There are so many places to visit in Cambodia including Siem Reap to see Angkor Wat, Phnom Penh to learn more about Cambodia’s history and Koh Rong to relax on beautiful beaches.
I recently travelled to Cambodia and visited Phnom Penh, Koh Rong, and Siem Reap and had an amazing trip.
If you have done some research on Cambodia you may be wary to visit since this country doesn’t have the best reputation. There are a lot of comments online and even from other travellers in person that say they did not feel safe travelling Cambodia. As a solo-female traveller visiting I was a bit nervous but did not have any problems and had a great time! So I encourage you to take safety persuasions but so not miss out on all the AMAZING things Cambodia has to offer just out of fear.
This post is all about the ultimate Cambodia travel itinerary.
1-Week Cambodia Travel Itinerary
Day 1+2: Phnom Penh
Where to Stay in Phnom Penh
When I stayed in Phnom Penh I stayed in the Mad Monkey Hostel. I really enjoyed this hostel since it had nice rooms, lots of communal spaces, and was very social (this hostel chain is known as a party hostel). The Mad Monkey Hostel made it easy to meet other travellers with nightly events like Karaoke, Trivia, and Bar Crawls. They also ran tours including tours of the Killing Fields/S21, cooking classes, and walking tours. If you are a traveller looking to meet other people during your trip to Cambodia I highly recommend Mad Monkey.
If you are not into party hostels there are also lots of other hostels to stay in. I recommend checking out HostelWorld to find the best one for you.
Best Things to Do in Phnom Penh
- The Choeung Ek Genocidal Center (also known as the killing fields)
- Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (also known as S21 or Security Prison 21)
- Royal Palace
- Central Market
How to Get from Phnom Penh to Koh Rong
Step 1:
Take a bus from Phnom Penh to to Sihanoukville OR Take a train from Phnom Penh Railway Station to Sihanoukville Railway Station
Step 2:
Walk from bus or train to ferry terminal and check into your ferry
Step 3:
Take ferry from Sihanoukville to Koh Rong (Long Set Beach if staying at Mad Monkey)
I booked all my transport around Southeast Asia on 12GoAsia which is where I booked both my bus and ferry from Phnom Penh to Koh Rong.
Day 3-4: Koh Rong
Where to Stay in Koh Rong
When I stayed in Koh Rong I also stayed in Mad Monkey Hostel like I did in Phnom Penh. Mad Monkey Koh Rong is right on Long Set Beach which is where most ferries come into so it’s only a couple minutes walk down the beach to the hostel. This hostel is very social with lots of events running everyday and night. I highly recommend Mad Monkey Koh Rong for anyone visiting and wanting to meet other travellers.
Other popular hostels on Koh Rong include Lost Boys and Nest Beach Club (Nest is where Nestival is held).
Best Things to Do in Koh Rong
- Relax on beautiful some beaches (Royal Beach, Coconut Beach, M-Pai Bay, and more…)
- Go diving/ Take a diving course
- Party at Nestival at Nest Beach Club
How to Get from Koh Rong to Siem Reap
Step 1:
Take a ferry from Koh Rong to Sihanoukville
Step 2:
Get a Grab tuktuk/car to drive from the ferry port in Sihanoukville to the bus station
Step 3:
Take a bus from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap
Note: A bus ride from Sihanoukville to Siem Reap takes around 10 hours so I highly recommend booking an overnight bus. I booked my ferry and overnight bus from Koh Rong to Siem Reap on 12GoAsia.
Day 5-7: Siem Reap
Where to Stay in Siem Reap
SUPRISE, SUPRISE, I stayed in the Mad Monkey Hostel in Siem Reap! I stayed in Mad Monkey Hostels throughout Cambodia since I was solo travelling I thought a social hostel would make it easier to meet people and it did! The Mad Monkey Hostel in Siem Reap was very nice, it had a pool, restaurant, communal areas, and ran tours like Angkor Wat Sunrise tours through the hostel.
Even though I stayed in Mad Monkey Hostels throughout Cambodia does not mean thats the only option for accommodations. If you are a budget traveller like myself I recommend looking on HostelWorld and looking at the ratings and reviews to find the right accommodations for you.
Best Things to Do in Siem Reap
- Angkor Wat Temple
- Ta Prohm Temple
- Bayon Temple
- Sunset at Phnom Bakheng
- APOPO
- Pub Street
Read “Best Things to Do in Siem Reap” to learn more about these Siem Reap activities.
How to Get from Siem Reap to your next destination
Siem Reap is the end destination for this 1-week Cambodia itinerary but that does not mean that there is not tons more places to see in Cambodia. Lots of people spend longer than 1 week in Cambodia and travel to more places or stay in these places I mentioned longer. Some people after one week are planning on travelling to another country in Southeast Asia like Vietnam or Thailand. Some may be going home after their trip to Cambodia. There are so many options.
If you are staying in Cambodia longer or visiting a neighbouring country like Vietnam or Thailand I recommend booking transport on 12GoAsia. I know I sound like a broken record recommending 12GoAsia on all my Southeast Asia blog posts but it really was the app I booked all my transportation on.
If you are travelling to a country further away there is an airport in Siem Reap you can book flights out of. Warning this is a pretty small airport that only has flights running certain hours of the day. I realized during my trip home that this airport is NOT open 24/7 so incase you had a similar plan to me to sleep in the airport for your early morning flight this is not an option you will get kicked out like I did. So learn from my mistakes and plan accordingly.
This brings us to the end of the 1-week Cambodia travel itinerary. I hope this Cambodia itinerary helps you plan an amazing trip to Cambodia. I LOVED all the places I travelled to including Phnom Penh for its history, Koh Rong for its beautiful beaches, and Siem Reap for its amazing temple. If you have any questions about your trip to Cambodia feel free to comment on this blog post or dm me on any of my social media pages. Hope you have an amazing trip to Cambodia and safe travels!
