Cambodia: Harbours, bridges and formalities for sailors
4 harbours
Cambodia: 4 harbours, clearing in, papers and fees. Plan your trip with weather, tides and route.
Formalities
outside the EU customs unionCurrency: riel (US dollars widely used)
Clearing in: Clearance only through an agent who announces the arrival in advance; the port of entry is Sihanoukville (Autonomous Port). Koh Kong lies in the border area with Thailand, against which the German Foreign Office warns (partial travel warning, border crossings closed). The agent's application sets the destinations and the duration of the cruise; Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem need no further clearance.
Ausreise: Clear out in Sihanoukville through the agent.
Documents: Passport valid for six months; visa for the whole crew in advance as an e-visa (about 30 US dollars) or on arrival, one month, extendable once by one month; e-Arrival Card. Ship's papers, insurance, crew list, clearance from the last port.
Fees: Agent and clearance: older reports mention 200 to 500 US dollars, in early 2025 the only willing agent charged over 2,000 US dollars; get quotes in advance.
Fairway: Shallow coast with many fishing boats and unlit nets; the Ream naval base south-east of Sihanoukville is a restricted area. In the southwest monsoon (May to October) rain, thunderstorms and onshore wind, in the northeast monsoon (November to April) calmer seas.
Nature: Coral around Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem: do not anchor on coral.
Tropical storm season: Tropical storms rarely reach the Gulf of Thailand, most likely from October to December (Linda in November 1997).
Emergency: 117 police, 118 fire brigade, 119 ambulance; VHF channel 16.
Sources: Auswärtiges Amt: Cambodia, travel and safety advice, Noonsite: Cambodia, Cambodia: e-visa (as of 2026-10-20)
Harbours by cruising area
Cambodia: Kampot and Kep
Cambodia: Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem
Cambodia: Sihanoukville and Ream
Frequently asked questions
Cambodia: Do I need to clear in?
Clearance only through an agent who announces the arrival in advance; the port of entry is Sihanoukville (Autonomous Port). Koh Kong lies in the border area with Thailand, against which the German Foreign Office warns (partial travel warning, border crossings closed). The agent's application sets the destinations and the duration of the cruise; Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem need no further clearance.
Cambodia: Which documents do I need on board?
Passport valid for six months; visa for the whole crew in advance as an e-visa (about 30 US dollars) or on arrival, one month, extendable once by one month; e-Arrival Card. Ship's papers, insurance, crew list, clearance from the last port.
Cambodia: What fees apply?
Agent and clearance: older reports mention 200 to 500 US dollars, in early 2025 the only willing agent charged over 2,000 US dollars; get quotes in advance.
Cambodia: What is the emergency number at sea?
117 police, 118 fire brigade, 119 ambulance; VHF channel 16.
Cambodia: How many harbours does Sailseer cover?
Sailseer covers 4 harbours with harbour info, weather and route planning.