Kaam Samnor border gate (Cambodia): boats, opening hours, visa 2026

Kaam Samnor International Border Gate lies on the Mekong River in Leuk Daek district, Kandal province (Cambodia), opposite the Vinh Xuong border gate in An Giang province, about 30 km from Chau Doc. It is a river crossing where the Chau Doc – Phnom Penh speedboats stop for formalities; the whole boat journey takes about 5 hours. The gate issues Cambodian visas on arrival and operates during the day, roughly 7:30–17:00 (Cambodia uses the same time as Vietnam). Kaam Samnor suits travellers who want to reach Phnom Penh by river, or people in Chau Doc who need to exit and re-enter.

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Kaam Samnor border gate at a glance

Country / province	Cambodia, Leuk Daek district, Kandal province
Opposite border gate	Vinh Xuong, An Giang province (Vietnam)
Distance	Vinh Xuong is about 30 km from Chau Doc; the Chau Doc – Phnom Penh speedboat takes about 5 hours, including formalities
Opening hours (local time, UTC+7)	daily, roughly 7:30–17:00; arrive before 16:00
Visa on arrival	Yes, tourist visa 30 USD in cash, 1 photo
Cambodian e-visa accepted?	Not on the list of gates accepting the e-visa; buy your visa at the border

Border gate location on Google Maps

Tap the button below to open Google Maps on your phone and get directions straight to the border gate. Kaam Samnor is not on Google Maps yet, so the map below shows the Vinh Xuong border gate on the Vietnamese side; Kaam Samnor is just across the border on the Mekong River.

Get directions to the border gate View on Google Maps

Cambodian visa when entering via Kaam Samnor

Cambodia issues tourist visas (type T) on arrival for an official fee of 30 USD, and business visas (type E) for 35 USD; both allow a 30-day stay and a single entry. You fill in the form at the counter, hand over 1 passport photo and pay in US dollars cash. Citizens of Vietnam, Laos, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore are visa-exempt for 30 days; Thailand, Myanmar and Brunei for 14 days. Rules can vary by nationality, so double-check before you travel.

Kaam Samnor is on Cambodia’s list of gates issuing visas on arrival. On the Vietnamese border, the only gate on the Cambodian e-visa list is Bavet, so the safest option here is to buy your visa at the border. Boat staff usually offer to process visas for the whole group for a few dollars more than the official fee, in exchange for less queuing.

Travellers entering by land currently still usually fill in a paper arrival card at the border; e-Arrival (arrival.gov.kh) mainly applies to air travel, so check for any changes.

Crossing at Kaam Samnor step by step

The boat stops at Vinh Xuong: passengers go ashore with their passports to complete Vietnamese exit formalities. Large luggage is usually left on the boat.
The boat travels a short distance to the Kaam Samnor station on the Cambodian side.
At the checkpoint: hand in the form, photo and visa fee (or show your exemption) and get your Cambodian entry stamp. Check that you have both the visa and the entry stamp before reboarding.
If you are doing a visa run: complete Cambodian exit formalities, then you need transport back to Vinh Xuong; the Phnom Penh boat does not wait for returning passengers.
Enter Vietnam at Vinh Xuong with an e-visa, temporary residence card, 5-year visa exemption certificate or visa exemption.

Where to go from Kaam Samnor border gate

Phnom Penh by boat: speedboats leave Chau Doc at about 7:00–7:30 in the morning and arrive at Sisowath Quay in Phnom Penh in the early afternoon; in the other direction they usually leave at about 12:00–13:30.
Popular boat companies: Hang Chau, Blue Cruiser; tickets are usually about 1,000,000 VND per person (2025), and the Victoria Chau Doc hotel runs its own, more expensive boat. Book a day ahead, especially in the December–March high season.
By road: you can go from Phnom Penh down to Neak Loeung and continue to the border, but few foreigners choose this; ask about road conditions first.
The border area is small, with little more than the checkpoint and a few stalls; money changing is limited.

Documents to bring

A passport valid for at least 6 more months with blank pages for the visa and stamps.
Documents to re-enter Vietnam: a Vietnam e-visa (printed, with Vinh Xuong as the entry gate), temporary residence card, 5-year visa exemption certificate, or a nationality on the list of countries exempt from Vietnamese visas.
US dollars in cash (new, undamaged notes) for the Cambodian visa fee and some small change for transport.
1–2 passport photos (4×6) for the visa-on-arrival application.
Your boat ticket (if travelling to Phnom Penh by river) and some small change for food and drinks on board.

Visa run via Kaam Samnor

Because it is a river crossing, a visa run via Vinh Xuong – Kaam Samnor is harder to arrange yourself than at land gates: the Phnom Penh boat does not turn around at the border. For people in Chau Doc, the Phnom Den border gate (opposite Tinh Bien) is usually easier for a same-day return. If you still want to use Kaam Samnor, contact us in advance for advice on options. See Cambodia visa run and the visa run service.

Tips for crossing at Kaam Samnor

Carry your passport, money and photos in a small bag when going ashore for formalities; leave large luggage on the boat as instructed by the staff.
Boat times depend on the river level and passenger numbers; reconfirm with the company a day ahead.
If you ask the boat staff to arrange your visa, confirm the total amount before handing over your passport.
Cambodia is in the same time zone as Vietnam (UTC+7), so the hours on both sides match; no need to change your watch.
The official visa fee is collected in USD. Sometimes someone asks for a few extra dollars as a “speed fee” or “health check”; you can politely ask for a receipt and pay the posted amount.
When applying for a Vietnam e-visa, choose Vinh Xuong as your entry gate; see the list of border gates accepting the e-visa.
Do not overstay before leaving Vietnam: fines range from 0.5 to 40 million VND under Decree 282/2025/NĐ-CP (see visa overstay).
After you return to Vietnam, your accommodation must complete the temporary residence declaration within 12 hours.