Bangkok to Siem Reap. Best way to travel?

I'd recommend taking the bus over the van. I've done both and the van feels cramped once you factor in the border crossing chaos where you have to haul your bags out twice. The bus from Suvarnabhumi runs through the morning, around 7 or 8 AM, and the extra few hundred baht is worth not being jammed into a seat next to someone's luggage.

For booking, a day or two ahead is fine if you're traveling midweek. Weekends and holidays fill up faster, and you don't want to be stuck waiting for the next day's departure. The Klook or 12Go sites work well for this, just check which drop-off point in Siem Reap they use since some leave you farther from the center.

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You can definitely catch a bus or van from Suvarnabhumi, the counters are near gate 8 on the ground floor of the arrivals terminal. Giant Ibis has a more comfortable bus with proper legroom and they handle the border paperwork for you, which saves some headache compared to the cheaper vans where you're on your own.

For booking, just grab it a day before if you can, especially if you're arriving in the afternoon since the morning departures fill up first. The 7 AM bus gets you into Siem Reap by late afternoon, and you'll have time to grab dinner at one of the Pub Street spots before it gets too rowdy.

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yeah you can actually catch buses from suvarnabhumi straight to siem reap, giant ibis and nattakan both run from the airport. i'd book a day or two ahead online just to lock in a seat, especially if ur arriving at a busy time

the van option is faster but tighter, bus gives u more room to stretch out. either way expect like 9 hours with the border crossing and all that, bring snacks and download a movie since the wifi is hit or miss

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Krua Dok Mai Kao is solid but I've always found their som tam a bit tame on the pla ra. If you want the real funky version, try the shophouse spots along Soi Udomsuk 26, near the night market end. They pound it fresh with fermented fish that'll clear your sinuses, and it's like 60 baht. Different style from the On Nut places, more Lao-leaning.

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for som tam specifically i'd say the Isaan spots in Chatuchak are underrated, weekdays only though since the weekend crowd ruins the vibe. there's a stall near gate 2 that does tam pa with fermented bamboo shoots, super sour and funky, not something you see much in On Nut. if you're already heading north for Or Tor Kor anyway its worth the detour.

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honestly the som tam at Krua Dok Mai Kao is good but what got me hooked is their nam prik pla raa dip with the raw veggies, that funk hits way harder than the papaya does. think most people sleep on it cuz they just order the som tam and gai yang. also pro tip, go before noon on weekdays, after that teh pla ra gets milder cuz they batch it for the lunch rush

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