Karen wrote: I am looking to buy a motorbike in Phnom Penh and take it through Cambodia, Laos and into Thailand. ......
Karen...
This past year, for some unknown reason, bike prices in Cambo have significantly increased. I know that a decent 250 dirt bikes are now running about $3000!!
Not knowing what bike of bike you intend to get, I'd suggest initially shopping at Vay's (north side of Confederation of Russia St at the corner of St. 51, or at
Flying Bikes, a short distance from there. I know that they can provide a reliable bike. Avoid getting a bike from Lucky-Lucky, or the bike shop next to it.
Also, get your Laos visa in PPenh (about $45), as they are not issued at the border.
The following is presuming that you will be going north, from PPenh, to enter Laos. The info is from my trip a year ago:
This is the Cambodian border checkpoint, about 60km north of Stung Treng. It's just a small shack. The Khmer Captain in the picture
(the good looking guy, on the left) is the head man there and what surprised me was that he spoke fluent English...better than any Khmer
I'd met in the past 6-years! I've often wondered who he ticked off to be relegated to that post! I was charged a token $1 to get stamped out of Cambodia. YMMV.
This is the Laos border checkpoint, at Dongkralaw (Dongcrolor). It's just a few 100 meters after leaving Cambodia and also just a small shack.
After getting checked into Laos, it's a dirt road for a few km before reaching the paved superhighway 13, which can take you all the way
to Vientiane. Hwy-13 is boring, but there are many side and off-road ventures to be had. Be sure and get a GT-Rider Laos map in Pakxe,
if you don't already have one, for help in finding different routes, as well as read past rider reports on the website. I was charged $2 (tip?)
to enter Laos, and there was no one there to provide me with the required Laos insurance, so I never got any. YMMV.
-cdrw