If you are wondering what to do in Cambodia, you’re in the right place! Here’s my Cambodia itinerary 7 days (or more) – featuring the best places to visit in Cambodia!
As I’m writing these lines, it’s my last day in Cambodia. The journey has been great, although it started the wrong way. I had a plan; traveling across Cambodia with Busabout Asia. If you’re not familiar with the concept, first you need to know it’s great! You’ll be on a tour featuring the best destinations around the country and you’ll still feel free!
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The best part is probably the fact that you won’t have to worry about anything, you simply need to follow the guide and make sure you’ll be there on time for the next part of the trip! Although it can make your trip way more enjoyable if you learn Khmer along the way.
As a backpacker, I wouldn’t usually opt for tours. But, fair enough, I was looking forward to being part of this trip as it’s always nice not to have to worry about anything. No planning, no hostel searching, no rip-off. Just smiles and a lot of fun!
So, here I was in Cambodia, waiting for the tour to start. I was beginning to be low on cash and I was barely enjoying my very cheap USD 3 bed without AC. It started the wrong way… Yeah.
I don’t know when this happened, but I had a lot of money stolen when I arrived and I could see that my bank account was nearly having a major heart attack here (So was I!).
But what could I have done about it anyway? Praying for a better karma, I was so ready to be worry-free for a 9-day trip.
If you’re traveling to Cambodia, these destinations should be on your list! (And if you do book your trip with Busabout Asia, then, you’ll be enjoying every single of these stops on the way). Let’s plan your Cambodia adventure!
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Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital. It’s quite busy and you’ll find markets everywhere. The city is huge and even though you think you’re not that far from your destination, you might have to “enjoy” the peaceful traffic.
Then, you’ll pick a day and you’ll face the truth; the sad Cambodian past. Find a kind tuktuk driver and head to the killing fields. I strongly recommend you take an audio-guide as it’s the best way to understand what really happened there.
I’m not a history teacher (and my memory is not the best one either), but long story short; the killing fields are the place where a lot of Cambodians were killed between 1975 and 1979 during the genocide by the Khmer Rouge.
Basically, in less than 4 years, they killed about the third of the Cambodian population. Please, look at the dates again; this is not a long time ago. Cambodians are still pretty sad and this is understandable, everybody here has been touched somehow by this brutal reality.
Your next stop should be the S-21 Prison. Same story here; prisoners were sent to the killing fields to be executed. You’ll face tons of pictures; pictures were taken before their execution.
Sad. That’s what it is. So sad. It’s going to be an emotional day, but this will truly help you understand the past of Cambodia.
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Kampot (& Kep)
Kampot and Kep have a pretty good reputation in terms of food products. Do you hear me yelling crab and pepper here? If you’re not a fan of seafood or simply not a foodie, Kampot is still pretty!
Hop on a boat for the sunset and enjoy the sky pornography. The scene is stunning! If you’re lucky enough, you’ll also be able to spot fireflies after the sunset.
If you walk around Kampot, you’ll realize one of the bridges looks pretty weird. It has been destroyed three times and you can see that when you look at it! One bridge; three different parts!
Sihanoukville
Sihanoukville was my favorite spot and I wish I’d have had more time around! Okay, perhaps, I’m sold on Koh Rong Samloem Island. If I was dead, I wish heaven would look like it!
This was paradise. I don’t even know enough English words to describe it! Crystal clear water, white sand, palm trees and a bikini. That’s all you need, right? Is this happiness?
Have you ever heard of Song Saa? Look at these best honeymoon destinations in Asia to learn more about this private island!
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The journey to get there can be done by ferry or by boat! The boat cruise was great! It was pretty wavy that day and I wished I had taken a motion sickness tablet, but the atmosphere on the boat was as crazy as it can get!
Have you ever snorkeled ON a boat? I’m not going to spoil the surprise here, but you should just try it!
If you are in love with Koh Rong, you can also book a cheap room directly on the island!
On your way to Battambang, you can also stop for a short cruise on the floating villages which is very impressive too.
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Battambang
Battambang is well known for its circus and I also strongly recommend this one! Let’s be a kid for an hour again… please?Plus; it’s for a good cause!
The circus is basically a social empowerment experience; they help stranded kids (or kids who need help), work with them by teaching them awesome skills and some of them, will become professional acrobatic athletes later on! Going to the circus is basically helping out kids!
On your way to Siem Reap, you can also stop at the Bamboo train which is so much fun! Forget about everything you know about trains for an hour; this is going to be it!
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Cambodia Bamboo Train
Siem Reap
Ever heard of Angkor Wat? Siem Reap is the most popular spot around Cambodia as tons of people are coming to visit Angkor Wat and other temples around! Wake up early and join the sun as it rises.
Okay, you might have to share this moment with hundreds of people, but I’m pretty sure you’ll appreciate the view!
Then, you can pick a few other temples and go temple hopping while you are in the area!
Be sure to follow our 2 days in Siem Reap itinerary to get the most out of your time here.
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A few other Cambodia Busabout Asia Bonus
They’ve got this social angle; during your trip you’ll have the privilege of eating in two NGO restaurants which is basically the same kind of thing the circus does.
It teaches skills to people so they can get out of poverty (or at least, try).Obviously, Cambodia is the poorest country among its neighbors and considering its past, I was happy to see that these organizations exist.
They’ve got this young power; the trip is made to be fun and it’s also made by young people which mean that the people on tours are also young!
If you want to party, you’ll happily go to the pub crawl or even to the cocktail class. The trip isn’t meant to be boring. At. All. Plus, guides are also energetic and dynamic (or at least, mine was!). So, you’ll get all the good vibes you’ll need!
They’ve got it; they understood our needs and made it happen. After your trip, you won’t feel like if you missed out something, instead, you’ll feel like you have ticked off everything on your Cambodian bucket list!
Disclaimer: I was invited to the Cambodia Adventure Tour by Busabout Asia, but as always, all opinions are my own.
