Cambodia itinerary, you said? Search no more. This 2-week guide will help you plan your trip through the land of the Khmer. Stunning temples, gorgeous beaches, delicious food and oh-so friendly locals – get ready to be blown away by beautiful Cambodia.
1. Siem Reap
Siem Riep it is the perfect place to start your Cambodia trip. Not only does Siem Reap have an airport making it really easy to access, there are also many buses from neighboring countries such as Thailand and Vietnam that go to Siem Riep every day.
Home to Cambodia’s biggest pride: Angkor Wat, it’s non negotiable whether Siem Riep is worth a visit or not. Angkor Wat is so big you can easily wander around for days.
However, Angkor Wat isn’t the only must-see in Siem Reap. What else you can do in Siem Reap you can read here.
Recommended time for staying in Siem Reap: 4 days/3 nights.
2. Battambang
Battambang is Cambodia’s second biggest city, but once you arrive in this friendly place you definitely wouldn’t say so. It is a lot more quiet than for instance Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, and the locals are super friendly. You can book a bus from Siem Riep which takes you to Battambang in about 5 hours. While you’re in Battambang you can rent a tuk-tuk which will bring you to all the highlights of the area, like a hilarious ride on the bamboo train or a visit to the bat and killing caves.
Recommended time for staying in Battambang: 3 days/2 nights
3 – Sihanoukville
After Battambang it is time to travel south. Prepare yourselves for a long bus ride. The bus goes from Battambang via Phnom Penh to Sihanoukville. When I did this trip we left at 7 in the morning and arrived in Sihanoukville at night.
Unfortunately Sihanoukville is far from the authentic Cambodia. There are beach bars everywhere, all run by westerners and the beach is just overly crowded and, well, ugly.
Every two meters you’re approached by backpackers inviting you to “their awesome bar” that night, with long happy hours and free shots.
The only reason I recommend going to Sihanoukville is it’s because it’s where the ferry to Koh Rong leaves from. Otherwise I wouldn’t recommend going here at.
Note: I haven’t been to Otres Beach so maybe that particular area in Sihanoukville is worth visiting, but from what I have seen Sihanoukville is the Cambodian version of Salou or Magaluf.
Recommended time for staying in Sihanoukville: none – run while you still can! Otherwise just 1 night.
4. Koh Rong
Are you ready for some crystal clear blue waters and stunning white beaches? Can’t wait to fully indulge yourself into the island life, after all the hustle and bustle on Cambodia’s mainland? Then Koh Rong should be your next stop.
From Sihanoukville it’s a one hour ferry ride to Koh Rong. If you read some of my blogs before you know I personally developed a love/hate relationship with this particular island. If you’re curious why, then read more in my blog post “The two sides of Koh Rong”.
Recommended time for staying in Koh Rong: 3 days/2 nights
5. Kampot
When you take the ferry back to Sihanoukville you can book a minivan to Kampot, which will take you there in under three hours.
To me, Kampot felt like coming home. French influences are clearly seen everywhere, there’s a couple of great lunchrooms with good coffee (finally!) and the best way to get around is what makes every Dutch heart beat faster: by bike. Unfortunately I spent most of my days in bed because I was still sick from my visit to Koh Rong, but there’s plenty to do around Kampot like visiting the Secret Lake, going rock climbing and simply exploring this town on your bicycle.
Recommended time for staying in Kampot: 4 days/3 nights
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh was our last stop and might well be one of my least favorite cities in Southeast Asia. The atmosphere is grim, you have to be very careful not to get robbed and it is just an ugly city.
But that doesn’t mean it’s not absolutely worth your visit. Two of Cambodia’s most important war memorials are to be found in Phnom Penh: the Killing Fields and the Tuol Sleng Prison – an absolute MUST when you go to Cambodia. If you want to read about my experiences when visiting these two impressive war memorials, then you can do so in my blog post “The Dark History of beautiful Cambodia”.
Recommended time for staying in Phnom Penh: 3 days/2 nights
I hope this will help you on your way planning your trip to this amazing country. Please note that the above is based on my own personal experiences and that there might be loads of other travelers out there who do have soft spot for places like Phnom Penh or Sihanoukville.
All pictures in this blog post were edited with Eef’s Presets – get yours here.
Enjoy beautiful Cambodia!
❤ Eef
No Comments