Siem Reap & Angkor — 4 Days in Depth
With 4 days in Siem Reap, you can explore Angkor at a leisurely pace — including remote sites like Beng Mealea and Koh Ker.
Buy your Angkor pass (3 days, 62 USD) on the evening of your arrival. Sunrise at 5:15 AM at the north basin, visit the bas-reliefs, Angkor Thom (Bayon, Baphuon, Terraces), Ta Prohm in the afternoon.
Preah Khan, Neak Pean, Ta Som, East Mebon. Sunset from Pre Rup or Phnom Bakheng.
The pink sandstone temple early in the morning (38 km), then Kbal Spean — the river of a thousand lingas — a 45-minute hike through the forest to see sacred sculptures directly carved into the riverbed. Spectacular during the rainy season.
Beng Mealea (68 km, 5 USD excluding pass): an unrestored temple overrun by jungle, wooden walkways, collapsed galleries — pure adventure. Then Koh Ker (120 km from Siem Reap, 10 USD excluding pass): ancient Khmer capital, 35 m Prasat Thom pyramid, unparalleled sculptural style. Return to Siem Reap in the evening.
Combined tour with driver and guide, air-conditioned van, lunch included. Flexible cancellation.
Battambang — Bamboo Train & Hill Temples
Battambang is the second city of Cambodia and one of the best-preserved architecturally — French colonial streets, pagodas, rice fields, and the surprising contemporary art scene developed around Phare Battambang.
Speed boat option (seasonal, June–December): crossing Tonlé Sap and going up the Sangker River — 5 to 7 hours depending on water level, floating villages, herons, rural life. 25–35 USD. Spectacular but long. Bus option: 4 hours, 5–8 USD, year-round.
Battambang is perfect for biking (rental 2–3 USD/day). The French colonial architecture from the 1920s-1930s is the best preserved in Cambodia. Stroll along the Sangker River.
The bamboo train (norry) is a bamboo platform powered by a motorcycle engine on colonial-era tracks. When two trains meet, the one with fewer passengers dismantles to let the other pass — a very Cambodian logic. A 7 km round trip, unforgettable. About 5 USD/person.
Sacred hill 12 km from the city with pagodas at the top. In the evening, millions of bats (several million Tadarida plicata) emerge from the cave in a swirling cloud — one of the most impressive natural spectacles in Cambodia. Expect a 1-hour hike or take the funicular.
Phnom Penh — Capital, Memory & Mekong
Bus 5–6 hours (8–12 USD). Arrival in early afternoon. Check-in at BKK1 or Riverside. First stroll along the Mekong waterfront at sunset.
Cultural morning at the Royal Palace (Silver Pagoda, Emerald Buddha) and the National Museum (Khmer art, EFEO collections). Afternoon at the Tuol Sleng S-21 genocide museum, with the audio guide in English.
Morning at the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek (15 km south). Afternoon: Psar Thmei (Art Deco Central Market) and Psar Tuol Tom Poung (Russian Market) for souvenirs. Optional evening: dinner cruise on the Mekong — the city illuminated from the water, Royal Palace in the background.
Guided tours with transport, dinner cruises, bike tours in the capital. Flexible cancellation.
Kampot & Kep — Pepper, Karst & Crabs
Kampot is the most charming city in Cambodia after Siem Reap — colonial streets, Art Deco facades, calm river at the foot of Elephant Mountain. Kep, 25 km away, is an old colonial seaside resort now famous for its pepper crabs.
Bus or van from Phnom Penh (3h, 6–10 USD). Arrival in early afternoon. Kampot is best explored by bike — rental 2–3 USD/day. First tour of the colonial center: bridges over the Kampot River, old French quarter, riverside cafes.
Morning: visit a Kampot pepper plantation (AOP, the best pepper in the world according to many chefs — Joël Robuchon used it). Afternoon: drive up to Bokor National Park (1,079 m) — an abandoned French hill station from the 1920s in the mist, ghost casino, view of the Gulf of Thailand on clear days. 20 km of winding road.
25 km from Kampot by tuk-tuk (8–10 USD). The Kep crab market: live crabs sold by fisherwomen, prepared on the spot with Kampot green pepper by the stilt restaurants. In the afternoon, boat to Koh Tonsay (Rabbit Island, 20 min) — quiet beach, clear waters, no roads on the island. Return to Kampot in the evening.
Koh Rong Sanloem — Beach & Bioluminescent Plankton
Bus or van from Kampot to Sihanoukville (1h30, 5–8 USD). Then ferry to Koh Rong Sanloem (45 min, 10–12 USD). Multiple departures daily — Buva Sea and Speed Ferry Cambodia are the most reliable operators. Book in advance during peak season.
Koh Rong Sanloem is quieter and more beautiful than Koh Rong. Saracen Bay (east coast) and M'Pai Bay (north) are the two main accommodation areas. Stilt bungalows or beachfront, turquoise waters, white sand.
Free day on the beach. Snorkeling around the island (intact coral reefs, turtles, occasional manta rays). In the evening: swim in the bioluminescent plankton — millions of dinoflagellates emit a ghostly blue light when you move in the water. Free, available in open water 50 m from the beach on moonless nights.
Return ferry to Sihanoukville (45 min). Sihanoukville Airport offers flights to Phnom Penh (30 min) or directly to some international destinations. Otherwise, bus to Phnom Penh (4h30) for an international flight.