Hello, We (that is my wife and I) crossed the border from Aranya to Poipet two days ago and rode our two thai registered Honda Waves 125 all the way to Siem Reap. Not much fun, but I will post all the details later. Today we rode up to the ticket boot to visit Angkor and we were told we couldn't get in with our bikes. After two hours of discussions with the tourist police we found out that the only way to visit the tempels with your own vehicle is if you have a cambodian drivers licence. Is this correct? Is there any way around this rule? Or do you just ignore the whole thing and drive anyway? What about the more remote tempels: you can drive on the NH6 without any problems and the Roluos group and the Baray are on this very road. Can you drive up to those tempels with your bike? And if you can, can you get from those tempels to the other ones (then you don't pass any ticket boot... I'm also thinking about taking my Thai plates off as our bikes draw a lot of attention now... Fortunately we have a very decent European lock! Hope any of you can help us out! Thanks, Willem and Lieve
Willem, From what I have read, about the only way to ride your own bike to the main temples is on a CB registered bike, and you would probably have to hire that in Phnom Penh. Either that or on a hired bicycle. You may be able to sneak to some of the outlying temples on your Th bikes. Cheers, Daewoo
i was there recently i flew from BK the hotel in Seim Reap was very helpful but i was told i could not hire a bike to do my own exploring end of story ........... so i had to make do with hiring a guide and a driver, i saw the whole lot from a wee trailer towed behind a honda, it was a bit uncomfortable but to be fair they were happy to pick me up at 5.00 am or 5.00 pm and take me where ever i wanted and when i got all templed out they took me to other interesting places for me to get my photos. i then hired one of those electric bycles and must say they are great things to get around on they go for miles on a single charge and there was always some wee soul sitting under a tree in the middle of nowhere with a spare battery ready to jump out and do a swop for me. and you can take them into the angkor reserve jimmy http://www.isleofmull.net/thai
FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS YOU ARE NOT AS A FOREIGNER ALLOWED TO ENTER THE TEMPLE AREA WITH A MOTORBIKE OWNED BY YOU OR RENTED. THE POLICE SAY THAT IS A RULE FROM ASPARA THE BODY WHO IS RESPOSIBLE FOR THE AREA. WHEN YOU GO TO ASPARA THEY SAY THAT IT IS THE GOVERNOR OF SIEM REAP PROVINCE WHO HAS BANNED MOTORCYCLES IN THE AREA.THE POLICE STATION JUST BEFORE THE MAIN BOX OFFICE OF ANKOR WAT IS THE PLACE TO ASK FOR PERMISSION IN ADVANCE. THEY MAY ALLOW IF YOU HAVE A KAMBODIAN DRIVING LICENSE AND TELL THAT YOU LIVE IN PHNOM PENH. YOU CAN ALSO TELL THEM THAT YOU ARE ON THE WAY TO ANLONG VENG AND THAT ROAD ACTUALLY GOES THROUGH THE TEMPLE AREA. ANYHOW IS NOT A BIG MISS TO RENT A MOTO TAXI SIT BEHIND IN THE REAR WAGON WITH A FEW BEER AND ENJOY THE SETTINGS.... hiko
I've been down to Siem Reap from Roi Et 3 times now on a CBR250 I own (Thai reg). I've never had any problems driving all over the area on the bike there, in fact never even knew there was a restriction till I saw this post. Been to all the major sites, and also to Beng Melea and Koh Ker on the CBR. The coppers do give you some weird looks in the main Angkor area, and the one time I was stopped was when I was actually going to Anlong Veng. So take your bike there and do as thou wilt. I'll take the old Baja 250 there this year though...
