Visiting Cambodia – Phnom Penh and Siem Reap

Featuring on almost every Southeast Asia backpacker’s route, Cambodia has so much to offer! From its friendly locals, rich history, stunning coastlines, lively nightlife, and delicious food, you’ll be left wanting more! Here’s a travel guide to help you navigate your trip in Cambodia! Enjoy and start planning ✈️🇰🇭

🚀 Best Time To Visit

The best time to visit Cambodia is during its dry months between November and March. This is usually considered peak season and you will find a lot of crowd at major tourist attractions, particularly the Angkor Wat. If you want to travel during off season, then it will have to be some time between May and October, though you will be greeted by showers and rain.

🚀 Currency in Cambodia

While the currency in Cambodia is the Cambodian Riel (KHR), the US Dollar works like a charm in Cambodia. 1 USD is equivalent to about 4,080 KHR.

Pro tip: In some places, you can initiate a transaction with USD and get KHR as change. So, if you want to change money, do some shopping, pay in USD, and ask for KHR as change. Saves you the trouble of finding a money changer! Coolest thing ever!!!

🚀 Cambodia Visa On Arrival

Upon arrival at any international airport in major Cambodian cities such as Phnom Penh, Siem Reap, or Sihanoukville, fill the visa application form and submit a passport sized photograph along with a payment of USD 30. You will get your visa on arrival within 15-20 minutes, that will be valid for 30 days for tourism purposes. Most countries are eligible for the VOA. However, citizens of Afghanistan, Algeria, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Nigeria should arrange a visa before travel, from their nearest Cambodian Embassy. Citizens of Brunei (14 days), Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Seychelles (14 days), Singapore, Thailand (14 days), and Vietnam are exempt from a Cambodian tourist visa.

🚀 Transport in Cambodia

From the airport and in the city, you will find lots of transport options to choose from such as GRAB (the Southeast Asian ride hailing app – check for promotions, there’s quite a few of them), taxis, tuk-tuks / remorques.

🚀 Where to stay in Cambodia?

There are oodles of accommodation options in Cambodia with a range of different prices suiting travellers of all kinds. Shared dorms (around USD 4 per night), backpacker hostels/guesthouses (USD 5-10 per night), 3* hotels (USD 15-20 per night), 4* hotels (USD 25 and above per night), and some Airbnb options are a good bet ranging from USD 10 to USD 30 depending on the inclusions.

🚀 Exploring Phnom Penh, Cambodia’s capital city

• Walk on the marina by the Tonle Sap river where you will see lots of evening cruises that people take delight in. The bigger boats also come by allowing vehicles to exit the cruise as they cross the river from the other side. You can keep walking along the riverside all the way up to the kids carnival and the night market.

• Some of the most interesting monuments to visit include the National Museum, Royal Palace, Silver Pagoda, Independence Monument, Wat Phnom, Phsar Thmey, and Olympic Stadium.

• Wanting to indulge in some retail therapy? Try the Night Market or AEON Malls 1 & 2 for a range of shopping options.
• If you’re interested to learn about a darker side of the country’s history and the previous Khmer Rouge era, opt to go for The Killing Fields Tour to two historical genocide museum i.e. Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum (known as the S-21 Prison) and Cheoung Ek Genocide Center.
• Phnom Penh’s food scene is definitely worth exploring. You will find a decent range of vegan food and we recommend trying out Master Ruma Vegetarian Restaurant. If you’re craving for some homely Indian food, you won’t go wrong dining at Princella Flavors Of Saffron!

🚀 Exploring beyond the city

White sand beaches call your name if you intend to explore Cambodia’s coastline. Some of the best ones includes Otres Beach (chill vibes), Sihanoukville (party scene), Long Beach / Lonely Beach / Coconut Beach (Koh Rong), Lazy Beach (Koh Rong Samloem), Coral Beach (Koh Ta Kiev). If you’re up for some greenery outside the city, head to Preah Monivong Bokor National Park.

🚀 How to get to Siem Reap?

The journey from Phnom Penh to Siem Reap takes about 6 hours, with one short break at a bread and coffee shop and a longer lunch break midway. Buses and VIP vans are available, and tickets can be booked on BOOK ME BUS (check for promotions). The VIP vans tend to be better and often comes with Wi-Fi. The Cambodia Post Van operates starts from the post office in Phnom Penh and drops passengers at the post office in Siem Reap. Some hotels are also kind enough to provide a pick up service from the post office in a remorque.

🚀 Where to stay in Siem Reap?

The best accommodation in Siem Reap can be found a few minutes outside of Pub Street and Night Market. Most of them come with a pool.

Pro tip: Besides tour options, check the room-service menu as some hotels offer food and beverage discount up to 20% off for hotel customers.

🚀 Bike Rental in Siem Reap

The best way to explore Siem Reap is at your own pace on a bike. Rental bikes in Siem Reap are available for a price of $10 for 24 hours with $1 fuel cost per litre.

🚀 Night life in Siem Reap

The scene at the Night Market in Siem Reap is quite lively. The bridge has beautiful lights and lots of vendors selling clothing and souvenir. There are umpteen street food varieties by the road sides. Enjoy some dinner sitting on mini chairs and tables by the road, which is a cute way of indulging in the local cuisine and culture. Pad thai / fried rice / fried noodles cost USD 2, Nutella crepes are priced at USD 1, and pay just USD 6.75 for a large wood fire pizza. So affordable! Street side parking costs KHR 2000 (USD 0.5). The party scene at Pub Street is worth witnessing and indulging in if you fancy some moves and drinks!

🚀 Visiting the Angkor Wat

Words can’t quite describe the magnitude and magnificence of the Angkor Wat. One can spend the entire day at the Angkor and still not cover everything in the vicinity that has a land area of 400 square kilometers and consists of more than 1000 temples! So if you are an ardent explorer, you can stay longer and buy the extended passes.

The Angkor Wat Admission Pass is available for purchase directly from the official ticket center located 4km away from Siem Reap town and 6-7kms before the Angkor Wat check point. The opening hours of the ticket center is between 4:30am to 5:30pm every day of the week. The official tickets can be bought a day before visiting or the same morning before heading to the Angkor Wat for sunrise. Remember to bring a valid ID along with you when purchasing the tickets, and have your best smile ready for the picture that will be taken and printed on the Angkor Wat pass.

🎟️ The Angkor Wat Admission prices are as follows:

• 1-Day Pass: USD 37
• 3-Day Pass: USD 62 (valid for 10 days from issue date)
• 7-Day Pass: USD 72 (valid for 30 days from issue date)

Note: Agent passes for the Angkor Wat are not valid.

If you intend to DIY, then you have the option of going to the Angkor Wat on your own on a bike. Otherwise, some hotels arrange tours in a tuk tuk for short circuits (USD 15) or long circuits (USD 18), and add another USD 5 for sunrise and sunset respectively.

Pro tip: Go early so you can check out the main Wat before the afternoon when heaps of tour groups arrive and crowd the place.

Leave between 4am – 4:30am from your accommodation, purchase your passes, then head on to witness the spectacular sunrise that’s often printed on calendars.

Most of the temples in the park can be visited from 7.30am – 5.30pm. However, some of them are open as early as 5am for people visiting during sunrise such as Angkor Wat and Srah Srang. Others such as Phnom Bakheng and Pre Rup are open till 7pm for those who want to stay back for sunset. Another popular spot inside the Angor Wat is the Angkor Hill, which is on top of the Phnom Bakheng Temple, giving some stunning views of this mesmerizing UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Remember to wear clothes that cover your shoulder and knees when visiting the temples to pay respect to the culture.

🚀 Floating Village

While in Siem Reap, find some time to explore the Kampong Phluk Floating village on a boat tour. You will leave Siem Reap with a unique perspective, an icing on the cake during your trip to Cambodia.

When in Cambodia, don’t forget to indulge in one of the many coconut delights. From various types of coconut water to coconut jelly, the tropical fruit will tickle your fancy!

Cambodia, the kingdom of wonder awaits you!

Thinking of clubbing Cambodia with Vietnam? We’ve shared in this article how to get a Vietnam visa and entering Vietnam via land border crossing from Phnom Penh.