Vietnam has two types of border crossings -- international and local. As you may suspect, international crossings are generally open to all foreign nationalities who are in possession of a valid passport and visa, while local crossings are open only to locals (on each side of the border) who are able to cross back and forth using some form of border pass. The international crossings are the only ones covered in this section.
Both tourist and business 30-day visas are available on entry at the airports and at some of the international crossings. A tourist visa costs US$20, a business visa $25. At international airports you'll generally get the visa for that price, but at overland crossings, overcharging may happen. This is a particular problem at the Ko Kong crossing. You will require a pen and one photo and the visa is paid for in US cash -- to be safe, have the right amount. You can also apply for a Cambodian visa online through the Cambodia eVisa online website. The visa costs US$20 plus a $5 processing surcharge and takes three days.
While most people get the visa on arrival, if you're planning on entering at Ko Kong, it is worth considering getting your visa beforehand to avoid any "misunderstandings" at the crossing. Given how easy it is to get an eVisa, and as they're valid at the Ko Kong crossing, the eVisa is really the way to go.
EVisas are only valid for entry into Cambodia via the international airports at Phnom Penh and Siem Reap and via the land crossings at Ko Kong, Poipet and Bavet. You cannot use an eVisa to enter Cambodia at other crossings.
A tourist visa can be extended once, for 30 days only. The extension costs US$45. Business visas can be extended pretty much forever on an annual basis. The fee for a year-long multiple entry extension is US$280. Both types of extensions take a day or two and are best handled through agents.
This was the first crossing between Vietnam and Cambodia to open to foreign travellers and it remains easily the most popular. Daily buses regularly ply the Saigon - Phnom Penh route and the service is both fast and affordable. Cambodian visa on arrival is available here, Vietnamese visas must be arranged in advance.
This very popular riverine crossing links Phnom Penh in Cambodia with the Vietnamese town of Chau Doc. Both slow and fast boat services are available. When you arrive at the border, a fixer will generally gather up all the passports and head into the immigration office to do all the paperwork -- you're welcome to accompany them, but it's not essential.
Midway between Ha Tien and Chau Doc, this crossing is open to foreign travellers and Cambodian visa on arrival are available. The closest town on the Khmer side is Kampot or Takeo -- but both are a couple of hours away. There are buses from Ha Tien to the border, though a motorbike ride is far faster. On the Cambodian side, transport is a bit sparse and travellers have reported paying upto $55 for a taxi from the border town of Phnom Den to Kampot.
Yes, the Cambodia/Vietnam coastal border crossing is open and travellers with a valid Vietnamese visa can enter Vietnam at the Prek Chak / Xa Xia crossing a twenty minute motorbike ride from Kep. A moto to the border from Kep costs around US$7 and onwards transport to Ha Tien in Cambodia is available. Cambodian visa on arrival are available.
This remote crossing links Ban Lung in northeast Cambodia to Pleiku in Vietnam, with a through trip between the two taking about six hours. From the Vietnamese side, buses run from Pleiku to Duc Co, from where you'll need to grab a xe-om for the last 20km to the border. From the border to Ban Lung is a trip of about 70km -- expect to pay US$15-20 to charter a car for the run, $10-15 by moto.
This was the first crossing between Cambodia and Vietnam to open to foreign travellers and it remains easily the most popular. Daily buses regularly ply the Saigon - Phnom Penh route and the service is both fast and affordable. Cambodian visa on arrival is available here, but Vietnamese visas must be arranged in advance.
This very popular riverine crossing links Phnom Penh with the Vietnamese town of Chau Doc. Both slow and fast boat services are available. When you arrive at the border, a fixer will generally gather up all the passports and head into the immigration office to do all the paperwork. You're welcome to accompany them, but it's not essential.
Midway between Ha Tien and Chau Doc, this crossing is open to foreign travellers and Cambodian visas on arrival are available. The closest town on the Khmer side is Kampot or Takeo -- but both are a couple of hours away. There are buses from Ha Tien to the border, though a motorbike ride is far faster. On the Cambodian side, transport is a bit sparse and travellers have reported paying upto $55 for a taxi from the border town of Phnom Den to Kampot.
Yes, the Cambodia/Vietnam coastal border crossing is open and travellers with a valid Vietnamese visa can enter Vietnam at the Prek Chak/Xa Xia crossing, a 20-minute motorbike ride from Kep. A moto to the border from Kep costs around US$7 and onwards transport to Ha Tien in Cambodia is available. Cambodian visas on arrival are available.
This remote crossing links Ban Lung in northeast Cambodia to Pleiku in Vietnam, with a through trip between the two taking about six hours. From the Vietnamese side, buses run from Pleiku to Duc Co, from where you'll need to grab a xe om for the last 20km to the border. From the border to Ban Lung is a trip of about 70km. Expect to pay US$15-20 to charter a car for the run, $10-15 by moto.