Current as of: August 31, 2024 - 15:44
Current as of: August 31, 2024 - 15:44
2 out of 7 - Easy & Moderate
Discover Cambodia, a diverse country with a captivating history. After arrival in bustling Phnom Penh, we head to picturesque Kampot, a land of paddy fields and pepper plantations. We pause for lunch at Kep Bay and enjoy views across the Gulf of Thailand before transferring to tropical Koh Rong island. Returning to Phnom Penh, we visit the Royal Palace and the sobering Killing Fields before departing for Battambang, a well-preserved colonial town. Finally, we explore the temple complex of Angkor with a sunset visit and a bike ride to the less visited temples.
Highlights
This trip is rated Activity Level 2 (Easy & Moderate). For more information on our trip gradings please visit the Activity Level Guidelines page. If you have any queries about the difficulty of the trip please do not hesitate to contact us.
This is a busy itinerary that visits the main highlights of Cambodia. We travel by private minibus to cover much of this beautiful country in a short time. We have kept travelling time to a minimum; however, a couple of days have approximately five hours’ transfer journeys. It is important to understand that Cambodia is fairly underdeveloped for tourism outside of Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.
The trip is led by locally qualified Cambodian English-speaking leaders.
Adult min age: 16
Min group size: 4
Max group size: 16
Sousadei! Welcome to Cambodia. There will be a welcome briefing with your leader this evening followed by an optional group dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Ohana Hotel (or similar)
Sousadei! Welcome to Cambodia. Dependent on arrival time there will be the opportunity to explore the capital or simply relax by the hotel pool. This evening there will be a welcome briefing with your leader followed by an optional group dinner at a local restaurant.
Accommodation: Ohana Hotel (or similar)
Leaving Phnom Penh, we travel into rural Cambodia to Kampot, which sits on a picturesque river. On the way, we stop at the 11th-century Phnom Chisor mountain temple, which is set on a hill with a magnificent view.
Upon arrival, we check into our centrally located hotel, our base for the next two nights, before boarding a local boat for a sunset trip on the Kampot River. The waterway runs through the town centre and can flow in both directions as it is closely connected to the sea.
Accommodation: The Columns Hotel (or similar)
Today, we venture into the countryside to discover the highlights of the Kampot province including salt fields, rice fields, fruit and pepper plantations, and the Phnom Chhnork caves. Kampot is also one of the largest producers of durian fruit; the durian, once opened, has a smell so pungent it is illegal to take it indoors in some Southeast Asian countries.
After exploring the countryside, we visit Kep ghost town. Once a popular seaside resort, Kep now houses old resort buildings marked with bullet holes from the Khmer Rouge period, a reminder of the not-so-distant past. It is regaining popularity with local tourists and you might like to join them in having lunch in the simple crab shacks that line the beach (the crab in Kampot pepper sauce is a must).
Accommodation: The Columns Hotel (or similar)
After breakfast, we drive (approximately 2hr 30min to three hours) from Kampot to Sihanoukville, before taking a speed boat ferry transfer (approximately 45 minutes to one hour) across to beautiful Koh Rong island, our home for the next two nights. Upon arrival, we have free time to relax, refresh with a sea swim, or sip cocktails as the sun sets.
Accommodation: Sok San Resort (or similar)
Our resort is on one of the most mesmerising and secluded white-sand beaches on the island. Today, you have free time to relax on the beach and enjoy the crystal-clear ocean waters, try various optional activities such as snorkelling, kayaking, and other watersports, or just soak up the exotic surroundings. Your leader can advise of all options available.
Accommodation: Sok San Resort (or similar)
This morning, we transfer back to the mainland by speed boat (45 minutes to one hour) and drive on to Phnom Penh (approximate transfer time: five to six hours) with a stop for lunch.
Phnom Penh, on the banks of the Tonle Sap and the Mekong River, is home to 2.2m people. It’s the capital city, but retains a laid-back, typically Cambodian feel where the pace is slower than one might expect.
We set out on a sunset cyclo (bicycle rickshaw) lap of the town giving us a unique view of this bustling city and providing us with an easy orientation. Stopping to see street food served by the waterfront, we have the chance to try local specialities. We finish at a restaurant serving tasty Khmer cuisine. There are also many waterfront bars worth a visit; the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) overlooking the Tonle Sap river is recommended.
Accommodation: Ohana Hotel (or similar)
Enjoy a full day of sightseeing in the capital, which takes in the beautiful Royal Palace and Silver Pagoda, so named for the solid-silver tiles that make up the floor. Thankfully, the complex escaped the Khmer Rouge regime. Similar in style and scale to the Grand Palace in Bangkok, the Royal Palace has significantly fewer visitors and there is plenty of time to wander among the traditional buildings. There is also time today to shop at either the impressive Central Market or the sprawling Russian Market, a souvenir hunter’s paradise.
We visit Tuol Sleng museum or S21 (Museum of Genocide), which graphically displays the horrors of the four years when Pol Pot ordered the murder of between 2m and 3m Cambodians. Tuol Sleng was originally a school but was used as a torture and interrogation centre between 1976 and 1979. It is a sobering and disturbing place to visit. Please be aware, the images at the museum are very graphic. We complete our day with a moving late afternoon visit to the Killing Fields of Choeung Ek. A football field-sized area surrounded by farmland, the Killing Fields contain mass graves for perhaps 20,000 Cambodians, many of whom were tortured before being killed.
Accommodation: Ohana Hotel (or similar)
Our destination today is Battambang (pronounced Battambong). The second-largest city in Cambodia, it is centred around an attractive riverside hub with traces of French elegance, friendly Khmer people and well-preserved colonial architecture. There are also striking examples of art deco architecture: central market, the Victory swimming pool and the train station to name a few. En route to Battambang, we can stop at a pottery village, a silversmith village and a marble handicraft workshop for an insight into local handcrafts and industry. In the evening, we enjoy an orientation walk alongside the Sangke River and observe daily life of the local people.
Accommodation: Classy Hotel (or similar)
Today, we cycle through countryside to explore the local rural life. Stopping at villages to see cottage industries, traditional scarf weaving and farming, there will be countless opportunities to interact with the villagers who may be surprised to see us travelling, as they do, on a bicycle. We reward our morning’s efforts with fruit and a refreshing coconut. The cycle is easy riding on flat terrain with lots of stops along the way. If you would like to opt out of the cycling and hop on a tuk-tuk instead, let the leader know at the beginning of the trip so alternative arrangements can be made.
Accommodation: Classy Hotel (or similar)
After breakfast, we head to the town of Siem Reap with stops at the local market at Pouk. Cambodian markets tend to be fragrant affairs – on offer here is Cambodian ‘cheese’; one of the strongest smelling cheeses around, perhaps because it is made entirely of fish. The local market is nonetheless a great insight into the daily life of the Cambodian people. We also make a brief stop at the Angkor Silk Farm for an introduction into the life of a silkworm and the production process of this fine textile. This afternoon, we walk past the Royal Gardens and along the Siem Reap River to the Old Market, helping us get our bearings in this small town. You may like to finish with a visit to the Artisans DÁngkor workshop – a not-for-profit organisation that provides vocational training for young people in traditional Cambodian arts.
Accommodation: Angkor Holiday Hotel (or similar)
Our first full day of temple touring is by private bus so we can visit some of the outlying temples such as Banteay Srei. Known as the Women’s Citadel, this small temple complex with intricate carvings is devoted to Brahma. Particularly impressive are Banteay Kdei and Ta Prohm, still covered in jungle, similar to how it was when it first came to light.
Described as being ‘grander than anything of Greece or Rome’ by French explorer Henri Mouhot, this World Heritage site stands alongside the Pyramids and Machu Picchu as one of the most spectacular archaeological sites in the world.
Tonight is free to enjoy one of the many restaurants on the ‘Bar Street’ boulevard in central Siem Reap. You may also wish to marvel at the skills of the Phare Cambodian Circus troop or chose to watch traditional Apsara dancing.
Accommodation: Angkor Holiday Hotel (or similar)
This morning, we get set up on mountain bikes for an easy but active ride around the Angkorian ruins that are closer to town. On the bicycle, we can avoid some of the crowds and get a unique perspective on this amazing site. If you want to rise early, you can arrange with your leader to take in Angkor at sunrise prior to the day’s cycling.
We visit the incredible Angkor Wat, the many temples inside the Royal City of Angkor Thom, including the magnificent Bayon, which is comprised of 54 intricately carved towers in one single temple. The Bayon certainly left an impression on an early traveller in 1925 who stated ‘we stand before it stunned. It is like nothing else in the land.’
Angkor is a truly magical experience and a photographer’s paradise, one of the real highlights of our trip. The ride will be approximately 15.5mi (25km) with plenty of opportunities for refreshment stops and to take photos. If you would like to opt out of cycling and instead cool down in the support vehicle, please let your leader know who can arrange the logistics of this and the rest of the group.
Accommodation: Angkor Holiday Hotel (or similar)
The tour ends this morning in Siem Reap after breakfast. If you’d like to spend a little more time to explore, speak to your sales representative about extending your stay.
On this adventure in Cambodia, we spend 10 nights in hotels and two nights in a resort. The accommodations are well located for our trip, often within walking distance of major local sites. Some also have swimming pools, so don’t forget your swimwear.
Phnom Penh: Ohana Hotel (nights 1 and 6-7)
Neighbouring the Tonle Sap River, this modern hotel is in the action. It’s just a seven-minute riverside walk to the Foreign Correspondents’ Club, while the National Museum and Royal Palace are both within a 10-minute stroll. The hotel itself has a rooftop restaurant-bar, plus there’s a first-floor pool.
Kampot: The Columns Hotel (nights 2-3)
Embrace a bygone age at this 17-room hotel, which occupies a French Colonial building in Kampot old town. Rooms come with locally made hardwood beds and silk cushions, while the hotel is just a moments’ walk from restaurants and the Kampong Bay River.
Koh Rong island: Sok San Resort (nights 4-5)
There’s a definite laidback feel to this beachy resort, where accommodation is within five pavilions and 20 chalets with a Khmer style. There are two beach bars (Sun Deck and Coco) for cocktails with sea-and-sand views, plus La Terrasse restaurant for international and Khmer meals.
Battambang: Classy Hotel (nights 8-9)
With a rooftop terrace that offers sweeping views and a large pool, the Classy Hotel is a comfortable place to rest for two nights. It’s home to the Jaya Café Restaurant, which serves Asian and international cuisines, including made-to-order omelettes and traditional noodle soups.
Siem Reap: Angkor Holiday Hotel (nights 10-12)
A short drive from the Angkor temple complex, this hotel is ideally placed for our adventures in Siem Reap. When you’re not out exploring, there’s a swimming pool to splash around in plus a restaurant serving Asian, Khmer and Western cuisines.
Worth knowing
Single supplement from £ 485
All breakfasts are included.
Food is cheap in Cambodia and you can generally avoid the spicier dishes if you wish. Cambodian food is all about contrasts: sweet and bitter, salty and sour, fresh and cooked. It shares many dishes with its neighbours, and you’ll find noodle soup similar to Vietnamese pho, the refreshing salads and sour soups of Thailand, Indian-inspired curries, and noodles and stir fries handed down from years of Chinese migration. From Cambodia’s days as a French Indochina colony, there’s a national love of coffee, pâté, and good bread. Baguettes are served with soup, made into sandwiches, and sold by men riding bicycles carrying baskets of long loaves. Western food is also available in most of the places visited.
Vegetarian food is widely available; however, the offering will be fairly similar in most places. Please advise at time of booking if you have any dietary requirements.
We use a comfortable private bus with air conditioning. Road conditions are generally good and improving all the time in Cambodia. There will, however, be the odd bumpy journey as roads are often being rebuilt due to the monsoon period. We transfer by speed boat to/from Koh Rong island and the mainland.
The weather will be hot and humid throughout with daytime temperatures usually 28C-34C (82F-93F). It is only a little cooler at nights. The dry season is late October to May and the monsoon is normally between May and October; though there is an obvious transitional time between those settled periods. The dry season has hot days and generally clear skies, though you can expect the odd shower. The monsoon is characterised by short, sharp bursts of rain and is generally overcast all day though this does not detract from the enjoyment of the place; you just need to take an umbrella or buy a cheap poncho locally.
Start hotel: Ohana Hotel, 4&6 Street 148 Phsar Kandal, Phnom Penh, 12204
Phone: +855 23 989 671
Recommended arrival time: You can arrive at any time today. There will be a welcome briefing in the evening, but if you miss it the leader will update you separately
Airport: Phnom Penh Airport (PNH)
The start hotel is approximately 45 minutes’ drive from the airport. Exodus provides free arrival transfers to the start hotel from the airport for all customers. If you would like further information on joining this trip, please speak to your sales representative.
Exodus provides free departure transfers for all customers to Siem Reap Airport (SAI) from the end hotel.
Please note, unless specified otherwise, the transfers will be to the start (or pre-tour) hotel and from the end (or post-tour) hotel and will be on the date on which the tour starts/ends; transfers to other hotels in the same city and/or on different dates may attract an extra charge. Transfers should be booked with your sales representative at least two weeks before the tour starts.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Phnom Penh
Location end: Siem Reap
We recommend packing only one piece of checked baggage. Advice about luggage allowances for both hand and hold luggage is subject to change, we suggest you check the airline website for the latest information prior to your departure.
Water included
Plastic bottles are a big issue in many countries where recycling isn’t yet widely available; they often end up in landfill or get burned. Both processes are harmful to the environment and we would like to reduce our impact here. For your trip, we provide an alternative to single-use plastic bottles to reduce the plastic used. This means that safe drinking water will be available throughout; all you need to do is bring a bottle to refill along the way. Please add this to your packing list.
If you have any space in your luggage, please check out our partner Pack for a Purpose (www.packforapurpose.org) to identify items needed by local schools and medical clinics. Your Tour Leader will happily assist with your donation.
Cambodia
Travellers from the UK, US and EU normally need a visa to enter Cambodia. Please note, visa requirements often change and it is your responsibility to obtain any required visas for this trip. Therefore, we recommend that you check with the nearest embassy or consulate of your chosen destination(s), including any countries you may be transiting or transferring through.
Some local governments provide guidance on what visas their citizens need. To help, we’ve gathered a selection of useful links below.
Important advice regarding e-Visas:
Please note, e-Visas are not accepted at all border checkpoints when travelling overland into Cambodia.
This applies to the following borders/trips:
You can only purchase a tourist visa on arrival at these borders as e-Visas will not be accepted.
More information can be found at:
Visa on arrival:
For obtaining a visa on arrival, you will need $30 USD in cash and 2 passport photos. You will be required to fill in a small application on arrival with your personal details including the address of the first hotel you stay at in Cambodia.
Applying for your Cambodia tourist e-Visa:
If you choose to apply for a Cambodia tourist e-Visa before arrival, will need to add in the following information to your application:
Address During Visit (Address in Cambodia):
Ohana Hotel
Address: 4&6 Street 148 Phsar Kandal, Phnom Penh 12204, Cambodia
Phone: +855 23 989 671
Intended date you enter Cambodia: The AOA: Cambodia Adventure tour commences on day 1 of the itinerary in Cambodia.
Please ensure you allow for any pre tour accommodation you may have booked if you are intending to arrive into Cambodia before your trip commences.
Supporting documents: You can submit your Exodus trip invoice and/or booking confirmation with your application.
Important Information- Cambodia e-Arrival Card (CeA)
Applicable for all clients travelling on Exodus trips AOA/AOH/AOL & Angkor Wat Extensions.
As of 1 July 2024, all travellers arriving in Cambodia (via air only) are required to submit a Cambodia e-Arrival Card within 7 days before their arrival. The Cambodia e-Arrival Card (CeA) is free and is replacing the requirement to complete paper forms when arriving at Cambodia Airports. The e-Arrival card is separate from visa/e-visa requirements.
How to fill out the e-Arrival card online:
There are no required vaccinations. However, recommended vaccinations include hepatitis A, tetanus, typhoid, cholera, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies and tuberculosis. You will also need a yellow fever vaccination certificate if you’re arriving from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission or transiting for more than 12 hours through a country with risk of yellow fever transmission. Please confirm your vaccine recommendations and requirements with your doctor or travel clinic.
Dengue fever, a tropical viral disease spread by daytime biting mosquitoes, is a known risk in places visited. There is currently no vaccine or prophylaxis available, so take the usual precautions to avoid mosquito bites.
Cambodia's time zone: Asia/Phnom_Penh (UTC +07:00)
Cambodia's electricity: Plug types A (two flat pins), C (two round pins) and G (three rectangular pins) – 230V, 50Hz
Cambodia's currency: Cambodian riel (KHR); however, US dollars are widely accepted
ATMs are widespread in cities and are the easiest way of obtaining money. They typically dispense US dollars. Credit card acceptance is common in the cities at restaurants and shops catering for tourists.
If you would like to bring cash there will be ample opportunity for you to change this. British pounds and US dollars are both easily exchanged. As you will probably be carrying much of your money in cash, we strongly recommend using a money belt.
You will need about 975,000-1.3m Cambodian riel (US$240‐US$320) for all other meals, which will allow you to eat well. Apart from the food, you should allow money to cover drinks (more if you like a beer/alcohol) and souvenirs.
Optional excursions
There are a number of optional activities, which your leader can help arrange for you and advise of costs locally. The below are approximate costs.
Phnom Penh
Kampot
Siem Reap
Tipping is entirely at your discretion but is customary in Cambodia. To take the hassle out of tipping, the leader will suggest you contribute to a tipping kitty of approximately US$27-US$34 per person. This is used by the leader to tip drivers, staff at hotels, on boats etc but it is not used at restaurants. If you do not wish to contribute to a central pool for tips you are, of course, free to do so.
In addition, a tip for the leader at the end of the trip is greatly appreciated if you are happy with the service you have received. As a guideline, we recommend a contribution of US$3 per day for your leader but this amount is just a suggestion and entirely up to you. Our local staff are paid well and fairly for their work with Exodus.
The tipping kitty explained above is entirely separate from any contribution to the tour leader.
We work hard to create trips that improve life for the people and places we visit and look after the planet we explore. Find out more about our sustainable travel ethos and practice here, and find out about the work of the Exodus Travels Foundation here.
Some sustainable travel highlights of this trip include:
People
How this trip helps improve life for local communities.
Places
How this trip helps protect and conserve local landscapes and nature.
Planet
How we seek to keep the carbon footprint of this trip low.
Tips for sustainable travel on this trip
Water safety
This trip includes time by a lake, river or sea, where there may be opportunities to swim. You should always seek local advice before deciding whether to swim. Open-water or wild swim spots should be treated with extreme caution. Information on how to keep yourself safe while swimming is shown here.
Your safe participation
When booking this trip, you should be confident in your ability to participate in all activities described in these Trip Notes. If you have any doubt about your suitability, please call the Exodus office and ask to speak to one of the experts on this itinerary.
Although our leaders are well trained to deal with different capabilities, if they have any concerns about someone’s ability to safely take part in an activity, or their impact on other people’s enjoyment, we authorise them to take necessary action which, in some circumstances, may involve asking someone to miss that activity.
By booking this trip you agree to our Booking Conditions which clearly state that our leaders have the authority to do this. In these rare instances we will ensure anyone sitting out is safely provided for and offered alternative options where possible. Refunds will not be provided for activities missed and customers may be liable for additional costs incurred.
When you’re ready to book, go to our website for online bookings, book over the phone or you can complete a booking form (available online or on request by calling us). We accept all major credit and debit cards, or you can pay be cheque.
After booking
You will receive your booking confirmation letter and invoice, which includes extra information and guidance about your travel arrangements.
Full joining instructions, including local emergency numbers and details of how to reach the start point, will be sent to you approximately two to three weeks prior to departure. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier, please contact our office or your travel agent.
Trip Note validity
These Trip Notes are valid from the “Current as” date on page one. They will occasionally be updated after booking and before departure; if there are any updates that significantly impact the inclusions or itinerary, customers will be written to separately. They will also receive a link to the most up-to-date Trip Notes with their Final Joining Instructions before travelling.
The information in these Trip Notes is given in good faith. Where differences exist between the Trip Notes and our current brochure or website, the Trip Notes supersede the brochure and website. All holidays can be subject to unexpected changes; to enjoy them you should be prepared to be flexible where necessary. Occasionally, it may not be possible to follow the itinerary as planned. This may be for a variety of reasons – climatic, political, physical or other. In these circumstances we will make the best-possible alternative arrangements that maintain the integrity of the original itinerary.
Licensing
Exodus is fully licensed and bonded as a tour operator. We hold Air Traffic Organisers Licence (ATOL) number 2582, issued and bonded with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We are also bonded to the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and we are members of the Federation of Tour Operators (FTO) and ABTA – The Travel Association. This means you can book your Exodus holiday with confidence, as all money paid to us for your trip is fully protected.