Recommended Driver in Siem Reap/Angkor Cambodia
#151
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Kam Leng; Two Dragons GH
Posts: 1,615
Not quite what you asked, but I've used Darith Touch, [email protected] for years on several visits, most recently June, 2019. Highly recommended. I don't know his rates. I think I may get a "friends" discount.
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Rich
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Rich
Last edited by rjh; Jul 12, 2019 at 12:15 pm Reason: edit to include proper email
#152
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,013
We'll be in Siem Reap at the end of August. We're doing a river cruise from HCMC to PP then flying (with the group) to SR. So some of our Siem Reap touring will be included in the river cruise. We're staying an extra day and a half on our own - but we aren't sure what we'll have already seen OR how much more we'll want to see. How far in advance would I need to book Synon, do you think? Anyone know - if he is booked, if he has others he'd recommend? Thanks! [I know I'm asking for guesses]
#153
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Delta Gold, silver, what yr is it?
Posts: 2,412
Thanks I guess my issue is I don't want to book right now, don't know when I want to book. We're talking about the trip a little more this weekend so maybe we'll try to figure out we think we will want to do in Siem Reap....
#154
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
Programs: No programs & No Points!!!
Posts: 14,203
I just booked him so I had a driver and if I didn't need him on all the days it was only $35. He needs it more than us.
#155
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 1
My family and I booked Synon for 4 days in early July 2019 and he was exceptional. Thank you to everyone who commented above how great he was. I don't think the trip would have been the same without him.
One thing to keep in mind is that his Lexus has 4 passenger seats, but it was rather tight in the back. Good thing Synon kept the air conditioning blasting or it could have gotten hot and uncomfortable fast.
A highlight of the experience was when he took us to Tonle Sap for a cruise. We skipped a lot of the lines and got our own private boat out on the lake.
He's normally really quick at responding, but if he doesn't respond right away don't feel bad sending another email a couple of days later.
One thing to keep in mind is that his Lexus has 4 passenger seats, but it was rather tight in the back. Good thing Synon kept the air conditioning blasting or it could have gotten hot and uncomfortable fast.
A highlight of the experience was when he took us to Tonle Sap for a cruise. We skipped a lot of the lines and got our own private boat out on the lake.
He's normally really quick at responding, but if he doesn't respond right away don't feel bad sending another email a couple of days later.
#156
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Owner of 2,000 TWA shares
Posts: 812
I prefer a tuk tuk driver if touring the temples. Adds so much more to the experience being in an open air vehicle. Breeze on our faces felt great. Getting in and out of an air conditioned car isn;'t the best thing for the body. Heat wasn't bad at all when there last week.
#157
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Kam Leng; Two Dragons GH
Posts: 1,615
I prefer a tuk tuk driver if touring the temples. Adds so much more to the experience being in an open air vehicle. Breeze on our faces felt great. Getting in and out of an air conditioned car isn;'t the best thing for the body. Heat wasn't bad at all when there last week.
#158
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: Virtuoso, Marriott Stars/Luminous, Hilton Impresario, IHG Luxury & Lifestyle, Hyatt Prive etc
Posts: 1,999
I prefer a tuk tuk driver if touring the temples. Adds so much more to the experience being in an open air vehicle. Breeze on our faces felt great. Getting in and out of an air conditioned car isn;'t the best thing for the body. Heat wasn't bad at all when there last week.
#159
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Owner of 2,000 TWA shares
Posts: 812
I did not stray to the far away temples. We stuck to the main section with the tuk tuk. Did not use a guide as we like to go at our own pace. We did two days worth of exploring. Angkor and Thom first day and sunrise followed by some of the outlying ones the next day.
#160
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2012
Location: Sydney Australia
Programs: No programs & No Points!!!
Posts: 14,203
I worried about all the tuk tuk traveller's on my sunrise visit to Angkor Wat. You have to get up doubly early if going buy tuk tuk. We passed them in the car and they were still half an hour away. I was worried they'd miss the sunrise.
#161
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Owner of 2,000 TWA shares
Posts: 812
Well, unlike you and I, they do it everyday and I'm sure they have it down to a science.
#162
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Delta Gold, silver, what yr is it?
Posts: 2,412
We used Synon during our stay in Siem Reap and he was wonderful! We booked him for 2 days and he drove us to some temples we hadn't had a chance to see on our tour. The 2nd day we decided we just wanted a drive to the airport in the late afternoon, so Synon (who had booked an actual tour after we said we didn't want to do more temples) got his younger brother to drive us and only charged us $10. (we had told Synon we'd still pay the $35 for a full day, even just for the airport trip, but had no issues with his brother driving us so Synon could take a "real" tour....)
#163
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New to BWI as of 2021; say hi if you're in the area!
Programs: UA GS
Posts: 419
Thanks to everyone for the recommendation. We recently hired Synon for three days in January 2020 (including two airport pick-ups, and two days of temple sightseeing in/near Siem Reap and as far away as Banteay Srei) and he was fantastic!! Extremely responsive to emails, always on time, and everything was seamless. Highly, highly recommend him!! He was also a lot of fun to talk to about life in Cambodia -- we learned a lot.
He drove us in a Lexus SUV that was clean and comfortable, and he always had cold towels and cold bottled water for us when we came back from visiting a temple. Total cost was the same as what others have noted -- $30 a day for close-by temples, extra $10 for farther away to Banteay Srei, and $10 for each of the airport pick-ups. We also tipped generously because he really went out of his way to make our journey enjoyable and smooth.
Happy to answer any questions! If you need a driver, just send him an email using his gmail address.
He drove us in a Lexus SUV that was clean and comfortable, and he always had cold towels and cold bottled water for us when we came back from visiting a temple. Total cost was the same as what others have noted -- $30 a day for close-by temples, extra $10 for farther away to Banteay Srei, and $10 for each of the airport pick-ups. We also tipped generously because he really went out of his way to make our journey enjoyable and smooth.
Happy to answer any questions! If you need a driver, just send him an email using his gmail address.
#164
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,013
Great to hear he is still doing great...especially with the FT community.
Such a nice guy!
Such a nice guy!
Thanks to everyone for the recommendation. We recently hired Synon for three days in January 2020 (including two airport pick-ups, and two days of temple sightseeing in/near Siem Reap and as far away as Banteay Srei) and he was fantastic!! Extremely responsive to emails, always on time, and everything was seamless. Highly, highly recommend him!! He was also a lot of fun to talk to about life in Cambodia -- we learned a lot.
He drove us in a Lexus SUV that was clean and comfortable, and he always had cold towels and cold bottled water for us when we came back from visiting a temple. Total cost was the same as what others have noted -- $30 a day for close-by temples, extra $10 for farther away to Banteay Srei, and $10 for each of the airport pick-ups. We also tipped generously because he really went out of his way to make our journey enjoyable and smooth.
Happy to answer any questions! If you need a driver, just send him an email using his gmail address.
He drove us in a Lexus SUV that was clean and comfortable, and he always had cold towels and cold bottled water for us when we came back from visiting a temple. Total cost was the same as what others have noted -- $30 a day for close-by temples, extra $10 for farther away to Banteay Srei, and $10 for each of the airport pick-ups. We also tipped generously because he really went out of his way to make our journey enjoyable and smooth.
Happy to answer any questions! If you need a driver, just send him an email using his gmail address.
#165
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Berkeley, CA USA
Programs: Kam Leng; Two Dragons GH
Posts: 1,615