.30 am from Golden Mile Complex shown from the image above, it will first go to Singapore Flyer, then to Boon Lay pick-up point. It will arrive at Mersing between 11.00 am to 12 pm.

I took the earliest coach from Boon Lay pick up point and arrived at Mersing Jetty around 11 plus (5.5 hrs bus trip). The Singapore to Mersing coach did not stop during the journey for the passengers to take their breakfast, which was unusual. Therefore, eat some food before the trip or consume it on the bus.

It is not possible to select the 10.30 am Mersing Ferry departure time unless you plan to take the night coach from Singapore at 10 pm and stay for a night in a cheap hostel that will cost you RM $ 10 to 20 per person. (It is not difficult to find lodging there but book in advance because you will arrive in the middle of the night).

3.By Ferry from Mersing to Pulau Tioman

Many years ago, I was afraid not to get any ferry tickets in Mersing Ferry Terminal. Hence, I called up the only ferry company to Tioman, Bluewater Express (+607 – 799 4811 / 799 8518) to ask about the ferry schedules before booking my coach tickets. They gave me three ferry timing from Mersing to Tioman (10.30 am, 12.30 pm and 3.30 pm) and advised me to book the 12.30 pm slot based on the earliest departure time from Singapore.

Each ferry ticket from Mersing to Pulau Tioman cost RM70 then. The trip took about 1.5 to 2 hours to your departing ferry destination, depending on the hotel that you stayed at as there were many ferry stops on Tioman island. Upon arrival, I went straight to the Bluewater Express Counter in Mersing Ferry Terminal. It was very packed, messy, noisy and disorganised at the ticket counters. The feeling arising from the crowd and making sure that no one cut into my queue was unpleasant.

How to buy ferry tickets to Tioman from Mersing?

Nowadays, it is so easy to book a ferry ticket online. As mentioned above, there are at least 3 ferry schedules per day. If you take the first bus from Singapore to Mersing, you should arrive between 11 am to 12 pm. You can catch a ferry in the afternoon. Unfortunately, the timing is never fixed daily and you can get a ferry as late as 3:00 pm in the afternoon. The adult ferry ticket to Tioman costs RM 40.25 or SGD 14.26.

Make sure you select “Mersing Jetty” as your departure point. There are 5 ferry stops in Tioman Island – Kg Air Batang, Kg Genting, Kg Paya, Kg Salang and Tekek Ferry Terminal. You will book the one nearest to your hotel/resort. If you have not decided on your hotel yet, you can select “Pahang” and look at all the timing. Anyway, all the ferry terminals have the same departure time and the same cost. So, get your ticket online here.

» Tioman Marine Park Fee 2020

With effect from January 2017 and remaining unchanged till 2020, all visitors to Tioman Island has to pay a Tioman Marine Park Fee, which is a conservation fee that goes to a trust fund for managing and maintaining the park. Non-Malaysians will have to pay RM30 for adults and RM15 for both senior citizens and children. The fees for Malaysians remain the same at RM5 for adults and RM2 for children. This is a fee that is compulsory to pay. If you do not pay it, you will be rejected of boarding.

» Johor National Fee

There is another fee that is supposedly mandatory to pay. I have not come across it in the past and wasn’t sure if it is really compulsory to pay. The fees for adults is RM30 and RM10 for children. Locals will pay RM5 and RM3 respectively. Anyway, make sure you have brought enough cash (ringgits) to pay both types of charges which are not included in your ferry ticket. Look for the counters inside Mersing Harbour Centre. If you forget to pay, you will be rejected during the ferry boarding after queuing for so long.

4.Lunch at Mersing Food Centre

If you have time to get some food, there is a food centre beside the Mersing jetty called “Plaza D’Jeti” to get lunch. If you follow the map below and scroll left further down the road, you can see the hawker centre entrance. In the middle of the building are some travel agencies, clothing shops and toilets. Be careful of what you order at the hawker stall as some do not come with any menu or price tags. 

That is to say that the seller can quote you any price they want and you may be overcharged. I had chosen a large sotong (aka squid), prawns and egg from one stall there – Restoran Sutera Emas. The plate of food cost me MYR 40+, which I did not expect! However, the seafood was very delicious and fresh, especially the chilli, which somewhat compensated for the expensive food and left me with a little regret.

5.Inside the Ferry to Pulau Tioman

The queue was long but orderly. The ferry tickets had seat numbers allocated. We were assigned to sit on the top deck, which had fewer seats compared to the lower one. When we found one of our places occupied by someone else, we sat at other seat numbers as we did not want to make a fuss about it and asked the person to shift away. Shortly, a couple approached us telling us that we had taken up one of their seats.

Disorganised Seating Arrangement on Board the Ferry

We told them nicely that someone else had also taken our place, hinting that they should just find another available seat on the top deck. The man was unhappy upon hearing our explanation and exclaimed that he didn’t care. Well, we didn’t care either since that was the result of poor management. The woman walked down the lower deck to get another seat while the man sat in one corner sulking.

Soon, another family of three came and faced the same problem because the man had sat in their place. However, they did not kick up a fuss and found two seats for themselves while the husband sat on a container top as there was no more seat left. From this incident, we could see that passengers did not bother to respect the seat number, and the ferry staff might even count wrongly and issue duplicate seat numbers.

Overall, it was very disorganised on board the ferry as everyone was moving around trying to locate their seat numbers. It came as no surprise that some people would sit anywhere they wanted in this state when the direction was not clear. The whole process of boarding the ferry can be quite a nightmare watching such an arrangement from the start.

6.Arrival in Tioman – Kampung Tekek

Whenever the ferryboat arrived at each stop on Tioman Island, the staff would announce the name of the terminal for the passengers to alight correctly. The ferry terminal of our hotel, Berjaya Tioman Resort was in the middle of the island, so it took some time to reach. The correct ferry stop to alight for Berjaya Tioman Resort is Kampung Tekek.

Upon crossing the road, there would be a bus shelter right in front of a food centre where the shuttle bus from Berjaya Tioman Resort came and picked us up at the assembly point. There were also people distributing flyers for the various activities and things to do in Pulau Tioman such as diving, island hopping, and visits to nearby islands for snorkelling.

Getting Back from Tioman to Mersing

7.By Ferry from Pulau Tioman to Mersing

Going back from Tioman Island to Mersing to take a coach was another tricky decision. You have to know the ferry departure time from Pulau Tioman to decide the coach ticket timing back to Singapore. At that time, I had to call Bluewater Express first as their ferry schedules were never fixed. Therefore, the ideal way was to book your bus and ferry ticket online so you can coordinate the two modes of transport together.

Shuttle Bus to Kampung Tekek Ferry Terminal

The shuttle bus left from Berjaya Tioman Resort to Kampung Tekek Ferry Terminal at 10 am. It was a long queue at the ferry terminal when we were collecting the boarding pass. During passenger boarding, the passengers were more orderly this time as compared to the boarding situation at the Mersing Jetty. There was nothing to see or do at this place – no shop and no eatery. It was plain boring waiting for the time to pass.

Where is my Travel Bus back to Singapore from Mersing?

It was tough to guess the parking position of the coach in Mersing going back to Singapore as there was no signboard indication. The reservation slip did not state the Mersing pickup point too. Moreover, the area around Mersing Jetty was quite big. The coach could park anywhere. We walked around hunting for the travel bus and asked many people and travel agencies, who did not know either where the travel buses would park.

It was a very scorching and humid afternoon in Malaysia, as always. The thought of walking back again with luggage on hand irked me. A man told us confidently that he knew where the bus we were searching for was parked and offered a taxi ride for RM10. We rejected him politely because we had spent all our money (ringgits) away. The friendliness diminished on his face like lightning.

So, one has to be careful being approached by overly warm and helpful people there as their intention was to find ways for you to pay for their assistance. Finally, after asking a dozen people, some young chaps pointed to us in the direction of the coach on the photo below. The location was opposite the Mersing Harbour Centre.

We boarded the bus and saw the same friendly Malay driver who drove us to Mersing on the first day. We requested to alight in Boon Lay. He said he would stop at Golden Mile Complex first, before proceeding to Boon Lay. Eventually, we decided to alight at Golden Mile Complex to have Thai dinner first before taking a cab back home. As we had left a few dollars of Malaysian Ringgits with us, we gave the leftover to him as tips.

Conclusion

Booking a coach ticket online to Tioman Island was a breeze. The challenge was buying a ferry ticket and it has to be purchased in Mersing Ferry Terminal unless you want to spend more money buying Tioman ferry tickets online which might not be too secure either.

Pulai Springs Resort Review in Johor Bahru (JB)

Pulai Spring Resort is a country club for golf lovers located 42 km from Singapore by driving according to Google Map. My friends and I spent one weekend driving to Pulai Springs Resort from Singapore to celebrate a friend’s birthday away from bustling city life. No, we are not there for the golf. Such a short trip was what I was looking forward to once in a while.

I like the idea that we can get out of Singapore to somewhere near for a staycation like Johor Bahru (JB) to rejuvenate ourselves over the weekend without taking any annual leave from the company nor spend a bomb on some lavish places just for a night stay. I did not want any adventures or weekend shopping to exhaust my energy for such a short get-away. Ideally, such a trip is to relax and catch up with friends for some light activities and a value-for-money makan (eating) session.

Best and Cheapest Hotel Website to Book Pulai Springs Resort

We booked two rooms for 2 couples on two separate dates because I was not sure at that time if I could go. My friends did their research and compare the hotel price of Pulai Spring Resort for the lowest cost online and eventually booked with Expedia Singapore for a 1-Bedroom Suite Room for S$81, three weeks before the departure date.

If you book early and during the off-peak season, you would most likely get a price as low as S$52/night on Agoda. The best method to get the lowest rate is to make a comparison between a few hotel websites and book your hotel as early as possible. After procrastinating for a while and finally decided that I could go. I booked with Expedia Singapore at S$106 a few days before departure as the hotel price shot up.

Pulai Springs Resort has bedrooms with different configurations to suit a large family nucleus too. It is perfect for a group of friends or several families for quality bond-building time from Studio Suite, 1-Bedroom Suite Room up to 4-Bedroom Suite. The room size is spacious too. From the smallest Studio Suite of 40 sqm to 193 sqm of a 4-Bedroom Suite with three bathrooms, one is ensured of sufficient space to move about and be comfortable.

What to Expect in Pulai Spring Resort?

1-Bedroom Suite Room *2 Different Sizes and Layouts

On that Saturday, after having a hearty Japanese lunch in Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant, we proceeded to Pulai Springs Country Club for check-in at 3 pm. Parking was free here.

The Pulai Spring reception arranged for us to stay on different floors. The lift only stopped on the level of where the guest stayed. We only discovered the difference in layout and size of our 1-Bedroom Suite Room in the late evening when we visited each other.

Although my friends and I had booked online on the same type of room, theirs was obviously smaller in size and less attractive in the layout. My 56 sqm room looked exactly like the one shown in the advertised photo online. It was too late to request a change of room though it was disappointing for my friends.

I was overjoyed when I saw my room. The 1-Bedroom Suite was large, clean and neatly organised. It was perfect and very well-maintained that I could not find fault with it. I wished I had stayed more than a night. The bedroom was spacious. The spongy king-sized bed was incredibly comfy as we had a peaceful sleep.

There was no bathtub in the 1-Bedroom Suite Room in Pulai Spring, but it was not necessary for me. There was wifi in the room. I also recalled that only one person could log in at any one time. Check with the reception again as I might be wrong.

Sauna Room and Jacuzzi Pool at Pulai Spa & Sports Centre

After settling into our hotel room, we planned for our next activity – swimming. There were two pools in Pulai Springs Country Club, one indoor and one outdoor.

We went to the indoor pool located in the Pulai Springs Spa Centre and requested pool towels from the reception on the first floor. To access the indoor pool on the second level, we had to go up from the gents and ladies changing room separately.

We were thrilled to see a lovely jacuzzi pool and not the rectangular pool anticipated in our mind. There was a small sauna room big enough to accommodate the four people comfortably. After 15 minutes of sweating and detoxification inside the sauna room, we went to the jacuzzi pool.

I think the water temperature was too high that I had a problem adapting to it. My friends also found the water to be rather hot but still, got inside the water slowly. I had to force myself to sit on the edge of the jacuzzi pool throughout the time as I could not take the heat, unfortunately.

There were shower taps located on the big rock beside the jacuzzi pool. The water was supposed to be cold, but it felt warmer due to our tropical weather. In similar places in Europe where I had been, the water was icy cold. An ideal approach for the body to benefit from the water temperature difference is to alternate between hot and cold water under the tap.

Fun in Jacuzzi Pool

Outdoor Swimming Pool

After the jacuzzi, we went outdoor. Pulai Spring Resort has three swimming pool sizes. We placed a big inflatable mattress onto the largest pool and was told to remove it by the lifeguard. We shifted it to the medium-sized pool where no one told us off this time. The depth of the biggest pool went beyond 1.8m or more gradually.

Qing Palace Chinese Restaurant Food Review

After swimming, we were famished. We were deciding between two dinner promotions at Cinta Terrace and Qing Palace Chinese Restaurant and went for the Chinese food which cost RM$65.00 per pax for the “All You Can Eat” buffet. The entire food menu was presented right in front of us. Everything there was inclusive in the “All You Can Eat” promotion and not limited to just some dishes.

The price temptation was unbelievable for such a buffet promotion! We ordered some of the most expensive Chinese cuisines such as Peking Duck, Fish, Salad Prawns, Cereal Prawns, Shark Fin etc. The waitress forewarned us before ordering that the food serving of a dish was a lot, and the portion size was meant for four people.

If we could not finish any food that we ordered, we would have to pay the full price of that dish. We then tried out one fish first as we intended to order two different types of fish later to make our money worthwhile. On the other hand, we were also worried about not being able to finish the food and get penalised.

The first dish was Salad Prawn. After eating all the prawns, the waitress told us that we also had to finish all the fruits that came with the prawns, which were mostly honeydew. Moreover, the serving was a lot. We got bored eating so many fruits as we knew that they would fill our stomachs up quickly. We had no choice since it was the rule of the buffet.

Another dish came. It had the same type of fruits again underneath the meat. We felt annoyed as we did not want to eat the same thing all the time. We asked another staff who looked like the Captain or Manager if it was necessary to finish the fruit as we had finished a big plate earlier. Fortunately, she said, “意识意识吃一点” (literally translated – to eat a bit out of courtesy) which meant that we did not have to finish everything. Phew!

We ordered an entire Peking Duck. The skin was tasty. We requested the remaining meat of Peking Duck to fry in dark soy sauce (宫保式). Shortly, we were dumbfounded for a while when we stared at a pile of black mountainous-looking food served on the table. The duck meat looked unappetising this way.

On closer inspection, I estimated that half the dish used You Tiao 油条 (Chinese Cruller) to cook with the duck. Most ducks nowadays do not have a lot of meat. Thus, the restaurant resorted to adding You Tiao 油条 to augment the dish. Supplementing with You Tiao油条 (made of flour and fats) was another smart move to make the diners full quickly so they would order less food.

We were almost full after eating a few dishes. The next surprise was the large Sea Bass with Nonya Sauce served on an ultra big plate. It was rare that we saw such a big fish served in a restaurant. Perhaps, the large plate intimidated us or our almost full stomach distorted our size analysis. The Nonya Sauce was sour and sweet. The seemingly good taste was somewhat overpowering when one was feeling full. We banished our initial enthusiastic thought of ordering another fish because the size of it was intimidating.

A waitress served someone’s fish to us while we were waiting for our desserts. Before she could place the plate on our table, my girlfriend and I waved her off affirmatively and said that it didn’t belong to us. There is a Singapore joke that goes like this. Whenever someone served a plate to the wrong table, the one sitting on the table would say jokingly, “If someone had already paid for the food, please put it down.”

Apparently, this time, this joke could not come out of our mouths as it was not funny anymore. We were eager to brush the waitress away. Just imagine our hilarious and idiotic reaction.

Here are two photos of the food dish that we had, Chicken Meat and Deer Meat. The Deer Meat was noteworthy as the meat was delicate, easy to chew and very mouth-watering.

We tried all the desserts on the menu. Peanut Dumpling 汤圆 was the most distinctive among all and highly favoured by all of us. Despite being full, my friends and I ordered a few rounds of it. Very heavenly! The other desserts were sometimes too sweet for our liking.

Verdict

At first, I had anticipated that the food for the buffet was generally of lower quality due to mass cooking and smaller portions to cut costs. It was commendable that the dishes in Qing Palace Chinese Restaurant at Pulai Springs Resort conformed to a high standard as it was sumptuous. We had no problems finishing all the food eventually.

Imagine if the food were not tasty at all, would it be torturing to force it down into our stomach? Maybe at times, it would be better to order à la carte dishes instead to avoid circumstances when the food was not palatable, and one has to force himself to finish it for the sake of avoiding a penalty. Eating should be pleasurable and freedom of choice to stop as and when we want.

Outside the Building of Qing Palace Chinese Restaurant

Pulai Springs Resort Breakfast

The breakfast at Pulai Springs Resort wasn’t fantastic. Just good enough to fill up the stomach and start the day. The coffee was bland like water.

Pool Games at Pulai Spa & Sports Centre

After breakfast and before checking out at 1 pm (we extended one more hour for check out), we had two rounds of pool games at Pulai Spa Centre to pass the time.

Strolling around Pulai Springs Country Club Vicinity

I think Pulai Spring Resort was a beautiful place to spend a weekend and the best value for money. The surrounding was well maintained and peaceful as there were not many people around. It was a golfer’s paradise overlooking the lush golf course from a distance.

My friends had differing opinions. While I appreciated the serenity of the greens for a short weekend, they felt that it was boring to stay there with nothing much to do. Neither could one walk out of Pulai Spring to explore somewhere more exciting as it was somewhat isolated.

I would recommend others to stay at Pulai Spring Resort, especially families or friends who are not seeking adventures or shopping in mind but would prefer quiet and precious moments bonding together. I was most satisfied with the hotel room agreeing with their motto of Pulai Springs Resort “Home Away from Home” because that was my exact sentiment when staying there.

Tranquillity in Pulai Springs Resort

Time to Say Goodbye at the Hotel Lobby in Pulai Springs Resort

Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant | 二重丸 日本料理 is no doubt one of the best Japanese restaurants in JB (Johor Bahru) at Skudai with the best sushi. The journey is approximately 40 minutes to 1 hour by car from Singapore Tuas Checkpoint to JB (Show Map).
If you are searching for uncompromised Japanese food quality in JB at a reasonable price, don’t miss Nijyumaru!

We planned a weekend stay at Pulai Springs Golf Resort to celebrate my friend’s birthday. The check-in time for the resort was 3 pm. Thus, we made a lunch booking at 1 pm at Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant. My friends strongly recommended the food there as they went there before. They raved about how value-for-money it was. Before going to Pulai Spring Resort, the four of us first drove to Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant at Skudai Johor in Taman Sutera Utama.

Although the seating capacity of Nijyumaru restaurant was almost full, the noise level, on the contrary, was very soft to my amazement. Unlike the restaurants in Singapore that are always noisy and sometimes irritable, I would say that the whole dining ambience made me extremely comfortable to dine there. Hmm… maybe Malaysians are more soft-spoken than Singaporeans.

Our Delicious Foodstagram @ Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant

Sake Haru Cheese Maki, being the first on the list looked really appetising. It tasted as good as its presentation – fresh and delicious. This Japanese sushi had one of my favourite cooking method of half-cooked salmon topped with a piece of cheese, catalysed the mouthwatering effect.

The two bowls of chawanmushi (Japanese steamed egg) were full of nourishment in it. Ikura Chawanmushi had salmon roe topping (left), and Fukahire Chawanmushi had shark fin on it (right). Having tried both as I’m a sucker for chawanmushi, the left one, Ikura Chawanmushi was tastier than Fukahire Chawanmushi if you have to choose between the two.

Domori is a platter of raw fish that all sashimi lovers should order. An alluring assortment of fresh sashimi that would make all sashimi fanatics salivate! Moreover, the evaporating ice ensured the highest quality of freshness for sashimi at Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant.

Sushi

Just having sashimi alone is never enough to fill up the stomach unless you kill all the fishes and go for “Eat-All-You-Can” buffet. Whenever I go to any Japanese restaurant, my top choice will always be plates and plates of sushi rather than a bento set. As sushi has rice, it keeps your stomach fuller. Man, I’m a big sushi eater than your average girl and can swallow a whale since this is the best sushi restaurant in JB.

My friend had gracefully shared her Nijyumaru Bento set with me. She claimed that she could not finish all her food, especially sushi. Having an elastic stomach and an enormous craving for Japanese food, I gladly gobbled up any delicious leftover that she offered me.

The dripping brown sauce from Sake Kawa Salad and the crunchy sound of Soft Shell Crab Tempura are two Japanese plates that never failed to stimulate the taste buds and the ears to make you say “yummy” at Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant!

All of us ordered as much food as we could in Nijyumaru Restaurant as the lunch was very delicious and well-worth its the price. Coming from Singapore, we were also exploiting on the weak Malaysian currency exchange of Ringgit against Singapore Dollars at that time when the exchange rate was SG$1 to RM$3.

Japanese Food Cost @ Nijyumaru

We spent a total of RM$ 372.25 / S$ 124 for four people inclusive of service charge and tax. The average cost for one person is RM$ 93 / S$ 31. I usually pay around the same price in Singapore when I dine in Japanese restaurants like Genki Sushi, Sakae Sushi and Ichiban Sushi. However, the quality of food was not as high as Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant, and the quantity ordered was not as much too.

Below is the breakdown of cost for the menu that we ordered at Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant. The price stated here is correct at the time of writing and may be subject to change by the restaurant. The exchange rate used is S$1 = RM$3.

Nijyumaru Reservation Tips

• Reserve in advance to avoid disappointment.
• Be punctual.
• The queue will be long over the weekend. The staffs may release your reservation to someone else if you do not arrive within 15 minutes of your booking time.
• We anticipated ourselves to be slightly late on that day. So, we called up the restaurant, just to play safe that they would not release the seats to others.

I will recommend you or the adventurous Singaporeans to drive to JB and try out the food in Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant. Unfortunately, they do not have a website to check their food menu. Their Facebook Page is not active either. However, you can refer to Nijyumaru Google Page to know that they are still alive and kicking in the market by reading the reviews left by others and the food photos. Nijyumaru Japanese Restaurant must be one of the best Japanese restaurants in JB.

Do check out my other posts as well if you are going to Kuala Lumpur.

Cambodia Travel Guide Before Visiting Siem Reap and Phnom Penh

Here are some Cambodia travel tips and things to know before travelling to Siem Reap or Phnom Penh. Cambodia may be one of the poorest countries in South East Asia with a tragic past. However, it has a massive, spectacular cluster of Angkor temples that crept its way to my heart. What astonished me the most was the vibrant nightlife in Siem Reap, which was out of my expectation, and some other places of interest.

A visit to Phnom Penh a few years ago left me the impression that the city was somewhat monotonous. I probably had expected the same feeling for Siem Reap, but hell no. I was absolutely in love with Siem Reap despite the killing weather. The vibe was completely different from Phnom Penh because the travel to Siem was during their Khmer New Year – Songkran Cambodia. I’m really excited to share with you the travel journeys in both the Cambodian cities, especially the recent visit to Siem Reap.

Singapore to Cambodia by Budget Airlines

I went with three family members to Siem Reap, Cambodia for 6 days 5 nights short vacation in April. The cheap flights to Siem Reap International Airport (REP) with Jetstar from Singapore had such a low airfare that it was irresistible not to choose Siem Reap as our travel destination. My brother booked his flight with Jetstar 4 weeks before the departure date and paid SGD120 (€78 | US$87).

When we confirmed our booking 2 weeks later, the price had already increased to SGD166. The first time I went to Phnom Penh was in February many years ago, the airfare with Tiger Airways was SGD137 back then. Generally, it is not expensive to travel to Cambodia from Singapore.

There are currently 25 – 30 airlines serving Siem Reap Airport which all are Asia-based companies. In other words, there is no airline from other continents flying directly to Siem Reap. So, you have to stopover in one of the Asian countries and proceed with your travel to Siem Reap from there or from Phnom Penh.

However, the situation is no matter in Phnom Penh except non-Asia based flights from Dubai and Doha operated by Emirates and Qatar can land in Phnom Penh International Airport (PHN).

You can get a more economical airfare to travel to other parts of Asia if you book with one of the low-cost airlines in Singapore or other cities. Always book as early as possible to secure the best rate when you book from budget airlines as they are more time-sensitive than regular airlines.

Getting a Cambodia Visa (Only 9 Countries are Exempted)

Currently, passport holders from these 9 countries have Cambodia visa exemption for 14, 21 or 30 days – Brunei, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Seychelles, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam. Visitors from all other nationalities have to apply for a Cambodia Visa. Hence, you could be one of them. There are 3 ways to get your Cambodia visa before coming. Your passport must have at least 6-months validity. You also have to give a recent passport-sized photograph for the visa, or a digital copy for the eVisa application.

» Cambodia Visa on Arrival

Most visitors can get their ‘Cambodia Visa on Arrival’ on a single entry visit when they arrive at Phnom Penh or Siem Reap International Airport for US$30. If they enter through the border of Thailand, Vietnam and Laos, they can also get a ‘Cambodia Visa on Arrival’ from the International Check Point. However, during high peak season, the waiting time can be longer than usual, considering that most of the nationalities would need to apply for a visa before going to Cambodia. As such, the queue can be crazily long.

» Cambodia Visa Online

So, to expedite your travel plan and not waste precious time waiting for the visa at the counter, it is better to apply for the Cambodia Visa online with an extra handling fee of US$6. The Cambodian eVisa takes 3 business days to approve, but it is also possible to receive the approval in your mail within 24 hours. The Cambodia eVisa is valid for 3 months with a 30-days stay which can be extended once for another month in the Consular Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

You can also download the Cambodia eVisa app via the Apple App Store or Google Play Store store and apply from there. The government portal does not process visas based on urgent requests. Therefore, if you need a confirmed quick turnover time, you can pay double the amount to get it done in 5 or 24 hours on a commercial website.

» Royal Embassy of Kingdom of Cambodia

If you prefer to apply for a Cambodian visa in person, you can visit the Royal Embassy of Cambodia in your country. Nationalities from Afghanistan, Algeria, Arab Saudi, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Nigeria must first obtain a visa at the Cambodian Embassy in their country first before going travelling. For more information regarding Cambodia Visa or Business Visa, please refer to one of the official websites – Tourism of Cambodia.

Cambodia Tourist SIM Card Bought from Siem Reap Airport

Currently, there are 5 mobile carriers in Cambodia – Metfone, Smart Axiata, CellCard, Seatel, and CooTel (CDMA network) as of 2022. The first three companies listed are the largest mobile operators in Cambodia. Like most tourists, we wanted to get abundant internet volume data than anything else that would be valid for at least 7 days of travel. We saw Metfone, Smart Axiata and Seatel just outside Siem Reap Airport when we stepped out.

» Cellcard Tourist SIM Card

I was aiming to buy our Cambodia Tourist SIM card from Cellcard after some online research. However, I did not see any CellCard counter after exiting the airport, but I read that some people bought it successfully at Siem Reap. The booth was actually at the far end of the airport.

Cellcard Tourist SIM Pack costs US$6, valid for 7-days of use. You get 5GB of data and US$50 of call time daily, which is their marketing approach on data and calls. To add the cherry on the cake, Cellcard has been awarded as the ‘Fastest Mobile Network in Cambodia’ at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain for four consecutive years since 2016.

» Smart Traveller SIM Card

Nonetheless, between Metfone and Smart, we selected the Smart Traveller SIM valid for 7 days at US$3 for 20GB data and US$1.50 worth of call time. As you can see from the photo, the Smart shop at Siem Reap Airport also offered 5 more packages from US$6 to US$20.

One advantage of Smart outsmarting its competitors was to be the first telco in 2017 to roll out the 4.5G LTE network in Cambodia! Unfortunately, the detail shown on the photos differed from that on its current website, which displays a better offer of more data volume. I think the official site is not the updated version since it still states the 4G network.

» Metfone Tourist SIM Card

Even though Metfone was offering more internet data volume at 33GB at US$3 for 7-day validity, the downside was that I didn’t see it offering free call time nor SMS with their tourist sim package. Since I was travelling with my family members, having the option to call and send SMS would be better.

Metfone’s strength of marketing was that they offered Unlimited Data Internet for 7 days in Thailand, Laos and Malaysia. Definitely a good bargain if you are hopping over to one of the three countries anytime soon.

» Seatel Travel SIM Card

The smaller mobile operator, Seatel has a different but simple approach. Seatel Travel SIM offers unlimited data and calls for 3 days (US$3), 5 days (US$5) and 10 days (US$10).

» Comparison Table of Cambodia Tourist SIM Cards

Here is a summary table at a glance of what you can get with this amount. The information displayed for Smart is according to the photo I had taken in Siem Reap Airport as the website is likely not updated as it still states a 4G/4.5G data network.

» Our Smart Tourist SIM Review

Our Smart Tourist SIM cards worked very well in the city, fast and had strong signals. However, there was no signal in the Angkor area for all our four mobile phones. My tuk-tuk driver told me to use Cellcard instead, as it is the most preferred network used here. Moreover, he said that he was using Cellcard and had no problem with his mobile signal.

On the other hand, some who bought Cellcard and also claimed that they did not have connections around the Angkor temples too. The problem does not lie with the mobile phone operators. No matter which SIM you buy, there are feedbacks of patchy connection or completely no mobile signal due to the dead zone in Angkor temple areas.

» Buying Cambodia Tourist SIM from Smaller Shops

You can also buy the Tourist SIM cards from smaller shops in the city, but they may receive some commission from selling them, which means you have to pay more. A passport is usually required to register for the SIM cards in the authorised mobile shops.

On the contrary, many smaller shops do not care about it. That said, if you lose your SIM card, you cannot get a replacement with the same numbers since there is no registration inside the system. Therefore, it is advisable to get your Cambodia tourist SIM from a reputable source.

Cambodia Currency

Though the currency used in Cambodia is Riel, the most commonly used is the US Dollars. Almost all the tourism-related industries in Cambodia use that such as most travel tour package prices, transportation, restaurant menu. Even the products sold in the supermarket and street hawkers are not spared from using the US Dollars.

If you are wondering whether you should exchange some money in Cambodian Riel, the answer is “no”. Don’t even bother with that especially if you are travelling there for only a few days. I have been to Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and there was never a need to exchange them for riel.

» Exchange Rate in Cambodia

Don’t be surprised when you give the establishments such as the supermarket in US Dollars, you would get the change back in Cambodian Riel, or a combination of US Dollars and riel. The actual exchange rate is approximately 1 USD = 4,043 Riel, but the Cambodians use 4,000 Riel = 1 USD for an easy calculation.

So, if you buy an item which costs US$2.50, you can give them 2 USD + 2,000 Riel. That will help to reduce the amount of Cambodian Riel that you will carry during your travel. The leftover riels are always tips given away at the end of the day.

Best Time to Visit Cambodia

Later, we realised that the airfares bought earlier to Siem Reap were cheap because April is a low peak season to go to Cambodia. It is the hottest month which most tourists would try and avoid. The heat can escalate up to 40°C during this month. While we were there, the average temperature was hovering between 38°C to 40°C.

Even the nights were warm and uncomfortable while I opened the window and stood at the balcony. It was as if the air was coming out from an oven. The sweltering heat was so unbearable, that it was indeed a test of perseverance, to push myself to continue the Angkor temple tour without giving up.

» Hottest Month in Cambodia – April

With such oppressive weather and high humidity, therefore having too much perspiration, it was tough to stay and walk the whole day in Angkor Wat without that little bit of complaints. I had already overheard a few tourists lamenting on this subject. There was also much climbing of steps to be done which posed a real challenge in the heatwave.

We bought a 3-day entrance ticket to the temples, but my family members surrendered after 3 hours in the stifling heat on the first day to Angkor Wat. For the other two days, they decided to do other activities instead of visiting the temples. I was the exception and grit my teeth to resume my solo trip to visit the Angkor temples.

» Best Time to Go to Cambodia

The best time to go to Siem Reap is in December and January. The average temperature ranges between 22°C to 32°C and is dry. As the weather turns a bit more cooling and pleasant during this period, expect to see more tourists flooding during the high peak season to Angkor Archaeological Park and other Siem Reap attractions. Prices will inevitably increase too. If you dislike crowds, then the coldest months of the year may be what you are evading instead. The hot season in Cambodia begins from March to June.

» Cambodia Rainy Season

Another period which is better to avoid is the rainy season from June to November. Consequently, carrying an umbrella while moving around and getting wet would dampen the fun of travel in Cambodia. Nevertheless, ponchos can be purchased from the shops. Additionally, you may also experience a flood in Siem Reap city.

What to Wear in Cambodia

Cambodia is a tropical country with intense heat coupled with high humidity most time of the year. Due to the long hours of relentless heat in Cambodia that cause the nights to be warm, hence, the thought of having a windbreaker or sweater to bring out in the evening is deemed unnecessary. Even when the air-conditioning or fans in some restaurants were switched on while dining, we were still sweating in the evening as the weather was simply too warm.

» Light Loose-Fitting Cotton Clothing

You have to pack light with loose-fitting cotton clothing and leave the clingy ones out. Due to severe perspiration, the clothes will stick to your body and then get damp and smelly. Airy garments like T-shirts will help to speed up the drying process.

Long-sleeved tops will help to combat the burning sensation on your delicate skin from the scorching sun, which is why I usually prefer long-sleeved tops over shorter ones. Even the locals such as the tuk-tuk drivers wear long-sleeved clothes most of the time due to this reason.

On the other hand, Cambodia is also an ideal country for many to get some real tan. Wearing sleeveless or strappy tops is not a problem in many places except for temple visits. One has to dress conservatively and cover the shoulder and knees. A shawl can do the job.

As for shorts and pants, it is advisable to wear at least a knee-length bottom. Likewise, ladies should not wear a skirt for climbing as it constricts your leg movements, and that is dangerous.

» Appropriate Attire when Visiting the Temples

The dress code is strict if you want to ascend to the top of Angkor Wat or other religious spots. The security officers can refuse your entry if your attire is not appropriate. Another reason for wearing jeans or cargo pants is to expect to climb many steps. Therefore, you may accidentally scratch yourself while climbing or brushing your skin against the rough rocks. Moreover, some stones are steep, large, and have a long climb up the peak.

» Sports Shoes, Sandals and Slippers

Wear a sturdy pair of sports shoes. Do not wear your favourite or expensive new sports shoes as the area around the Angkor temples can make your shoes dirty and sandy. Ditch your high heel at home as you won’t be able to use it here. Sandals and slippers are ideal when you walk around the city. Wearing a hat or a cap will also shield against the heat.

» Sunblock Lotion, Aloe Vera Gel, Insect Repellent

A good sunblock lotion with high SPF is essential to protect against the harsh sunray. Because I perspired so much, the sweat perpetually washed off everything that I had applied to my face. Nevertheless, I still lathered a thick layer of sunblock lotion before leaving the hotel. Some sensitive skin may also find relief with after sun care products such as aloe vera gel. Insect repellent is useful as bring as well, but so far, I had no problem with the mosquitoes.

» Face Masks

Face masks are in dire need when one takes a tuk-tuk and goes to S21 Killing Field and Koh Dach Beach in Phnom Penh. On the way to both places in the past, there were long stretches of sandy roads with many big lorries driving at high speed. The velocity generated extremely thick sand whirling around the air resulting in nasty pollution to the surrounding. My friend and I went without face masks. We had to breathe in these disgusting sands for a long duration.

» More Socks

When we returned to our accommodation in You Khin House and took off our socks, the floor would be layered with a carpet of sand brought back from these two places. Thus, bring more pairs of socks with you to change. To make matter worse, the large amount of debris cut one of my contact lenses into two despite wearing a pair of sunglasses. I only knew that when I took them off. Amidst the whole journey in Koh Dach, my eyes were in sharp pain, but I had to tolerate it.

Travel During Khmer New Year – Songkran Cambodia

Khmer New Year also called Songkran or Choul Chnam Thmey (literally ‘Enter New Year’) falls on the 13th or 14th April every year. The joyous celebration lasts for three days in Cambodia. We arrived in Siem Reap on 14 April 2019, coinciding with the first day of the Cambodian New Year.

We didn’t plan for that and were in awe so that we could immerse in this blessed occasion together with the Khmers to celebrate their new year. I first knew Songkran when I travelled to Thailand 2 decades ago. The children were shooting me with their mini toy guns back then.

» 3 Days of Water Warfare

The small guns in the past have been upgraded to large toy guns in Cambodia. We stayed at Royal Crown Hotel & Spa in Siem Reap on the second level. From the balcony of my room in the opposite direction, I could see several children waiting along the main road for their victims, cars and motorists to pass by. Then, they start shooting them with water guns. It was very amusing watching their naughty acts.

In the evening, when we walked to Pub Street where the happening nightlife was, everywhere was a crazy sight of water warfare. Most of them armed themselves with large guns, shooting non-stop at one another in groups. We tried, of course, to avoid as much as we could so as not to get wet. Even the process of evading water splash was a skill.

Many of them did not seem to aim at tourists on purpose as they were rather sensitive, knowing that we may not like it. Furthermore, it was no fun attacking the defenceless tourists. They let us walk past without shooting at us. Most of the time, we got splashed with water walking behind groups that were having warfares with another gang.

There was so much water spraying that it was hard not to get yourself wet no matter how hard one tried to dodge. Those who shoot water at us roared in exuberance “Happy New Year!” It was tough to get angry with them despite trying our best to keep ourselves dry. After all, it was their new year. Both the children and adults were so high-spirited and enthusiastic over their water games.

» Third Day of Songkran: Intense Water Shooting

On the third day, the spraying of water was the most intense as compared to the first two days. That was nonetheless the last day of their new year and towards the end of their fun. After the third day, people are not supposed to continue the water warfare since the new year is over, life has to carry on as usual. In the city, you would not see any more sight of water shooting.

Still, on the fourth day when we went to Angkor Archaeological Park, the children were still having fun with their water games, using buckets of water instead of guns. Recapping from the first day to the third day, you could see more and more people gradually swapped from using water guns to the water hose, and then buckets of water scooped from a huge container on whatever they can find.

» Go to Cambodia during Khmer New Year

It was indeed a hilarious sight watching all of them scream. We wanted so much to buy some toy guns and join them on the street. Maybe the next round when we have brought extra quick-drying clothes. The moral of the story is to choose a period of dates to go to Cambodia during their Khmer Songkran and also stay there till it ends.

Because when the water warfare is in action during Songkran, you cannot fully see and appreciate Pub Street, which is one of the places of interest to go at night in Siem Reap. When the Songkran was over, we went to Pub Street for the second time so we could entirely see the beauty of it.

Getting Around Siem Reap

Last but not least, the next Cambodian travel tip is how to get from Siem Reap Airport to the city centre, and also other means of transports and their estimated cost. It is a long article so I would prefer to cover the detail in a separate post about the taxi, tuk-tuk and motorcycle rental, specifically in Siem Reap city. So if you are travelling to Siem Reap soon and also finding out the costs of Angkor Wat Entrance Fees, check out the articles.

Siem Reap Airport to City & Angkor Wat: Taxi, Tuk Tuk and Motorbike

I have given some Cambodia Travel Tips in the previous article before coming to the country. The next useful tip is three modes of Siem Reap Transport – taxi, tuk-tuk and motorbike/scooter rental. You can then make an informed decision about the price and which transport to choose when visiting  Siem Reap.

As Cambodia is one of the Least Developed Countries (LDC) in the world, it comes as no surprise that there is no public transport like trains or buses in the country. We had a free airport transfer from the hotel that we booked – Royal Crown Hotel & Spa. The distance from Siem Reap Airport to City is 20 to 30 minutes by car.

Check with your hotel or hostel whether they can arrange free (or paid) airport transport to come and pick you up. Many hotels provide free airport transfer service to encourage you to book from them. If there is no such option, then you can get your own from Siem Reap Airport to the city centre or book one of them online in advance. Many drivers promote their companies or themselves online.

Before driving off, we bought Cambodia SIM cards outside the airport before moving off. You may be interested to find out the cost and comparison between a few mobile operators in Cambodia.

The first and cheapest option among all the transports is Siem Reap tuk tuk, also what the locals call a ‘Remork’ or ‘Remorque’ in French. The tuk tuk motor is an improvised motorised 3-wheeler rickshaw first invented in Thailand more than 50 years ago. However, there is still some dissimilarity between the tuk-tuk in Cambodia and Thailand.

The cabin of the tuk tuk Cambodia is connected to a detachable scooter. Thus, making it a 4-wheeler transport pulled by a motorbike. When it rains, only the passengers have a roof over their head in the tuk-tuk but not for most of the drivers. On the contrast, the tuk-tuk drivers in Thailand sit inside the cabin together with the passengers. Despite any adverse weather conditions, they have the same level of protection as their customers. Tuk tuk in Thailand also has a top marked ‘Taxi’, but I saw none of it in Cambodia so far.

» Tuk Tuk Price from Siem Reap Airport to City (US$10 / US$5)

In recent years, the tuk-tuk charges have increased to US$9 per trip from Siem Reap Airport to town to discourage the use of it. You would be better off paying an extra dollar to get a taxi instead so you would not experience dirt and dust on the way to your hotel. Moreover, if you have more than one piece of luggage and not travelling alone, it makes more sense to take a taxi.

• Siem Reap Airport to City Distance & Time: 8.8 km | 25 minute
• Siem Reap Airport to Angkor Wat Distance & Time: 5.8 km | 15 minute

Tuk-tuk vehicles cannot enter into the arrival hall in general. You will also get approached by tuk-tuk transport companies or individual selling their services. If you walk towards the carpark, you can find more tuk-tuk drivers with offers way lower than US$9 to go to your hotel. On the other hand, if you take a tuk-tuk from the city centre to Siem Reap airport later, you pay only US$5.

» Tuk Tuk Cost in Siem Reap City (US$2 onwards)

Tuk-tuk Siem Reap fare starts from a minimum of US$2 if the distance is short. We had done it once for a ride less than 1 km. However, I am not sure what is the definition of ‘a short distance’ to a tuk-tuk driver. Therefore, get a quote before hopping into the vehicle as some dishonest drivers may change their fares halfway.

One advice is to get a tuk-tuk driver from your hotel as they know the drivers better and use them regularly. If anything happens, the hotel staffs can contact the driver. The tuk-tuk cost that my hotel quoted me was the same rate as outside. There was no markup of it. I can pay the fare to the driver directly or to the hotel.

» Tuk Tuk Price to Angkor Wat (US$15 – $22 per Circuit)

The duration of tuk-tuk going to Angkor Wat area from Siem Reap downtown is 20 – 30 minutes. Before that, the driver can bring you to Angkor Wat Ticket Office to buy the entrance tickets first. The price is around US$15 to US$22 per Angkor tour for a small or big circuit. That said, you are likely to pay more if you are visiting two Angkor tour areas on the same day. The quoted prices vary between drivers and also the season. You know if you have been ripped off after receiving quotations way off from the indicative costs.

One Angkor circuit comprising of a few temples visit will take around 3 to 4 hours to complete. The length of time also depends on how long you want to linger in a temple. The tuk-tuk driver will wait for you outside each temple. Taking a tuk-tuk to Angkor Wat is certainly more cost-saving than a taxi if you travel alone. Although tuk-tuk can take up to 4 pax, the space inside the cabin can be cramped for more than two people travelling on a long-distance trip, especially if they are tall and big in size. I would define the tuk-tuk seating capacity meant for ‘Asian size’.

The second option, which is slightly more expensive, but still affordable, is what the locals called a Siem Reap taxi. Even so, it is more like a private hire vehicle like Grab or Uber. I tend to connote the word ‘taxi’ with a LED sign lamp at the top where you can recognise from far and hail a cab on the street. The ‘taxi’ driver in Cambodia drives a private car, and you can’t get them on the road by flagging. Moreover, many of them are self-employed or tag team with others.

So, if one is not free, the other partnering drivers can help to accept those last-minute requests. They are usually from passengers who may decide to extend their services for a day or two. That was what happened to us. The driver had to find his friend to replace him for the last minute extended service of an additional day. Taking a taxi is also another popular choice besides tuk-tuk. Considering the hot and humid weather, or otherwise, a rainy season to shield yourself against these harsh elements.

» Taxi from Siem Reap Airport to Town (US$10)

Selecting a taxi from Siem Reap Airport to City will be the best mean of transport if you have luggage. It will be money spent worthwhile, especially with at least 2 people in a group. It will cost US$10 for a taxi that can take a maximum of 4 passengers. Usually, it is a flat rate and non-negotiable. The taxi journey is about 20 to 30 minutes ride from Siem Reap Airport to town.

Our hotel provided us with just a free one-way transfer from the airport. When we booked a taxi from the hotel back to Siem Reap Airport on the last day, we paid US$10 for it. For a larger group of people more than four, the van will cost US$15 for a one-way trip from Siem Reap Airport to city centre and vice versa. You can find the taxi counter after exiting Siem Reap Airport. Alternatively, you can book a private transfer below ︎ from Siem Reap Airport online which has almost the same rate as that of a taxi.

» Siem Reap Taxi Cost in City Centre (US$25 – 35)

You can find many taxi companies and independent drivers advertising for their services online. You can also book a cab through the travel agency online. The self-advertised rate online is between US$25 to US$30. It includes a few types of package tours to visit the famous UNESCO Angkor Archaeological Park. Alternatively, you can also customise your own and tell them where to go.

There are many places of interests to visit besides Angkor temples. We found one online at a rate of US$30 per day to our disposal and visited the temples and some other Siem Reap attractions. We booked the driver for 2 days at first. Later, we decided to extend one more day from afternoon to watching a concert in the evening.

Riding a scooter in Siem Reap is not everyone’s cup of tea. Just look at how disorganised the driving is on the road with no proper road markings and beating red lights. Leave that to the more adventurous souls… but sorry, a tourist can’t rent a motorbike, nor a car for himself in Siem Reap legally. As reported in The Phnom Penh Post in October 2017, there was a ban on it due to high traffic accidents and difficulty in claiming insurance if tourists were involved.

Unlike other cities in Cambodia and even in other Southeast Asia countries, legitimate motorbike rental is the norm. Though it may not be surprising for seasoned travellers, it is quite an eye-opener to see 3 to 4 people squeezing onto a scooter. Some riders looked so young that I wondered if they had reached the age limit for riding. Nevertheless, such speculation was also an entertaining way to discover a country’s culture.

» Rent a Scooter in Siem Reap – (US$10/day, US$50/week or US$120/month)

Although the motorbike rental ban in Siem Reap on tourists was introduced around 2002, many businesses ignored the law. Some were not even aware of the ban due to the slack procedure. The enforcement action follow-up by the government was also lax over the years, resulting in the sprouting of the motorbike rental business. Therefore, one can see the prominent advertisements for scooter rental in Siem Reap displayed outside the shop openly.

The rate of the scooter rental in Siem Reap is US$10/day, US$50/week and up to US$120/month if you are staying a long time in Siem Reap. The deposit required is usually your passport or your driving license, provided you can negotiate that successfully. Do you dare take the risk by leaving your passport with somebody else? On the contrary, offenders caught flouting the law would risk having their business license revoked.

On a positive note, the ban protects the rice bowl of the hardworking Cambodian in Siem Reap from being snatched away. You can then engage their service to bring you around. If you’d like to be a pillion passenger instead, you can negotiate a comfortable price with the rider. Though it will be fun sitting on a scooter, the road traffic condition in Siem Reap poses a high risk so you’d be better off taking a tuk-tuk or a taxi.

Furthermore, you do not know the driver’s skill or the condition of the bike. The risk escalated further when a new law was passed in 2016 stating that “drivers do not need any license to ride a motorbike below 125cc” (that applies to locals only). Your motorcycle driver could be one of them…

There are a few shops selling liquid in whisky bottles and big mineral bottles on the way in Angkor Archaeological Park. At first, I thought it was some home-brewed tea until our driver said that the bottles of liquid were in fact petrol for the motorcycles and tuk-tuk. What a discovery!

A travel agency advertising for motorbike rental in Siem Reap. The shop also sells tickets to go to Vietnam, Thailand & Laos.

Choosing the Most Suitable Cambodia Tourist Sim Card for Travel

As of the latest research in January 2022, there are 5 mobile carriers in Cambodia – Metfone, Smart Axiata, CellCard, Seatel and CooTel (CDMA network. The telco company, qb seemed to have closed down as their website was no longer valid). The first three companies listed are the largest mobile operators in Cambodia with a 90% market share. It and also the preferred choice among travellers. Since CoolTel is on a CDMA network, we will not use it to make a comparison among the rest of the 3G and 4G LTE networks.

Generally, the internet data network in Cambodia is excellent except for some places which you may not get any signal such as the Angkor Archaeological Park. Like most tourists, we want to get ample internet data volume on our mobile phone more than anything else, such as phone calls and SMS. One need not save money on the prepaid SIM card in Cambodia because the mobile operators offer one of the most affordable and competitive tourist SIM cards in the market that I have come across.

I travelled to Siem Reap recently with my family. Each of us bought a Cambodia SIM card from the mobile phone booth at Siem Reap International Airport (RER). We saw Metfone, Smart Axiata and Seatel just outside Siem Reap Airport when we stepped out before going to the city centre.

5 Cambodia Mobile Providers

1. Cellcard Tourist SIM Card

I was aiming to buy our Cambodia SIM card from Cellcard after some online research. However, I did not see any CellCard counter after exiting the airport, but I read that some people bought it successfully at Siem Reap. The phone booth was actually at the far end of the airport.

Cellcard Tourist SIM Pack costs US$6, valid for 7-days of use. You get 5GB data and US$50 of call time daily, which is their marketing approach on data and calls. To add the cherry on the cake, Cellcard has been awarded as the ‘Fastest Mobile Network in Cambodia’ at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain for four consecutive years since 2016.

2. Smart Traveller SIM Card

Nonetheless, between Metfone and Smart, we selected the Smart Traveller SIM valid for 7 days at US$3 for 20GB data and US$1.50 worth of call time. As you can see from the photos below, the Smart shop at Siem Reap Airport also offered 5 more packages from US$6 to US$20. One advantage of Smart outsmarting its competitors was to be the first telco in 2017 to roll out the 4.5G LTE network in Cambodia!

Unfortunately, the detail shown on the photos taken from the airport differed from that on its current website, which displays a better offer of more internet data volume. The website also offers a free SIM card which has 10 minutes of call value and 100Mb data.

3.Metfone Tourist SIM Card

Even though Metfone was offering more internet data volume at 33GB at US$3 for 7-day validity, the downside was that I didn’t see it offering free call time nor SMS with their tourist sim package. Since I was travelling with my family members, having the option to call and send SMS would be better.

Metfone’s strength of marketing was that they offered Unlimited Data Internet for 7 days in Thailand, Laos and Malaysia. Definitely a good bargain if you are hopping over to one of the three countries anytime soon. Over at Metfone’s website, I did not see any Tourist SIM card offer. Metfone has a few prepaid card offers, but they are more for long term usage, especially for making phone calls.

4. Seatel Travel SIM Card

The smaller mobile operator, Seatel has a different but simple approach. Seatel Travel SIM offers unlimited data and calls for 3 days (US$3), 5 days (US$5) and 10 days (US$10). To check airtime credit, dial 1800*11*.

Cambodia SIM Card Comparison Table

Here is a summary table at a glance of what you can get with this amount. The information displayed for Smart is according to the photos taken in Siem Reap Airport as the prepaid card costs on the website is not the same as what was offered at Siem Reap Airport.

» Our Smart Tourist SIM Review

Our Smart Tourist SIM cards worked very well in the city, fast and had strong signals, thanks to the 4.5G network. However, there was no signal in the Angkor temples area for all our four mobile phones. My tuk-tuk driver told me to use Cellcard instead, as it is the most preferred network used here. Moreover, he said that he was using Cellcard and had no problem with his mobile signal.

On the other hand, some who bought Cellcard and also claimed that they did not have connections around the Angkor temples too. The problem does not lie with the mobile phone operators. No matter which SIM card you buy, there are feedbacks of patchy connection or completely no mobile signal due to the dead zone in Angkor temple areas.

Purchase Your Prepaid SIM Card Online to Use in Cambodia and Asia

Another suggestion is to purchase your 4G Prepaid SIM online or Pocket 4G WiFi device to use in Cambodia and most parts of Asia. Pick up at any of these airports or get it delivered to your location before arriving in Cambodia at a competitive rate.

Buying Cambodia Tourist SIM from Smaller Shops

You can also buy Cambodia SIM cards from smaller shops in the city. They may receive some commission from selling them, which means you have to pay more. A passport is usually required to register for the SIM cards in the authorised mobile shops.

On the contrary, many smaller shops do not care about it. That said, if you lose your SIM card, you cannot get a replacement with the same numbers since there is no registration inside the system. Therefore, it is advisable to get your SIM card from a reputable source.

Get a Cambodia SIM Card to Contact Your Driver

It makes sense to get a SIM card for less than US$5 to contact your driver in Cambodia, just in case you do not see him at the agreed place. You can get a SIM card readily from the airports the moment you land. The internet connection works very well in our hotel at Royal Crown Hotel & Spa. Although the hotel provided free WiFi, the receptivity was unstable and got disconnected most of the time. Most of the time, I had to depend on my mobile data.

Once, I had exited from the wrong gate after my visit to East Mebon trip in Angkor Park. I could not see my tuk-tuk driver. One kind lady seller from the nearby food stall told me that she saw my driver at the other end of the road, which was about 150 m away. I walked towards the direction and found my driver. If I had not seen my driver after going towards the said direction, I would have called him.

Imagine losing the sight of your driver under the 40°C suffocating temperature? Sometimes, the drivers would find a cooling spot for parking and shelter themselves from the heat, get some drinks, or even go to the toilet as they do not know how long you want to visit each place after dropping you off. Thus, exchanging mobile number with each other will give you peace of mind without losing him. Lastly, want to know how to get admission tickets for the Angkor Temples and also other Siem Reap attractions besides the temples?