Whether you’re coming across from another Southeast Asian country, or visiting Cambodia on a single-country trip, this is our ideal Cambodia itinerary for two or three weeks.
Updated January 2024
A couple of years ago, we spent three glorious weeks travelling across Cambodia.
Based on our experiences, we've curated this Cambodia itinerary to help future travellers like you optimise the best bits, add in a few extra nights in the places we had to leave too soon, and cut out the odd night in places we lingered too long.
Our Cambodia itinerary will help those who plan to be in the country for two or three weeks work out a balanced route make the absolute most of their time, whilst prioritising a responsible, sustainable, and experience-led travel style.
It will bring you to pretty much all the highlights of Cambodia: to explore the majestic ruins of Angkor Wat from sunrise to sundown; the chance to get out into the real countryside; chill out on paradise islands which aren't as touristy as we had assumed; delight in the vibrant greens, yellows, and pinks of colonial quarters in Cambodian cities; reflect sombrely upon the barbarity of the Pol Pot regime; take in a cooking class or world-famous acrobat show; drive motorbikes along dusty roads; and slowly get to know the culture and people of this delightful south-east Asian destination.
Whether you’ve got two weeks or a little longer, this is the perfect Cambodia itinerary.
cambodia itinerary tips
| Country is ideal for a 2 - 3 week trip
| Can cover most of the main highlights in this time
| Starts and end in Phnom Penh
| Can get visa on arrival
| All transport can be booked online
| To cover more ground consider organised tour like this
How To Use Our Cambodia Itineraries
From our research and our experience in the country, it appears that the vast majority of people opt to spend either two or three weeks in Cambodia - so we’ve provided two itineraries in this article, one for each period of time.
Both include must-see spots such as Phnom Penh, Angkor Wat, and the Koh Rong Islands, as well a couple of lesser visited destinations, but the specific route taken varies a little between the two. We’ve also adjusted the number of nights spent in each place depending on the trip length, transport connections, and - naturally - the three week option taking you a little more off the beaten track.
We both cherish the notion of slow travel, and so when putting these itineraries together we didn’t want to offer up anything too overly ambitious, have you moving every day nor spending the majority of your time on somewhat unreliable transport. Being realistic and honest is more important than giving you false expectations! We also curated it in such a way so that you could maintain anticipation for Angkor Wat (rather than see it on your first day) and spend your last few days in paradise.
This means you won't be overloaded in the first week, will be able to retain a sense of enthusiasm throughout for what's coming up next, and also factors in a sensible rest day or two along the way.
After all, you should travel somewhere to savour it, rather than rush through it.
The Start Point
Both our two week and three week Cambodia itineraries travel in an anti-clockwise loop, beginning and ending in Phnom Penh - and there are two key reasons for this:
The country’s capital hosts the main airport for incoming international travellers
Perhaps more importantly, there are several vital experiences to be had in the city which we believe are integral to understanding modern day Cambodia and gaining important context for your travels - and therefore best done at the beginning of your trip.
If you are travelling through south-east Asia for a longer period of time, and arriving overland or by plane from Thailand, Vietnam, or Laos, this itinerary and our 13 Wonderful Things to Do in Cambodia post will still give you all the necessary inspiration and ideas for your own route - but you will just go in a different direction to our suggested one. For example, as your trip is more likely start off in Siem Reap, just follow the route in the following direction: Siem Reap - Battambang - Phnom Penh - Kampot - Koh Rong.
Two Weeks or Three Weeks in Cambodia?
Honestly, either is a great amount of time to experience the main tourist sights in Cambodia and get a real feel for the country.
However, it’s important to be realistic and note that if you only have two weeks, you will inevitably spend a higher proportion of your time travelling between locations, have limited opportunity for rest days and likely have to prioritise certain activities in each destination over others.
If you are someone who finds planning a big trip a little overwhelming, prefers to travel in a small group of likeminded people, or values having private transport throughout (and therefore save an awful lot of time), we can highly recommend this 14 day Ultimate Cambodian Adventure tour. It includes private bus transport, all accommodation, sunrise at Angkor Wat, an English-speaking guide, and various cultural activities throughout. Due to the private transport, it also allows you to see much more of Cambodia in two weeks than is realistically feasible if travelling independently.
We actually visited Cambodia on that tour in our role as G Adventures Wanderers, and are happy to personally recommend it; the itineraries we have shared here are however based on our tour experiences as well as our independent travels in the country
Cambodia Itineraries Overview
If you scroll down you can find the full details for both itineraries, but here are the two week and three week itineraries at quick glance.
TWO WEEKS IN CAMBODIA
Day 1 - 3 | Phnom Penh
Day 4 & 5 | Battambang
Day 6 - 8 | Siem Reap (inc. Angkor Wat)
Day 9 - 11 | Koh Rong Islands
Day 12 & 13 | Kampot
Day 14 | Phnom Penh / Travel Home
THREE WEEKS IN CAMBODIA
Day 1 - 3 | Phnom Penh
Day 4 - 6 | Battambang
Day 7 - 10 | Siem Reap (inc. Angkor Wat)
Day 11 & 12 | Kratie
Day 13 - 15 | Kampot
Day 16 - 20 | Koh Rong Islands
Day 21 | Phnom Penh / Travel Home
The Two Week Cambodia Itinerary
DAY ONE | Arrive in Phnom Penh
The bustling capital city is the start (and end) point for the majority of travellers flying in from Europe or the US. Depending on your arrival time and jet lag, the day can be spent slowly exploring the city centre, having some rooftop drinks, and enjoying yours first tastes of Cambodia.
Transport / Getting to the city centre from the airport is easy-peasy! Either opt for an official taxi tuk-tuk from arrivals (it’s a flat rate of $9) or alternatively arrange a private transfer.
Stay / If you’re looking for a luxurious retreat in the city, Plantation Urban Resort would be perfect, but we love the location, vibe and price of Le Chronique.
Alternatively, young party-hard backpackers will love Mad Monkey, but we prefer the rooftop views and pool of Onederz.
Vibe / Relaxed
Plan / How To Get From Phnom Penh Airport to the City and 13 Best Things to do in Phnom Penh
DAY TWO | The Darkside of Cambodia
We know you’ve only just arrived, but your first day in Cambodia is going to be pretty full on, with visits to both the Phnom Penh Killing Fields and Tuol Sleng / S21 Prison; these are incredibly sombre activities but integral to understanding - and appreciating - Cambodia’s barbaric and relatively recent history.
You can either book your tour in advance (this one has excellent reviews) or visit independently.
In the evening, depending on your mood, head to the night market downtown for authentic food in a life affirming lively atmosphere.
Vibe / Sombre + historical
Plan / How To Visit the Killing Fields from Phnom Penh / 9 Things to Know Before You Visit Phnom Penh
DAY THREE | Explore Phnom Penh
Today will be a much more enjoyable exploration of both historical and modern Phnom Penh.
Spend your day walking and tuk-tuking between the Royal Palace, drinking at cool third-wave coffee shops, eating at a local's market or social enterprise restaurants, and sipping on secret sunset cocktails.
If you’d like to combine your explorations around Phnom Penh with the chance to enjoy local food, consider joining this popular food tour by tuk tuk.
Vibe / Cultural + modern
DAY FOUR | Travel To Battambang
Today marks your first proper travel day - a six hour bus ride from Phnom Penh to Battambang.
This cute French colonial city was a little treasure on our trip, and we wish we could have spent a little longer there. It has a storied past, and we found it incredibly photogenic, bohemian, and a place which has tourism but isn't totally overwhelmed by it.
We’d recommend setting off from Phnom Penh nice and early so that you can relax and explore in the afternoon, or perhaps visit the wold-famous Phare Cambodian Circus in the evening.
Travel / The journey time is approximately six hours, but can be closer to seven. Remember to book tickets in advance in Cambodia on BookMeBus, which is the best site to use for booking buses and ferries in Cambodia.
Stay / There are a few hostels in Battambang, but our top pick is The Place Hostel. If you’d prefer a homestay however, Lotus Blanc is super affordable and provides an alternative experience to the typical backpacker hostel.
For a little more luxury, consider the beautiful Cambana La Rivière Hotel in the centre of Battambang, or Maisons Wat Kor for a more ‘amongst nature’ vibe.
Alternatively, Bambu Hotel offers comfortable rooms at more of a mid-range price point.
Vibe / Colonial cool + cocktails + the circus.
Plan / A Curated Guide to Battambang (published soon)
DAY FIVE | Explore Battambang
Spend the morning devouring a vegetarian local breakfast at our favourite restaurant from the trip, before slowly taking in the sights of central Battambang on foot.
For us the Bamboo Train isn't really worth it, but another popular morning activity is a tour by motorbike or bicycle to visit various traditional food enterprises in the country (making spring rolls, rice wine, and fish paste).
In the evening, hire a tuk-tuk or rent a motorbike to experience the incredible bat caves of Battambang. Each night, just before sunset, millions of bats stream out in unison for about half an hour - and it was an experience which totally mesmerised us!
Whilst most of the activities above can easily be done independently, if you’d prefer to not have to worry about the logistics, join a popular tour like this one that includes all of Battambang’s biggest attractions.
Getting Around / The city itself is relatively small and very walkable, but if you’d like to go further afield into the countryside, you’ll need to hire a motorbike; expect to pay around$10 a day.
Vibe / Colonial cool + a lot of bats
Plan / A Curated Guide to Battambang (we promise it’ll be published soon!)
DAY SIX | Travel To Siem Reap
Today starts with a relatively straightforward five hour bus journey from Battambang to Siem Reap.
As the gateway to the famous ruins of Angkor Wat, Siem Reap sees a LOT of tourism. In fact, since Andrew's first visit 15 years ago, the city is almost unrecognisable - and that's only going to continue in one direction.
Therefore, we strongly recommend that you plan your visit to Angkor Wat, including transport there and back, in advance of your arrival in Siem Reap so you don’t waste precious time having to sort things out once you get there.
As most of you will be hoping to experience sunrise at Angkor Wat tomorrow, it's going an early night tonight...
Travel / There are regular buses throughout the day from Battambang to Siem Reap (although the vast majority depart before 2pm). The journey time is around 4-5 hours and tickets cost between $10 and $12 USD. You can check times and book tickets on BookMeBus or CamboTicket.
Stay / Splurge at the gorgeous Treeline Urban Resort, opt for the mid-range Glow Inn Siem Reap or choose a hostel (Onederz is our pick of the bunch)
Vibe / Neon + overtourism
Plan Your Time / If you’d rather get your Angkor Wat tour sorted in advance, this sunrise one is incredibly highly rated.
DAY SEVEN | Visit Angkor Wat
We asked our G Adventures group what made them choose a trip to Cambodia, and for the overwhelming majority it was the chance to visit Angkor Wat at sunrise - it's likely that the famous site has also inspired most of you reading this post to think about Cambodia too.
We were fortunate that all our travel, ticket, and transport arrangements for visiting at sunrise were included within the Ultimate Cambodian Adventure tour, so all we had to do was set the alarm clock and make sure we brought our spare camera batteries!
However, whether you're visiting the ruins independently or with a tour, today is going to be a very long day, with a 4am start necessary to see those towers as the sun comes up!
That’s why we wouldn’t recommend having any overly ambitious plans for the evening. Most people will be quite happy to settle in with a couple of beers, a soothing bowl of noodles and an early night.
For those that still have a little energy after the temples - or want to see everything - we’d recommend making a beeline in the evening to the critically-acclaimed Phare Circus (providing you didn’t visit in Battambang). Tickets can be booked in advance here.
Buy / If you’d prefer to visit Angkor Wat independently, and be there in time for sunrise, you’ll either need to buy your ticket in person at least the day before (the ticket offices don’t open early enough to buy it on the same day) or buy it online.
You can do this via the official website, or alternatively have a third party sort it and deliver it to your hotel. This second option is more expensive, but may suit those not travelling on a budget who want to make the process as simple as possible - find out more here.
Tip / In this itinerary, you only spend one full day at Angkor Wat, therefore only need to purchase the 1-day ticket ($37 USD). If you’d like to use your free day in Siem Reap (see the next section) to explore more of the site, we’d recommend purchasing the 3-day pass ($65 USD).
Vibe / Ruins + history
Plan / Our guide to Angkor Wat (published soon)
DAY EIGHT | Chill in Siem Reap
How this day goes really depends on your love of ruins, your energy levels, your budget, and whether you’d prefer to head to your next stop - Sihanoukville - by night bus or by an early morning flight.
Personally, we didn't really like the development of Siem Reap, and would be reticent to spend more than two or three nights there. But the reality is that quite of few of you will understandably be shattered after yesterday's early rise and exertions (the pedometer will take a pounding!). At this stage, you're also just over a week into your Cambodia adventure too, so it's the logical juncture for a rest day, a do-nothing day, or a few chilled out social-value activities and eating - despite its faults, Siem Reap is very well set-up for all of this.
For some of you, today may also be about a second visit to some of the lesser-visited areas of the Angkor Wat complex. If that's you, then just make double-sure you read this post before buying your tickets and making plans.
Other popular things to do in Siem Reap - besides the temples - include:
Learn how rats are saving lives at APOPO
Grab a drink on the legendary Pub Street
Give back by supporting the city’s social enterprises
Go shopping at Siem Reap’s markets
Join a Khmer Cooking Class
Take a day trip to the floating villages, the Cambodian countryside or the Kulen Waterfall
Moving on To Sihanoukville
The downside to visiting Cambodia for two weeks - unless you're on a small-group tour which takes care of your transport connections and route plans - is that two of the country's most popular destinations (Siem Reap and the Koh Rong Islands) are on opposite sides of the country from each other. They are however logical to visit one after the other on a shorter Cambodia itinerary.
So, you need to choose between the following:
After exploring Siem Reap / Angkor Wat in the day, taking a 12-hour night bus onward to Sihanoukville, and then the morning boat out to the Koh Rong islands.
Spend the night in Siem Reap, and take the first 1 hour flight to Sihanoukville the following day, before taking a boat out to the islands. We try to avoid short internal flights for environmental reasons but on short itineraries it often makes more sense.
Chop off or add-on a day to the itinerary so that you can still have two full days in Siem Reap
DAY NINE | Sihanoukville to The Islands
Okay, whether you’ve braved the overnight bus or hopped on an airplane, by day nine you should have made it to Sihanoukville - the gateway to the Koh Rong Islands.
But we have to prepare you: it’s a bit of a shithole.
Once a popular holiday getaway for locals and foreigners alike, over the last 5-10 years Sihanoukville has seen eye-watering levels of Chinese investment to make it the Las Vegas of the East, and with it came casinos, endless construction, crime, and corruption (read more here). Stemming of that investment in the last few years has turned the city into a broken ghost town.
On the four occasions we passed through, most of the city was under construction and in a Schodinger's cat like state of being both demolished and constructed.
Thankfully, you’ll be heading straight to the ferry terminal, from which various ferry companies bring travellers to both Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem. The trip takes 1-2 hours (approx $12 one way), depending on the service, your final destination, and the weather conditions.
And then it’s time to relax - you’ve made it to paradise! The itinerary should give you most of the afternoon and evening to enjoy the island life - so pick a spot on the sand, and eye up the best place for sunset cocktails!
Travel / A 1-2 hour ferry from Sihanoukville dependent upon destination and weather conditions. Given the popularity of the route, we highly recommend booking your ferry in advance.
Vibe / Buses + boats + beaches
Plan Your Time / How to get from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong and How To Get To Koh Rong Samloem
Koh Rong or Koh Rong Samloem. How Do You Decide?
When we were planning our time in Cambodia, we did a lot of research into which island was right for us.
Tourism has long been established on Koh Rong, and it’s famous as a bit of a party island amongst backpackers. But we didn’t want to go all the way to a beautiful island just to get pissed (and we had a fixed couple of nights on this island at the end of trip).
Koh Rong Samloem on the other hand is much more relaxed, with the island only having been developed in the last few years. And whilst that has brought new accommodations, internet and a stable electricity supply, it’s a long way away from being overwhelmed by tourism.
For couples looking for a more relaxed resort-like experience, we’d recommend the white sands of Saracen Bay (it’s where we stayed on KRS), whereas backpackers will likely be more suited to M’Pai, or perhaps Sunset Beach.
Do be aware however that the island is undergoing a period of more rapid development at the moment, with quite a lot of building works, especially around Saracen Bay. We recommend reading any hotel/hostel reviews thoroughly before making a reservation.
DAY TEN | Koh Rong Islands
You are now waking up in paradise, and can full-on engage holiday mode.
Get a coconut cocktail or two, go snorkelling in wonderful clear water, take an afternoon boat trip, do absolutely nothing but relax and sunbathe on white sand, swim with fluorescent plankton, or take a walk to discover some hidden-away beaches
We wouldn't recommend being over ambitious and trying to do various island or beach-hopping on a two week Cambodia itinerary - just do whatever makes you happiest and enjoy the tropics.
Vibe / Paradise
Plan / Read our Koh Rong Samloem guide, within which you’ll find all our recommendations for the best accommodations on the island.
DAY ELEVEN | Koh Rong Islands and Onward to Kampot
Getting from the Koh Rong Islands to Kampot is relatively straightforward - just a short ferry ride over to Sihanoukville (for reasons we don’t entirely understand, the journey is far quicker on the way back, taking us just an hour) and then around a two hour bus ride to Kampot.
Therefore we’d recommend spending the majority of the day on the islands, hopping on a boat in late afternoon with plans to arrive in Kampot in the evening. Your next two days will be spent here so you needn’t worry about trying to explore the city or surrounding countryside until tomorrow.
Travel / Take a short 1-1.5 hour boat over to Sihanoukville and a bus to Kampot. Leaving the islands around 4 pm will allow plenty of time to get to Kampot.
We highly recommend booking your ferry and bus in advance.
Stay / With a cracking set of dorms and a real backpacker vibe, our hostel pick for Kampot is Monkey Republic, however if you’d prefer a guesthouse take a look at Retro Kampot Guesthouse.
If you can push that budget a little bit further however, don’t miss Hotel Old Cinema, a beautifully restored art-deco building that is ideal for couples wanting to chill out for a day or two, and stay somewhere memorable.
Vibe / Paradise and a smidge of travel
DAY TWELVE | Kampot
As we explain in our guide, we are a little conflicted about the small riverside city of Kampot.
Its historic French colonial design quirks, accesssible beautiful countryside and global renown for its pepper, make it a great place to include on any Cambodia itinerary. However there was a real seedy presence in the centre due to western sex tourists.
However, the reason for couple of days in Kampot just towards the end of your trip is that it substantially cuts down the travel time between the Koh Rong islands and Phnom Penh airport, thereby removing certain Cambodian transport quirks and stress from the last leg of your adventure.
After arriving the previous evening from the Koh Kong islands, today offers up a full day of exploring the colonial buildings, doing a cooking class, tasting lots of pepper, gift buying, and enjoying the countryside of Cambodia. If you don’t want to spend your last few nights in the city centre, there are a bunch of popular riverside backpacker resorts in the countryside, just a few kms from the centre.
Book / If you don’t want to rent a motorbike to get out into the countryside, consider joining a tour like this one that covers the major sites (including the salt field, Phnom Chhngok Cave Temple, Brateak Krola Lake and La Plantation, the pepper farm).
Alternatively, for a more adrenaline-fuelled day, consider this super popular climbing trip.
Vibe / Pepper and riverside life
DAY THIRTEEN | Kampot
There are a couple of really popular day trips from Kampot, namely Rabbit Island and Kep.
Rabbit Island (although unfortunately not being home to lots of rabbits) offers the chance for another beach day on a very undeveloped island, or seafood lovers should head to Kep for the world famous crab.
You can find details of how to reach both of these places in our guide to Kampot.
Alternative Choice / If after reading about Kampot, you feel that you can see all you want to in and around the city in one day, feel free to remove one of your days here and use it to increase your time on the Koh Rong islands. Honestly, we’d completely understand.
DAY FOURTEEN | Back to Phnom Penh
Your last day in Cambodia, but it’s all about making sure you catch that flight home from Phnom Penh International Airport.
Travel time between Kampot and the airport is about 3.5 - 4.5 hours, and there are plenty of shuttle buses and private taxi firms running the route. However, whatever time your flight is, please factor in a couple of hours extra as journey times can be delayed due to traffic outside Phnom Penh and other factors.
If you have a morning flight from Phnom Penh, we’d actually recommend you to travel from Kampot to Phnom Penh the previous night to save yourself unnecessary stress and reduce the risk of missing your flight.
The Three Week Cambodia Itinerary
Although the destinations, length of time, and route are a little different in three week itinerary, there are a number of activity recommendations and basic day planners that remain largely unchanged. To avoid repeating ourselves, where this is the case, simply refer up to the two-week itinerary for further information on the place or read our specific destination guides that are linked to throughout!
DAY ONE - THREE | Phnom Penh
Although we spent five days in Phnom Penh, we honestly believe that you can get a really great feel for the city - and the country’s important and painful past - in just two full days.
So, despite having more time in the Cambodia following this three week route, you’ll be following exactly the same three day outline as the above itinerary.
Stay / If you’re looking for a luxurious retreat in the city, Plantation Urban Resort would be perfect, but we love the location, vibe and price of Le Chronique.
Alternatively, young party-hard backpackers will love Mad Monkey, but we prefer the rooftop views and pool of Onederz.
Vibe / Sombre + exploration
DAY FOUR | Travel To Battambang
Day four means making your way to Battambang - a place we would have loved to have lingered in a little longer.
As with the two week itinerary, we’d recommend setting off nice and early to maximise your time in the afternoon, rather than front-loading in Phnom Penh.
Spend the evening enjoying dinner at the excellent social enterprise Jaan Bai restaurant, followed by drinks along #84 Rd (Google Maps).
Travel / The journey time is approximately six hours, but can be closer to seven. Remember to book tickets in advance in Cambodia on BookMeBus, which is the best site to use for booking buses and ferries in Cambodia.
Stay / There are a few hostels in Battambang, but our top pick is The Place Hostel. If you’d prefer a homestay however, Lotus Blanc is super affordable and provides an alternative experience to the typical backpacker hostel.
For a little more luxury, consider the beautiful Cambana La Rivière Hotel in the centre of Battambang, or Maisons Wat Kor for a more ‘amongst nature’ vibe.
Vibe / Colonial cool + cocktails
Plan / A Curated Guide to Battambang (published soon)
DAY FIVE | Explore Battambang
As you’ve spent the last few days in the bustling capital, we’d recommend that you spend your first day in Battambang out in the countryside. In the morning, take a tour of the various traditional food enterprises either by motorbike, tuk tuk or - as you have a little more time on your hands - by bicycle.
The afternoon offers up a chance for a stroll around the city and time to explore the city’s art scene, followed by an evening at the famous Phare Circus.
Vibe / Countryside jaunts + colonial cool + the circus
Plan / A Curated Guide to Battambang
DAY SIX | Battambang
Begin your day by devouring a vegetarian local breakfast at our favourite restaurant from the trip, before visiting the Central Market, and getting lost down streets you have yet to discover.
Then it’s time for one of the most mesmerising sites we’ve ever seen - watching millions of bats stream out of a giant cave at sunset. You can get here by tuk tuk or motorbike, and perhaps take some time to visit the city’s infamous Killing Caves beforehand.
Vibe / Street roaming + a lot of bats
Plan / A Curated Guide to Battambang
DAY SEVEN | Getting to Siem Reap
Tomorrow is all about Angkor Wat at sunrise, so you’re going to want to hot foot it to Siem Reap nice and early. It’s a five hour direct bus city to city, so still a pretty easy travel day.
As we mentioned in the two week itinerary, we’d recommend knowing exactly how you plan to visit the ruins prior to arriving in Siem Reap so you don’t waste a day getting your shit together after the bus.
Then, it’s time to set that alarm clock to 4 am…
Travel / There are regular buses throughout the day from Battambang to Siem Reap (although the vast majority depart before 2pm). The journey time is around 4-5 hours and tickets cost between $10 and $12 USD. You can check times and book tickets on BookMeBus or CamboTicket.
Stay / Splurge at the gorgeous Treeline Urban Resort, opt for the mid-range Glow Inn Siem Reap or choose a hostel (Onederz is our pick of the bunch).
Vibe / Neon + overtourism
Plan / Consider booking your Angkor Wat tour in advance - this sunrise guided tour is incredibly highly recommended.
DAY EIGHT | Angkor Wat
Today is going to be a very (very) long day, beginning before sunrise and, depending when you head back to Siem Reap, lasting until early evening. But, as many people visit Cambodia purely to explore the magnificent temples of Angkor Wat, this may well be the day you’re most looking forward to!
You can find out more about visiting Angkor Wat in our guide (you guessed it - to be published soon!)
Vibe / Ruins, ruins, and more ruins!
Plan / Our guide to Angkor Wat
DAY NINE | Angkor Wat
As you’ve got an extra day in Siem Reap on this three week Cambodia itinerary, we’d recommend spending it exploring some of the lesser visited ruins at Angkor Wat. Unless you’re desperately keen to see it again, you needn’t arrive at sunset for this second day, just make sure you buy a multi-entry ticket to the site (you can find out more here).
In the evening, if you didn’t visit the Phare Circus in Battambang, we’d highly recommend getting a ticket to their sister show here in Siem Reap - it was a real highlight of our time in the city!
Vibe / Ruins and acrobats
Plan / Our Guide to Angkor Wat
DAY TEN | Chill in Siem Reap
After two days of full-on explorer mode (with or without Indiana Jones outfit), we imagine you’re ready for a break; so this is exactly what Day Nine is for!
Hang out in your hostel/hotel pool, go eat some great food, or get a massage at a recommended spa.
Vibe / Chill time
DAY ELEVEN | Make Your Way To Kratie
It's a travel day today - and at around eight hours, it’s a pretty long one.
Travel / There are only a handful of minivans running from Siem Reap to Kratie, and they all leave early in the morning. The best best is with Asia Van Transfer for $24 (book online here) which is direct, but you may able to find a few other cheaper options locally - just make sure that it doesn’t go the old route, via Kampong Cham.
Stay / We’d recommend seeking out accommodation in Kratie along the Mekong River. Somewhere to relax with a couple of sunset beers after a long day of bus rides and bumpy roads - you’ll deserve it!
Our top pick in Kratie is the always popular Sorya Guesthouse.
Vibe / Podcast + window staring
Plan / Book your bus from Siem Reap to Kratie here.
DAY TWELVE | Kratie
One of the best things about opting for a slightly longer trip to Cambodia is the possibility of getting off the beaten track to places like Kampong Cham and Kratie to see a much more rural side to the country.
We were very lucky that our two week G Adventures trip included time in both these places, allowing us to head out on bike rides along dusty roads in the countryside, explore local markets, experience a slower pace of life and - one of our very favourite experiences - spot the incredibly rare Irrawaddy dolphin in the wild.
In the morning you can choose between exploring around your accommodation or renting bikes and heading off towards the fields for a few hours before hiring a tuk tuk and making your way to Kampi for the unforgettable dolphin spotting experience. Just don’t forget to buy a can of beer to enjoy the sunset over the Mekong!
Dolphin Deets / Grab a tuk tuk, a bike or a motorcycle and make your way down to Kampi for the last dolphin spotting adventure of the day. Boat rides cost US$10 per person, reducing to US$8 for groups three people or more and tickets can be bought before boarding.
Vibe / Attenborough + dust
Plan / Find out more on the resurrection of the Irrawaddy dolphins, plus all the necessary information to plan your visit to see them in Cambodia, in this post.
DAY THIRTEEN | Travel to Kampot
Okay, please don’t hate us but this is a horrendous travel day - and unfortunately, there is absolutely no way around it.
As we mentioned in our introduction, transport around Cambodia, although cheap, is not always the most efficient. And the only real way to get to Kampot from Kratie is via Phnom Penh. The good news is that if you start early enough it can be done in a day, the bad news is that that day will feel like it never ends.
The bus between Kratie and Phnom Penh will take five hours, and then another five hours from Phnom Penh to Kampot. As with every journey you book in advance, allow plenty of time between connections and remember journey times are notoriously longer than stated at the time of purchase.
Stay / With a cracking set of dorms and a real backpacker vibe, our hostel pick for Kampot is Monkey Republic, however if you’d prefer a guesthouse take a look at Retro Kampot Guesthouse.
Our favourite place to stay however is Hotel Old Cinema.
Vibe / Bus + nap
DAY FOURTEEN & FIFTEEN | Kampot
There are actually a whole heap of city-based, active and nature focussed activities in Kampot, and a long term traveller cold probably occupy themselves for several days here.
However, despite having an extra week to play with on this particular Cambodia itinerary, we’re not actually recommending you extend your time in the city. Therefore, it’s best if you refer to the Kampot section in the two week itinerary above for details of what we recommend you get up to in the city (or just read our Kampot guide).
Vibe / Pepper + photography
DAY SIXTEEN | Travel to the Koh Rong Islands
After the mammoth travel day a few days earlier, your arse will be pleased to know that today involves only two-ish hours on a bus between Kampot and Sihanoukville, and then a 1-2 hour boat ride to the beautiful Koh Rong islands.
We’ve written full guides on getting to Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem, so you all you have to do is pick the right island for you (and you can see a handy little overview of each within the two week Cambodia itinerary).
Travel / Two hour bus from Kampot to Sihanoukville and then another two-ish hours to the island of your choice. We guarantee you’ll be on that beach with a cocktail in hand before the sun sets!
Vibe / Boat + beach time
Plan / How to get to Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem from Sihanoukville
DAY SEVENTEEN TO TWENTY | Enjoy The Koh Rong Islands
We know that most people appreciate a decent chunk of beach time so we’ve factored in four full days on the islands for this trip - it is after all paradise out here.
That should give you plenty of time to relax, unwind, snorkel in the crystal clear waters, maybe even strap on a pair of shoes and head out to explore, have a hangover - or take a couple of short boat trips to around and between the islands.
The choice is yours!
Vibe / Paradise
Plan / Read our guide to Koh Rong Samloem
DAY TWENTY ONE | The Islands - Phnom Penh - Fly
Your last day in Cambodia, but it’s all about making sure you catch that flight home from Phnom Penh International Airport.
To do this, you have a few options.
If you have a very late flight, you can feasibly take the first ferry back to Sihanoukville and then a bus to Phnom Penh. Personally, that may result in a little
Alternatively, you can leave a little later, spend the night in a hotel close to the airport or in Phnom Penh and fly out early the next day. Lastly, if you don’t mind the extra cost, take an internal flight from Sihanoukville to Phnom Penh and then your international flight from there.
Whichever option you pick, please just allow enough time for every eventuality you can think off - we’d hate for you to miss your flight home!
We hope that has helped you to get a head start on putting together your own Cambodia itinerary!
Make sure to check out some of our destination guides linked to within the post for more inspiration and information on each place (start with 13 Wonderful Things To Do in Cambodia) whilst we also recommend everyone reads ‘23 Things to Know Before You Visit Cambodia’ so you can pack, plan, and prepare properly for your own adventure.
