7 Days in Cambodia
Trip Overview
This seven-day loop stitches together Cambodia's three pulse points: the sandstone wonderland of Siem Reap, the raw, stirring capital Phnom Penh, and the turquoise-rimmed escape of Koh Rong. Dawn drumbeats ripple across lotus ponds, charcoal smoke coils from street-grill carts, and salt wind scrubs the temple dust from your skin. You'll move slow and curious, time to duck into shaded courtyards, tear into pepper crab while waves slap the pier, and sit with stories carved in stone and memory. Transport is tuk-tuk, long-tail boat, and ferry, iced coffee thick enough to coat the glass at every pause.
Pace
Moderate
Daily Budget
$70-100 per day
Best Seasons
November, March for cool, dry air; April, May still fine if you like mango season heat
Ideal For
First-time visitors, History lovers, Food seekers, Beach relaxers, Photographers
Day-by-Day Itinerary
A complete plan for every day of your trip
1
Arrival & Old Market Alleys
Land, breathe in lemongrass and palm sugar, then let Pub Street's back lanes pull you deeper.
Morning
Transfer to hotel + Old Market (Phsar Chas) wander
A private car waits outside tiny Siem Reap terminal. The 15-minute ride glides past monks in saffron and roadside jackfruit pyramids. Drop bags, then plunge into the market where dragon-fruit skins glow electric beside woven kramas.
Pre-book airport transfer via your hotel to skip taxi haggling
Lunch
Spot Training Restaurant
Afternoon
Angkor National Museum
Air-conditioned galleries decode the iconography you'll meet at Angkor Wat tomorrow. Interactive maps, sandstone faces rising overhead, and a low-lit room of bronze Vishnu statues set the tone.
Buy ticket at the door, no advance needed
Evening
Drinks on Pub Street followed by Khmer BBQ
Walk one block east of Pub Street to Chanrey Tree for torch-lit tables above the Siem Reap River
Where to Stay Tonight
Old Market / French Quarter (Boutique guesthouse like Golden Temple Residence)
Short walk to markets, tuk-tuks 24/7, pool to cool down
See all Cambodia accommodation options →Skip the $37 temple pass queues tomorrow, purchase it here after 5 p.m. and it activates the following day with 6 p.m. bonus time.
Day 1 Budget: $80-90
2
Angkor at Dawn & Ta Prohm Torchlight
Watch sunrise gild Angkor Wat's lotus pond, then chase tree-wrapped ruins and finish among torchlit bas-reliefs.
Morning
Sunrise at Angkor Wat and Angkor Thom South Gate
4:30 a.m. tuk-tuk ride under starlight. The moat smells of algae and incense. Reflected towers blush pink while cicadas scream. Slip into Bayon's 200 serene faces before tour-bus engines arrive.
Confirm driver the night before. Bring head-lamp
Lunch
Khmer Angkor Kitchen across from Angkor Thom
Afternoon
Ta Prohm & Banteay Kdei
Silk-cotton roots choke grizzled stone. Sunlight flickers along basalt corridors. Soft earth muffles footsteps and the air carries damp bark and distant drumming from monks at nearby Preah Khan.
Evening
Phare Cambodian Circus
Book the 8 p.m. show, juggling, live drums, and social-enterprise story-telling under a big top
Where to Stay Tonight
Old Market (Same guesthouse)
No packing/unpacking, easy laundry drop-off
See all Cambodia accommodation options →Ask your driver to pause at Srah Srang reservoir for lotus petals drifting like confetti. Golden hour photos beat sunset crowds at Phnom Bakheng.
Day 2 Budget: $75-85
3
Tonlé Sap Floating Houses & Night Bus South
Boat past stilted churches and fish traps, then board a sleeper coach to the capital.
Morning
Kampong Phluk flooded forest boat tour
The wooden boat glides between mangrove trunks. Water ripples mirror red-earth houses on 8-metre stilts. Smoked snakehead fish drifts from floating grills. Kids paddle plastic basins like gondolas.
Hire small boat directly at dock to avoid commission
Lunch
Back in town: Sister Srey Café
Afternoon
Rest, pack, and 6-hour Virak Buntham night bus to Phnom Penh
Hotel pool cools sun-baked skin. 11 p.m. reclining seats, AC blanket, and occasional karaoke video till dawn.
Book day-of at any tour desk. Choose back row for more legroom
Evening
Night on bus
Pack noise-cancelling earbuds. Bring light fleece, AC is arctic
Where to Stay Tonight
On coach (Reclining seat)
Saves one hotel night and arrives at 5 a.m., good for sunrise riverside walk
See all Cambodia accommodation options →Store big luggage in hold. Carry small pack with toothbrush and passport, Phnom Penh station is chaotic at dawn.
Day 3 Budget: $70
4
Royal Palace Shadows & Riverside Sundowners
Wake on the Mekong, tour silver-tiled halls, then watch copper sunlight bounce off river traffic.
Morning
Check-in + Royal Palace & Silver Pagoda
Shimmering 5,000-silver tiles underfoot, emerald Buddha catching dawn rays, and court musicians practicing on the lawn. The air carries frangipani and sandalwood.
Buy ticket at east gate. Shoulders and knees must be covered
Lunch
Romdeng (Friends International)
Afternoon
Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum & Russian Market
Brick cells still echo with murmured stories. Rusted bed frames and haunting portraits. Afterwards, sift through vintage army bags and krama scarves at Tuol Tom Poung market where grilled banana-leaf sticky rice steams on irons.
Hire English-speaking guide at entrance for deeper context
Evening
Mekong sunset cruise + Foreign Correspondents' Club
Two-hour boat with cold Angkor beer, followed by gin-and-tonic on FCC balcony overlooking night-lit Tonlé Sap confluence
Where to Stay Tonight
Riverside (Sisowath Quay) (Hotel like Amanjaya Pancam)
Walk to palace, FCC, and night bus station tomorrow
See all Cambodia accommodation options →Negotiate boat at dock, not through hotel, $5-6 per person is fair.
Day 4 Budget: $85-95
5
Capital to Coast: Bus, Ferry & Your First Island Sunset
Four-hour highway dash, then turquoise waters replace city fumes.
Morning
Sorya or Giant Ibis bus to Sihanoukville
Reclining seats, Wi-Fi that flickers, and roadside sugar-cane stalls selling smoky-sweet shots. Highway scenery shifts from paddy to coastal casuarina.
Book one day ahead at hotel desk to secure seat
Lunch
Crab House in Sihanoukville port
Afternoon
Speed ferry to Koh Rong main pier
Sea spray mists your face as the boat skips turquoise ripples. Arrive at Long Set Beach where chalk-white sand squeaks underfoot and coconut scent hangs thick.
Ferry times 9 a.m., 12 p.m., 3 p.m., aim for the noon run
Evening
Beach BBQ dinner under fairy lights
Treehouse Bungalows' nightly grill, choose barracuda steak, squid skewers, and ginger-lime sauce
Where to Stay Tonight
Long Set Beach (4 km south of pier) (Beach bungalow at Long Set Resort)
Quieter than Koh Touch Village yet reachable by 10-minute beach walk
See all Cambodia accommodation options →Bring cash, ATMs on island charge 5 % and sometimes run dry.
Day 5 Budget: $90-100
6
Snorkel, Plankton & Lazy Hammocks
Daytrip to reef gardens, nap in a hammock, then night swim among glowing plankton.
Morning
Long-tail boat snorkel to Sok San and Coconut Beach
Warm engine fumes mix with salt air as you putter past limestone bluffs. Mask on, drift over brain coral and parrotfish glinting neon blue. The boatman grills squid on deck; chili-lime smoke drifts across the bay.
Agree price before boarding. Confirm stops and lunch inclusion
Lunch
Simple beach shack on Sok San
Afternoon
Hammock siesta + paddleboard rental
Coconut fronds sway, boards creak, and every stroke across glassy water distorts your reflection. Occasional rain squall feels like warm needles.
Evening
Plankton night swim & beach bar beats
Police Beach bar hosts fire shows at 9 p.m.; swim 10 minutes south for darker water where plankton sparks electric blue with every kick
Where to Stay Tonight
Same bungalow (Long Set Resort)
Extend by night to avoid packing
See all Cambodia accommodation options →Head to the beach at 7 p.m. for golden hour photos, then stay for plankton, no tour needed.
Day 6 Budget: $75-85
7
Return Flight via Phnom Penh
Early ferry, bus, and a final bowl of num banh chok before departure.
Morning
7:30 a.m. ferry to Sihanoukville, then bus to Phnom Penh airport
Wave goodbye to turquoise gradients, then recline on Giant Ibis with AC and Khmer pop videos. Airport shuttle connects directly without city center detour.
Book combo ticket at Koh Rong pier the day prior
Lunch
Phnom Penh International Airport café
Afternoon
Departure
Security smells of jasmine garlands from last-minute souvenir stalls. Grab a final iced coffee with condensed milk before boarding.
Evening
Flight home
—
If flight is after 3 p.m., detour to Russian Market for last-minute pepper and silver jewelry, 30-minute taxi ride.
Day 7 Budget: $40
Practical Information
Everything you need to know before you go
Getting Around
Tuk-tuks in Siem Reap, moto-tuks in Phnom Penh, long-tail boats and ferries to islands. All are cheap, plentiful, and best paid in USD cash. Night buses save hotel nights but pack earplugs.
Book Ahead
Angkor 1-day pass after 5 p.m. day before, night bus seats, Koh Rong ferry ticket day prior, Phnom Penh, Sihanoukville bus the day before travel, and international flights.
Packing Essentials
Lightweight cotton clothes, scarf for temples, reef-safe sunscreen, headlamp, flip-flops plus trainers, dry bag for boat trips, malaria tablets if continuing to remote border areas.
Total Budget
$550-700 excluding airfare
Customize Your Trip
Adapt this itinerary to your travel style
Budget Version
Swap boutique guesthouses for $8 dorms in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, eat street noodles ($1.50), use local buses instead of Giant Ibis, and stick to Koh Rong's Koh Touch backpacker strip.
Luxury Upgrade
Upgrade to Raffles Grand Hotel d'Angkor, Rosewood Phnom Penh, and Royal Sands Koh Rong Villas. Hire private car to Sihanoukville and premium speedboat with lounge seating.
Family-Friendly
Book adjoining rooms at family resorts, shorten museum visits, add Siem Reap butterfly garden, choose daytime rather than night bus, and spend an extra night on Koh Rong Samloem for calmer waters.
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