Catalog

It is only 271 kilometers from the Cambodian capital of Phnom Penh to the border town of Koh Kong in the southwest—but having to take ferries across four rivers along the way makes the journey much longer. The road used to be almost impassable during the monsoon, but an all-weather road for much of the route since 2001 has made the trek easier. The ferries may look makeshift, but they are remarkably safe, with no serious accident record. To bring outlying areas within easier reach and strengthen an important link with Thailand, there are plans to build bridges across all four rivers. Small communities have sprung up around the ferry staging posts between Phnom Penh and Koh Kong.