At a glance
Phnom Penh
Royal and artistic heritage, markets, riverside neighbourhoods, food and carefully paced historical visits.
Travel north
Move to Siem Reap without scheduling an important temple visit immediately after arrival.
Siem Reap and Angkor
Separate the principal Angkor monuments from the city, food, arts and countryside.
Choose one extension
Battambang for arts, Kampot and Kep for the south, or Kratie for the Mekong.
Days 1–3: Phnom Penh
Use the capital to understand Cambodia beyond its monuments. Begin gently with the riverfront, central neighbourhoods or the National Museum area. Set aside a separate day for the Royal Palace area, Khmer art, markets and food.
Visits connected to the Khmer Rouge period require time and emotional space. Do not rush multiple memorial sites between unrelated attractions. Choose the places you can approach attentively, learn the context and leave the remainder of the day flexible.
Day 4: Phnom Penh to Siem Reap
Road services and flights connect the two cities. Departure points, journey times and timetables change, so confirm details with the operator shortly before travel. Siem Reap–Angkor International Airport serves the Siem Reap area, while Techo International Airport is the main international gateway serving Phnom Penh.
Keep the evening simple: settle in, walk near the river or eat locally. A demanding dawn start after a late arrival is rarely the best introduction to Angkor.
Days 5–7: Siem Reap and Angkor
Use one day for Angkor Wat, Angkor Thom and selected nearby monuments, but resist turning the park into a checklist. A second temple day can reach smaller sites at a quieter pace. Check current passes and visitor arrangements through Angkor Enterprise.
Reserve meaningful time for Siem Reap itself. Markets, Cambodian food, workshops, contemporary arts and the river give the city its own identity. If you add a countryside or Tonlé Sap experience, choose an operator that explains where fees go and respects local communities.
If you have only seven days
Finish in Siem Reap. Phnom Penh and Siem Reap already provide a substantial journey, and another transfer would reduce usable time. If your international flights make the reverse direction easier, begin in Siem Reap and finish in Phnom Penh; the route does not need to follow one fixed order.
If you have ten days: choose one extension
Battambang
Best for arts, architecture and northwestern countryside. It follows Siem Reap more naturally than crossing back toward the coast.
Kampot and Kep
Best for a slower southern finish with farms, food, river landscapes and the coast. Allow enough time for the longer change of direction.
Kratie
Best for the Mekong, river-island life and responsible Irrawaddy dolphin viewing. Sightings are never guaranteed.
Make the route work for you
- Count nights and full sightseeing days separately.
- Keep the first activity after a transfer flexible.
- Confirm transport directly with operators rather than relying on an old timetable.
- Leave room for heat, heavy rain and slower mornings.
- Choose fewer bases when travelling with children or limited mobility.