Cambodia Angkor Air launches direct flights to Phnom Penh today — just 3.5 hours to the Angkor Wat

▲JC Cambodia Air’s inaugural Taipei–Phnom Penh flight takes off today (the 13th).

Reported by Chen Hanyin / Taipei

Want to fly to Cambodia this summer for a world heritage pilgrimage? JC (Cambodia) International Airlines, a Cambodian carrier, has spotted travel opportunities from Taiwan to Indochina and will launch direct flights between Taipei and Phnom Penh. It will also add a weekly Saturday flight from Taipei to the Angkor Wat area. In the future, travelers will be able to reach the ancient kingdom in just 3.5 hours.

JC Cambodia Air commenced operations on March 17 and has successively launched new routes, including domestic services between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and Phnom Penh and Sihanoukville. Starting May 13, Taiwanese travelers can also take the “Phnom Penh–Taipei” direct flight to Cambodia, which will be operated using a brand-new Airbus A320 with 180 seats.

Tao Shilong, chairman of Gold East International Travel Service, the agent for Cambodia International Airlines, said: “The flight supply between Taiwan and Cambodia is clearly insufficient. In the past, business travelers from Phnom Penh who wanted to go to Taiwan had to transit via Hong Kong or Vietnam. The upcoming direct flights will save a lot of time.” This year, the airline has introduced three brand-new planes, and by the end of the year, it plans to adjust its fleet to include models featuring 12-seat luxury economy cabins.

▲ Tao Shilong, chairman of Gold East International Travel Service.

The Angkor monuments are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the past, tourists wishing to visit Angkor Wat had to take an approximately 8 to 10-hour road trip from Phnom Penh. Siem Reap’s Angkor International Airport is only 5 kilometers away from the famous tourist attraction of Angkor Wat. Targeting the Taiwanese travel market, JC Cambodia Air has introduced weekly Saturday flights from Phnom Penh to Taipei and then from Taipei to Siem Reap, as well as weekly Wednesday flights from Siem Reap Airport to Taipei. In the future, not only will it be more convenient and easier for Taiwanese travelers to reach Angkor Wat, but it will also be suitable for travel agencies to arrange chartered flights and offer five-day, four-night tour packages.