Have plonked money down for air tix to Cambodia this December, so will now have a host of questions that need answers hehe.

Q1. If we're thinking of taking a bus from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh, how easy is it to get tickets, given that it's peak season in December? Can we just fly in to Siem Reap, go look for a bus company and get seats for three days later? If not, can I book bus tickets online?

Q2. How good are the buses? The deluxe bus services run by the govt bus company in Thailand are superb. Are there services of similar standard plying the Siem Reap-Phnom Penh route? If not, what can I expect?

Any help will be much appreciated. Thank you!

There are several bus companies that operate between Siem Reap and Phnom Penh. The Mekong Express bus is the best of the lot and cost $10. The seat spacing is excellent and for the average person there is at least 6 inches of clearance from the knees to the seat in front. You are greeted by a lovely Khmer girl, shown to your seat and served pastries with a bottle of water. There is a toilet on board and you make one stop on the way for a break. They leave at 7:30, 8:30, and 12:30 and take around 51/2hrs over a good road, at least by Cambodia standards. Have your hotel help to make arrangements (the day before is normally sufficient) and the bus company will pick you up at your hotel. Be warned that the SR bus station is a disgrace and for many can be an overwhelming; unpleasant and chaotic.
As for comparison to buses in Thailand they they are not like the VIP ones but are on a par with the regular government a/c buses.
Another alternative is to hire a whole taxi for around $45-50 for the trip. This provides you with the option of stopping when you see something of interest.

Thanks Scotters for your comprehensive reply. I keep worrying that we won't be able to get seats on the bus (the Mekong Express sounds good), especially since it will be peak season in Cambodia then. I guess if the worst happens, we can always spend more and take a taxi

I'm thinking of taking the bus one way and a taxi the other. Which would you recommend - the bus to Phnom Penh and a taxi back to Siem Reap, or vice versa? And where or what would you stop at for a look-see?

Hey, we got a taxi for $50, took 5 hours which included a stop for eating and some stops so i could shoot some village scenes and then took the boat back from SR to PP.
although the boat is pricey ( $25) it is well worth it as soon great stuff to see along the river and much more comforatable than the bus
same amount of time and you will be picked up from your hotel

__________________
A good Traveler is one who does not know where he is going to,
and a perfect Traveler does not know where he came from.

Quite coincidentally, a friend of mine just told me NOT to take the boat, hehe. She said something about the boat taking a really long time and there not being much to see. Anyway $50 sounds affordable. Did you just wave down a taxi or was this arranged by your hotel?

u can usually ask about a taxi at your hotel and then will find one for u.
I for one loved the boat trip as u can hang out outside/walk around/sleep. Took about 6 hours. True part of it is boring, ( the middle) but i would go by boat nayday over bus. I hate buses

__________________
A good Traveler is one who does not know where he is going to,
and a perfect Traveler does not know where he came from.

I took the boat a few years back when the road was bad and the buses uncomfortable and it took a long time. Then you either sat inside the a/c cabin with loud music and dirty windows or ouside. If you sat outside you had a very difficult time getting back inside the cabin if you wanted to. I found it interesting when near the shores but boring for the long ride over the lake. All of us got wet and sunburned. Plus you still have to get from the SR pier into the town. Once was enough. The road is excelent now and the buses especially the Mekong Express are quite good

I flew in to Phonm Pehn from Bangkok for a few days then took the boat to Siem Reap and flew back to Bangkok out to Siem Reap.

I say take the boat. You can ride a bus anywhere, but I agree don't sit inside the boat. Small space and lots of people and the motor is very loud. Bring H2O and a small snack. Try to get a space sitting on the roof or the rear of the boat (outside) and enjoy the sites and sun. I had a tour guide waiting for me when we arrived in Siem Reap. He was holding a sign with my name on it and we got into an air conditioned vehicle and headed to Angkok Wat. Probably costs me $25 a day tops for escorted tours (including vehicle, dirver and lunches) The road to Angkok when I got off the boat was in very poor condition, just dirt and dust and the poor folks that took a rik-shaw (open bicycle taxi), had to breath that dust and dirt. I could see them with their shirts over their nose and mouths.

Enjoy!

Just thought I'd say that I've decided to book a taxi to take us from Siem Reap to Phnom Penh - so we can do those stops and have a look around - and then we'll take the bus back from Phnom Penh. Think we'll give the boat a miss :P We get plenty of sunshine in Singapore!