How to travel from Battambang to Krong Koh Kong?
Replies: 16 - Last Post: Mar 9, 2013 4:20 PM Last Post By: ermerm
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How to travel from Battambang to Krong Koh Kong?
How can I travel from Battambang to Krong Koh Kong?The Lonely Planet guidebook seems to suggest two routes, using moto/shared taxi:
1) via Pailin.
Battambang--Pailin--Trat--Krong Koh Kong
2) via Pursat
Battambang--Pursat--Promoui/Veal-Veng--Krong Koh Kong
via Pailin covers less ground and so seems preferable. Has anyone done either or have actual advice/info on the most advisable way to get from Battambang to KKK by bus/moto/shared-taxis/pick-up/etc?
I hope to travel along one of these routes this Tues, Jan 3.
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I did it the Pursat way, go to pursat from Battambang on public bus, you'll have to change in Pursat. The bus will drop you off on the main highway, make your way to where the pickup truck and Camrys wait (just down the road from the market). I got a camry for about $7 all the way to Promoui. The road is not too bad and took about 2.5hours. there is a couple of guest houses in the town, I stayed in one by the roundabout about £5 a night. from there you should be able to get a share taxi south to Koh Kong via Veal veng. The road should be good at this time of the year. I love that area.The road from Battambang to Pailin was being reconstucted a few months ago and was a dusty rutted mess, the journey was about 4 hours in a packed camry.
2
from other poster as of Dec 2011: The road from the Thai border thru Pailin and all the way to Battambang is now newly sealed ,all bridges upgraded. I was traveling alone I just hopped on a motortaxi at the border If there are 3-4 of you then it may be worth just getting a taxi from here right to Battambang, should be about $30-35 for the entire taxi. I had offers but didn't want to pay for the entire taxi myself so I had to go to Pailin first and then find a shared taxi spot (for 150-200B) to Battambang. If you go to Pailin to find a shared taxi be aware that they "officially" fit in 6 passengers (plus the driver), 2 in the front seat and 4 in the back, so if want a bit more comfort for the 1.5-2hr drive then you may want to buy 2 seats for 100B to Pailin.4
Thanks for the update manyrivers. Good to hear the road is now easy going, The road network is rapidly improving now.Promoui is north af Veal veng at the intersection. I was there in the wet season and the road wasn't good. I was with Khmers and we couldn't get transport south to Koh kong so had to turn Back to Pursat. I'm going that way again when I get the chance. Veal Veng is not much more than a ranger station and a chance to see the crocodiles. There are some english speaking rangers in the station about 1km out of Promoui heading towards pursat, there is also an english speaking guy at the market with long hair (most cambodian men have it short), he was useful. other than that not much english is spoken.
5
thanks for the info-heavy responses. to clarify:a. dogeatinghotchips--did you in fact make it to KKK via the Pursat option? Or did you make it to Promoui/Veal Veng and then not find onward transport to KKK so forced to turn back to Pursat (if so, then doesn't this suggest this route is a no-go?)
b. manyrivers -- your first response is to the effect that the via Pailin option is a definite "go" because one can travel to Battambang via Pailin from the Thail border crossing 10kms from KKK, and so ergo must be able to go Battambang to the Thai border crossing and onward to KKK. Is this what we can infer? In short, a ''ýes' to the Pailin option?
c. based on discussion so far, would you guys advise Pailin or Pursat?
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Sorry for any confusion, I was forced to go back to Pursat due to days of torrential rain making the road south from Pormoui to KKK unpassable by all but good 4x4's and experienced dirtbike riders. I would however say it is easily possible in the dry season, which it now is.Are you wanting to remain in cambodia or cross over the border and into Thailand and then back into KKK (more visas and borders). I think there is a track in cambodia leading from near Pailin down through the north cardamoms to Promoui.
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the Pailin option seems like a yes and i am very intrigued with going via Promoui. great that the roads are improving.8
I am staying in Cambodia, simply want to find the most reasonable way to KKK. I'm somewhat concerned the Pailin--Battambang Thai border link that manyrivers spoke of exists only one way, since from a border one can usually find vehicles willing to go most anywhere nearby, while getting there aint as easy. But i'll try it tomorrow (KKK, via Pailin) and let ya know how it goes.9
As DEHC wrote, no problem from Veal Veng to KK in the dry season.I wouldn't take the Pailin/ Thai way, typical LP solution that probably wasn't even tested.
10
Update, following my successful overland trip from Battambang to Kroah Koh Kang (KKK) via Pursat.From Siem Reap or Battambang, there are two ways to get to the SW coast-town of KKK:
a) by bus through Phnom Penh (PP), along the national highways. Pluses: faster (est 11 hrs) and cheaper ($15): minuses: lack the character/challenge/sights of going the second way. The efficiency of this "öfficial" way is even higher if you take an overnight sleeper bus from Siem Reap to PP, and then continue on (5 hrs?) to KKK, since you save a night of hotel and arrive at KKK around noon the next day.
b) by taxi/pickup/moto through Pursat+Purmui. This is the route I just completed and is the reason I post this note. It was time consuming (from Battambang->KKK, 13 hours) and relatively pricey ($28), though equally rewarding. So:
- This route is only possible in the DRY season. The road from Purmui to KKK is mostly unpaved, pretty rough, and passes through a river at one point. So if the water level is higher or the road is mud, then the way the road is now, not possible in the rainy season.
- Traveling solo is not advised, as the last leg, from Promui to KKK, requires hiring your own transportation as no one is traveling in this direction. moto drivers quoted $50, taxi drivers agreed to $70 after hard bargaining ($60 is def possible). If you travel with 4 ppl, splitting the taxi keeps the price reasonable.
- After persuading two German travelers to accompany me, we took a 6:30 AM bus for $3 from Battambang to Pursat. Arrived 8:15. In Pursat, a few pickups (no shared taxis, though hiring a taxi was probably an option) were available to Purmui. I paid $2 to sit with 28 people on the back of the truck - uncomfortable, but def memorable! We left around 9am, arrived Purmui around 2:15 (5+ hrs). Purmui is a very small village, there were 3 cars and 6 motos by the roundabout, and no travelers at all (our truck from Pursat was empty by the time we reached Purmui, everyone else got off on the way). The motos demanded $50. The taxis $120. We (3 ppl) bargained taxi down to $70, though sense was very best we could get was $60. We left Purmui 3:15, arrived KKK 7:15, 4 hours. The road passes through two small villages, then passes a massive dam project the Chinese are building in the jungle (note, the Chinese likely will fix up the road w/in a year as part of the dam project, making Purmui to KKK far simpler), and then for the final two hours drives through some beautiful jungle/mountain scenery.
11
NIce post Shuming, thanks for the update. I managed to get a share taxi from pursat to proumoi, all good. I was there at the beginning of the wet season and already the road south was impossible. I did it on my own and stayed 3 nights in Proumoi (one in the jungle), saw no other tourists. I was with khmers and still couldn't get transport south. I'll do it again soon, I don't like to be defeated!You did it the hard way but succeeded, a far better story and great experience. How is KKK?
14
There have been a couple of other threads on this recently and I don't believe it has changed much since Shumings report. Obviously if going by bicycle it will take time and you will need all your provisions although there is a decent market in Promouy. The road fron pursat to there is good going in the dry season. January the Promouy to KKK road should be ok and possibly the best time of year to attempt it despite the heat. Be aware there is very little out that way except beautiful scenery.
