First trip to Cambodia: a week for Angkor and Phnom Penh

Choose the two gateways, then the rooms

Use an open-jaw flight search: arrive in Siem Reap and leave from Phnom Penh. This avoids returning over the same road merely to reach your first airport. If the fares work better in reverse, reverse the whole stay and book the bus in that direction; the dates and prices below follow Siem Reap first.

For Siem Reap, use Siem Reap Angkor International Airport (SAI). Book the Bangkok–Siem Reap leg by air.

For Phnom Penh, book flights to Techo International Airport (KTI), which took over major airline services from the old Phnom Penh airport in September 2025. From Bangkok, travel by air.

In Siem Reap, compare rooms around the Old Market and Wat Bo for town evenings, or the museum and Charles de Gaulle Road area for a temple-focused stay. In Phnom Penh, the riverside suits palace and waterfront walks; BKK1 is another central base for meals and the Tuol Sleng visit. Choose one room in each city and keep it for that entire stop.

The model uses private ensuite doubles at Mad Monkey: Rose Apple Road in Siem Reap and Street 242 in Phnom Penh. They suit a budget with a hostel setting; compare quieter guesthouses and hotels if the social atmosphere is not what you want.

How the seven days fit together

Use the early temple start and the daytime transfer as the fixed points. The other days give you room for meals, weather and a rest after the memorial visit.

Use the extra Siem Reap nights for town experiences rather than another compulsory dawn start. Artisans Angkor’s Living Art Museum, on Chantiers-Ecoles Stung Thmey Street, lets visitors watch artisans at work; its own page lists daily guided visits from 07:30 to 18:00. Place this on day 3 after breakfast, with a rest afterwards. On day 4, browse Pub Street’s shops and restaurants, then return to the riverside for a slower evening. Cambodia Tourism Board describes this as Siem Reap’s lively nightlife district, so it suits an evening wander better than a quiet retreat. The optional Angkor National Museum gives a different indoor addition if you want more context after the temple day; admission is outside the model.

• Day 1 — Siem Reap: arrive at SAI and take the prebooked hotel-direct car used in the model. Check in, walk around the Old Market and along the river, then have a Khmer dinner. Night 1 in Siem Reap.
• Day 2 — Angkor: take the sunrise tour to Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm described below. Return to town for lunch and a slower afternoon. Night 2 in the same room.
• Day 3 — town: try a noodle breakfast and visit Artisans Angkor to see artisans at work, then rest and browse the market. The craft visit and optional Angkor National Museum are additions to the priced stay; our Siem Reap guide covers the museum. Night 3 in Siem Reap.
• Day 4 — choose your pace: keep the town day, with Pub Street’s shops and restaurants in the evening, or use a longer Angkor pass and separately arranged transport for another temple visit. The priced model keeps the town day and walks between the room, restaurants and riverfront. Night 4 in Siem Reap.
• Day 5 — Phnom Penh: travel by Giant Ibis daytime bus, then transfer from its Road 106 stop to your hotel. Walk the riverfront if arrival and weather allow. Night 5 in Phnom Penh.
• Day 6 — palace and memory: visit the Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda when the visitor areas are open, then give Tuol Sleng its own part of the day. Leave the evening free rather than adding another memorial. Night 6 in Phnom Penh.
• Day 7 — departure: breakfast, check out and travel to Techo International Airport. Keep this as an airport day; there is no bus from Siem Reap to catch before the flight.

Sort your visa, arrival form and money

For a tourist visa, carry a passport with at least six months remaining when you enter Cambodia.

Check Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa-exemption list for your nationality and passport type. Its table dated 28 February 2025 lists normal-passport stays of 14 days for Brunei, Myanmar and Thailand; 30 days for Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and the Maldives; and 15 days for Seychelles.

A standard Cambodian tourist visa permits a single entry, with three months to use it after issue and a stay of 30 days after entry.

On 15 October 2026, Cambodian government news agency AKP’s published fee update listed the tourist e-Visa (T) at US$30 and the ordinary e-Visa (E) at US$35.

Use the Cambodian government’s eVisa website for an online application and check that your nationality and arrival airport are eligible. The visa fee belongs on top of the trip budget if you need one; leave time for approval before departure. Our entry guide covers the official application channels and the remaining processing and port details.

For arrival by air, complete Cambodia e-Arrival even if you already have a visa. Submission is free and opens seven days before arrival; the immigration department also permits submission on arrival.

Cambodia's General Department of Immigration says all travellers can submit the form. The embassy's air-arrival table marks it required for every group it lists: Cambodian travellers, foreign diplomats and officials with their families, invited foreign workers and investors with their families, and regular foreign tourists. A tourist's visa exemption does not remove the requirement. Neither page lists an exemption for transit passengers, crew or children, so plan on a form for every traveller unless the arrival portal tells you otherwise.

Cambodia’s currency is the riel (KHR), and cash payments use both riel and US dollars. Check dollar change before accepting it: damaged notes may be refused.

Declare foreign currency or equivalent domestic-currency means of payment of US$10,000 or more to Cambodian customs when entering or leaving the country. The threshold applies to the means of payment carried by a traveller, including foreign exchange and its domestic-currency equivalent; count the value together rather than treating each currency as a separate allowance.

Carry cash for small purchases and the memorial admission. Keep enough riel or usable US dollar notes for those payments rather than planning the entire week around a bank card.

See the three main temples without making every day a dawn start

Angkor Wat combines the broad approach across its moat with raised galleries, central towers and extensive wall carvings. Give the bas-reliefs attention after sunrise instead of leaving as soon as the sky changes. Bayon, in Angkor Thom, is known for the smiling stone faces above its terraces and reliefs that include historical and everyday scenes. Ta Prohm adds tree roots wrapped around stone ruins. Together they give a first visit three very different temple settings.

On 15 October 2026, Angkor Enterprise listed an Angkor pass at US$37 for one day, US$62 for three visiting days with expiry in seven days, or US$72 for seven visiting days with expiry in 30 days.

The model uses a one-day pass for a guided visit to those three temples. Choose the three-day pass if you want separate, slower temple days, then add the extra transport to your booking. This changes the price and the rhythm of days 3 and 4; it is not included in the model.

Buy your Angkor pass on Angkor Enterprise’s official website, select the pass and visit date, enter the quantity and nationality, and pay by credit or debit card or KHQR. Save the emailed e-ticket; digital and printed copies are accepted at entry.

On 15 October 2026, Angkor Enterprise listed Angkor Wat at 05:00–17:30, Bayon at 07:30–17:30 and Phnom Bakheng at 05:00–19:00.

Mad Monkey’s Sunrise Angkor Wat Temple Tour lists a daily 04:15 departure from its Siem Reap lobby, visits Angkor Wat, Bayon and Ta Prohm, and schedules the return departure at 12:00. Its own page read on 15 October 2026 advertised US$15 per person for the tour only, or US$18 with lunch and a drink on return, plus an optional US$6 breakfast box. Guide, water and air-conditioned transport are listed; the Angkor pass is separate. Book your date and meal option through the operator’s tour page. The budget uses the published tour-only tariff, with food separate.

Cover your shoulders and knees at sacred sites, follow restricted-area signs, and keep off loose stones and fragile structures. Do not touch carvings, remove objects, smoke or litter. Ask before photographing monks, and do not give money or sweets to children.

Use the afternoon to rest and drink water. Staying four nights gives you room for a town day after that early start, without having to change hotels or rush straight onto the intercity bus.

Phnom Penh: the palace and a deliberate memorial visit

The Royal Palace has Khmer roofs, gilding and gardens; its public visitor areas include the Throne Hall and the Silver Pagoda. The latter is named for its silver floor and contains a Buddha statue decorated with diamonds. This is also the current king’s residence, so parts of the compound are private.

Cambodia Tourism Board’s visitor page, checked on 15 October 2026, lists Royal Palace admission at $10 for international tourists and visiting hours of 08:00–11:00 and 14:00–17:00. It says to dress respectfully and places tour guides at the entrance, often near the ticket counters. Use the entrance ticket counters for admission and ask there about access on your actual day, including any arrangements for royal ceremonies. Choose clothes covering shoulders and knees for a modest outfit.

Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum preserves the site of S-21, the Khmer Rouge interrogation and detention centre. Its purpose is remembrance and education, not a quick stop between photographs. Give it time, listen to the accounts and leave room afterwards for a break.

On 15 October 2026, Tuol Sleng listed opening every day, including public holidays, from 08:00 to 17:00. International visitors aged 18 and above pay US$5; the audio guide for non-Cambodian citizens is another US$5. The museum accepts cash in riel or US dollars. Admission is free for national visitors and foreign visitors showing K-VISA confirmation; the family admission categories are detailed on its official site.

The riverfront provides a different end to the day. Walk beside the water and choose dinner without adding a second long journey. With two nights, keep the palace and Tuol Sleng as the priorities; our Phnom Penh guide covers the National Museum and other additions if you extend the capital stay.

Book the airport and intercity legs in their actual direction

On 15 October 2026, Siem Reap Airport Bus listed US$8 each way between Siem Reap Angkor International Airport and its town stop on 7 Makara Road in front of ACE School. The airport counter is on the left after leaving arrivals. Book on the operator’s website.

For arrival, the timetable read on the same date listed airport departures at 09:30, 11:00, 12:30, 15:00, 16:00, 17:00, 17:30, 19:00, 20:00 and 22:00. The airport operator places SAI 50 km from Siem Reap provincial town; keep the road transfer, immigration and baggage collection ahead of town activities. The bus ends at 7 Makara Road; its free hotel drop-off within 2 km is a separate town connection. No operator or official page publishes a journey time for the airport bus, so allow for the 50 km road transfer when you plan the first evening.

The model instead uses Royal Angkor Tours’ hotel-direct SAI car, published at US$45 one way for 1–3 passengers, checked on 15 October 2026. The operator offers 24/7 availability and includes the driver, air-conditioned vehicle and bottled water. Book on its own transfer page with your flight and Rose Apple Road hotel address. It allows one large bag, a carry-on and a small bag or backpack per person, and free cancellation until 48 hours before pickup. This car removes the town-bus-to-hotel connection from the priced arrival.

For day 5, Giant Ibis’s booking results read on 15 October 2026 for 20 November 2026 listed its 08:45 Siem Reap–Phnom Penh Universe Luxury service at US$17 per seat, arriving at 14:45. It boards behind the Old Stadium on Khmer Pub Street and drops at Road 106, Sangkat Doun Penh, Khan Doun Penh. The listed journey takes six hours; give this day to the transfer. The online payment calculation adds US$1 per passenger, so two seats are US$36 in the model.

Book Giant Ibis directly on its website, choose your departure and seat, and check the fare for your date before paying.

Giant Ibis asks passengers to reach the terminal 35 minutes before departure and permits electronic tickets. Its terms allow one carry-on and a maximum of two pieces of stored luggage not exceeding 25 kg; excess stored luggage may cost extra. Tickets are non-refundable but can be exchanged once, up to one year from purchase, with notice at least 24 hours before departure. If the company adjusts or combines a departure, it offers an alternative or full refund.

For your Siem Reap departure, Giant Ibis’s complimentary pickup requires a listed partner hotel, a ticket bought a day in advance, and readiness in the lobby one hour before departure; it is not available for night buses. Check that your hotel is on Giant Ibis’s partner list before relying on it; the budget counts no free pickup. No price is published for a ride from the Rose Apple Road room to the terminal, so that ride is not included. On arrival at Road 106 in Phnom Penh, a two-hour Grab Rent car takes you to the Street 242 room.

City to KTI: Royal Angkor Tours publishes a private car for 1–3 people to or from a Phnom Penh hotel. Its city one-way rate of US$35 plus the US$20 KTI car surcharge gives US$55 for the vehicle, checked on 15 October 2026. Book its one-way drop-off, select KTI and the car option, and give the Street 242 hotel address and your flight details.

For a lower-cost city–KTI alternative, Cambodia Tourism Board’s Airport Express Bus guide lists KHR1,500 per person one way, daily 05:30–23:30, between Kouch Kanong Circle Bus Station and KTI, along Monivong Boulevard and Samdech Techo Hun Sen Boulevard. It gives 50 minutes–1.5 hours off peak and 2–2.5 hours in rush hour. Board at the named stations and pay with small cash or Bakong KHQR. The KTI stop is a 5–10-minute walk through the terminal car park. Two adults pay KHR3,000 for the bus, plus their ride from the hotel to a stop. This alternative is separate from the model’s hotel-direct US$55 departure car.

Phnom Penh local legs: book Grab Rent in the app for the terminal transfer and restaurant/sightseeing loops listed in the budget. Its own page, checked on 15 October 2026, lists a four-seat car for two hours at KHR65,000 and a three-seat tuk-tuk for two hours at KHR32,000 or six hours at KHR70,000. The driver stays with you for multiple stops within Phnom Penh. Finish by 20:00; fuel and driver charges are included, parking and tolls are extra, and overtime is KHR350 per minute for the car or KHR150 for the tuk-tuk, with a minimum extra hour.

On 15 October 2026, the UK FCDO advised against all but essential travel within 20 km of Cambodia’s land border with Thailand; Germany warned against travel within 20 km, and France formally advised against travel within 30 km on the Cambodian side. France’s Thailand advice uses 50 km on the Thai side. Our routes keep at least 50 km from the border and use flights from Bangkok; the land crossings are closed. Check your own government’s advice before booking.

Try the food in both cities

Start with num banh chok in Siem Reap, then try saraman and amok on the town evenings. In Phnom Penh, grilled pork and rice make another breakfast, and lok lak supplies a peppery beef-and-rice meal. The five dishes below are at named restaurants on this route, with their own menu descriptions.

Menus read on 15 October 2026 listed SPOONS Num Banh Chok at US$3.50 and Beef Saraman at US$8.99; HAVEN Khmer Amok at US$7.50; and Malis Phnom Penh’s Bay Sach Chrouk Ang at US$5 and Beef Lok Lak at US$13. HAVEN’s prices include 10% VAT and it adds no service charge. SPOONS and the cited Phnom Penh Malis menus do not state their tax or service treatment.

Tell each restaurant about allergies when ordering: these menu examples use ingredients including fish, coconut, cashew nuts and egg. Arrange the temple tour’s breakfast box the day before; the tour leaves too early for SPOONS’ breakfast service.

A six-night budget for two

For two adults sharing private ensuite doubles, 16–22 November 2026, the prices published on 15 October add up to US$716.26 plus KHR231,000. The total covers all six nights, the Giant Ibis bus, the hotel-direct car from SAI and the car to KTI, one guided temple day, palace and Tuol Sleng admissions, Phnom Penh local rides and the meals listed. Anything without a published price is listed once under “Not included” below.

Room prices are each hotel’s own rate for the room type. Mad Monkey Siem Reap shows its Superior Double (sleeps two, double bed, ensuite) from US$105.50 for 16–20 November, which is US$26.38 a night. Mad Monkey Phnom Penh shows its Standard Double (sleeps two, ensuite) from US$35 a night, US$70 for 20–22 November. Room taxes, service charges and breakfast are not included.

• All six room nights: US$175.50 = Siem Reap four-night total US$105.50 + Phnom Penh two-night total US$70, both the hotels’ own rates.
• Airport and intercity transport: US$136 = Royal Angkor Tours SAI–Rose Apple Road car US$45 + Giant Ibis on 20 November, two × (US$17 + US$1 online fee) = US$36 + Street 242–KTI car US$55. The ride from the Rose Apple Road room to the Giant Ibis terminal is not included.
• Angkor: US$104 = two US$37 one-day passes + two places at the published US$15 tour-only tariff. Select your actual November tour date for its bookable price.
• Tuol Sleng: US$20 = two US$5 international adult admissions + two US$5 non-Cambodian audio guides.
• Royal Palace: $20 = two $10 international-tourist admissions, counted at the price the Cambodia Tourism Board prints, with no currency conversion.
• Phnom Penh local packages: KHR231,000 = day 5 Road 106–Street 242 car, two hours KHR65,000; day 5 hotel–Malis–hotel dinner tuk-tuk, two hours KHR32,000; day 6 hotel–Malis breakfast–palace–Tuol Sleng–Malis lunch–hotel tuk-tuk, six hours KHR70,000; day 6 hotel–Malis–hotel dinner tuk-tuk, two hours KHR32,000; day 7 hotel–Malis breakfast–hotel tuk-tuk, two hours KHR32,000. These are planned package lengths, not guaranteed driving or visit times; the airport car is booked separately.
• Siem Reap meals: US$162.76 = US$33 for two tour breakfast boxes at US$6 and six num banh chok breakfasts at US$3.50 across days 3–5; plus eight lunches and dinners for two across days 1–4, four HAVEN pairs of amok US$7.50 + lok lak US$8, and four SPOONS pairs of saraman US$8.99 + Turk Kroeung US$7.95: US$129.76. These are menu-price models for the meal slots, not prepaid meals.
• Phnom Penh meals: US$98 = four US$5 Malis grilled-pork-rice breakfasts across days 6–7, US$20; three lunch/dinner pairs across the two-night stop, each Malis Beef Lok Lak US$13 + Chicken Curry in Lotus Leaf US$13, US$78.
• Arithmetic: US$175.50 + US$136 + US$104 + US$20 + $20 + US$162.76 + US$98 = 716.26 in dollars, plus KHR65,000 + KHR32,000 + KHR70,000 + KHR32,000 + KHR32,000 = KHR231,000. HAVEN includes VAT and no service charge; SPOONS and Malis Phnom Penh do not state tax or service charges. Keep the currencies separate.
• Not included: flights; visas if required; room taxes, service charges and hotel breakfast; the Artisans Angkor visit and Angkor National Museum admission (no price counted); the ride from the Rose Apple Road room to the Giant Ibis terminal; optional rides instead of the Siem Reap town walks; parking, tolls or overtime on local rides; lunch during the day 5 transfer; drinks and snacks; tips; insurance; and any second temple day. A standard tourist eVisa, if both adults need one, adds the government-reported US$30 each, US$60 for two.