If you’re looking to make the most of your time in Cambodia, read on for a two week itinerary of this Southeast Asian gem. Many make the mistake of spending too little time in Cambodia during backpacking trips, or even worse, cutting out this incredible country altogether. 14 days is hardly enough time to see all of what Cambodia has to offer, but we’ve put together this itinerary to give you a taste!
We divided your 14 days to FIVE (5) major destinations in Cambodia: Siem Reap, Battambang, Phnom Penh, Kampot, and Sihanoukville and of course let’s not forget The Cambodian Islands.
Our 14-day itinerary begins at Siem Reap, of course, Cambodia’s most popular tourist destination. Siem Reap is the home to the great wonder that is Angkor Wat, and the temple complex. This itinerary has been developed with the independent wandering traveler in mind, however, you may also want to take a good look at our adventures packages, these offer consolidated tour options for different days with the benefits of substantial savings for those that want to travel with a group.
DAY 1 – Arrive In Siem Reap
SIEM REAP (4 DAYS)
After spending your first night in Siem Reap in our Mad Monkey Hostel, a backpackers’ best haven in Southeast Asia, today is your official Day 1.(other suggestions down the page) And since you deserve a spectacular welcome to Cambodia, Day 1 should be devoted to a full-day siem reap tours—and to be continued the following day (yes, a two-day tour), because you ought to experience the best that the major temple ruins in Cambodia have to offer. Of course if you dont want to stay with us, ( party hostels are not for everyone) then consider these options.
Families – The best option would be to rent an apartment short term from [eafl id=6588 name=”Karavansara Residences” text=”Karavansara Residences”], they have two pools and are located in a great area, or [eafl id=6626 name=”Steung Siemreap Residences ” text=”Steung Siemreap Residences “]are also good, a great family hotel i would suggest is [eafl id=6627 name=”The River Garden Siem Reap” text=”The River Garden Siem Reap”].
Happy Angkor Tour, a group of famous tour guides licensed and recognized by the Ministry of Tourism, suggests this less-crowded two-day Angkor tour. With their many years of experience touring folks around Cambodia, especially in Siem Reap, it is wise to listen to them, or you can simply book your tour at The Mad Monkey and visit the temples at your own pace.
Start your morning at Angkor Wat, followed by Angkor Thom (Bayon, Elephants Terrace, Palilay, Dead gate). In the afternoon, visit Prah Khan, by walking on the small path through the jungle to enter the temple from the south gate (less tourists), then enjoy the sunset at Phnom Bakheng.
Where to stay in Siem Reap
Luxury Hotels – [eafl id=6592 name=”Park Hyatt Siem Reap” text=”Park Hyatt Siem Reap”], [eafl id=6596 name=”Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa” text=”Victoria Angkor Resort and Spa”] and [eafl id=6594 name=”Borei Angkor Resort & Spa Siem Reap” text=”Borei Angkor Resort & Spa”]
Mid Range – [eafl id=6589 name=”Siem Reap Villa” text=”Siem Reap Villa”], [eafl id=6582 name=”Bloom Garden Guesthouse Siem Reap” text=”Bloom Garden Guesthouse”], [eafl id=6581 name=”Siem Reap Green Home” text=”Green Home Guesthouse”]
Budget Hotels –Naga Angkor Budget Hotel (awesome) [eafl id=6583 name=”Velkommen Siem Reap” text=”Velkommen”]
Hostels -The Mad Monkey, best hostel in Siem Reap (in our opinion) – also you can try [eafl id=6584 name=”Hi Siem Reap” text=”Hi Siem Reap”] or One Stop Hostel.
DAY 2 – Angkor Sunrise Temple Tour
Catch the sunrise at Angkor Wat before you eat your breakfast. Then visit Pre Rup, built as the state temple of Khmer king Rajendravarman, and Banteay Samre—and you may avoid the crowd by entering the east entrance by walking on the ox-cart path through the local village, which is flanked by a rice paddy field and Cambodian traditional houses. Afterward, head off to Banteay Srei, a 10th-century Cambodian temple dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva.
In the afternoon, visit Ta Promh (from north entrance through the jungle), then the sandstone-made temple-mountain Ta Keo. Then visit the Artisan D’Angkor, for some Cambodian fine arts and crafts, then enjoy the Floating Village on Tonle Sap Lake at Chong Kneas Village.
Cap off the day with a scrumptious dinner while enjoying the Cambodian Traditional Performance (Apsara Show).
DAY 3 – Vist Kulen National Park
Go for an adventure at the Phnom Kulen National Park with various activities of your choice: mountain-biking through jungles and streams, see the largest reclining Buddha statue in Cambodia, the Buddhist temples and ancient Hindu carvings in riverbeds, and take meals by the waterfalls. The Mad Monkey offers the lowest cost Phnom Kulen tours available for backpackers on a budget, check our day tours for more information.
DAY 4 – Take in the show at Phare Cambodian Circus
After the previous day’s adventure, rest your sore muscles and visit the Cambodia Landmine Museum and the The Angkor National Museum. You can also visit the Khmer Ceramics Fine Arts Centre and take home some souvenirs.
In the evening, attend a must-see show: Phare, The Cambodian Circus, one of Siem Reap’s tourist highlights, which got plenty of 5-star ratings at Tripadvisor. It’s a unique live show that tells Cambodian stories through a fantastic combination of circus, theater, and musical. You can visit the tours section on our website, which organizes a Phare Tour or you can simply book it at The Mad Monkey if you are staying with us.
BATTAMBANG (2 DAYS)
DAY 5 – Visiting Battambang, where to stay what to do
Another popular tourist destination, all be it a less traveled one is Battambang. Get a tuk tuk driver/travel guide, or rent yourself a bike and go on a DYI full-day Battambang tour: mingle with the locals, visit small villages, including the cultural village of Watkor, and the agricultural villages of Kompong Seyma and Ksach Puoy. There, you must try the food stalls, visit the Battambang Provincial Museum, and bike your way up north to the Ek Phnom temple, an Angkor-type temple ruin. Unfortunately there is no Mad Monkey hostel in Battambang, but we can recommend the following hotels based on our experience, , we have stayed in them all and would be happy to again, we wont recommend anything that we have not tried ourselves!
Where to stay in Battambang
Families – I can highly recommend the [eafl id=6628 name=”Battambang Resort” text=”Battambang Resort”], awesome owners and great for families.
Luxury Hotels – [eafl id=6629 name=”The Vimean Sovannaphoum Resort Battambang” text=”Vimean Sovannaphoum Resort”] or [eafl id=6630 name=”Bambu Hotel Battambang” text=”Bambu Hotel”] otherwise.
Mid Range – [eafl id=6631 name=”The Delux Villa” text=”The Delux Villa”] is the top choice for romantics, [eafl id=6632 name=”Au Cabaret Vert Battambang” text=”Au Cabaret Vert”] is also great.
Budget Hotels – The [eafl id=6633 name=”Emerald Hotel Battambang” text=”Emerald Hotel”] is great, [eafl id=6634 name=”Seasons Guesthouse Battambang” text=”Seasons Guesthouse”] would be my second choice.
Hostels -Here be Dragons, My Homestay, Ganesha Family Guesthouse, all should be available to walk ins.
DAY 6 – Ride the bamboo train and see the Batambang caves
This is you Phnom Sampeu Day.Take the infamous Bamboo train and feast your eyes with amazing views until you reach Sampeu Hill. There, visit the Killing Caves and see thousands of skulls and bones and be transported back in time to a macabre Cambodian history of Kmer Rhouge violence.
Up at the hill, there’s a colorful monastery and restaurants. And, of course, melt your heart away with the stunning view from the top. It is recommended that you also visit Buddha caves, and especially the bat cave at sunset and witness their mass exit against the dramatic backdrop of the orange sky, over one million bats take flight at sunset and it really is something memorizing to see.
DAY 7 – Half way through your 14 day itinerary – Arrival In Phnom Penh Cambodia
PHNOM PENH (2 DAYS)
Yes, two days in the capital city. After a night at the Mad Monkey Hostel at Phnom Penh, go sightseeing and understand Cambodia’s important history by going on an audio tour at Choeung Ek Killing Fields memorial, a pagoda made up of some 8,000 human skulls, then proceed to the Toul Sleng Genocide Museum, which chronicles the Cambodian genocide.
After a Khmer lunch at an NGO training restaurant, visit the National Museum of Cambodia for a sight of beautiful relics and sculpture with lessons on the Khmer Empire.
Then, a must-visit is the Royal Palace, home to Cambodia’s royalty since 1866, then take a relaxing stroll at the nearby Sisowath Quay, a popular boulevard home to cafes, shops, palm trees, and manicured lawns.
At night, experience more Cambodian art at the Meta House, where they screen movies about Cambodia, some experimental video art and live music — all free of charge! If you really dont want to stay at The Mad Monkey it is OK, we know that Phnom Penhs best party hostels are not for everybody.
The Mad Monkey Hostel in Phnom Penh
Where to stay in Phnom Penh
Families – I can highly recommend the Billabong Hotel for family stays.
Luxury Hotels – [eafl id=6599 name=”Quay Hotel Phnom Penh” text=”Quay Hotel Phnom Penh”] on riverside for romance, otherwise [eafl id=6605 name=”The Governers House Hotel Phnom Penh” text=”The Governers House Hotel”],[eafl id=6606 name=”Samsara Villa Phnom Penh” text=”Samsara Villa Phnom Penh”]
Mid Range – There are some great choices here, if it were me I would stay at [eafl id=6598 name=”One Up Hotel” text=”One Up Hotel”], [eafl id=6602 name=”Patio Hotel Phnom Penh” text=”Patio Hotel Phnom Penh”] or [eafl id=6601 name=”Plantation Hotel Phnom Penh” text=”Plantation Hotel Phnom Penh”], they are all reasonable cost and similar to the experience you would expect to receive in a 5 star hotel.
Budget Hotels – In my humble opinion you would get a better stay at one of Phnom Penh’s best hostels than going to the budget hotels, many of which you can rent by the hour. Trust me try the hostels.
Hostels -The Mad Monkey Hostel – Of Course! But if you dont want to stay in a Party Hostel we have listed the best Phnom Penh’s best hostels for you in another article under our backpackers guide to Phnom Penh.
DAY 8 – Visit Silk Island and markets
Early in the morning, take the tuk tuk to cross the Japanese Friendship Bridge and take a ferry boat to reach Mekong Island, where you can enjoy a leisurely, lazy tour of the island and meet the friendliest folks. There, visit the Silk Island (Koh Dach) by bike, and observe actual silk-weaving in the village, and buy local products for souvenirs. Visit fish farms, rice fields, and Buddhist temples.
Then spend the rest of the day back in the city. Go on a famed Wat Ounalum Tour, no admission fee. If you have more time left, visit the Central Market, Asia’s biggest market, for some more souvenirs and traditional foods.
DAY 9 – Arrive In Kampot
KAMPOT (2 DAYS)
Take the bus from Phnom Penh and visit this relaxing small town in southeast Cambodia, with the riverside as its main tourist attraction, plus the surrounding hills.
Your Day 1 should be devoted to the Bokor National Park. Although it is dying from the development of a large casino, ruining the charm of the abandoned French hill station, the stunning views from the mountain is still worth the visit. See the Popokvil Waterfall, the Ruins of The Black Palace, once King Sihanouk‘s residence, and the majestic rice fields. Or you can opt for a Kampot mountain tour. You can travel independently or you can choose to take one of the tour options packaged within the Kampot Kamikaze tour, this is a Mad Monkey tour of the South East and its highly rated, however you will need to be staying with TThe Mad Monkey in Kampot to go on any of the tours as they are exclusive to Mad Monkey customers.
DAY 10 – What to do in Kampot
Viist Pepper Farms, Salt Fields, the Cham Fishing Village, and cave temples, like the Phnom Chhnork with its pre-Angkorian shrines and “lost worlds.”
You may also go to Teuk Chouu Rapids for a swim and a picnic. Then head on to the Teuk Chouu Zoo for a sight of tigers, elephants, leopards, and gibbons. You will find a full article about the best things to do in Kampot in our 10 Reasons to visit Kampot guide, part of our Kampot backpacker guide articles.
Where to stay in Kampot
Families – I would suggest staying at [eafl id=6635 name=”The Two Moons Kampot ” text=”The Two Moons”], it has a big pool and is close to town, otherwise the other pool in town is the Mad Monkey, so i would suggest heading over the river to Villa Vedici if you are dead set on a pool.
Luxury Hotels – [eafl id=6636 name=”Villa Vedici Kampot” text=”Villa Vedici”]- by the river, (Romantic choice), [eafl id=6637 name=”The Columns Kampot ” text=”The Columns Kampot “] (posh) [eafl id=6638 name=”NATAYA Round House” text=”NATAYA Round House”] (amazing $$$)
Mid Range – [eafl id=6639 name=”Ganesha Eco Guesthouse” text=”Ganesha Eco Guesthouse”], or try out the [eafl id=6640 name=”Kampot Riverside Hotel ” text=”Kampot Riverside Hotel “]
Budget Hotels – [eafl id=6641 name=”Moliden Guesthouse” text=”Moliden Guesthouse”],[eafl id=6642 name=” Bokor Mountain Lodge ” text=” Bokor Mountain Lodge “]
Hostels – The Mad Monkey Kampot ( of course! ) – or try out Arcadia Backpackers
DAY 11 – Arrive Sihanoukville
SIHANOUKVILLE (4 DAYS)
As Cambodia’s seaside town, Sihanoukville features the country’s most popular beaches. For your first day in Siihanoukville, you might want to avail of the tourist favorite: the full-day island cruise. This will take you to three islands for swimming, kayaking, and snorkeling. The cruise comes with a seafood lunch and drink.
You can pick any of the most popular tours: Koh Ron Island, and Koh Rong Samloem, or Bamboo Island for only $15. If you are island minded you may also decide to spend your last few days chilling on one of the many beach resorts, The Mad Monkey Koh Rong Samloem offers a fantastic destination for the party minded if you want to spend a few days X shaped on the beach. You can take your choice of islands. (A quick guide to the top 5 Cambodian Islands here)
If you dont want to go to the islands, but do want to chill on the beach then bed down on the amazing Otres beach, this is a much nicer and more relaxed, backpacker vibe place to stay, the town center can be hectic to say the least and as a rule we normally advise that you avoid it unless you are an absolute party monster, if this is the case then the following accommodation will be suitable.
Where to stay on Otres beach
Luxury Hotels – [eafl id=6616 name=”Tamu Otres” text=”Tamu”]- The best on the beach and the romantic choice $$$
Mid Range -[eafl id=6614 name=”Otres Beach Resort” text=”Otres Beach Resort”] – Also great for general chilling
Budget Hotels – [eafl id=6618 name=”The Secret Garden Otres” text=”The Secret Garden “]- Clean and great for families
Hostels – Done Right Guesthouse – Crazy Swedish Backpacker Hospitality – Number one backpackers
Where to stay in Sihanoukville Town
For Families – We recommend [eafl id=6643 name=”Penguin Pablo Bungalow Shk” text=”Penguin Pablo Bungalow”] or [eafl id=6644 name=”Ren Resort” text=”Ren Resort”] as the best hotels for families in Shiahoukville.
Luxury Hotels – [eafl id=6645 name=”Lakeside Sokha Beach Resort” text=”Lakeside Sokha Beach Resort”], or the [eafl id=6646 name=”La Villa Zentao” text=”La Villa Zentao”] are close to town and both amazing, but the best is by far [eafl id=6611 name=”Don Bosco Hotel School SHK” text=”Don Bosco Hotel School”].
Mid Range – We suggest [eafl id=6647 name=”Edens Garden SHK” text=”Eden\'s Garden, “] [eafl id=6648 name=”The Sunset Lounge” text=”The Sunset Lounge”] or [eafl id=6649 name=”The French Garden Resort” text=”The French Garden Resort”] are the best.
Budget Hotels – [eafl id=6650 name=”Don Bosco Guesthouse” text=”Don Bosco Guesthouse”], [eafl id=6651 name=”Mangroves and More” text=”Mangroves and More”] would be the only two we can recommended.
Hostels – [eafl id=6609 name=”Reef Resort SHK” text=”Reef Resort “], The Big Easy, Backpacker Heaven, Monkey Republic, [eafl id=6652 name=”One Stop Hostel SHK” text=”One Stop Hostel”] are all good.
Where to stay on the Cambodian islands
For Families – Lazy Beach, probably also the best island resort in Cambodia, not available on booking sites visit lazybeachcambodia.com for bookings.
Luxury Hotels – There is only one Song Sar Villa expect to spend $1000 per night, but its the best luxury five star hotel on the islands, if you budget does not go that far try [eafl id=6653 name=”Secret Paradise Resort KRS” text=”Secret Paradise Resort”] or [eafl id=6654 name=”Paradise Villas KRS” text=”Paradise Villas “] both on Koh Rong Samloem, there is only one luxury hostel on Koh Rong, [eafl id=6656 name=”The Koh Rong Resort” text=”The Koh Rong Resort”], its great, but it wouldn’t be my choice.
Mid Range – [eafl id=6657 name=”Sunset Bungalows KRs” text=”Sunset Bungalows “]on Koh Rong Samloem and
Budget Hotels – We suggest [eafl id=6655 name=”Sun Island Eco Village KRS” text=”Sun Island Eco Village”] on Koh Rong Samloem or head to [eafl id=6658 name=”Palm Beach KR” text=”Palm Beach”] or Monkey Island.
Hostels – By far The Mad Monkey Hostel on Koh Rong Samloem or head over to [eafl id=6660 name=”Ashia” text=”Ashia”] or [eafl id=6659 name=”Nature Beach” text=”Nature Beach”] on Koh Rong Samloem.
More information on the Cambodian Islands, including a larger accommodation choice per island and some islands that are off of the normal tourist track is available in our backpacker guide to the Cambodian Islands.
DAY – Ream National Park / or the Islands
Spend the day at Ream National Park, or officially called “Preah Sihanouk National Park,” for walking tours of the mountain, trips to the waterfalls, safari tours to see birds and small mammals, and to visit the mountainside Wat Ream. In the park are mangrove forests, sandy beaches, the Prek Tuk Sap estuary, off-shore coral reefs, and two islands (Koh Thmei and Koh Seh).
DAY 13 – Sihanoukville Town – Or The Islands
Time for relaxation before your last day at Sihanoukville. Go downtown and shop at the central market, the Phsar Leu Market, along Makara Street, with stalls that sell food, clothing, household goods, souvenir items, fruits, and jewelry. Reviewers over at Tripadvisor can give you tips for shopping at Phsar Leu.
Then pamper yourself and unknot those muscles by paying the Golden Spa a visit, which is located along Serendipity Beach Road. Afterward, head to the nearby Cambodian Children’s Painting Project (CCPP), an NGO that works with impoverished Cambodian kids, buy some art to contribute, then relax at the Serendipity Beach and wait for the nightly fireworks display.
DAY 14 – Party in Sihanoukville
For your last day in Cambodia, visit the Wats, particularly the Wat Leu, a historical and religious site, especially if you are an architecture enthusiast. And also visit Wat Kraom along Indepence Beach, as well as Wat Otres, behind Otres Beach.
Then spend the night partying at the main strip, where Cambodia’s backpackers come in droves. Take advantage of the Monkey Republic’s happy hour, then head on to Utopia, which sells beer for 25 cents from 10 to 11 in the evening. Dance away at the Dolphin or at JJ’s.
You can fly out of SHK airport or PP airport at night, both incur a taxi ride of 2 hours for SHK or 5 hours for PP plus allow yourself at least 3 hours to get to the airport and checked in. If you must fly out from Siem Reap then check out some of the cheap flights available between SHK and SR airports on Ballsaka Air or Cambodia Angkor Air, Cambodia airports also provides a good amount of flight information for you as well.
In this 14-day itinerary, we made sure you experience nature, the nightlife, get to socialize with the locals, engage in thrilling adventures, be mesmerized by historical sites, get a taste of Cambodian art, culture, and entertainment, and receive some important and serious lessons on the colorful history of Cambodia, of course this is only set out as a guide, feel free to change plans where you see fit. You will see that there is a lot of information in our backpackers guides to South East Asia to help you, and we are adding more every day.
The last thing I would ask from you; well this article runs to about 2300 words and took a considerable amount of time and effort to pull together, is, if you have enjoyed it please press the like button on the left of the page or tweet it for us so other people can find it.
The other thing you can do is to use the links or the banners on this site to book your accommodation and Flights, each time you do we get a small commission – even if you do not stay at The Mad Monkey it will help pay for us to keep writing decent articles like this one that help other travelers out.
Best Independent Travel Blogs Featuring Cambodian Travel Plans
We only recommend writers and blogs that we read regularly and believe will deliver substantial value to our readers that may be considering visiting Dublin. The following is our pick of the top current articles we think are worth reading.
- Nomaic Matt – Has a lot of good articles about Cambodia in his Travel Tips
- Just a Pack – Some great writing ranging from human interest to hostel reviews, great responsible travel resource
- Beyond Blighty – Informative and fun, lots of posts on adventures, great article on S21
- Alexin Wanderland – Lots of great information and back story articles from a real traveler
- Nomadasaurus – Some of the best writing on travel floating around the net today, great features for motorbikes through Vietnam
- South East Asia Backpacker – Articles for Cambodia and other South East Asia Destinations
- Backpacker Banter – Aussie Surfer Dude, awesome backpackers resource and in-depth covering of costs
- That Backpacker – Detailing a month in Cambodia
Have an awesome link to a relevant well written article that should be included here? Hit us up on Twitter by following and messaging us the link.
How Did We Do
That is it for our 14-Day Itinerary in Cambodia, we hope that this helps plan your travels, please make sure you stop by at at least one of the Mad Monkeys to say Hi! You can follow us on Twitter or Facebook for further updates!
Enjoy!
