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Voykit pocket guide · Cambodia
Pursat
Spend 0.5–1 day in Pursat as a stopover for Tonle Sap floating villages or Cardamom Mountains; otherwise skip.
Pursat is a small provincial capital on Highway 5; it offers cheap transport, a basic hotel, and easy day‑trip access to the floating villages of Kampong Luang (28 km) and the Cardamom Mountains.
- Country
- Cambodia
- Best months
- Nov–Feb
- Avoid
- May–Oct (rainy season)
- Stay
- 0.5–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- KHR
- Money
- US dollars for hotels, tours and restaurants; riel (KHR, about 4,000 to the dollar) for change and small street purchases.
- Daily spend
- Budget US$15–25 excl. bed · Mid US$25–45 excl. bed · High US$45+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Smart, Cellcard and Metfone sell tourist SIMs at the airports with passport registration; a week of data costs a few dollars.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Fire 118 · Ambulance 119
- Plugs
- Types A, C, G · 230 V · 50 Hz · Most sockets take flat US and round European pins; newer hotels have UK-style type G.
- Tipping
- Street food: Nothing.; Sit-down restaurant: Round up or leave US$1–2 where no service charge is added.; Tuk-tuk: Round up; US$2–5 extra for a full Angkor day.; Guide day: US$5–10 per person.; Massage: US$1–2 per hour.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Bottled water everywhere; many hotels have refill stations.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels, restaurants and at the Angkor ticket office and main temples; squat toilets with a hose or scoop on the road. Paper goes in the bin in older places.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | US$1–2 |
| Meal (rice + meat) | US$2–4 |
| Motorbike taxi within town | ₭1,000–₭2,000 |
| Taxi to Kampong Luang (one way) | US$5–6 |
| Train ticket Phnom Penh → Pursat | US$8 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- PNH · Phnom Penh International Airport
- Bus from Phnom Penh to Pursat takes about 4 h on Hwy 5 (US$5); check
- REP · Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport
- Reach Pursat by road via Battambang or Hwy 5; check schedules
- KOS · Sihanouk International Airport
- Road link to Pursat is long; check
Typical fares
- Bus Phnom Penh → Pursat
- US$5, about 4 h
- Taxi town centre → Kampong Luang
- US$5–6
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Walk the town centre; motorbike taxis cost ~1,000 riel; hire a motorbike from Phnom Pech Hotel; buses run every half‑hour to Phnom Penh and Battambang.
See and do
Known for
- Railway station (restored 2019)
- Gateway to Tonle Sap floating villages
- Access to Cardamom Mountains
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Kampong Luang floating villages | Taxi or motorbike from town centre, about 30 min (28 km (17 mi))Taxi or motorbike from town centre, about 30 min (17 mi (28 km)) | ≈1 h round‑trip |
| Cardamom Mountains (eco‑tourism base) | Arrange a motorbike or taxi; travel time ~1 h 30 min | ≈3 h total |
Sleep
- Phnom Pech Hotel
- Rooms US$6–15, western bath, optional AC, restaurant on site.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | សូមទោសsom tohs |
| Thank you | អរគុណaw kohn |
| How much is it? | តម្លៃប៉ុន្មាន?tɑmlay pʊn man? |
| Can I pay by card? | ខ្ញុំអាចបង់ដោយកាតបានទេ?khnhom ach bong doy kat ban te? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Sampeah (palms together, slight bow); higher hands for elders and monks; avoid: Firm handshakes with older women
- Head and feet: Keep feet down and pointed away from people and Buddha images; avoid: Touching heads, even children's
- Temples: Shoes and hat off inside, shoulders and knees covered; avoid: Sitting with feet toward the Buddha; women touching monks
- Keeping face: Stay calm and smile when things go wrong; avoid: Shouting or public anger
- Giving and receiving: Use the right hand or both hands; avoid: Tossing money or objects
- Photos: Ask first, especially of monks and at memorials; avoid: Selfies at Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek
Scams and watch-outs
- Train schedule is limited – two trains per day, check times before travel.
- Meals are basic; expect rice with modest meat portions.
- Bus departures may vary; confirm the latest Phnom Penh departure (14:00 or 15:00).
Pursat is generally safe for day visitors; petty theft is rare but keep an eye on belongings, especially in markets.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Pursat yet. Suggested stay: 0.5–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Railway station (restored 2019)
- Gateway to Tonle Sap floating villages
- Access to Cardamom Mountains
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Pursat, revision 5061754 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5061754
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/pursat). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.