Travel Information
Geography & Demography
Pailin Province is the newest and second smallest province in Cambodia with 803 square kilometres. Before the reintegration in 1996, the population of Pailin was 17850 people. 17 years later, the population of this area is about 70000 people. The north of the province consists of the typical plain wet area covering rice fields and other agricultural plantations. The south is quite hilly with tops of 1164m highest altitude.
Climate
The country has a tropical climate - warm and humid. In the monsoon season, abundant rain allows cultivation of a wide variety of crops. This year-round tropical climate makes Cambodia ideal for developing tourism. Travelers need not to fear natural disasters such as erupting volcanoes or earthquakes, and the country is not directly affected by tropical storms.
Cambodia can be visited throughout the year. However, those plans to travel extensively by road should be avoided the last two months of the rainy season when some countryside roads may be impassable but the road condition to Pailin is considered good without any problem. The average temperature is about 24-34 degrees Celsius from March to May; the minimum temperature is about 18-24 degrees Celsius from September to March. Raining season May – October with humidity up to 90%. December and January are the coolest months whereas the hottest is April.
Pailin to Koh Kong
It's now possible to make a journey from Pailin to Koh Kong through the scenic Cardamom Mountains of Pursat and Koh Kong provinces. This route takes areas that are considered to be the most pristine and untouched in all South East Asia.
Economy
Pailin, historically known for gem mining and processing, is recovering from its war-torn past. Modern Pailin is transforming into an agricultural production center. More interestingly, Pailin has great potential for ecotourism with its command of the northern approaches to the Cardamom Mountains’ waterfalls, rivers, untouched forests and abundant wildlife.
Banking
• Canadia Bank offers exchange services and Moneygram cash transfer and accepts Visa, Mastercard and travellers' cheques
• Acleda Bank offers Western Union services and accepts Visa, Mastercard and travellers' cheques
• Memoria Palace & Resort accepts Visa and Mastercard (Plus)
From inside Cambodia
Phnom Penh – Pailin is 371 km, on National Road No 5 - 57. Phnom Penh - Pailn is about five hours. Siem Reap - Pailin is about three hours, Poipet - Pailin is about two hours, and Battambang - Pailin is one hour.
Bus
Get on Ponleu Angkor Khmer Bus at Chenla Theater Station.
Phnom Penh - Pailin 7:30am and 8:30am
Tel:017595858/0979000049
Siem Reap – Pailin 7:30am and 8:30am
Tel: 017595858/0979000049
Pailin – Phnom Penh or Siem Reap 8:30am
Tel: 012587038
Get on Paramount Angkor Express Bus at Phsa Demko station.
Phnom Penh- Pailin 7:30am
Tel: 023427567
Pailin – Phnom Penh 7:30am
Tel: 092290909
Taxi
To get to Pailin, take a shared taxi from Central Market Station to Pailin or hire a whole taxi. You can take taxi from Central Market Station or any bus at any station to Battambang. From Battambang take taxi from Phsa Leu to Pailin.
Visa Runs for Thai visas
The Ban Pakkard/Phsar Prum International Border Crossing is one of the friendliest and easiest border crossings on the Thai-Cambodian Border for Thai visa runs. It is a hassle free border crossing and easy with access from Koh Chang, Rayong, Koh Samet, Pattaya, and Bangkok for your visa run.
Pick up from or drop off to bus station (in Pailin) will be free of charge.
From Thailand
Bangkok – Pailin is 237 km. Bangkok - Chanthaburi is about 3 hours; Chanthaburi - Ban Pakard/Phsar Prum Border Crossing is about 1 hour.
Bus
• Pornnipa Tour Tel. 02391 5179; Chanthaburi office, Tel. 03931 1476
• Suparat Tour Tel. 02391 2331; Chanthaburi office, Tel. 03935 0223
There are buses leaving daily from Mo Chit 2 or Northern Bus Terminal (Chatuchak) on Kamphaeng Phet Road. Transport Co., Ltd., Tel. 02936 2852
Private operators:
• Cherdchai Tour Tel. 02936 0199
• Pornnipa Tour Tel. 02936 2256
• Suparat Tour Tel. 02936 3888
Mini Van
Victory Monument (Anusawaree Chai) in Bangkok has mini vans to many nearby cities including Chanthaburi. The van to Chanthaburi takes anywhere from 2 to 3 hours depending on the driver and traffic. It makes one stop about an 75 km outside Bangkok. The van stops in Chanthaburi just outside town at the Tesco Lotus. The vans also leave from the Tesco going to Victory Monument.
The vans usually run from 6am until 8pm. They leave every hour but make sure you arrive 20-30 minutes before the time you want to leave because when the van is full (13 people) it will leave and another van may not be available for another hour.
Car
The province is accessible by 5 routes:
1. Highway No. 3, start from Bang Na, Bangkok, via Chon Buri – Bang Saen – Si Racha – Pattaya – Sattahip – Ban Chang – Rayong – Chanthaburi, a total distance of 330 km.
2. Highway No. 36, start from km140 on Sukhumwit Road in Bang Lamung, Chon Buri, turn left at Krathing Lai T-junction via Pira Circuit to end at Tambon Choeng Noen in Amphoe Mueang, Rayong Province, a distance of 60 km. Then turn into Highway No. 3 for 108 km to Chanthaburi, a total distance of 308 km.
3. Highway No. 344, the Ban Bueng – Klaeng route, saving a distance of up to 70 km; start from km98 on Sukhumwit Road in Amphoe Mueang, Chon Buri, via Amphoe Ban Bueng of Chon Buri Province, Amphoe Wang Chan and Amphoe Klaeng of Rayong Province, a distance of 110 kmThen, continue on Highway No. 3 for 58 km to Chanthaburi; a total distance of 266 km.
4. Linking the Northeast and the East, start at Km200 on Highway No. 33 from Amphoe Kabin Buri of Prachin Buri Province, turn right at Km230 in Sa Kaeo Province into Highway No. 317, continue for 189 Km via Amphoe Wang Nam Yen, Amphoe Soi Dao, Amphoe Pong Nam Ron, Amphoe Makham to Chanthaburi, a total distance of 219 Km from Kabin Buri.
5. Motorway – Highway No. 7, start from Si Nakharin Road in Bangkok and end in Pattaya, Chon Buri, a distance of 90 km then, continue on Highway No. 36 for 50 km and Highway No. 3 for another 108 km; a total distance of 248 km.
To Thailand from Pailin
Easily accessible to Chanthaburi, Koh Chang, Rayong, Pattaya, and Bangkok via the Ban Pakard/Phsa Prum Border or Ban Laem/Daung Border.
Drop off from Memoria by Tuk-Tuk to Ban Pakard/Phsa Prum Border (18km): 7US$. Drop off from Memoria by Tuk-Tuk to Ban Laem/Daung Border (35km): 15US$.
Ban Laem/Daung Border has regular taxi and mini-van to Chanthaburi, Koh Chang, Rayong, Pattaya, Bangkok. Mini vans or taxis leave at 7.30am earliest, last ones leave at 5pm; mini vans and taxis leave every HOUR.
A private taxi from Ban Pakard to Chanthaburi is about 1500 baht which takes about 1 hour. When you are at Chanthaburi you can get on taxi, minivan or bus to Koh Chang, Rayong, Pattaya and Bangkok.
By Minivans:
From Ban Laem to Chanthaburi is 120 baht which takes 1.5 hour
From Ban Laem to Rayong is 240 baht which takes 3 hours
From Ban Laem to Pattaya is 300 baht which takes 4.5 hours
From Ban Laem to Bangkok is 360 bath which takes 5 hours