Ultimate Cambodia in Two Weeks

After breakfast, your Phnom Penh sightseeing will start at Royal Palace, the official residence of Cambodian royal families. If lucky, you may have the chance to witness scenes of royal reception. Beyond the iconic golden Khmer-style roofs, you can admire intricate murals depicting the Cambodian adaptation of the epic Indian Ramayana along the corridors outside the Silver Pagoda.

Then, we’ll head to the nearby National Museum of Cambodia. Housing over 6,800 exquisitely crafted artifacts, the chronologically arranged galleries provide a time machine helping you trace the evolution of Khmer art from its early, rigid imitation to the brilliant Angkor art, through sculptures, bronzes, ceramics, and woodwork.

In contrast to Cambodia’s past glory, our next stop records the darkest chapter to its history: Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, aka S-21 Prison. During the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979 AD), nearly 20,000 victims were confined within these walls. Every prisoner sent here was numbered and registered. Thousands of their black-and-white portraits are still hanging on the wall. Looking into the eyes of innocent men, women, mothers holding infants and children will bring a shattering experience. 

For those interrogated at Tuol Sleng, even death was not a quick escape. After enduring brutal torture, they would be transferred to Choeung Ek Killing Fields by trucks for mass execution. At the peak of Khmer Rouge, over 300 people were executed daily. Walking along the path, you can see crater-like mass graves. While a central stupa preserves nearly 9,000 skulls in its glass panels, new fragments and clothing continually appear from soil after heavy rains. The exact number of victims remains unknown until today.

After this heartrending historical journey, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Chaiya Palace Hotel (4 stars) or Hyatt Regency (5 stars), Phnom Penh

Today, your guide and driver will accompany you on a 5-to 6-hour drive to Battambang. As the Phom Penh city is left behind, your view will open up to endless rice paddies. Along the way, we’ll pass through countryside where traditional Khmer stilt houses stand, villagers relax in shade, and water buffalo graze by roadside. If you are interested, we can stop whenever you want to take pictures.

Upon arrival in Battambang, we’ll directly escort you to our handpicked hotel for check-in. After settling in, the rest of the day is yours to relax at your own pace.

► Battambang Free-time Inspiration:
To experience the town’s laid-back lifestyle, we recommend heading to the Sangker River waterfront near the Central Market, which is about a 5-to 10-minute tuk-tuk ride from your hotel. After dark, the market will be closed, but the riverbank will come alive with twinkling lights and vibrant night stalls. Strolling along the promenade, you can catch a refreshing river breeze, watch locals dancing, and immerse yourself in the authentic rhythm of local life.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Bambu Battambang Hotel (4 stars) or Maisons Wat Kor (4 stars), Battambang

Today, we’ll embark on a full-day tour around Battambang. First, we’ll make a pilgrimage to Wat Banan Temple on a hilltop. After climbing over 300 steps, the temple’s five brick towers will come into view. You may be surprised to find that the layout of this temple is quite similar to that of the world-famous Angkor Wat, despite being built more than half a century earlier, which make many historians believe that Wat Banan Temple served as the structural prototype of Angkor Wat. Inside the temple, you’ll find patches of cactus. Just carve your hopes for peace, family and a bright future onto their leaves like locals. 

Leaving the temple, your guide will invite you to experience a unique local transport – bamboo train. In the past, villagers used these bamboo platforms to transport goods and livestock. Before engines were introduced, operators used a long pole to propel themselves move forward along the track, like rowing a boat. Today, this kind of engine-driven on-land raft will escort you through scenic farmlands and rustic ponds. 
► Tip: Since most of the route is unshaded, please prepare sun-protective gear to avoid heat stroke. 

After disembarking the train, we’ll continue to Phnom Sampeau Mountain. Once you ascend the summit, a sweeping view of the countryside will come into your eyes. On the way descending the mountain, we’ll stop at the Killing Caves, another execution site from the Khmer Rouge regime, to mourn for victims. As evening approaches, we’ll arrive at the Bat Caves. Between 5:30 and 6:30 PM, millions of bats pour out of the carven, dashing toward nearby farmland to forage. This “black whirlwind” is a vital part of the local ecosystem, protecting crops from pests. Villagers also harvest bat guano and sell as highly effective organic fertilizer. Moreover, this breathtaking spectacle draws travelers from all over the world, so locals set up stalls selling specialties to supplement their livelihood.

At the end of the day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Bambu Battambang Hotel (4 stars) or Maisons Wat Kor (4 stars), Battambang

Bidding farewell to Battambang, we’ll hit the road to Siem Reap. Upon arrival in 3 hours, your guide and driver will escort to the hotel for check-in and a lunch break.

In the afternoon, we’ll drive to the shore of Tonle Sap Lake, where you’ll board a small boat and cruise to floating villages. The villagers here live like waterborne nomads, adapting to the lake’s seasonal shifts. If you come during the dry season from November to the next April when the water recedes, you’ll see rows of stilt houses rise from the exposed muddy flats. On the ground floor, locals grow vegetables and mend fishing nets. When the lake swells during monsoon season from May to October, these stilt houses will float on the water drifting with the rising tide. After returning to the shore, we’ll escort you back to your hotel.

► Siem Reap Free-time Inspiration:
To experience Siem Reap’s vibrant nightlife, you can visit the Pub Street on your own. It is less than a 10-minute tuk-tuk ride from your hotel. If you want to enjoy a lively atmosphere, just step into a bar and dance to the music. If you prefer a more laid-back evening, you can loll in a chair, order a cocktail, and savor some authentic Cambodian dishes like Fish Amok or Beef Lok Lak.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars) or FCC Angkor by Avani (5 stars), Siem Reap

★ Crowning Touch of Your Tour: Angkor Wat Sunrise

Today, your exploration will reach its climax when you bath in the glow of morning sunlight at Angkor Wat Temple. The sun typically rises between 5:30 and 6:30 AM. To ensure the best view point, your guide will offer an early wake-up call and accompany you to the site 20-30 minutes ahead of time. As dawn breaks, you’ll see the sun rise like a spotlight from the back of the temple’s five iconic towers. As the sky becomes brighter, we’ll step into the galleries to admire the preserved bas-reliefs tracing history and social life of the Khmer Empire (9th-15th century), aka Angkor Dynasty. Up close, you’ll find that the entire structure is built of sandstones which are from mountains 31 kilometers (20 miles) away. More than 900 years ago, without modern machinery, the ancient Cambodians harnessed thousands of elephants to haul and used bamboo rafts to float these stones to the construction site.

After visiting Angkor Wat, we’ll escort you back your hotel for breakfast. If interested, we can also pack breakfast from your hotel so that you can enjoy a picnic while admiring the sunrise.Then, let’s head to Angkor Thom, the ancient capital of the Khmer Empire. We’ll first stop at Bayon Temple at the heart of the ruins. Here, you can use forced perspective to snap a face-to-face photo with the giant Buddha sculptures, known as the “Smile of Angkor.” Passing the nearby Baphuon Temple, we’ll pause at the Terrace of the Elephants. Once the square for the king to review his troops, the terrace now leaves only a stone foundation. However, historical records reveal that 800 years ago, there was a wooden palace on the platform with roofs covered in golden tiles. Over centuries, Cambodia’s tropical climate and the fall of the empire caused the wooden structure to rot, leaving only the stone elephant carvings to whisper its past grandeur.

After visiting the Terrace of the Leper King, we’ll leave Angkor Thom for Preah Kahn Temple. This 12th-century complex was once a national Buddhist university. The path will lead you to the central stupa featuring pockmarked walls. During the Angkorian golden age, these holes were inlaid with rubies, sapphires, and pearls and the walls were sheeted in gold and bronze. When candles were lit, the gems and golden walls would reflect a dazzling glow. Sadly, these treasures were looted during later wars, leaving behind only the bare stone.

We’ll then proceed to Ta Keo, a temple that spanned two dynasties but was never finished. It was said that just as the temple took its shape, a massive bolt of lightning struck the main tower. In ancient times, people thought it was an omen signaling that the deity had rejected the temple. Additionally, the kingdom erupted into a civil war shortly later; so, the site was abandoned, frozen in the deep tropical forest.

Finally, let’s wrap up today’s sightseeing at Ta Prohm Temple, a legendary site swallowed by giant tree roots. As a filming location of the movie “Tomb Raider”, it offers the perfect backdrop to recreate your favorite scenes from the movie. At the end of the day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in the city center of Siem Reap.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars) or FCC Angkor by Avani (5 stars), Siem Reap

In the morning, we’ll embark on a 2.5-hour drive to Koh Ker ruins. Our first stop will be Prasat Bram Temple. Here, you’ll encounter five ancient brick towers, two of which have been entirely strangled by serpent-like tree roots coiling around the structures. Then, make a brief stop at Prasat Krahom Temple. After millennium of weathering, its outer plaster has faded to reveal a mottled dark-red bricks, hence named the “Red Temple”. Stepping through the temple gates, you’ll see collapsed sandstone lintels and galleries flanking the path. At the heart of the ruins stands Prasat Thom Temple. Without elaborate bas-reliefs we have seen at other temples, Prasat Thom was constructed from massive sandstone blocks, resembling a Mayan pyramid in Mexico. Climbing up the wooden ladder to the summit, you’ll take in a sweeping view over the endless, emerald rainforest.

Leaving the ruins, we’ll return to the city center. On the way, make a brief stop at Beng Mealea, a temple that is almost entirely reclaimed by nature. Following an elevated wooden walkway that weaves through the ruins, you can come eye-to-level with giant trees sprouting directly from the ancient walls and overlook the panorama of the temple. 

At the end of the day, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel in downtown Siem Reap. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch 
Accommodation: Tara Angkor Hotel (4 stars) or FCC Angkor by Avani (5 stars), Siem Reap

Today, we’ll leave Siem Reap and drive about 3 hours to Kampong Thom. Upon arrival, let’s directly head to Sambor Prei Kuk temple complex. Unlike Angkor Wat, which was assembled from massive stone blocks, Sambor Prei Kuk was constructed of red bricks and mortar. Craftsmen from over a millennium ago utilized a mysterious organic glue brewed from plant mucilage, palm sugar, buffalo hide, and lime, which not only sealed the walls but also granted them incredible flexibility and resilience, allowing these ancient towers to withstand 1,400 years.

After exploring the ruins, we’ll drive another 40 minutes to Kampong Thom. After checking in at your hotel, your guide will invite you on a leisurely stroll through a nearby village. The stilt houses are surrounded by endless rice paddies, cashew trees, and soaring sugar palms. You might catch a glimpse of locals boiling palm juice into sugar or spreading freshly harvested cashew nuts to dry under the sun. Before night falls, your guide and driver will escort you back to your hotel. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Kampong Thom Palace Hotel (4 stars) or Sambor Village (4 stars), Kampong Thom

After breakfast, your guide and driver will offer a 3.5-hour private car transfer to Kratie, a small town on the bank of Mekong River. Here, we’ll board a ship for a cruise along Mekong River, where you may have a chance to spot the rare Irrawaddy Dolphins. In Khmer culture, these creatures are considered to be the reincarnations of ancestors and a glimpse of such dolphins can bring good fortune and a bountiful catch.

For centuries, these smart dolphins and local fishermen have established a partnership with each other. When fishermen head out, they rhythmically tap the sides of their boats. Hearing the signals, the dolphins will swim over and herd schools of fish toward the nets. Then, the dolphins will slap the water with their tails, giving a sign to fishermen to cast their nets. Any fish that are stunned, scattered, or slip through the mesh will become an easy meal for the dolphins.

To protect the dolphins’ sensitive hearing, the boatmen will turn off the engine once we reach the middle of the river. Listen carefully! When you hear the crisp “puff, puff” of water spouting, you’ll likely see dolphins breaking the water surface.

After this magical river safari, your guide and driver will escort you to the hotel we handpicked for you. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Soriyabori Villas Resort (Deluxe Room or Superior Suite), Kratie

Today, we’ll depart Kratie and drive 2.5 hours to Kampong Cham, where we’ll visit the Wat Nokor Temple. Built between the 11th and 12th centuries, this sanctuary features a unique mingle of modern temple and its ancient ruins. Stepping inside, you’ll see vibrantly painted pillars and a striking roof of blue and orange tiles overhead, which is contrasted against the ancient laterite walls and black sandstone towers. It feels as if you have stepped into a time machine where eras have collided.

Afterward, we’ll continue with another 2.5-hour drive back to Phnom Penh and assist you with hotel check-in.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Chaiya Palace Hotel (4 stars) or Hyatt Regency (5 stars), Phnom Penh

Rise and shine! Let’s embark on a 1.5-hour drive to the foot of Phnom Chisor Mountain. After climbing 200 steps, we’ll reach the Phnom Chisor Temple perched on the summit. Built about 1,000 years ago as a Hindu sanctuary, this site has witnessed centuries of religious shifting. Today, this ancient ruin enshrines Buddhist statues, seamlessly surrounded by a modern Cambodian monastery, where you can see monks in orange robes walking serenely among the weathered pillars. Standing in front of the temple, you can also gain a breathtaking panoramic view over the endless Cambodian plains below.

After descending the mountain, we’ll continue to drive for 2.5 hours to the coastal town of Kep, where your guide and driver will directly escort you to the hotel reserved for you. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy at leisure.

► Kep Free-time Suggestion:
We recommend heading to the Kep Crab Market, which is a 10-minute walk from Veranda Kep Resort and a 3-minute tuk-tuk ride (30-minute walk) from Samanea Beach Resort. The most famous star here is the blue swimmer crab. You can choose your crabs directly from the water and pay a little fee to the vendor to stir-fir them on the spot with the world-famous Kampot peppers. Afterward, take a stroll to the nearby Kep Beach to snap a photo with the iconic giant crab monument and catch a stunning sunset over the Gulf of Thailand.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Veranda Kep Resort (4 stars) or Samanea Beach Resort (4 stars), Kep

After breakfast, your guide and driver will offer a 30-minute drive and escort you to Phnom Chhngok Cave Temple. Stepping into the cavern, you’ll be greeted by a miniature, reddish-brown Hindu shrine dedicated to Shiva. The 7th-century brick temple is spectacularly framed by colossal stalactites hanging from the cave ceiling, some like a stage curtain, while others like elephants.

Leaving the cave, we’ll drive 40 minutes to a Kampot Pepper Farm, where you can trace the cultivation process up close and taste peppercorns freshly plucked from the vines. To maintain their world-renowned quality, local pepper farms strictly ban chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Instead, farmers rely entirely on organic nutrients like cow dung and bat guano, while erecting palm-leaf canopies to shade the vines. You can sample and compare peppers of different colors, experiencing layers of distinct flavors bursting on your tongue. At noon, indulge in a farm-to-table lunch, during which you can savor Khmer cuisine, drinks and desserts infused with freshly harvested pepper, such as pepper Americano and pepper ice cream. 

Finally, we’ll embark on a 2.5- to 3-hour drive back to Phnom Penh. 

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Chaiya Palace Hotel (4 stars) or Hyatt Regency (5 stars), Phnom Penh

Today, your guide and driver will escort you to the Phnom Penh Techo International Airport (KTI) in accordance with your flight schedule. We recommend that you arrive at the airport about 3 hours prior to your departure time to ensure ample time for check-in and security procedures.

► Phnom Penh Free-time Suggestion: 
If you book a later flight, you can head to the Central Market on your own, which takes less than 10 minutes by tuk-tuk from your hotel. As Phnom Penh’s most bustling marketplace, it houses everything from unique local handicrafts and silver trinkets to flavorful local snacks, making it the perfect final stop for souvenirs. 

Meals: Breakfast