After spending two incredible months exploring Vietnam, it was time to move on to the next chapter of my journey – Cambodia. What I thought would be a straightforward border crossing at Moc Bai turned into one of the most frustrating experiences of my entire trip.
The Harsh Reality Check
Let me be brutally honest here – traveling with an Indian passport in Southeast Asia comes with its own set of challenges. Despite having a valid e-visa for Cambodia, I quickly learned that having the right paperwork doesn’t always guarantee a smooth crossing.
When I approached the Vietnamese immigration officer to get my exit stamp, I was hit with an unexpected roadblock. The officer looked at my Indian passport, then at my Cambodia visa, and basically told me I couldn’t just walk into Cambodia. Even with a valid e-visa in hand, he insisted I needed confirmation from the Cambodian authorities that Indians were actually allowed to enter their country.
Wait, what? I had a visa – isn’t that literally proof that I’m allowed to enter?
The Border Run Around
This is where things got absurd. The Vietnamese officer wouldn’t let me leave Vietnam without this mysterious “confirmation” from Cambodia. So there I was, stuck in immigration limbo at a land border, carrying all my cycling gear and feeling completely helpless.
The only solution was to physically walk over to the Cambodian side and get this confirmation myself. Picture this: me dragging my bicycle and bags, walking between two countries’ immigration offices like some kind of diplomatic messenger, just trying to prove I had the right to cross a border with proper documentation.
The Cambodian officials were actually quite helpful once I explained the situation. They confirmed that yes, Indians with valid e-visas could enter Cambodia. They even gave me some kind of documentation to prove this to the Vietnamese officer.
Walking back to the Vietnamese side with this paper felt like carrying a golden ticket. Finally, the officer was satisfied and stamped my passport with the exit stamp. After what felt like hours of bureaucratic ping-pong, I was free to enter Cambodia.
First Night in Cambodia
After that exhausting border experience, I just wanted to find somewhere to rest. But here’s where solo cycling gets real – you can’t just check into a hotel when you’re in the middle of nowhere with limited options.
I ended up setting up my tent on someone’s property. Not ideal, and definitely not something I’d planned, but sometimes you just have to make do with what you have. I cooked my own meal on my portable stove, which felt strangely comforting after such a stressful day.
Sleeping in that tent after everything that had happened, I couldn’t help but reflect on how unpredictable travel can be. One moment you’re confidently crossing borders with all the right documents, the next you’re playing diplomatic messenger between two immigration offices.
That border crossing taught me something important about traveling with an Indian passport – sometimes you need extra patience and persistence. It’s not fair, and it’s definitely frustrating, but it’s the reality many of us face when exploring certain parts of the world.
The experience also reminded me why I chose to travel this way in the first place. These unexpected challenges, the problem-solving on the go, the small victories after bureaucratic battles – this is what makes the journey memorable.
Cambodia was waiting on the other side of all that chaos, and I was finally ready to explore what this new country had to offer. Little did I know this border crossing drama was just preparing me for more adventures ahead.
Sometimes the most difficult transitions lead to the most rewarding destinations. Cambodia, here I come – eventually.
