Cambodia is not the kind of country where you tick off a list and move on. The pace here is slower than in Thailand, the distances are bigger than they look on the map, and the things that stay with you longest are rarely the things you planned before you arrived.
Still, it helps to know where to start, especially if your time is limited. Count on about €25 a day as a backpacker, and on a route that runs roughly from Siem Reap through Battambang and Phnom Penh down to Kampot and the islands.
These are the five experiences we think stay with you longest, from world famous to almost unknown. They are listed in the order you hit them on that route.
1. Angkor at sunrise, and the rest of Angkor after that
This is why most people come to Cambodia, and rightly so. Stand at the pond on the west side of Angkor Wat before sunrise and you watch the silhouettes of the five towers slowly light up against a pink and orange sky. It is busy, sometimes very busy, and that moment is still worth it.
But do not make the mistake of heading off after that one photo. Angkor is not a single temple but an archaeological park of around four hundred square kilometres with more than a thousand temples. Ta Prohm, where the jungle grows through the walls and tree roots wrap themselves around the stones, is every bit as impressive as Angkor Wat itself. And Bayon, with its two hundred and sixteen giant stone faces looking at you from every angle, is a highlight in its own right.
Give it at least two full days, three if you can. Hire a tuk-tuk or a bicycle for the small circuit and plan at least one late afternoon, when the crowds thin out and the light is at its best. More on that in things to do in Siem Reap.
Our verdict: unmissable, but plan three days for it instead of one sunrise
2. A boat trip on Tonle Sap
Tonle Sap is the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia, and it changes completely with the seasons. The real highlight is the floating villages that live on it.
Houses, schools, shops, even churches and graveyards, all floating on the water or built on tall stilts that work with the rising and falling lake. Thousands of people live entirely from and on the lake, and a boat trip shows you what that looks like in real life.
Choose with care, though. Some of the better known villages have become very touristy, and some tours mostly race past for the photos. Ask locally which places still feel genuine right now, and go in the rainy season if you can: that is when the lake is at its biggest and you glide through flooded forest.
Our verdict: impressive, as long as you pick the right tour
3. The history of the Khmer Rouge in Phnom Penh
This is not a fun day out in the usual sense, and it is one of the most important things you can do in Cambodia.
The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, once a school and later a prison and torture centre under Pol Pot’s regime, and the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek just outside the city give you a confronting but essential picture of what this country went through between 1975 and 1979.
Take your time over it. The audio tour at Choeung Ek, told by survivors and people who were there, is exceptionally well made and helps you understand the context without it turning into pure shock. It is heavy, it colours your mood for the rest of the day, and that is exactly why it matters. You only really understand Cambodia once you know this chapter too. See also things to do in Phnom Penh.
Plan nothing else for that day, and keep in mind that this is a recent trauma that has touched almost every Cambodian family.
Our verdict: go, even if you do not feel like it, and keep the rest of that day empty
4. The countryside by bicycle or scooter
Want to see the Cambodia that is not on the cover of a guidebook? Get off the bus and onto two wheels.
Rice fields as far as you can see, villages where kids wave as you ride past, wooden houses on stilts and roads that turn from tarmac into dust without any clear warning. This is where most of the population actually lives, far from Angkor and the islands.
Around Battambang you will find the famous bamboo train, a simple platform on wheels that skims along old rails, plus cycling routes along the river and through the surrounding countryside. Around Kampot, known for its pepper plantations, a day cycling through the green is one of the best ways to spend your time too. More on both in things to do in Battambang and things to do in Kampot.
Do not stick to a fixed route: stop wherever it suits you and talk to whoever you meet. The one rule is to stay on surfaced roads and marked paths, because the countryside in the west is still being cleared of old landmines. Renting a scooter? Cambodia has its own licence rules, so check our travel insurance page before you ride. Days like this are rarely planned, and they are the ones that stay with you longest.
Our verdict: the best day of your whole Cambodia route, and the cheapest
5. The islands on the south coast
After days of temples, history and city chaos, it is time for something completely different. Cambodia has a surprisingly good coastline on the Gulf of Thailand, with islands like Koh Rong and Koh Rong Sanloem that are nowhere near as crowded as similar places in Thailand.
White sand, clear water, jungle running right down to the beach, and in some spots bioluminescent plankton at night that lights up as you swim through it.
Koh Rong has a livelier village with bars and restaurants if you still want a social life, while Koh Rong Sanloem is quieter. You reach both by boat from Sihanoukville. Give them at least a few days, because island time here runs even slower than the rest of the country, and that is the whole point. See things to do on Koh Rong.
Our verdict: the best way to finish your route, and a great place to do nothing for three days
Got time to spare?
Take two or three days for Angkor. On four hundred square kilometres with more than a thousand temples, there is far more to see than the famous names. With a three-day pass you ride on to Ta Prohm, Preah Khan and Banteay Srei at your own pace, and keep the hottest hours free.
Sihanoukville as your connection. For most backpackers this is mainly the place where you get on the boat to the islands. Plan your connection here and save your days for Koh Rong.
Three places done properly. Cambodia is bigger than it looks and the bus rides are long. Do three places at an easy pace rather than five in a rush, and leave time for the days you had not planned. There are usually a few of those.
Our top five in Cambodia
- Angkor at sunrise, with Ta Prohm and Bayon in the days after
- A boat trip on Tonle Sap to the floating villages
- Tuol Sleng and the Killing Fields in Phnom Penh
- The countryside around Battambang or Kampot by bicycle or scooter
- Koh Rong or Koh Rong Sanloem to finish
How much time do you need for these five?
Count on two to three weeks if you want to do all five properly. Angkor takes three days, Phnom Penh two, the countryside around Battambang or Kampot two to three, and the islands at least three. Add the bus rides on top, and those take longer here than the map suggests.
Only got ten days? Save Tonle Sap for another trip and choose between Battambang and Kampot instead of doing both. What you keep are Angkor and Phnom Penh, because together those two tell the story of this country.
And the most important advice: do not try to cram these five into a few days. Cambodia works best when you keep the pace low and leave room for the things that are not on any list, like a conversation with a tuk-tuk driver or an unexpected stop at a local market. The best moments of your trip are rarely the ones you planned in advance.
