Itinerary
Day-by-day routes from five days to a full month — from the temples of Angkor to the rivers of the northeast and the southern coast.
5 Days: Angkor & Phnom Penh
The classic first trip — three days among the temples of Angkor, then two in the capital.
- Siem Reap
- Phnom Penh
Best forFirst-time visitors
PaceModerate
Start → EndSiem Reap → Phnom Penh
-
Day 1
Arrive in Siem Reap
Siem Reap- Check in and settle in
- Angkor National Museum for background before the temples
- Evening walk along the Siem Reap River and the Old Market
-
Day 2
Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom
Angkor Archaeological Park- Sunrise at Angkor Wat
- The faces of the Bayon and the Baphuon
- Terrace of the Elephants and Terrace of the Leper King
- Ta Prohm in the afternoon
-
Day 3
Beyond the main circuit
Banteay Srei & Kbal Spean- The fine pink-sandstone carvings of Banteay Srei
- Hike to Kbal Spean, the River of a Thousand Lingas
- Sunset at Pre Rup or the East Mebon
-
Day 4
To the capital
Phnom Penh- Bus (about 5–6 hours) or a short flight to Phnom Penh
- Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
- Sunset along Sisowath Quay
-
Day 5
History & markets
Phnom Penh- National Museum of Cambodia
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum and the Choeung Ek memorial
- Central Market before you leave
7 Days: Temples, Lake & Coast
Angkor and the Tonle Sap, the capital, then the pepper farms and crab markets of the south.
- Siem Reap
- Tonle Sap
- Phnom Penh
- Kampot
- Kep
Best forA first trip with variety
PaceModerate
Start → EndSiem Reap → Phnom Penh
-
Day 1
Arrive in Siem Reap
Siem Reap- Check in and settle in
- Angkor National Museum
- Evening at the Old Market
-
Day 2
Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom
Angkor Archaeological Park- Sunrise at Angkor Wat
- Bayon, Baphuon and the royal terraces
- Ta Prohm in the afternoon
-
Day 3
Banteay Srei & Kbal Spean
North of Angkor- Banteay Srei’s carvings
- Kbal Spean riverbed carvings
- Sunset at Pre Rup
-
Day 4
The great lake
Tonle Sap & Beng Mealea- Boat trip to the stilted village of Kampong Phluk
- Jungle-wrapped Beng Mealea
- Back to Siem Reap for the night
-
Day 5
To the capital
Phnom Penh- Travel to Phnom Penh
- Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
- National Museum of Cambodia
-
Day 6
History, then the river town
Phnom Penh u2192 Kampot- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum in the morning
- Drive to Kampot (about 3 hours)
- Sunset on the Kampong Bay River
-
Day 7
Pepper & crab
Kampot & Kep- Visit a Kampot pepper farm
- Crab market lunch in Kep
- Return to Phnom Penh to fly out
10 Days: The Heartland Loop
Angkor and its far-flung temples, Battambang’s countryside, the capital and the south coast.
- Siem Reap
- Battambang
- Phnom Penh
- Kampot
- Kep
Best forCulture and countryside
PaceRelaxed to moderate
Start → EndSiem Reap → Phnom Penh
-
Day 1
Arrive in Siem Reap
Siem Reap- Settle in
- Angkor National Museum
- Old Market in the evening
-
Day 2
Angkor Wat & Angkor Thom
Angkor Archaeological Park- Sunrise at Angkor Wat
- Bayon and the royal terraces
- Ta Prohm
-
Day 3
Temples & barays
Angkor Archaeological Park- Banteay Srei
- East Mebon and Pre Rup
- Sunset over the West Baray
-
Day 4
Koh Ker & Beng Mealea
Preah Vihear province- Day trip to Koh Ker, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2023
- Beng Mealea on the way back
-
Day 5
To Battambang
Battambang- Road (about 3 hours), or the seasonal boat along the Tonle Sap and Sangker River
- Colonial-era riverside streets
- Evening circus by Phare Ponleu Selpak
-
Day 6
Battambang countryside
Battambang- Bamboo train ride
- Phnom Sampov and the sunset bat exodus
- Wat Ek Phnom
-
Day 7
To the capital
Phnom Penh- Travel to Phnom Penh (about 5 hours)
- Evening along the riverside
-
Day 8
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh- Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda
- National Museum
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum
-
Day 9
Kampot
Kampot- Drive south to Kampot
- Bokor Mountain
- River sunset
-
Day 10
Kep & home
Kep u2192 Phnom Penh- Pepper farm visit
- Crab market in Kep
- Return to Phnom Penh
14 Days: Rivers, Mountains & Sea
Add the Mekong and the highlands — river dolphins, elephants and Bunong villages — before the coast.
- Siem Reap
- Banteay Meanchey
- Battambang
- Phnom Penh
- Kratie
- Mondulkiri
- Kampot
- Kep
Best forNature and slow travel
PaceModerate
Start → EndSiem Reap → Phnom Penh
-
Days 1–3
Siem Reap & Angkor
Siem Reap- Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and Ta Prohm
- Banteay Srei and Kbal Spean
- The barays at sunset: East Mebon, Pre Rup, West Baray
-
Day 4
Banteay Chhmar
Banteay Meanchey- Bas-reliefs and face towers of Banteay Chhmar
- Optional community homestay
- Continue to Battambang
-
Days 5–6
Battambang
Battambang- Bamboo train and countryside by tuk-tuk
- Phnom Sampov bat exodus
- Phare Ponleu Selpak circus
-
Days 7–8
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh- Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda and National Museum
- Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek
- Riverside evenings
-
Day 9
Via Tboung Khmum to Kratie
Tboung Khmum u2192 Kratie- Stop at the Memot circular earthworks
- Arrive on the Mekong at Kratie
-
Day 10
River dolphins
Kratie- Irrawaddy dolphins at Kampi
- Cycle around Koh Trong island
- Mekong sunset
-
Days 11–12
Mondulkiri highlands
Mondulkiri- Elephant visit with a community-run sanctuary
- Bou Sra Waterfall
- Bunong villages and rolling grasslands
-
Day 13
South to Kampot
Kampot- Long travel day via Phnom Penh
- Evening by the river
-
Day 14
Kep & home
Kep u2192 Phnom Penh- Pepper farm and crab market
- Return to Phnom Penh to fly out
30 Days: The Grand Cambodia Journey
A month to see almost every side of Cambodia — temples, frontier provinces, the wild northeast, the Mekong and the islands.
- Siem Reap
- Banteay Meanchey
- Battambang
- Phnom Penh
- Kampong Thom
- Preah Vihear
- Ratanakiri
- Mondulkiri
- Kratie
- Kampot
- Koh Rong
Best forDeep explorers
PaceRelaxed
Start → EndSiem Reap → Phnom Penh
-
Days 1–4
Siem Reap & Angkor
Siem Reap- The main Angkor circuit and the barays
- Banteay Srei, Kbal Spean and Phnom Kulen
- Tonle Sap floating villages and Beng Mealea
-
Day 5
The frontier province
Banteay Meanchey- Banteay Chhmar
- Sarus Cranes at the Ang Trapeang Thmor wetlands (dry season)
-
Days 6–7
Battambang
Battambang- Bamboo train and countryside
- Phnom Sampov and Wat Ek Phnom
- Circus night
-
Day 8
Pottery & river towns
Kampong Chhnang- Clay-pot villages
- Floating communities on the Tonle Sap
-
Days 9–10
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh- Royal Palace, museums and markets
- Day trip to Oudong, a former royal capital
-
Days 11–12
Pre-Angkorian heartland
Kampong Thom- Sambor Prei Kuk, ancient Isanapura
- Preah Khan of Kampong Svay, reached via Stoung district
-
Days 13–14
Mountain temples
Preah Vihear- Prasat Preah Vihear on its clifftop
- Koh Ker
-
Days 15–18
The wild northeast
Stung Treng & Ratanakiri- Mekong channels around Stung Treng
- Swim in the Yeak Laom crater lake
- Waterfalls and hill-tribe villages
-
Days 19–20
Mondulkiri
Mondulkiri- Elephant sanctuary visit
- Bou Sra Waterfall
-
Days 21–22
Down the Mekong
Kratie & Tboung Khmum- Irrawaddy dolphins at Kampi
- Memot earthworks on the way south
-
Day 23
Back to the capital
Phnom Penh- Rest day and riverside evening
-
Days 24–26
Kampot & Kep
Kampot & Kep- Pepper farms and Bokor Mountain
- Crab market and Rabbit Island
-
Days 27–29
The islands
Koh Rong & Koh Rong Samloem- Beaches, snorkelling and night plankton
-
Day 30
Fly home
Phnom Penh- Expressway back to Phnom Penh for your flight
Before you go
When to visitNovember to February is cool and dry. March to May is the hottest stretch, and the green season brings rain from about May to October.
Angkor PassChoose a 1-, 3- or 7-day pass for the Angkor Archaeological Park. Some sites further out, such as Koh Ker and Beng Mealea, sell their own tickets.
Getting aroundLong-distance buses and minivans link the main towns. Tuk-tuks are the easiest way around cities and the Angkor temples.
Travel times are approximate and change with road works and seasons. Check opening hours and ticket prices locally before you go.
