Do you think Cambodia is cheaper than Thailand?

[Guest nekete]

Hi people...

 

I´m thinking in going to Cambodia for a month, but I´m looking for the prices of the guest houses and I´m finding that it´s always, more or less, the double than in thailand.

 

I´m visiting Thailand for the last three months and I´ve been always living in guest houses for 150 or 200 or 250 Bath, that means 4 or 5 or 6 euros, in dollars 6,5 or 7,8 or 9. It´s really cheap and the guest houses are ok, they are clean and have hot water and wifi and a fun. That´s all I need. Even I´ve been in one that also have swiming pool for 200 Bath (5 euros, 8 dollars).

 

So I´ve been told that Cambodia is also very cheap, but the cheaper price for a guest house is 15 or 20 dollars... It´s always like that? Can´t I find a clean and quiet guest house for the half of it, I mean for 6 or 7, no more than 10 dollars?

 

What do you think? I´m talking about Phnom Penh.

 

Thank you.

[Guest]

The lowest cost accommodation on the Lonely Planet guide comes in at $3~6. I've no idea what it's like. If you don't have the LP guide, you can probably download the Phnom Penh section from their website as a pdf very cheaply.

 

I don't know if you will get much advice on very cheap rooms here, as most members will pay more than that for their accommodation.

I'm probably one of the more economical travellers on this board, but in Thailand, the lowest I paid was 600 baht & that was unsatisfactory, so I usually end up paying 900~1200 baht.

In Cambodia, my chosen accommodation has been in the $15~40 range. $30 can get something rather good, but I don't really like the idea of paying $40 in Cambodia.

The cheapest accommodation I've tried was $15 a night in Kampot. They had rooms for $6 a night, but these were just too dark and dingy.

 

Perhaps you could also ask on the Thorn Tree forum. I strongly expect you can find very cheap rooms, as long as you find them once you arrive, rather than booking in advance via some professional website.

[pong]

first of all, it hink bekpek-dedicated sites like lonelyplanet or travelfish are more suited to your Q.

Answer: it depends-like so often. Yes, you can (still) find 4/5US$ rooms in KH-but you will have to look much harder for them as in Th and most likely then will find them ''full''-taken by long time stayers, also teachers in the coming etc. And of course season plays a large role in that. But by now even in the lowest cost parts of Bkk (think Khaosarn and around) the 4$=120 bt room is nearly gone-200 is about the lowest to find now. For those who like to hack so much on anything cheaper as they stay in; thats the famous ''prison cell'' lookalike, No AC, no own shower, just a bed and a fan inside. You talk abouit hot water-for most thats a rarity, but thats how about any barboy also lioves. In well-known seaside spots these are all gone, it is big cities, esp. CHiangmai-to find that.

What KH is much better at as TH are the 20/25US$ rooms-which are quite decent, have AC, TV, roomservice etc-thats about 600/750THB. You may even be able to find lower graded older such rooms for 10/15US$=300/450. The best known cheap-living area in PnPn has gone and is bulldozed down-the Bung Kak Lake.

The proposal of TW to try LP/TT is not good-sadly-for cheap rooms. The regular posters there all hack on khaosarn, promote lower Sukhumvit and despise anything cheaper as 500 bt-sad, but thats how things go.Travelfish or the local LP sites (in french or german) are not that bad.

From what I remember, in the really low-budget sector food costs more in KH, compared to TH, no 30 bt=1US$ good meals, just a little snack.

If cheapness is your main aim, try Laos or North-TH. But then this is a gay site, so most posters also reckon in the general availability of friends to spend some time with. And that does not correspond with cheap rooms.

[Guest nekete]

first of all, it hink bekpek-dedicated sites like lonelyplanet or travelfish are more suited to your Q.

Answer: it depends-like so often. Yes, you can (still) find 4/5US$ rooms in KH-but you will have to look much harder for them as in Th and most likely then will find them ''full''-taken by long time stayers, also teachers in the coming etc. And of course season plays a large role in that. But by now even in the lowest cost parts of Bkk (think Khaosarn and around) the 4$=120 bt room is nearly gone-200 is about the lowest to find now. For those who like to hack so much on anything cheaper as they stay in; thats the famous ''prison cell'' lookalike, No AC, no own shower, just a bed and a fan inside. You talk abouit hot water-for most thats a rarity, but thats how about any barboy also lioves. In well-known seaside spots these are all gone, it is big cities, esp. CHiangmai-to find that.

What KH is much better at as TH are the 20/25US$ rooms-which are quite decent, have AC, TV, roomservice etc-thats about 600/750THB. You may even be able to find lower graded older such rooms for 10/15US$=300/450. The best known cheap-living area in PnPn has gone and is bulldozed down-the Bung Kak Lake.

The proposal of TW to try LP/TT is not good-sadly-for cheap rooms. The regular posters there all hack on khaosarn, promote lower Sukhumvit and despise anything cheaper as 500 bt-sad, but thats how things go.Travelfish or the local LP sites (in french or german) are not that bad.

From what I remember, in the really low-budget sector food costs more in KH, compared to TH, no 30 bt=1US$ good meals, just a little snack.

If cheapness is your main aim, try Laos or North-TH. But then this is a gay site, so most posters also reckon in the general availability of friends to spend some time with. And that does not correspond with cheap rooms.

 

I´m in the North of Thailand for the last three months... Now I want to go to I don´t know, maybe Cambodia maybe Indonesia... I don´t know.

 

Oh, my God. What does " my Q" "kh""TW" "LP/TT" mean?

 

I´ve told that Laos is ugly and expensive.

 

Gays are everywhere.

[Guest thaiworthy]

Oh, my God. What does " my Q" "kh""TW" "LP/TT" mean?

 

Fortunately, my Enigma machine has at last been repaired! Translated from Pongese to English:

 

"my Q" means "my question" or "my query."

 

"KH" means "Khmer" which comes from the major ethnic group of Cambodia, the Khmer, which for practical purposes is synonymous. Typically domain names end with .kh

 

"TW" might mean me (Thaiworthy) although it was actually z909 he should be referring to.

 

"LP/TT" means "Lonely Planet" and "Thorn Tree" also from Z's post.

 

Please note: I can translate anything from Pig Latin to Babylonian Sanskrit, although Pongese is far more challenging. If you need any more translation services, I am available 24 hours a day.

[Guest nekete]

jaja, thank you thaiworthy, very funny... and useful

[ceejay]

I´ve told that Laos is ugly and expensive.

 

I don't know who told you that, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Laos is one of the most, if not the most, beautiful countires I have ever visited. There are certinaly cheap backpacker type places on Don Khone in the 4000 islands, in the South (you walk past them on the path to Phi Phi falls). There are even places that fall into your price range in Vientiane:

http://www.hostelworld.com/hosteldetails.php/Naphavong-Backpackers-Hostel/Vientiane/46214?sc_sau=sfab&sc_pos=1

But your best bet is to go to Vientiane, Vang Vieng or wherever and just ask around the backpackers.

[Bob]

I am available 24 hours a day.

 

I've heard that! Think I first saw it written on the bathroom wall of some shady venue.....

 

But I'm glad you got the enigma machine working as, without it, I didn't have a clue either.

 

And I second Ceejay's comments about Laos. I've only been to Luang Prabang but I didn't notice that the prices there were any more expensive than here in Chiangmai. On the other hand, if you exchange $100.00 (US) for Lao kip, you'll feel like a rich man carrying a wheelbarrow full of money down the road....hehe.

[KhorTose]

I don't know who told you that, but nothing could be farther from the truth. Laos is one of the most, if not the most, beautiful countires I have ever visited.

 

Quite agree, and in Vientiane you will find the streets clean, the traffic regulated and the food superb.

[Guest nekete]

Ok. Don´t give more ideas, I can´t manage: all of them. No Laos at the moment.

 

Where do you think is better to chang my euros into dollars, here in Chiang Mai or when I arrived to Cambodia? (yes, I´m going to Cambodia)

 

Thank you.

[ceejay]

You'd probably be better off changing Euros into riel, rather than dollars, when you get there. I don't know of any Thai bank or money changer that will do direct exchange from one Foreign currency to another. They'll change your Euros into baht and then the baht into dollars - so you'll end up making losses on two lots of tourist exchange rates. I guess the same would apply converting Euros into dollars in Cambodia. You will need to change a small amount into dollars (50 or 60 dollars) before you go to cover the cost of a visa at the border, and living expenses until you get to a bank.

At the price ranges you are talking about, you'll be able to get by using riel. You'll also be a little better off - the standard exchange rate in most places in 4000 riel/dollar - the banks at the moment will give you something slightly better:

http://www.acledaban...ignexchange.php

Acleda is the biggest bank in Cambodia. You'll find a branch locator under the "Contact Us" tab on that website.

[Guest nekete]

You'd probably be better off changing Euros into riel, rather than dollars, when you get there. I don't know of any Thai bank or money changer that will do direct exchange from one Foreign currency to another. They'll change your Euros into baht and then the baht into dollars - so you'll end up making losses on two lots of tourist exchange rates. I guess the same would apply converting Euros into dollars in Cambodia. You will need to change a small amount into dollars (50 or 60 dollars) before you go to cover the cost of a visa at the border, and living expenses until you get to a bank.

At the price ranges you are talking about, you'll be able to get by using riel. You'll also be a little better off - the standard exchange rate in most places in 4000 riel/dollar - the banks at the moment will give you something slightly better:

http://www.acledaban...ignexchange.php

Acleda is the biggest bank in Cambodia. You'll find a branch locator under the "Contact Us" tab on that website.

 

What? really? But then I´ll have to change the riels into dollars. Isn´t it?

[Guest]

1 The ATMS in Cambodia usually issue dollars, which is what you can use for payment.

2 As stated previously, if you are already in Thailand, you would pay two sets of exchange rates changing from Euros to dollars or riel. So the best answer is probably to do most of the money changing in Cambodia.

Also, shop around. In some countries, the variation between best & worst in exchange rates is horrendous.

Obviously you will need a few USD for initial expenses in Cambodia, so maybe change a little money in Thailand.

[Guest nekete]

I´m a very strange traveller. I don´t use ATMS.

 

Well, I´m thinking... Is there any problem if I only use riels?.

[ceejay]

I don't see why there should be, at the price level you are talking about. I'm guessing that your other spending is equally frugal, so you'll budget what? 15 Euros a day total including guest house? That's about 75,000 riel a day - or 525,000 riel a week. That means carrying up to 105 banknotes around (I think the largest Khmer banknote is 5,000) if you change money once a week but, that apart, I can't see any problems.

[Guest]

You just need to carry a fatter wad of notes and count more carefully, due to all the zeros.

Getting some USD could make sense.

[Guest nekete]

Ok, I already have my ticket to Cambodia. I´ll tell you all my vicissitudes.

 

I´ve decided to change my euros into riels, and also change some euros into baths and then into dolars to pay the visa and the first nights of the guest house, trasport from the aerport to town...

 

Thanks all of you for your answers.

[Guest]

trasport from the aerport to town...

Assuming it's Phnom Penh, it's cheaper to walk past the tuk tuks in the airport car park & pick up one of the cheaper ones waiting by the roadside just outside the gate -about $5.

[Guest nekete]

Assuming it's Phnom Penh, it's cheaper to walk past the tuk tuks in the airport car park & pick up one of the cheaper ones waiting by the roadside just outside the gate -about $5.

 

Yes it is Phnom Penh. I´ve read that there is a taxi service with a prefixed tax from the aeroport. Don´t you recommend me that option?

 

I also have read that many people just stay in Phom Penh for two or three days (I don´t know why). My intention is spend there one week at least. Do you think is too much time?

[Guest]

Arguably how much time to spend in Phnom Penh depends on you & the big picture.

 

If you were a tourist spending 2 weeks in Cambodia & wanting to see the sights, I would suggest one week in Phnom Penh is way too much, as it would be better to spend more time in Siem Reap & a little around Sihanoukville (including island trips).

 

Now if you have plenty of time to travel (several months or even years) & don't mind getting to know a small city slowly, with plenty of cafe time, a week in Phnom Penh becomes more reasonable.

 

Also, if you get bored, the bus to Siem Reap takes about 5 hours. That's a place you must visit sometime.

[Guest nekete]

Hello from a cheap, quiet, clean and with wifi guest house in Phnom Penh

 

Thanks for all your answers. I´ll tell you my impresions.

 

I arrived late and night came soon, so I couldn´t see much.But the little I´ve seen I´ve liked. It´s quite caotic, and old this part of the town. but I love it.

 

Tomorrow I will explore the town.

[Guest nekete]

Hello from a cheap, quiet, clean and with wifi guest house in Phnom Penh

 

Thanks for all your answers. I´ll tell you my impresions.

 

I arrived late and night came soon, so I couldn´t see much.But the little I´ve seen I´ve liked. It´s quite chaotic, and old this part of the town. but I love it.

 

Tomorrow I will explore the town.

[Guest nekete]

I´ve mistake "quote" with "edit".

 

I think I have to learn english

[Guest nekete]

What do you think? I´m talking about Phnom Penh.

 

I think that in general Phnom Penh is a little more expensive that the north of Thailand.

[Guest nekete]

What do you think? I´m talking about Phnom Penh.

 

I think that in general Phnom Penh is a little more expensive that the north of Thailand.