If you’re a tourist who has arranged to go on one of the best Cambodia tours available, then you are fortunate in that your tour provider will have ensured that you have transport available to move you around this charming country.
Once a party has decided to visit Cambodia and have arranged their accommodation and the time and date that they are going to fly, though, there is often a degree of misunderstanding as to how the scenario will develop in terms of private transport when they arrive. Being able to hire a car to drive around and see the sights is not always an option.
Unlike many countries around the World, which are perhaps a little more developed for large volumes of tourists, Cambodia is a country that, at present, lacks this provision. Car hire facilities in Cambodia are almost impossible to find and there are several good reasons for this.
The first is that there is not a huge demand for car hire vehicles. Like many countries in the Far East, the motorcycle or bicycle is the most affordable, and therefore popular, way for locals to get around. With tourism still being in its infancy in such places, there is no real sustainable market for large numbers of car hire operators.
The second reason why there are so few car hire facilities is quite simply that the automobiles in Cambodia are involved far more frequently in road accidents than in comparable places in Europe or the Americas. The reason for this is that many of the laws of the road we take for granted in those parts of the World, such as having to use headlights at night, wear seatbelts and have child seats installed for children of a certain age, are not law in Cambodia.
As a result of this, many travel insurance companies will not insure travellers to drive in Cambodia. This salient fact, combined with the poor state of the roads, means that only experienced drivers, in these conditions, are suited to driving regularly on roads in the country.
Fortunately, from that simple fact, a solution presents itself for travellers who want to see more of the country under their own steam. Many providers of accommodation, such as hotels, will often have outside a large rank of private drivers who will ferry a party across the country to a specific site or destination.
For visitors there are two options; you can hire a taxi to take you to some of the most popular tourist spots and hire another to bring you home. This is particularly beneficial if you are staying within the confines of the major population areas, or by visiting one of the main tourist locations where taxi drivers assemble to assure fares.
Hire a Cambodian driver via your hotel. These drivers tend to be more expensive but they can also act as a tour guide for your party. All will speak English and because you have hired their services for the day, this means once you have reached your destination, they will wait for you until you are ready to go home. An all day trip usually costs in the region of $80 (£50).
Therefore, seeing Cambodia in your own time via car is possible, with a little forethought and by trusting in local expertise and guidance; all you need to worry about is having a fantastic time!
