Cambodia Itinerary: Best Places To Visit In Cambodia
Looking for the best places to visit in Cambodia? Well, we have an epic three week Cambodia itinerary waiting for you below. From cities and villages to Cambodia beaches, we have the perfect three week Cambodia itinerary waiting for you!
Three Week Cambodia Itinerary
Places To Visit In Cambodia
Whether you are traveling in luxury or backpacking through Cambodia, the below map will give you the perfect taste of what the country of Cambodia has to offer. Truly there is no shortage of things do in Cambodia.
Three Week Cambodia Itinerary
The best place to start your Cambodia holiday is either in the city of Siem Reap or Phnom Pehn.
Siem Reap and Phnom Pehn are great jumping off points as these two places are home to international airports and some of Cambodia’s must see sites like The Killing Fields and Angkor Wat.
For us, starting in the Southern Cambodia, in Phnom Penh, was our preferred route since we were crossing the border from Vietnam.
Once in Cambodia, we worked our way up the west side of the country, finishing our backpacking journey in the northern city of Siem Reap.
However, if you’re starting in Siem Reap, no worries! This exact itinerary can be used, just reverse the order 🙂
- Day 1: Arrive In Cambodia (Phnom Penh)
- Day 2 – 3: Phnom Penh
- Day 4: Phnom Penh to Kampot
- Day 5 – 7: Kampot
- Day 8: Kampot to Koh Rong Samloem
- Day 9 – 10: Koh Rong Samloem
- Day 11: Koh Rong Samloem to Otres Beach 2
- Day 12: Otres Beach 2
- Day 13: Otres Beach 2 to Battambang
- Day 14 – 15: Battambang
- Day 16: Battambang to Siem Reap
- Day 17 – 19: Siem Reap
- Day 20: Leave Cambodia (Siem Reap)
Cambodia Itinerary Adjustments
The only caveat we will give to our above Cambodia itinerary is this….
We caught the beginning of Cambodia’s rainy season and due to some bad weather, we had to cut our time on the islands short.
If the weather is better for you, we recommend skipping Otres Beach 2 all together and staying the two extra nights on Cambodia’s islands.
Your three week itinerary for Cambodia would look like this then…
- Day 8: Kampot to Koh Rong Samloem
- Day 9 – 12: Koh Rong Sanloem
- Day 13: Koh Rong Sanloem to Battambang (night bus)
Getting Around Cambodia
You have several options when choosing your transportation in Cambodia. From busses to planes to boats, we’re going to tell you how to get around in Cambodia.
By Plane:
Cambodia has two international airports, one in Phnom Penh and the second in Siem Reap.
Outside of these two airports in Cambodia, there are several airlines in Cambodia that offer domestic flights to popular places like Siem Reap, Phnom Penh and Battambang.
Flights are relatively reasonable and by far the fastest way to get around Cambodia.
The domestic airlines in Cambodia are Cambodia Angkor Air and Bassaka Air.
By Bus & Minibus:
The easiest and cheapest way to get around in Cambodia is by bus or minibus.
In our opinion, bus travel is the best way to get around Cambodia. With the boom in tourism, Cambodia has invested in its roadway infrastructure, making bus travel a great way to get around the country.
Both busses and minibuses offer several day options for you to choose from. Bus timetables and prices vary depending on where you are wanting to go.
In addition to day options, Cambodia offers several night bus options to and from its most popular destinations.
—-> Check times and ticket prices for busses throughout Cambodia at BookMeBus.com
By Shared / Private Taxi’s:
Do you like the idea of traveling by road but hate the idea of riding in a big bus? Well then a private / shared taxi is a great option for you!
Private / shared taxis are ideal if you are traveling with 2 to 3 additional people. The lot of you can split the cost and determine your own departure time.
Expect the shared taxi to cost more than a bus or minibus option but it will get you to your destination quicker.
—-> Check times and ticket prices for shared taxis throughout Cambodia at BookMeBus.com
By Boat:
Travelers can explore Cambodia by boat between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and Siem Reap and Battambang.
While boat rides are not the cheapest form of transportation in Cambodia, they offer lovely scenery and a fun way to get to your next destination.
—-> For more information on traveling Cambodia by boat, check out Angkor Express Boat Trip
By Train:
Transportation by trains in Cambodia used to not be an option for tourists. However, the railways system has been given new life and travelers can now travel by train in Cambodia.
The only option and rail-route is between Poipet to Phnom Penh, stopping in Battambang and Pursat. This train runs every second day.
—-> For more information on traveling Cambodia by boat, check out Seat 61
By Tuk-Tuks & Mopeds:
In the towns and cities, getting around by tuk-tuk and mopeds (scooters / motorbikes) are your best options!
Tuk-tuk’s are negotiable and you should haggle to get a good price. It’s known that tuk-tuk drivers will charge tourist 2x – 3x more than what they charge a local Khmer. So, haggle and haggle hard!
Oh, and we should mention that “snatch and dash” crimes, especially in the larger cities of Cambodia are an issue. Be aware of your belongs when you ride in tuk-tuks and try not to take photos/videos while you ride.
As for the moped, you can rent mopeds for your accommodation or from a shop in town.
Cambodia Holidays and Festivals
When planning your travel to Cambodia, it’s important to be aware of any major holidays. Why? Well because these Cambodia holidays and festivals could impact on your trip.
While Cambodia has handfuls of public holidays, we’re giving you the three most important ones.
New Year’s Day: January 1st
Who doesn’t love a good New Year party? Well the Khmer people are no different! New Year’s Day usually consists of street celebrations, good food and a fun time!
Khmer New Year (Bon Chol Chhnam Thmei): April 14th – 16th
The most important holiday in Cambodia and the one that brings the country to almost a complete stop, is the Khmer New Year. Taking place in mid-April, the Khmer New Year is three-day celebration that marks the end of the harvest season.
The bustling cities of Cambodia come to a halt as everyone returns to their villages to spend time with their families for a good ol’ fashion celebration!
** This holiday is the one you should watch out for a prepare accordingly if visiting Cambodia during mid-April **
Water Festival (Bon Om Touk): November 11th – 13th
Every year in early November, the water in Tonle Sap changes direction and Khmer’s come out hard to celebrate it! Hundreds of thousands of Khmer’s descend on Phnom Penh to watch the celebratory colorful boat races and fireworks.
Best Time To Visit Cambodia
When planning your Cambodia vacation, it’s important to realize there are optimal and not-so-optimal times to visit Cambodia.
The not-to-optimal months are those months that fall within the rainy season window. The months to avoid are late-May to September.
The best time to visit Cambodia is during the dry season from October to early May.
While these months are considered peak season aka lots of tourists and higher prices, you won’t run into a drop of rain!
If that doesn’t sound all that great to you, consider looking into the shoulder months of May and October if you are looking to save a few dollars.
Where To Stay in Cambodia
From Phnom Penh to Kampot to Siem Rap and all the other amazing cities, towns and islands there are to experience in Cambodia, check out the latest places and prices below to secure an unforgettable Cambodian accommodation.
Booking.comTravel Insurance for Cambodia
You never know what’s going to happen when you head to a new country. Not to be debbie-downers, but accidents happen.
For us, when were in Cambodia, we made sure we had travel insurance. We decided to get our coverage under Travel Insurance through World Nomads.
There is no better peace-of-mind knowing your covered if the unexpected happens. We want you to be able to keep traveling 🙂
WANT MORE ON INFORMATION ON CAMBODIA?!
The Best Orphanage To Volunteer At In Cambodia
6 Tips For Seeing Angkor Wats Sunrise
Border Crossing From The Mekong Delta To Phnom Penh
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Happy Travels,
– Lauren & Jesse Stuart (The Stüs)
The Angkor Wat temple complex is one of the largest man-made structures in the world, situated in Cambodia.
I wish there were more pictures of the temple complex – it is a great place to see and wonder about.
Three weeks in Cambodia? I would’ve stayed three days, unless the places I planned to see were days away from my hotel room.
Were there elephant rides? – I hear they have them there – it could get quite exciting since they let you trek on 100+m journeys on elephants in some areas.
While any amount of time spent in Cambodia is great, we say stay way longer than 3 days! It is such a big, beautiful, wonderful country that has so much more to offer than just Angkor Archaeological Park. If you’d like to see more pictures of that complex, please visit our blog on “Tips for Planning Your Visit to Angkor Wat”, “What Temples to See at Angkor Archaeological Park” and “6 tips for seeing Angkor Wat’s Sumrise” We have those posts packed with pictures and helpful tips.
As for elephant rides, we don’t support riding elephants so we are unsure about those parks in Cambodia. We spent time at a Elephant Sanctuary in Chiang Mai Thailand were we spent a wonderful day with those gentle giants. We have a whole post about our day with the elephants in our advocacy section of our site.
Thanks for the comment!