Introduction : Why I Chose Cambodia
I have always been fascinated by Cambodia. Located between Vietnam, Laos and Thailand, Cambodia is most famous for their ‘8th wonder of the world’ Angkor Wat. Whenever I read articles about Cambodia, look into travel itineraries or listen to stories of people who visited the country, one reoccurring aspect I never understand is that usually a trip to Cambodia will be combined with one or more neighbouring countries and tours will only spend a few days in this wonderful place, stopping at the capital and Angkor Wat. So I started looking into what else Cambodia had to offer. And what I found was more than I could ever imagine… In March 2019, I finally set out to discover this often underrated country and prove that Cambodia is much more than Angkor Wat!
I hope you enjoy this post and it can inspire you to add Cambodia to your travel list. I will be sharing my stories and many money-saving tips so you can get the most out of your Cambodia experience! Be sure to check the CONCLUSION, TOTAL COST and FAQ sections at the end of this post for some surprising reveals! I’ll look forward to hear your opinion so feel free to get back to me on social media or in the comment section.
Itinerary
I spend 12 days travelling around Cambodia (which is still not enough to see all I had found). Since I’ve explored both the Northern and Southern cities, and most major roads pass through the capital city, the itinerary will include Phnom Penh more than once. This is convenient since there is plenty to experience in this marvellous city!
- Day 1 : Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s Capital
- Day 2 : Siem Reap, Gateway to the Angkor complex
- Day 3 : Angkor Wat Archeological Park
- Day 4 : Siem Reap & Battambang
- Day 5 : Battambang
- Day 6 : Battambang & Phnom Penh
- Day 7 : Phnom Penh & Kep
- Day 8 : Kep & Kampot
- Day 9 : Bokor National Park
- Day 10 : Sihanoukville
- Day 11 : Koh Rong
- Day 12 : Back to Phnom Penh
A short word about my ‘travel style’. I spend enough time in each location to truly experience the culture, see all the important sights and visit the popular attractions. I will be actively going from place to place. Feel free to take some more time to relax and adjust this travel plan to match your travel pace!
I divide all local attractions and sights in three categories: Essential Attractions, Recommended Sights and Optional Places. I will also be sharing recommendations on the best lodgings that I’ve compared for you, divided in two categories: best low-cost and best value for money. Be sure to use the provided links so you can get even lower prices where possible!
Phnom Penh
- Essential Attractions
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum – $5
- Royal Palace – $10
- Central Market
- Recommended Sights
- Choeung Ek Killing Fields – $3
- Night Market
- Optional Places
- National Museum – $5
- Wat Phnom – $1
- Russian Market
- Skybars
Where to stay in Phnom Penh?
I always try out different places so I can compare and offer the best advice for my readers. Furthermore, you can use the links underneath to receive additional discounts when booking your lodgings! Be sure to use them to help yourself save money while supporting the free content on this website!
1. Booking.com – Phnom Penh
Best Low-Cost: I found some great, budget-friendly homestays that allow you to stay in the capital city for a low price! Since I spend 3 nights in Phnom Penh, I wanted to try out three different places to be able to share the best advice. I stayed in Pich Guesthouse on the first night, Lakeside Guesthouse the second time I came to Phnom Penh and the Burly Guesthouse on the last night.
Best Value for Money: If you want some more luxury while still having a good price/quality experience, I can recommend the Sarina Hotel & village or The Bridge Club.
2. Airbnb
Airbnb is a great choice for accommodation if you are staying longer than one night in Phnom Penh. You can pick from private rooms, studios, to 5 bedroom apartments! If you have not used Airbnb I highly recommend it.
Siem Reap
- Essential Attractions
- Angkor Archeological park (1 day) – $39
- Recommended Sights
- Apsara Dance Show + dinner buffet – $12
- Siem Reap/Angkor Night Market (Street 8)
- Optional Places
- The Floating Village on Tonle Sap Lake (Boat trip) – $20
- Cambodian Cultural Village
- Prasat Beng Mealea & Kaoh Ker – $10
Where to stay in Siem Reap?
1. Booking.com – Siem Reap
Best Low-Cost: I spend both nights in the Siem Reap Pub Hostel since it has a good central location, provides assistance with booking local activities and has one of the better prices. And as a bonus you can use their beautiful pool!
Best Value for Money: Some good alternative lodgings in Siem Reap are Silver Smith Residence and the eOcambo Resort & Spa if you want some more comfort!
2. Airbnb
Angkor Wat Archeological Park
- Essential Attractions
- Angkor Wat
- Bayon Temple
- Ta Prohm (Indiana Jones) Temple
- Angkor Thom
- Recommended Sights
- Preah Khan
- Terrace of the Elephants
- Neak Pean
- Sunrise to Sunset experience
- Optional Places
- East Mebon
- Bakong
- Terrace of the Leper King
- Phimeanakas
After a visit to the Angkor Wat Archeological Park, you go back to Siem Reap and stay in any of the places listed above. Or use the provided Booking.com & Airbnb links to try something new!
Battambang
- Essential Attractions
- Bamboo Train Experience – $5 + $1 tip
- Phnom Sampov Complex + Killing Cave – $2
- Watch millions of bats fly out of the Phnom Sampov Bat Cave!
- Phnom Banan Temple – $2
- Ek Phnom Temple – $1
- Recommended Sights
- Crocodile Farm – $2
- Artisanal Rice Paper Crafting
- Battambang Night Market
- Optional Places
- Sangke Pagoda
- Battambang Winery
- Battambang Provincial Museum – $1
- Lok Ta Dambong Kra Nhoung monument
Where to stay in Battambang?
1. Booking.com – Battambang
Best Low-Cost: Two really budget friendly but still decent options for staying are the Shanghai Guest House and the Lucky Hostel. Both places offer rooms and very low rates, of course you’ll only have the basics. Be sure to take rooms with AC if you go in the dry season!
Best Value for Money: But since hotels in Battambang are among the lowers around, this is the perfect place to enjoy a luxurious 4-star experience very cheap! Be sure to check out the Vimean Sovannaphoum Resort and the Phka Villa Hotel and enjoy all they have to offer!
2. Airbnb
Kep
- Essential Attractions
- Two-way boat trip to Koh Thonsáy (Rabbit Island) – $7
- See the White Lady Statue
- Recommended Sights
- Eat seafood at Kep market
- Snorkeling at Koh Thonsáy
- Optional Places
- Kep National Park
- Wat Samathi Pagoda
Where to stay in Kep?
1. Booking.com – Kep
Best Low-Cost: The Rega Guest House offers nice rooms at low prices, and is located close to the pier going to Koh Thonsáy! Be sure to book a room with AC, the few extra dollars are worth it.
Best Value for Money: Kep has some amazingly beautiful hotels, but most of them are quite pricy. That’s why the Kep Bay Hotel & Resort and the Mealea Resort are two perfect options for those who want to have the full ‘Resort Experience’ while still paying reasonable prices. And with these links you will pay even less. 😉
2. Airbnb
Kampot
- Essential Attractions
- See the Durian Roundabout
- Kampot Night Market
- Visit the Bokor National Park
- Recommended Sights
- Visit the Salt Fields
- Visit the Pepper Plantation ‘La Plantation’
- Phnom Chhngok Cave Temple – $1
- Optional Places
- Kampot Provincial Museum – $2
Where to stay in Kampot?
1. Booking.com – Kampot
Best Low-Cost: I couldn’t pass up the chance to stay in a swamp bungalow next to the river, so I booked the night at the Kampot River Bungalow. The nearby Kapot River Residence allows you to stay in a traditional Khmer house, surrounded by beautiful scenery. I can recommend both as they offer more than just lodgings, your stay will become an experience!
Best Value for Money: The Orchid Bokor Boutique Resort and the Kapot View Boutique Hotel are two well-priced establishments that offer nice comfort and luxury while still at very honest prices!
2. Airbnb
Bokor National Park
- Essential Attractions
- Visit the Povokvil Waterfalls – $0,75
- Sampov Pram Pagoda
- Explore the Black Palace Ruins
- The Giant Yeay Mao Buddha Monument
- Recommended Sights
- Bokor Hill Station Ruins
- See the Bokor Church
- Optional Places
- Walk through the ‘Rice Fields’
- Bokor Mountain River Lake
- Visit the Chinese Temple
Where to stay in Bokor: If you want to stay in the heart of the Bokor National Park instead of returning to Kampot, the Thansur Sokha Hotel will be an unforgettable experience and the perfect place from where to explore the entire national park!
Sihanoukville
- Essential Attractions
- Otres Beach
- Two-way Fast Ferry to Koh Rong – $22 (slow boats from $5)
- Recommended Sights
- Ochheuteal Beach
- Otres Beach Village
- Take a picture with the Golden Lions Roundabout
- Optional Places
- Leu Pagoda
- Ream National Park
- Kbal Chhay Waterfalls – $1
- Independance Beach
Where to stay in Sihanoukville?
1. Booking.com – Sihanoukville
Best Low-Cost: Most low-cost lodgings can be found in and around the Otres village. I stayed over at Arny’s Rest Guesthouse, and also checked out Mama Clares, another low-priced bungalow near the waterfront.
Best Value for Money: Many large hotels are currently being build to support the expected wave of increased tourism in Sihanoukville. The ones that offer the best value for money here are the Samot Baitong Resort for those who want to stay near Otres beach, or the Grand Sihanouk Ville hotel if you prefer to stay closer to the city centre and the pier going to Koh Rong.
2. Airbnb
Koh Rong
- Essential Attractions
- Walk along the Koh Toch Beach
- Explore around Koh Rong Community Pier
- Relax at Long Beach
- See the Bioluminescent Plankton at night
- Recommended Sights
- Explore Long Set Beach
- Visit Koh Rong Sanloem – $5
- Optional Places
- High Point Rope Park – $30
- Beach Parties on Police Beach – $12
Where to stay in Koh Rong?
1. Booking.com – Koh Rong
Best Low-Cost: I enjoyed my stay at the Highland Beach Bungalow, from where I had a nice view over the nearby village. If you don’t mind being a small boat ride from the main pier to Coconut Beach, the Coconut Beach Bungalows offer nice low-budget lodgings and they provide pick-up from the main pier as well.
Best Value for Money: Koh Rong has some breathtakingly beautiful hotels with their own private beach, asking hundreds of dollars a night. Don’t burn all your money on these places, when some more budget-friendly alternatives provide the same comforts, such as the Koh Rong Hill Beach Resort for the beach life feeling or the Tamu Koh Rong if you want to have a jungle-themed experience!
2. Airbnb
Conclusion
To summarize, Cambodia has much to offer travellers wanting to discover this beautiful country, so I can recommend everyone who wants to see the world to go there at least once. Take your time to go around and you’ll find that whether you’re looking for adventure, culture, history or relaxation, Cambodia can offer it all! And if you can only spend a few days in Cambodia, I’d recommend focusing on the Northern part, from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap and Battambang, if possible.
Total Cost
So let’s take a look at the budget you’ll need to have this full 12 day Cambodia experience that takes you all over the country and let’s you see all essential and recommended activities . This overview included every location listed in the itinerary above, with the mentioned low-cost lodings, transportation and food! This cost is based on my experience when I traveled through Cambodia in March 2019 using the secrets and tips from this blog!
Flight, visa and vaccines were not added since this cost depend on your personal situation. For Cambodia the entry visa costs $30 or $36 for an e-visa. People from exempt countries (click link for list) do not need a visa to gain entry. Be sure to check out the various travel hacks to greatly reduce the price of flight tickets.
FAQ
Which place was the highlight of your trip?
From time to time people will ask me which of the places on this itinerary stood out the most, and people often seem shocked or surprised by my answer. My favorite city might not be as famous as the Angkor Archeological Park (which definitely needs to be on your travel list!) or the historical sights in Phnom Penh that will create lasting impressions, but in my opinion there is no better place to see and experience the real Cambodia then … Battambang. What is even more important to understand is that the window of opportunity to experience this wonderful city the way it is today, is slowing closing. Battambang is becoming more and more developed and tourist-focused, and I am certain it will become a major tourist location in the near future!
How many days should I plan to visit the Angkor Wat Archeological Park?
In my opinion, 1 full day is enough to see the most impressive temples in the complex and really feel how impressive this world heritage site is. To clarify, you cannot see everything there is to see in this one day. There are many tours that offer a ‘sunrise to sunset‘ package, and personally I loved. I also overheard tourists who only visited for half a day, stating that “after a while the temples start to feel alike”. I think this feeling depends on how much you love the historical and cultural aspect of travelling. I found something unique in every temple I visited, but I know some people will not feel the same.
Another reason why 1 day will be enough is because the ticket for foreigners to enter the Angkor Archeological Park is $39, and a two-day ticket is double that price. Only starting from three days does the daily rate become a bit cheaper. And lastly, there are many more temples in Cambodia than those the Angkor Archeological Park. If you’re travelling around the country, you’ll definitely visit some other unique temples, so keep this in mind as well.
How can I best get around the Angkor Wat Archeological Park?
It is recommended to have your own tuk-tuk driver to drive you around, they will be able to show you the best places. You can also go with an organized tour. I do not advise using bicycles (especially in the dry season you’ll be too tired to visit the temples and drive around on a bicycle in the burning sun) or pay for the elephant rides. One of the cheapest ways to go around is renting a scooter with a driver, as foreigners are not allowed to drive around on their own! If you have the money, you can also look into the helicopter or balloon rides.
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