Cambodia, home to the infamous Angkor Wat, horrifyingly compelling history, gorgeous, lush-green mangroves and idyllic beaches. I’ve put together a tried and tested two-week itinerary with all the tips on how to spend two weeks in Cambodia, with all the best veggie food recommendations.
First things first, I’ve popped down the important bits that you need to consider before booking your trip. This itinerary will then talk you through how to spend two weeks in Cambodia (and one extra that we wish we had fit in) with accommodation and restaurant recommendations.
VISA REQUIREMENTS
Travellers from the UK require a Visa to enter Cambodia. Tourist visas are available on arrival, at the Phnom Penh or Siem Reap international airports. If you wish to get a visa on arrival you should arrive with two passport sized photographs, at the time of writing the fee is 30USD per visa.
TRANSPORT
By Air: it is pretty easy to fly between destinations in Cambodia and there are a few cheap airlines operating these routes between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, and Siem Reap and Sihanoukville. Our go to is always Air Asia. During our time in Cambodia we didn’t actually fly internally instead we opted for overland travel.
By Land: In terms of travelling over land, don’t expect luxury or much comfort. We booked a lot of our transport online via 12goasia, Camboticket or Bookaway, including minivans and overnight buses. Like I said don’t expect luxury but we found the buses and minivans to be the most budget friendly options.
By Sea: Last but not least, travelling by sea. If you’re going to be visiting Koh Rong and Koh Rong Samloem (PSA you absolutely should) then you will need to travel down via Sihanoukville to catch a ferry to the islands. Again very easy to book through 12goasia.
SIM CARDS
The internet coverage in Cambodia is pretty good and picking up a SIM card was pretty straightforward. We landed in to Phnom Penh international airport and on leaving the arrivals terminal we each picked up a SIM card. Previously we had looked in to which network provider would be best and we had read great things about SMART so we both opted for their tourist SIM offer. We paid $5 for 35gb for 15 days. I would recommend grabbing a sim card at the airport as then it’s sorted as soon as you arrive and saves you faffing around when you should be exploring.
BEST TIME TO GO:
There’s not a particularly bad time to visit Cambodia but just be mindful about where you want to go and when. Google is your friend for weather forecasts as rainfall and humidity can be very high during low season.
High Season: November – February
This is easily the best time to visit as the weather will be the driest and the weather will be the best across the majority of the country. We visited in November and the weather was very sunny and dry.
Low Season: May – September
Rainy season brings lush green scenery and lower prices across the board. The south coast is still popular at this time.
CURRENCY
The official currency in Cambodia is the Cambodian riel. However due to a 90% level of dollarisation you don’t need to be concerned about getting riel when you arrive in Cambodia. In fact, you must pay for your visa on arrival in US dollars. Just be prepared that a lot of businesses and shops price items in dollars and accept dollars as payment but then you’ll get change for your purchases in riel. Which confused the life out of me the first time it happened and I was very much convinced that I’d been ripped off.
how to spend two weeks in cambodia
We flew from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to the capital Phnom Penh. We probably stayed one night too long in the capital so for that reason I’ve included that alteration here.
2 NIGHTS: PHNOM PENH
Phnom Penh – the capital of Cambodia, a fascinating city that has survived the devastating effects and impact of war and revolution. A stop in Phnom Penh is necessary on your Cambodia itinerary, I have expressed my thoughts previously on the importance of visiting historical and cultural sites when visiting a new city or country.
It goes without saying that you can not visit Phnom Penh without setting aside some time to learn about Cambodia’s devastatingly barbaric history and the harrowing atrocities carried out during the Khmer Rouge regime. A visit to Choeung Ek (Killing Fields) and S-21 Prison is a must.
Unbeknown to us we also stayed in Phnom Penh during the Water festival. Bon Om Touk បុណ្យអុំទូក, or the Cambodian Water & Moon Festival, celebrated annually in October/November. It marks the reversal of the flow of the Tonle Sap River. It corresponds both to the lunar Mid-Autumn Festival and to the Loi Krathong water festival in Thailand. Due to arriving in Phnom Penh during the festival a few of the places we wanted to visit had altered opening hours etc. so just bear in mind before booking anywhere to check out any public holiday schedules.
Where to stay:
Budget: Onederz Phnom Penh
Mid Range: Sarina Boutique Hotel
Splash the Cash: Aquarius Hotel and Urban Resort
Good Food & Drink:
Vibe Cafe for amazinggg Vegan Food from Brunch – Dinner
ARTillery – great veggie cafe with fresh juices and falafel on the menu
LOT 369 for awesome breakfast bowls
Evergreen Vegetarian House – plenty of veggie or vegan versions of Khmer cuisine
2 NIGHTS: KAMPOT
We really enjoyed our time in Kampot, but to tell the truth we spent most of our time out of the town chilling in hammocks at our little eco-retreat in the mangroves. I would highly recommend staying in a spot outside of town in a bamboo hut or tree house – honestly it was the best thing we did during our time in Cambodia. Kampot ‘town’ is not teeming with ‘things to do’ but its a lovely place to chill out, kayak through the mangroves and watch the sunset by the river.
TRANSPORT
Kampot Express Minivan – 4 hours – $8 (approx £6.20) per person
When visiting Kampot from Phnom Penh, there are 3 options: you can take a bus which takes 3.5-4 hours and costs between 6-8$; a taxi, which takes 2.5-3 hours and costs approx $50; or a train, which takes 4 hours and 40 minutes and costs $7. I found GeckoRoutes such a helpful resource when researching transport options in Cambodia.
where to stay:
Budget: Banyan Tree Hostel
Mid Range: Sabay Beach
Splash the Cash: Hotel Five.S
Good Food & Drink:
Epic Arts Cafe
Khmer Roots Cafe
Simple Things
3 NIGHTS : KOH RONG SAMLOEM
When researching the Cambodian islands I read a lot of articles that pointed towards Koh Rong Samloem being the better of the two islands for chilled tranquil vibes as it is the lesser developed island.
Although this is very much true and Koh Rong Samloem is a beautiful tropical, traffic free, palm tree lined island the same can very much be said for corners of the larger, more popular Koh Rong. Thus, my advice would be (time permitting) to visit both to find out for yourself. Honestly, I don’t think you will be disappointed.
On Koh Rong Samloem there are no cars and very few motorbikes so if you are looking for tranquillity and the ultimate paradisaical ‘digital detox’, you can’t go wrong with Koh Rong Samloem. Inevitably, the infrastructure, facilities, and popularity of the island will have developed over the last few years and will probably only continue to do so, but I wouldn’t let that deter you from visiting the island that has been frequently described as ‘Thailand fifteen years ago’.
TRANSPORT
Kampot – Sihanoukville – Koh Rong Samloem (4 Hours)
The easiest way to travel from Kampot to Sihanoukville is by bus, which takes 2 hours and costs $8. Unfortunately, We couldn’t make the bus route work with the ferry we wanted to take so we opted for the pricier option and booked a taxi costing $45 (approx £34) for the 2 hour trip but it meant we didn’t have to spend the night in Sihanoukville.
The only way to get from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong Samloem is to take a ferry. There are different route options depending on which side of the island you want to stop at. So ensure to decide first which part of the island you want to stay on, otherwise you’ve got a long walk on an island with no roads, or you’ll have to get your bartering on with a local fisherman.
We stayed on Saracen Bay, our ferry took about 45mins and our tickets were $22 (approx £17) each return.
Where to stay:
Koh Rong Samloem has several bays with different accommodation options but as the only way to get around the island is on foot or by boat then I would recommend opting to stay in Saracen Bay.
Budget: Onederz Koh Rong Sanloem
Mid Range: Bamboo Jam
Splashing the Cash: The One Resort
Good Food & Drink:
The Big Easy
Happy Place Restaurant and Pizza
3 NIGHTS: KOH RONG
Koh Rong កោះរ៉ុង has a reputation for being more of a backpacker’party island’ which if you arrive at Koh Toch village and go no further then I can understand. However, venture further across the island and you will find the turquoise waters, shady palm trees and idyllic island vibes you’re looking for.
There are seven bays on Koh Rong and 28 beaches. Don’t underestimate the size of the island, I would recommend knowing where you’re heading before booking your ferry as travelling from beach to beach isn’t necessarily easy. Here’s a great breakdown of the beaches on Koh Rong. We were looking for laidback island vibes so opted to stay on Coconut Beach.
Transport
Ferry schedules from Koh Rong to Koh Rong Samloem change frequently. The ferries that arrive in Koh Rong from Sihanoukville generally go via Koh Rong Samloem, so we managed to hop on the latter part of that route picking up at Saracen Bay to Koh Toch, Koh Rong for $10 (approx £7.50) per person.
Where to stay:
In comparison to Koh Rong Samloem there are more resort-style, bigger hotels and guest houses on Koh Rong, so there are a few more places to choose from, just as I said before make sure to check the beach you’re accommodation is located on before hopping on a ferry.
Budget: Coconut Beach Bungalows
Mid Range: Bunnan Bungalows and Restaurant
Splashing the Cash: Tamu Koh Rong
Good Food & Drink:
The Cocohut Restaurant, Coconut Beach
Enocafe, Koh Toch Village
1 NIGHT IN BATTAMBANG
If you have seen that episode of Jack Whitehall: ‘Travels With my Father’ then you will have seen Battambangs rather unique bamboo train, bats and fascinating food markets, unfortunately we missed Battambang on our trip but hopefully on our next visit to Cambodia we will stop by on our way from/to Siem Reap.
Transport:
Sihanoukville to Battambang is quite the journey, as it is just under 500km, for this reason you might want to go from Siem Reap or allow for an extra night in your itinerary. You have the option to travel by bus (11 hours) $24 approx £20 per person, due to the time required I would probably do this overnight as it saves time and acts as your accommodation for the night. We did the overnight bus route to Siem Reap and although not comfortable it was a means to an end. Alternatively, if you are in a group then you could potentially split the cost of a taxi for approx $130/£100.
Where to stay:
Budget: Lucky Hostel
Mid Range: Moloppor Villa
Splashing the Cash: Battambang Resort
2 NIGHTS: SIeM REAP
Siem Reap, the gateway to the infamous temples of Angkor, the place to base yourself for that mission to catch sunrise over the beguiling Angkor Wat. Whether backpacking or holidaying in Cambodia, then I imagine Angkor Wat is on your list. Honestly, Siem Reap is home to little else other than Angkor Tours, Pub Street and cute little french style shop houses. Nevertheless, we enjoyed our time there, we actually ended up staying four nights due to me falling ill and requiring a trip to the medical centre but it was a great little place to recuperate.
Transport: As mentioned above we travelled overnight from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap on a sleeper bus. Not the fastest option at 10 hours but much more environmentally friendly than flying. So, we took the 19h00 Giant Ibis Sleeper bus which took approx 11 hours for $26/£20.
Where to stay:
Budget: Lub D Siem Reap or The Twizt – Lifestyle Hostel
Mid Range: Phka Chan Hotel
Splashing the Cash: Viroth’s Hotel
Good Food & Drink:
Sister Srey
Chamkar House
Haven
Gelato Lab
And there you have it – a two week itinerary for Cambodia. Need some inspiration for where to go next, perhaps a trip to Singapore? Or island hopping in the Philippines?
Thank you ever so much for reading, if nothing else I hope this provided some pandemic escapism.
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