Traveling from KLIA2 to Phnom Penh International Airport

Statue at the facade of Phnom Penh IA

Route: KLIA2, Malaysia to Phnom Penh International Airport, Cambodia
Date: 26 June 2019

Mode: Airplane (Air Asia)

Duration: >2 hours  (6:30am – 7:52am)

Fare: 129.80 MYR (with 16.80 insurance, 4 processing fee, -5 discount via Air Asia website)
Difficulty: Turbulence due to weather, fear of flying/ height
Highlight: First time to travel to Indochina via airplane, beautiful bird's eye view sights of the sea and land

Monitoring flight @ KLIA2

From Melaka Sentral, I arrived at KLIA2 at 12:05am. It was still early because my flight was at 6:30am. I still had time for money exchange and take a nap but I could not get to sleep because I was afraid that I might oversleep and skip my flight. To keep me awake, I searched for a money changer. I thought of changing buying dollars because my friend mentioned that dollars can be used in Cambodia. I was also thinking that rupiah might be difficult to exchange there.  I first saw CIMB Niaga at the 2^nd level but the rate is low compared to Maybank at the 3^rd floor. CIMB offers 55.5 while Maybank gave 61.10 USD for 1 million rupiah. I discovered later that Hong Leong offers 63 USD. They show small differences in USD but a big difference when rupiah is involved.

Gates @ KLIA2

At 2:30am, I already saw my gate number at the departure billboard so I went to the machines of Air Asia to reprint my boarding pass. It was so quick. I just entered my reservation number then scanned my passport and tadaaa…my boarding pass was spit out.

Tonle Sap River meeting Mekong

I then went directly to the Immigration counter. And the IO just stamped exit on my passport without asking anything. Then I headed to the scanner and had my bag pass through. I walked to my gate which is very near. We boarded the flight AK536 at 6:30am and the plane took off at 6:50am local time. It was raining in KL when we took off and it created a slight turbulence at the start of the flight but the sky gradually calmed as we approached Cambodia. After around one hour, I woke up to see a clear Cambodian sky welcoming us. The plane made a semi-circular path before it finally landed. I could see Tonle Sap and Mekong River cut through the plains and rich paddies of Cambodia.

Bird's eye view of PhnomPenh in broad daylight

Arrived at last

The plane landed at 7:52am Cambodian time. Cambodia is late by 1 hour compared to Malaysia so the flight was 2 hours. Thanks God, I was able to reach Phnom Penh safely.

The airport is newly opened as the facilities are obviously fresh - shining stainless steel railings, blue carpet and chairs, crystal clear glass walls, and smiling people. The first thing I noticed is that, Cambodian physique and visage look like typical Filipinos, Indonesians and Malaysians. Because the people look like me, I felt like I was on a homecoming trip. I felt like I have met my long lost and unknown ancestors from the mainland Southeast Asia.

Another observation is that, there are many tuk tuk drivers around. They speak English fairly well. They offer to give you a ride to your hotel or where you want at 18 USD. They gradually lower the offer until 12 USD.  But I was not interested to take a ride as I was determined to walk from the airport to Phnom Penh Post Office. My purpose is to see the city from the perspective of a peddler and reach the post office to drop a postcard to mom in the UK and my sister in the US. I felt confident to walk because I have had the experience of walking tour in Malacca – that walk where I was able to successfully hit my target place. They say that a DIY traveller can either hit or miss the expectations and destinations but this time, I believe that I can hit it.

Tuk tuk rides in front of PPIA

Another side of PPIA

Marker of PPIA

Arrival notices