There are two ways from Ho Chi Minh City to Siem Reap. Nonstop flights on Air Cambodia, Vietnam Airlines and Cambodia Airways take about 1 hour 15 minutes and land at Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport, 45-50 km from town. Through buses cross the Moc Bai-Bavet border and take about 11-12 hours, from about 26 US dollars as of 2026. Stopping in Phnom Penh splits the overland trip into two legs of about six hours. Cambodia's tourist visa costs 30 dollars, and a three-day Angkor pass 62 dollars.
Siem Reap is the base for the temples of Angkor, and the usual last stop on a combined trip. Our Vietnam and Cambodia itinerary shows how it fits into two or three weeks, and Vietnam vs Cambodia compares the two countries.
Comparison at a glance
| Option | Time | Price (2026) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nonstop flight to SAI | ~1h 15m, plus 1-1.5 hours into town | varies widely by date | Short trips, going straight to Angkor |
| Through bus via Moc Bai-Bavet | ~11-12 hours | from ~$26 | Budget travellers |
| Bus with a night in Phnom Penh | ~6-6.5 hours + ~6-6.5 hours | ~$14 + $13-18 | Seeing Phnom Penh on the way |
By air: the fastest option
Air Cambodia, which was Cambodia Angkor Air until it was renamed in January 2025, Vietnam Airlines and Cambodia Airways all fly nonstop from Tan Son Nhat to Siem Reap. Schedule trackers counted between about 24 and 38 flights a week in September 2026, so there are several departures a day, from about 07:00 to the evening. The flight takes about 1 hour 5 minutes to 1 hour 15 minutes, and both countries use the same time zone. Vietjet does not fly the route nonstop, so its cheapest fares involve a connection.
Fares vary widely with the date: in September 2026, the cheapest one-way fares for late November appeared on search engines at around 100 US dollars, and Vietnam Airlines' own site showed December return fares from about 7.2 million VND. Book early for the peak months of December and January. Our Tan Son Nhat airport guide covers getting to the airport.
Getting into town. Siem Reap-Angkor International Airport (SAI) opened in October 2023, about 45-50 km east of the town, and replaced the old airport on the edge of town. Allow 1 to 1.5 hours for the transfer. The official airport shuttle costs 8 dollars one way to the town centre, with departures through the day into the evening, and a private car costs about 35 dollars.
By bus: the through service
Through buses leave Ho Chi Minh City's backpacker district in the morning and reach Siem Reap in the evening. Seat 61 lists Sapaco leaving at 07:00 and arriving at 19:00, and Mekong Express leaving at 08:30 and arriving at 19:30, from about 26 dollars. Giant Ibis also runs the route in about 12 hours from its office on Pham Ngu Lao, with pickup from partner hotels. Booking sites list more operators, with some services taking 14 or 15 hours and fares up to about 60 dollars.
The route crosses the border at Moc Bai-Bavet, about two hours from the city, and then runs via Phnom Penh. Neither the Phnom Penh-Bavet expressway, due in 2027, nor a Phnom Penh-Siem Reap expressway is open yet, so the buses still use the national roads. It is a long day in a seat: bring food, water and a charged phone, and expect the timings to slip.
Breaking the trip in Phnom Penh
The easier overland plan is to stop for a night or two in Phnom Penh. The first leg takes about 6 to 6.5 hours, for about 14 dollars on Mekong Express, Sapaco, Kumho Samco and others; our Ho Chi Minh City to Phnom Penh guide covers it in detail. From Phnom Penh to Siem Reap is another 314 km and about 6 to 6.5 hours, for about 13 to 18 dollars as of 2026, with morning departures and, on Giant Ibis, night sleeper buses with single and double bunks.
It costs a little more than the through bus once you add a hotel, but it turns one exhausting day into two easy ones and adds Cambodia's capital to the trip.
Visas and the border
Cambodia. Most nationalities need a visa. The official tourist visa costs 30 dollars in total, either as an e-visa bought in advance or on arrival at Bavet or Siem Reap airport, paid in US dollars. On the buses, the crew usually collects passports and handles the visa, and some operators charge 35 dollars plus a 5-dollar service fee for doing so; an e-visa bought in advance avoids that. If you fly, you must also file the free Cambodia e-Arrival card online within seven days before you land. At the Bavet land border you may still be given a paper arrival form.
Vietnam. Make sure your Vietnamese e-visa or visa-free stay covers the day you leave. If you plan to come back into Vietnam, get the multiple-entry e-visa. Our border crossings guide and Vietnam visa guide have the current rules.
Money. Cambodia runs on US dollars alongside the riel. Carry clean, undamaged notes for the visa, the airport shuttle and your first day.
Angkor passes
Once in Siem Reap, you need an Angkor pass for the temples. The official Angkor Enterprise ticket page lists a one-day pass at 37 dollars, a three-day pass at 62 dollars, valid for any three days within a week, and a seven-day pass at 72 dollars, valid within a month. The park opens at 5:00 for sunrise and closes at 18:30. Three days is the right length for most first visits.
Which should you pick?
- Short on time or heading straight to the temples: fly, and book the airport shuttle or a car.
- On a budget with a spare day: take the bus and stop in Phnom Penh.
- On a budget and in a hurry: the through bus, leaving at 07:00 or 08:30.
Gotchas
- The long airport transfer. Siem Reap's airport is now 45-50 km out of town. Count the 1 to 1.5 hours when you compare the flight with the bus.
- Visa surcharges on the bus. Buy the e-visa in advance if you want to pay the official 30 dollars.
- Holidays. Tet and Khmer New Year in mid-April bring long border queues and sold-out buses. Book ahead.
- Heat. Angkor is hottest in April and May. Our Vietnam and Cambodia month-by-month guide shows the best months for both countries.
Limitations
Flight frequencies, fares and bus timetables come from airline sites, Seat 61, operators and booking platforms in 2026, and they change often; sources disagree on flight frequency and on bus fares, which is why we give ranges. Visa and arrival-card rules are revised often, so check the official Cambodian government sites before you travel.
Workaround: buy the Cambodian e-visa online in advance, file the e-Arrival card if you fly, book the bus with a named operator a day or two ahead, and check Angkor pass prices on the official site before you go.