Getting to Chi Phat: bus, boat and motorbike
How to reach Chi Phat in the Cardamom Mountains: bus or car to Andoung Teuk on National Road 48, then the community boat or a motorbike taxi.
A river through the Cardamom rainforest, from the air
Researched from published sources
In short
Travel to Andoung Teuk on National Road 48 (about 195 km from Phnom Penh, 122 km from Sihanoukville), then take the Chi Phat community boat, about two hours, or a motorbike taxi, about 45 minutes. The project publishes fares of US$15 per person by boat with three or more passengers and US$8 by motorbike; confirm before travelling.
- Phnom Penh
- Bus or private car via National Roads 4 and 48About 195 kmThe project’s 2019-era timetable shows a 07:45 bus arriving about 12:30
- Andoung Teuk (bridge on NR48)
- Community boat, or motorbike taxi on a 17 km asphalt roadAbout 2 hours by boat, 45 minutes by motorbikeBoats leave after the Phnom Penh bus arrives; pay at the visitor centre
- Chi Phat
Chi Phat is about as easy to reach as a rainforest village gets, as long as you follow the sequence. The community project publishes detailed directions; this is a summary with the distances measured and the border advice added.
Step 1: to Andoung Teuk
Andoung Teuk is a small settlement at a bridge on National Road 48, the road from the south coast to Koh Kong. From Phnom Penh it is about 195 km via National Roads 4 and 48; from Sihanoukville about 122 km; from Kampot about 141 km.
Buses heading for Koh Kong stop there if you ask. The project recommends Virak Buntham and suggests booking well ahead; its timetable, which appears to date from 2019, shows a 07:45 departure from Phnom Penh arriving around 12:30. Check the current time before you rely on it. A private car is faster and lets you leave when you like.
Step 2: boat or motorbike
At Andoung Teuk, the project’s meeting point is a small shop just east of the bridge, where booked boat or motorbike drivers wait.
- Boat: about two hours upriver through the forest. The project lists US$15 per person one way with at least three passengers, or US$40 for one. Boats leave after the Phnom Penh bus arrives, usually between 12:30 and 13:00, and wait a while if it is late.
- Motorbike taxi: about 45 minutes on a 17 km asphalt road, US$8, including the small river ferry before the village.
For booked transport, pay at the visitor centre in Chi Phat, not the driver.
Leaving
Arrange your return the evening before. The project lists a boat at about 07:00 and motorbike taxis later in the morning, timed to connect with buses on National Road 48.
A note on the border
The Thai land border is closed and the UK advises against all but essential travel within 20 km of it. Andoung Teuk and Chi Phat are well outside that zone (about 80 and 75 km from the border by our approximate map check), but Koh Kong town further west is inside it. Do not continue west to Koh Kong as part of this trip. See safety and border advice.
What the providers publish
These are the facts each provider states on its own website, with the date we read them. Naming a provider here describes it; it is not an endorsement or a partnership.
Questions travelers ask
Can I get to Chi Phat from Kampot?
Yes. Kampot is about 141 km from Andoung Teuk by road. Buses between the south coast and Koh Kong pass Andoung Teuk, or you can hire a car. The project’s directions cover departures from Kampot, Kep and Sihanoukville.
Should I go via Koh Kong town?
No. Koh Kong town is within the 20 km zone along the Thai border where the UK advises against all but essential travel. Chi Phat is reached from Andoung Teuk, well to the east, without passing through Koh Kong.
Can I drive myself to Chi Phat?
You can drive to the river crossing near the village; the project describes a small car ferry. Most visitors leave the car and use the boat or a booked motorbike.
Sources and checks
Time-sensitive details on this page (prices, schedules, travel times, access) were last checked against the sources below on 11 October 2026. They change, so any proposal reconfirms them with the provider first.
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