If you are backpacking through Southeast Asia you may come across a town in Cambodia called Poipet. This is a small border town that has a border with Thailand. Poipet is in the province of Banteay Meanchey in western Cambodia with a population of 90,000 people.
Poipet is a stopover town, it is a popular place for gambling mainly because gambling is illegal in Thailand. You will even see casinos and hotels between the Cambodian and Thai passport controls without the need to go to passport control.
In this post, we will go through things to do in Poipet Cambodia. So let’s get started!
Read More On Cambodia
- Is It Safe to Visit Cambodia?
- Can You Drink Tap Water in Cambodia?
- Things To Do in Sihanoukville
- What To Bring When Traveling To Cambodia?
- Is There Uber in Cambodia?
- How Much Does A Beer Cost in Cambodia?
Things To Do In Poipet Cambodia
Poipet is a small border town in Cambodia that is more of a stopover for a night for those people who are traveling between Cambodia and Thailand. There are things to do in Poipet that will keep you busy for days.
Here is our list of things to do in Poipet Cambodia.
Visit The Casino
Poipet is full of casinos, it is the main reason people go to Poipet other than crossing the Border. As you walk around you will encounter a lot of casino promotions. The offers from casinos can be hard to refuse.
If interested, you will need to go to a casino and register as a member, if not a hotel guest, you can get free drinks and free transport. Gambling is illegal for Cambodians but not for holders of foreign passports. At night it can be dangerous walking around at night.
Like in Las Vegas, the casinos offer other things than gambling like massages, spa treatments, restaurants and there are even a couple of golf courses.
See The Star Vegas International Resort
The Star Vegas International Resort has a golf course in the border zone, offering one of the few leisurely and clean ways to pass the time. They also run massage and spa treatments.
At The Border Crossing
If you have a plan to enter either Cambodia or Thailand via bus, you will more than likely have to go through Poipet. It is the mainland crossing and transport hub for travel between the cities of Siem Reap and Bangkok. The city is known for its casinos, which line the main street and the area around the border.
There are three major cities of Phnom Penh, Battambang, and Siem Reap are each directly connected to Poipet. The bus station is located in the city center near the southwest end of Pub Street.
Note, if you are on a bus to Poipet with a view to leaving Cambodia, the bus will stop at its company’s Poipet office first. Do not get off unnecessarily as it will likely continue as far as immigration, which will save you a walk or motorbike taxi fare.
Scams At The Border Crossing
When crossing the border at Poipet there are a couple of things you need to beware of. Here are some tips for crossing the border and not getting scammed.
- Do not change money at the border, you will be overcharged. If you want Thai baht or US dollars ahead of time, you can change money in Siem Reap or any money changer before going to Poipet, or hit the ATM immediately after crossing the border.
- The bus was delayed for a few hours. You are being told that your bus is delayed for a few hours and being advised to take a shared taxi instead.
- Visa-entry charges that don’t exist. Officials are known to insist on taxes that don’t exist. Visit Thailand and Cambodia visa entry requirements before coming to the border crossing.
- Bars can be rip-offs. Bars and other local entertainments including gambling can be rip-offs enforced by strong-armed tactics.
- Pick-pockets. Pickpockets are a problem in Poipet.
- You can read more details here from TripAdvisor.
USEFUL TRAVEL RESOURCES
Book Accommodation
Booking.com has a large range of properties from hotels, hostels, guesthouses, and resorts where you will find the best deals. Airbnb and Hostelworld also have a good range of places to stay at good prices.
Booking Flight
Skyscanner is a flight search comparison website that searches millions of flights all at once. Ultimately it is the best flight comparison website online at the moment.
Booking Transportation & Things To Do
Rome2rio and 12Go are useful to plan how to get anywhere by searching train, bus, car, and ferry routes. Especially useful in countries like Vietnam or Thailand. While Klook is great for exploring things to do in each place.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is cheap and more than likely you will never need to use it but you will have peace of mind if something does happen, you are covered in case of an emergency. World Nomads have great customer service and competitive prices.
Check out our resource page for the best companies to use when you travel.
Wrapping Up
Finally, to be frank, there is not a lot of things to do in Poipet Cambodia, other than gambling. The town’s economy is strongly dependent on the casinos. The main thing is to do your homework and beware of the scams before arriving at Poipet’s border crossing.
And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on things to do in Poipet Cambodia has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know what you thought of Poipet.
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